PeoriaStory

Religious liberty twisted

PEORIA, IL -- From a news release.  This looks like a good event to attend.

Join Toni Van Pelt to learn about the Religious Freedom Restoration Act

Sponsored by Peoria Secular Humanist Society

Aug. 18, Thursday, 6-8PM

Peoria Riverplex, 600 NE Water Street, Peoria, IL 61603

Freedom under Attack: Protecting Real Religious Liberty is Radical and Imperative

Religious liberty is a fundamental principle: it belongs to each individual. 

Currently that freedom is under siege as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and its conservative allies attempt to redefine it as the right to protect their business interest at the expense of women, workers, LGBTQIA individuals, students, and anyone who disagrees with them. 

Coalition for Liberty & Justice experts will examine the spurious arguments of the Catholic hierarchy and their allies who would use religion to distort constitutional protections, undermine equality, restrict access to important health care and other services for women, workers and LGBTQIA individuals and otherwise violate individuals’ conscience and civil rights.

Miss Toni Van Pelt is President of the Institute for Science and Human Values, Tampa, Florida.

 

Peace walk July 29

PEORIA, IL -- This looks interesting.

The Peoria Community Against Violence is holding a Peace Walk from 5:45 - 7 p.m. on Friday, July 29, at Morton Square Park, 901 NE Monroe, Peoria, IL.

Peace Walks are held every other Friday, with more information on the group's website.

Other groups sometimes join them. The Peoria Secular Humanist Society will be there on July 29.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

Brief comments at this D150 board meeting

PEORIA, IL -- Only two long time activists presented comments at the Peoria District 150 School Board's July 18 meeting.

Terry Knapp commented on a successful basketball event, then urged the board to be proactive to stop any anti-police chanting and activities from demonstrators.

In light of the recent shooting of police, "it's important not to allow this in the school district.  We have to be pro-active and stop it," he said. 

Here is a recording of the comments.

Download D150 July 18

Sevino Sierra commented on a poster in the board room which shows only black and white children.  Other ethnic groups also should be depicted, he said. In addition students should be taught about civil rights, he said. 

 -- Elaine Hopkins

 

The old Harrison School today, an outrage

PEORIA, IL -- Activist Hedy Elliott Gardner pleaded with the Peoria City Council on July 12 to do something about the old Harrison School. It has become a menace to Peoria's South Side neighborhood.

Here are photos she sent of the situation there: 

 

As you can see this is a disaster waiting to happen -- open doors, open windows, adults and children running in and out... imagine what could occur, she told the council.

And what will they do about it? 

Under the previous superintendent and the board that enabled her, the school was sold for $10 to a guy who was going to recycle the materials.  Instead he took what he wanted then skipped town.

Instead this sturdy building should have been preserved and repurposed, even leased to someone who would use it well. .

Now it's a wreck.  Will the city act? Don't hold your breath!

 -- Elaine Hopkins

Dear Hillary...

PEORIA, IL -- The Hillary Clinton e-mail issue is such a crock of you know what!  And it's a Republican witch hunt, as well

But given the usual media hate-fest involving Hillary, she must respond. I have watched and read about the controversy, and here's what I have concluded.  So --

Dear Hillary, here's what you should say:

This e-mail system was set up for convenience, and in the tradition of other government officials, including Colin Powell. (Notice, no one is investigating them!)

Government people do this so they can respond regardless of where they are, in a distant land or on vacation.

I was never told my system was not secure.  In fact it apparently was not hacked, something that can't be said of the State Department's servers.

Every e-mail eventually came from or went to the State Department, so was not kept from the public record.

To the best of my knowledge every e-mail was not classified when I sent or received it. (Over-classification is an issue that should be resolved.)

Given the above, to the best of my knowledge I was not careless or reckless.  I know little about technology, so trusted my aides to manage the servers. In fact I thought there was only one server, and it was secure because my residence was guarded around the clock by the Secret Service. At least nobody burglarized my home and stole the system.

If the FBI has concluded this was a reckless system, I won't disagree. In hindsight it was a mistake, made because of tradition, not malice. (Why would I want to harm the USA?)

So this whole situation is like a bad dog with a ball in its mouth. "Drop it, drop it," I say.  Let's talk about the real issues facing our nation, not this.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

 

 

Hillary Haters Read This

PEORIA, IL -- I keep hearing on TV and reading that polls show voters hate Hillary Clinton, and don't trust her. 

That's nuts.  They're just repeating right wing propaganda. 

Now here is proof that the Hillary haters are wrong -- in a fascinating article that's kind of wonky but proves what it says.

Check it out. 

And read this.  It's long but worth it.

Then get ready to help Hillary become the next president.  The alternative, Trump, is too awful to contemplate.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

A new board for District 150

PEORIA, IL -- Two new board members were sworn in to the Peoria District 150 School Board, on July 1, at the reorganization meeting.

The board has almost completely turned over in the last two years thanks to the advocacy group Change150.

Martha Ross was re-elected board president, one of the few holdovers from previous boards.  Dan Adler was elected vice president, a Change150 endorsed candidate.

Outgoing board member Rick Cloyd, who did not seek re-election, became tearful as he discussed issues of District 150, now aka the Peoria Public Schools. He thanked those who helped him and blasted the "disgraceful performance" of the Illinois General Assembly in its handling of school funding.

Then came the public comments.  Activist Terry Knapp said "stains on this district" include the closing of Woodruff High School without so much as a public hearing, and replacing it with the Quest Charter School, whose first graduating class had 39 students.  The second stain was the Charter Oak School debacle,  and its "$140,000 in legal fees" that led to the formation of Change150. 

"You need to be responsible to taxpayers.  Listen to them," Knapp said.

Jeff Atkins-Dutro, president of the Peoria Federation of Teachers, welcomed the new board members and said a "quality system of checks and balances" is needed in the district.

Here is a recording of the comments. 

Download D150 July 1

 -- Elaine Hopkins