‘The Union List’

Two thoughts on Bob Dylan’s reaction to the Nobel

by , posted on Monday, December 12th, 2016 at 12:57 pm

1. Let’s not overdo the importance of “credit in the straight world,” i.e. mainstream acceptance. These are the same people, let’s not forget, that gave Henry Kissinger a Peace Prize. Whose awards in the sciences have repeatedly omitted women’s contributions. Dylan did acknowledge the prize. He just didn’t jump when they said jump. He sent the Swedish Academy an acceptance speech that thanks them for the unexpected honor, but also makes it quite clear that he is a bit ambivalent about the prize. Would we have expected modern artists to bow down before the Paris Salon when the academic painters finally got around to acknowledging them? Of course not. Why expect Dylan to be any different?

2. Dylan is routinely found on lists of famous people most likely to have Asperger’s Syndrome. It’s entirely possible that his social awkwardness — readily apparent since Day One with him — has as much, or more, to do with the way his brain is wired than it does with a simple lack of manners. The only thing he didn’t do, really, was heed the call for a command performance in the form of a speech delivered in person. I’m not surprised. Dylan almost never speaks to his audience when he performs. Never has. And one sees in interviews, which he rarely has given, that he isn’t particularly comfortable even making eye contact with people. He doesn’t need the approbation of the Swedish Academy, and he doesn’t need their money. Why voluntarily put yourself in the middle of an extremely uncormfortable social situation if you don’t need to?

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Dennis Anderson for Congress “Town Hall Tour” Stops in St. Charles

by , posted on Wednesday, May 28th, 2014 at 8:12 pm

Baker Community Center is Site for Open Public Forum on Tuesday, June 3

Dennis Anderson, Democratic Candidate for Illinois‘14th U.S. Congressional District, will hold a public town hall forum on June 3rd from 7:15 to 8:30 PM at The Baker Community Center, 101 S. 2nd Street. All constituents in the Tri-Cities are invited to attend and encouraged to bring questions for the candidate.

The Anderson Campaign is observing

the time-honored American tradition of the open political town hall forum as a highly effective way for candidates to directly talk to constituents regardless of party affiliation. The St. Charles Town Hall is open to all and scheduled in the evening to meet the needs of working constituents. The campaign will hold town hall meetings throughout the District for the entire the campaign season.

Throughout the country – including here in the Illinois 14th – we’ve seen a reluctance on the part of incumbents to participate in unscripted public forums with constituents, particularly in joint forums with their challengers. The Anderson Campaign believes that town halls are a valuable opportunity for candidates and constituents to meet and to hear from one another.

Upcoming town hall tour stops include Sandwich, Antioch, Warrenville, Elburn, Gurnee and Plainfield. For more on future town hall dates, go to: http://www.dennisanderson14.com/calendar_of_events

A resident of Gurnee, Illinois, Dennis Anderson is the Democratic candidate for the United States Congress for Il-14, a seat currently held by Republican Randy Hultgren.

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Chris Lauzen at Odds with the Pope Francis on Economic Issues

by , posted on Thursday, November 28th, 2013 at 7:16 pm

It is Thanksgiving and I can’t get over the conversation I had with Chris Lauzen last week over the topic of a living wage ordinance. Even though I was born and raised on the mission field in West Africa, I don’t think that a politician’s faith should matter, unless that politician makes it part of his or her campaign. Chris Lauzen has put his faith front and center in most of his political endeavors – his political views as one who professes very publicly to be Roman Catholic are fair game. And, if you read the press release linked above you will notice that Lauzen doesn’t mind criticizing the Pope when the Pope admonishes Republicans. Maybe Chris is more in tune with God than the Pope is?

This morning I read a recent speech by Pope Francis who condemned the idolatry of cash in capitalism and called for a society with people, not money, at its heart. “It is the consequence of a global choice, an economic system which leads to this tragedy; an economic system which has at its center an idol called money.”

It made me think that the phone conversation Chris and I had should be made public and I should let readers decide if they think Lauzen is a man of faith or another hypocrite.

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A Free Event with Ben Cohen of the StampStampede

by , posted on Sunday, November 10th, 2013 at 11:53 am

Join us this coming week for a free event with Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and the StampStampede.org, Ben’s is on a national tour to overturn Citizens United and get big money out of politics.  None of us can any longer afford to sit around and watch the top one percent take away all our rights, remove our Social Security, Medicare, pensions and other programs, contaminate our food, water, air, and products.  The event is Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 2:00 p.m. (doors open at 1:30) at the Chicago Temple, 70 W. Washington, Chicago, across from the Daley Center.  Ben is providing free ice cream  The event is sponsored by the Coalition to Overturn Citizens United. rsvp sharsand@aol.com.

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When Right is Wrong

by , posted on Sunday, October 13th, 2013 at 7:45 pm

What do all the following have in common?

  • Social Security
  • Medicare
  • Medicaid
  • Interstate highway system
  • 1964 Civil Rights Act
  • Labor Unions
  • Pensions, public and private
  • Man on the Moon
  • Universal Health Insurance
  • ERA…Equal Rights Amendment
  • EPA…Environmental Protection Agency
  • U.S. Postal Service
  • Answer: They all were opposed by Republicans in Congress.

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    Your Rights Are About to be Taken Away Again!

    by , posted on Sunday, October 13th, 2013 at 12:06 pm

    Just when I thought Illinois politics couldn’t get any worse than what it has been, it did. I am referring to an upcoming vote against Governor Quinn’s veto on HB 2454 which prevents citizens from petitioning voters to get advisory questions on a ballot in the future.

    Last summer, there were 14 petitioners who spent 6 months collecting signatures from Kane County voters for an advisory question for the 2012 November ballot. That collection took place at the Gail Bordon and St. Charles Libraries, faires, festivals, Geneva’s French Market and the DMV in Elgin. The question asked if the voters thought the Constitution should be amended to limit all the money that is now part of our political process….thanks to the Supreme Court’s disastrous 2010 decision on Citizens United. Last November, it was ultimately passed by 74% of ALL Kane County voters who said they wanted to get rid of all this unlimited, secret and unregulated money that continues to pour into our elections and used to pay off politicians for their yes vote for favors. I believe this is still called bribery and it is the number one reason citizens have such low opinions of those we elect to speak on our behalf. The truth is, you just don’t have enough money to influence the legislators.

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    K12 Inc., “The Dog Ate My Data” in Valley View Too

    by , posted on Monday, April 1st, 2013 at 10:55 am

    After making 16 similar presentations at public hearings over the course of 10 days in the Fox Valley, and receiving hundreds of tough questions, K12 Inc. finally showed up with a panel of executives.  I counted seven K12 Inc. executives, one attorney, and three board members from Virtual Learning Solutions.  They were all nicely dressed in business attire, their PowerPoint had new graphics, and their data was still non existent. K12 Inc. had 10 days to do their homework and once again failed to produce any substance.

    Photo from D356U K12 Inc. Public Hearing - March 27, 2013

    For almost three hours the D365U School Board kept pushing for data, substance and explanations about K12’s questionable history of grade doctoring, cover-ups, lawsuits, scandals and investor settlements.  The board was phenomenal, and Dr. Vince Gaddis (NIJwJ Steering Committee member) drove it home in a “worth the watch 12 speech” below the fold.

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    A Poor Kid Deserves Opportunity Too (Poem)

    by , posted on Sunday, March 31st, 2013 at 7:29 pm

    Reflections from Newark Community High School, March 31st 2013

    Driving by I stopped to stare and remember…

    The squeak of gym shoes on polished hardwood floors
    Rolled jeans and clanking metal locker doors

    My older brother and friends thinking they were cool
    Sneaking a smoke behind the brick school

    The first Apple IIe with green letters blinking
    Learning code, tabbing, no clicking

    My first psych paper questioned corporate advertising in school
    Sociology, I learned I was part of a class – bottom of the economic pool

    A solitary study hall in the librarians’ backroom, studying or sleeping
    The Librarian knew no 17-year old should be full-time working

    I know she was proud when I got my ACT scores and acceptance letter
    Teachers dug deep, earning their scholarship – a shot at something better…

    Now I know why I spend so much time fighting for this beautiful relic
    Opportunities, our schools – keep them strong, keep them public

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    NIJWJ Forum: Dr. Ron Baiman, “Closing Tax Loopholes in Illinois”

    by , posted on Monday, January 7th, 2013 at 8:40 pm

    from Northern Illinois Jobs with Justice

    Dr. Ron Baiman addresses the Northern Illinois Jobs With Justice forum, “Funding Strong Schools and Fair Pensions”, East Aurora High School, Aurora, Illinois, January 2, 2013.

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    NIJWJ Forum: Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia and Rep. Elaine Nekritz

    by , posted on Monday, January 7th, 2013 at 12:16 am

    from Northern Illinois Jobs with Justice

    Illinois State Representatives Linda Chapa LaVia and Elaine Nekritz address the Northern Illinois Jobs With Justice forum, “Funding Strong Schools and Fair Pensions,” East Aurora High School, Aurora, Illinois, January 2, 2013.

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