patrickmurfin

Carolynne Quinn

Carolyn Quinn (nor relation to the governor) attended two events this week that I would have loved to attend, but had to work instead.  Work is the curse of the activist class.  I have made the trip to Springfield several times and would have loved to hear the scuttlebutt about how next year’s races are shaping up.  But more important would have been the chance to stand up for Healthcare Reform right here in Crystal Lake.  That event was organized by a local outfit stitched together from local Tea Baggers, Minuteman anti-immigration zealots, and paranoid gun worshipers.  In McHenry County that makes them as respectable as the Bishop’s wife.  The Northwest Herald, an editorial opponent virtually any reform breathlessly covered the event.  So did conservative blogger Cal Skinner who had been promoting the event.

This week I attended 2 events, both held in the bubble of their own opposite ends of the political spectrum. The Democrats held their annual Governor’s Day rally at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield. Lots of rah-rah, go Democrats stuff. The Patriots United group held an event they billed to the media as a town hall meeting in Crystal Lake but denied to attendees that it was any such thing. “This is the regular monthly meeting of a private entity,” according to a woman who sold me a ticket. The moderator of the event announced that that they were nonpartisan. According to their website they are purely libertarian. Nonpartisan my eye.

Here is my take on the two.

I missed, I mean really missed, the McHenry County Democratic Party bash primary night at Govner’s Pub in Lake in the Hills.  Inclement weather may have held down attendance some, but a hearty band, mostly from Algonquin Township and the southwestern part of the county partied hard.  Party Secretary Carolyn Quinn presided over the affair in the absence of other wise engaged Chair Tom Cynor (see post below for his excuse.)  Thanks to photographer James Harvey we can share some of the fun.

District 1 Chair Chris Emmerich shares a precinct read-out tape with County Board Destrict 5 Candidate Paula Yensen, incumbent County Board Member Jim Kennedy, and party General Council Sam Melei.



Dr. James McTague, a candidate for County Board District 1 and friend track results from the County Clerk’s office.



Carolyn Quinn celebrates with 16th Congressional District Candidate Robert Abboud and his wife Patricia.



Elizabeth Puchmelter, who ran as a Richardson Delegate to the Democratic National Convention, Yensen, Quinn, and District 3 Chair Pauline Walker study results.

Carolyn Quinn

Our contributor, Carolyn Quinn, Secretary of the McHenry County Democratic Party, attended the Tuesday night “workshop” meeting of the Crystal Lake City Council which considered funding requests from the city’s Hotel/Motel Tax.  The tax is earmarked to support tourism and economic development in the city.

The Crystal Lake Gala Committee was one of the groups with their hands out.  They requested a not inconsequential $40,000 allotment. The Committee, which produces the city’s annual Independence Day Parade, last year banned the McHenry County Peace Group from participating.  A ban also was extended to the Libertarian Party.

In protest to this attack on free speech and discrimination, the McHenry County Democratic Party voted to boycott last year’s parade and joined the Peace Group rallying around a giant Statue of Liberty erected in a private yard along the parade route.

In response to the resultant brouhaha, festival official made the ludicrous claims 1) that the parade did not receive tax payer support and was thus “private,” 2) that they were thus legally able to ban participation by any group for any reason, and 3} that the parade had nothing to do with the Fourth of July, even though the whole purpose for which the Gala Committee was originally created was to fund and produce the city holiday celebrations including the parade and fireworks.  In fact up until the controversy erupted, their own web site and publicity materials called the event the “Fourth of July Parade.”

Carolyn joined members of the Peace Group and local Democrats to monitor the meeting in hopes of being able to object to City funding unless the Committee changes it policy and renounces discrimination based on political content.  They were unable to do so.  But the issue will come up for final consideration and a vote by the full Council on February 15 at which time public comment will be permitted.  Carolyn and friends will be back.  We hope you join them.

This report was edited from an e-mail to interested parties.

 …We had a group of five people in a row.  The Gala Committee had a Power Point presentation and requested $40,000 to cover the fireworks, parade, and a third thing that did not make it into my notes.There were no decisions made tonight.  

The public did not get to speak at all.  It was officially a “workshop.”  Libby Pappalardo from the McHenry County Peace Group was ready with a prepared statement that she didn’t get to use.  I know she was disappointed…

…There were only five members of the board [City Council Members] present—lots of empty seats…

…The City Manager [Gary Mayerhofer] came over to shake my hand after they had adjourned and said that the February 15th meeting, when more members will be there, is the time to address our concerns.  I had asked if Libby could submit her written statement, and they almost took it, but didn’t.

The bottom line is that we [Democrats] should draw up a statement of our own.

Some CRYSTAL LAKE DEMOCRATS  biked to the FIESTA DAYS PARADE in McHENRY, inspiring the Bicycle Brigade trip to ALGONQUIN for the FOUNDERS’ DAY PARADE this coming Saturday, July28.

The following was adapted from a letter to NORTHWEST HERALD editor KEVIN LYONS.

There is a BICYCLE BRIGADE planned for a mini-trip (3 miles) from CRYSTAL LAKE to the ALGONQUIN FOUNDERS DAY PARADE line-up area on Saturday, July 28.  We are joining together to make a symbolic, political statement and to have ourselves a grand pre-parade party.  At the same time, we will be promoting the PRAIRIE BIKE PATH that crosses the entire length of McHENRY COUNTY from WISCONSIN to the KANE COUNTY Border.

By using our bicycles instead of cars to get to the parade does the following things for us we reduce our carbon footprint for the day; increase our intake of fresh air and exercise with friends and neighbors; reduce our use of gasoline; promote community pride—the Prairie Trail through McHenry County is remarkable—and prevent the frustration of being stuck in traffic at the Fox River Bridge in Algonquin, which is also remarkable.

The Bicycle Brigade is sponsored by the McHENRY COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY.  We will join the party contingent for the at the MY KIND OF COUNTY float in position #93.).  This is a part of the NATIONAL CLEAN UP AMERICA promoted by party Chair, GOV. HOWARD DEAN for the DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL REUNION DAY 2007.

So far, we are being joined by members of the McHENRY COUNTY DEFENDERS, the OUTDOOR ADVENTURE/RECREATION CLUB (OAR) of McHENRY COUNTY COLLEGE, and the McHENRY COUNTY PEACE GROUP. Anyone is invited to bring their bike, grab a helmet and join us for the event.

In the 18 years that I have lived here, traffic problems have been one of the primary concerns of McHenry County.  The hottest spot in the county is still the corner of 62 & 31, and on parade day both highways are closed at 9:30 AM.  I don't mean to complain, as I, myself, love having the roads closed for a parade or a block party.  But there will be plenty of people who are complaining that day (cursing in their cars) because they are frustrated, wasting time and gas in a traffic jam.  We are going to sail right through all of that and arrive at the Parade in fine spirits.

We are gathering at the DIVERSE CITY PRAIRIE on the Prairie Path Bike Trail.  There is a special parking for bikers there on EASTGATE ROAD, public water fountains and restrooms.

CAROLYN QUINN
Secretary, 
Democratic Party of McHenry County
info@mchenrydems.com  
815-788-9540

Senators BARACK OBAMA and DICK DURBIN of Illinois at earlier event on vetran's issues.

CAROLYN QUINN has done it again!  This is the letter she sent to Senators DICK DURBIN and BARACK OBAMA in support of the all night session to discuss the LEVIN-REED AMENDMENT forcing Senate REPUBLICANS to defend the indefensible.

Dear Senators:

You are making me immensely proud today. Hang in there! We cannot allow the Republican Caucus to morph into The Incredible Pit of an obstacle course, because if we do, the rest of the Senate, and indeed the rest of the country, will be mired in the muck right along with them.

I am a teacher in McHenry County who has participated in school sponsored "lock-downs" where we have great groups of students stay overnight in the gymnasium to have Reading Marathons. Sometimes we organize for them to do 24-hour runs outside on the track. These are always huge events,and I know well how that kind of work can be both grueling and rewarding.

I am also the mom of a Navy Man recently returned from "Operation Enduring Freedom." We want our troops home now - not because we are tired of fighting, although we are. Our sense of desperation comes because it is not possible to EVER have a sense of having won this war. That could only happen in the situation where we were doing an honorable deed, which in this case we certainly are not. What we have is this: honorable warriors are fighting as honorably as they can while the commander in chief wages this war in a tapestry of dishonor. The original warp was established on lies, deceptions and a perverted sense of profit. Woven across that was established a pattern of further dishonor that blankets the very soul of our country. It casts a shadow on the sacrifices made by all our boots on the ground AND our boats in the depths of the ocean.

Never did I imagine the day would come when the Red Cross would identify my country as the perpetrators of torture. I'm sorry, but there is no honor in the torture chamber. This has festered far too long, and we have got to put a stop to the entire fiasco.

Slam on the brakes!

Don't give up! Don't lose heart! Don't miss your families and feel lonely in the Senate Chambers tonight! We are with you, we are behind you, we are proud of you. We are honored to be represented by you tonight.

Carolyn Quinn

Crystal Lake, IL

CAROLYN QUINN

Once again we are proud to present another item of intrepid reporting by the always energetic and enthusiastic CAROLYN QUINN, Secretary of the McHENRY COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY. This time she share a rare look at Democratic Presidential candidates at a Chicago forum for the AMERICAN ASOCIATION OF JUSTICE, formerly known as the ASSOCIATION OF TRIAL LAWYERS OF AMERICA.

            My dear friend Jacquee called to say she had been the third caller to a WCPT station and won two tickets to a play in the city.  Cat’s Paw at the Profiles Theater on Broadway near Irving Park – it was supposed to rather progressive and would I like to go?  You bet. 

So we were already planning to have an adventure in the city, and I privately chuckled to myself that I would have fun the next day (that’s now) casually telling somebody (that’s you) who might happen to ask me what I had done over the weekend: “Oh, I saw a play on Broadway -- and how was your weekend?” 

Well, knock me over with a feather, the trip to Chicago yesterday was a grander adventure that I would have ever daydreamed. And I do ever want to tell you about my weekend!  Thank you, Patrick for asking!

Jacquee called in the morning to say she heard that 5 Democratic Presidential hopefuls were going to be at the Hyatt in Chicago that same day. 

Okay, I have to back up and explain that my claim to being a rebel, hence being invited to share on Mr. Murfin’s blog, is that I do not have Cable, Satellite Dish or even an antennae to receive channels 2,5,7, & 9.  I believe that TV has become a giant marketing tool bent on getting me to buy stuff I don’t want or need, and further trying to get me to believe stuff I don’t necessarily want either.  So I think they should pay me to be on the receiving end of a television connection instead of the other way around.  But that’s another story.  Anyway, Jacquee periodically informs me of things from TV land that she knows I would have missed and I inform her of other things that don’t ever make it on TV, so it’s a good trade.

So, my friend told me that she wanted to leave a few hours earlier than planned and try to catch sight of Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.  Which other candidates were coming was still a mystery at that point – which only made her want to go more.

I’m thinking that if 5 Presidential Candidates were coming to Chicago I would have been able to locate the event online – or I would have heard in on the radio.  Chicago Public Talk should have been talking about it, I figured – even National Public Radio.  I believed Jacquee, but was filled with reservations.  This was not at all like planning a week in advance to go to Springfield for the Grand Opening of the Obama ‘O8 Campaign. Plus we had play tickets that shouldn’t get wasted, for goodness sakes.  I don’t remember telling her these doubtful musings, but I hesitated, which is not like me a bit, show she probably knew.  Despite knowing full well we didn’t have a chance of success, I decided, “What the heck, nothing’s wrong with a road trip on a beautiful day except using the gas and we were already planning to go to the city anyway.  A detour downtown could be fun even if we just ended up sitting on a Point at the Lake.”  So I started driving East with no reasonable plan in place.  Great conversation with a fellow progressive from McHenry County, though.

From the car, I called Bridget Gray, Chicago Field Director for the Obama O8 campaign.  Bridget was in Iowa promoting our favorite candidate and couldn’t help but wished us luck.  She said there were no tickets being given out to the public.  Hmm.  I called another friend who has an amazing network and usually gives me the scoop on local political activity.  She said you have to be an attorney to attend this particular event. Oh.  Well, I happen to know an attorney with a downtown office and thought he might be attending the event, but no.  He graciously talked us through the downtown traffic and one way streets, though.  Nothing like having a host when you visit a big city. 

Bill Richardson, Barack Obama, John Edwards, Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton were all at the Hyatt Regency downtown yesterday speaking at a forum for the convention of the American Association for Justice.  This I know because I was there.  But it was sheer audacity to be there; we didn't have a press pass or tickets or anything...  Neither did we have the $2000 it turned out other people paid for two seats at the event.

This was an incredible long shot, but Jacquee and I went inside the Hyatt (no secret service stopped us) and wandered around inside for a little while, finding an alcove with a poster on an easel promoting the fundraiser meet ‘n greet with John Edwards after the forum. A hotel worker came along and told us that the candidates were already speaking in room such and such two floors down, but that the overflow was down the hall watching on a large screen.   

Incredibly, we managed to hear all the candidates except Bill Richardson who had gone first before we got there. I already knew I would pretty much like what each of them would say.  And the Democrats did not disappoint me.  They all get it that the Iraq War is a screwed up mess that we never should have made in the first place.  They all get it that our health care system is a system that protects the pharmaceuticals first and people like me way, way later. And they all get it (as did all the attorney guests) that our American Justice System has been not only threatened, but has become truly endangered.  Every single one of our democratic candidates would have more power and more inclination to protect our constitution than the current administration has in any one of their big toes.  So, I was in the best of company.  The biggest surprise to me was Joe Biden.  His stage presence was riveting, and I just didn’t expect to find him so alluring.  But I did.

The most fabulous part of this adventure was personally meeting each member of the Biden family afterward.  We were in hall outside the reception room and glimpsed Senator Biden through the open double doors.  I asked an employee of the AAJ for advice on how to get an autograph, since he was Right There.  We were told to go ask his wife, who was just inside wearing a blue blazer.  Oh, my.  So we went in and met a delightful prospective first lady, who – get this: apologized to us for being disheveled.  She said she had only just, just got in from Iowa. Dina Biden would be the most gorgeous first lady ever. I didn’t get to hear any of her thoughts or ideas before the Senator approached, moving towards his wife, and I just happened to be standing there. He took both of my hands and asked me my name.  I told him I am Carolyn Quinn and absolutely thrilled to meet him.  He responded with a huge grin and introduced himself to me as Sean Flannigan.  Everybody around chuckled, but like I said before, you could have knocked me over with a feather.  I still cannot get over that he was joking around with me and then sat down for a mini conversation with us.

 So, he autographed a piece of paper I had and did one for Jacquee, and when I asked if he could send a representative to our Central Committee Meeting in McHenry County, he said, "Sure, that's a great idea ~ would you like Beau or Hunter?" He called his sons over and introduced us to them.  Oh, my word: these truly handsome young men, both of them friendly, happy and gracious, said they would truly love to come meet all my democrat friends in McHenry County.  And that's not all.  The Senator also signed a plastic convention hat from the table’s centerpiece for us to put up at our silent auction at our fundraiser Golf Outing come October 5^th in Harvard.

 Joe Biden was fantastic today.  I would say he made Barack look staid, which is saying a lot.  I will try to get a hold of the video tape from the event to share with whoever's interested. I'm just amazed and thrilled.  What a day...  (And we enjoyed the play, too)

--Carolyn Quinn

            It was a beautiful day for a parade in CRYSTAL LAKE, neither scorching hot nor pouring rain.  But the McHENERY COUNTY PEACE GROUP was forced to sit on the sidelines of the annual GALA FESTIVAL PARADE after being banned by Gala officials.  For details scroll down to previous stories.

            Here are some photos.

Members gathered  around the 17foot tall STATUE OF LIBERTY float parked in a friendly yard at Dole Ave. and Pierson Streets. That’s long time Peace Group leader LIBBY PAPPALARDO, husband BRIAN, and float creator NELSON BORELLI to the right. (Murfin photo)

                                    

NELSON BORELLI looked on as PATRICK MURFIN (that me, he said modestly), read from the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. (All following photos by CAROLYN QUINN)

ROB SMITH, proprietor of the dem-il-mchenry YAHOO! E-MAIL LIST, brought this message.

                                   
JACQUEE PIETRUCHA was so enthused, she joined the Peace Group on the spot.  Another member gave her a Group shirt right off her back.

                                     

LADY LIBERTY on stilts was so happy to see her representation that she left the parade and strode into the yard to visit.  She posed for dozen’s of pictures.

                                                      

The Statue with signs.

                                       

A CONTINENTAL ARMY Color Guard with drummers paused to guard the statue.

Graphic adapted by CAROLYN QUINN 

The McHenry County Democratic Central Committee, meeting at the Nunda Township Hall, voted Wednesday night to withdraw from participation in the Crystal Lake Gala Parade and to encourage others to do the same.  The action was in response to the decision by the Gala Committee to bar participation in the parade by the McHenry County Peace Group.

            “Tonight the Central Committee took a strong stand for fundamental fairness and freedom of speech by authorizing our withdrawal from the Crystal Lake Gala Parade” Cynor wrote in a message to party members after the vote.  “The Gala Parade Committee has repeatedly abused its authority in making arbitrary decisions as to who may participate in this publicly supported parade.”

            The Party has been a regular participant in the Gala Parade for several years with large contingents of marchers.

           It was determined that the decision by the Gala Committee was "arbitrary and capricious" especially in light of banners, placards and signs regularly carried by an array of organizations,  political parties, candidates and elected officials throughout the years. 

            The resolution authorizes the Party chair to withdraw participation “until such time that the Gala Parade Committee enforces its rules and regulations uniformly in the interest of equity, fundamental fairness and freedom of speech.”  Cynor indicated that he would take action.

            The resolution was overwhelmingly adopted by the weighted vote of the precinct representatives.

 RESOLUTION OF THE MCHENRY COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE

AUTHORIZING WITHDRAWAL FROM THE CRYSTAL LAKE, GALA PARADE 2007

WHEREAS, the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee has a parade float entry in the 2007 Crystal Lake, Gala Parade; and

WHEREAS, the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee has participated in the Gala Parade in the past without incident; and

WHEREAS, many State of Illinois elected officials, county elected officials, municipal elected officials, and candidates for elected office have participated in the Gala Parade without incident; and

WHEREAS, many commercial and/or religious organizations have participated in the Gala Parade without incident; and

WHEREAS, these organizations, parties, candidates and/or elected officials have repeatedly utilized banners, signs and placards to convey a political and/or ideological statement/opinion during said Gala Parade; and

WHEREAS, the application for parade participation of a particular group has been denied by the Gala Parade Committee because of the alleged use of banners, signs and/or placards to convey a political and/or ideological statement/opinion during said Gala Parade; and  

            WHEREAS, said decision of the Gala Parade Committee is both arbitrary and capricious;  and

WHEREAS, the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee’s participation in the Gala Parade 2007 would be in tacit support of said arbitrary and capricious decision violating guarantees of equity, fundamental fairness and freedom of speech;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Central Committee of the McHenry County Democratic Party, that the Chairman of the Party is hereby authorized to withdraw said application for participation in the Crystal Lake Gala Parade 2007, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all members of the Central Committee be encouraged to withdraw from said event; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Central Committee members and the Chairman of the Party publicly encourage others to withdraw from said event and in particular contact all elected officials and candidates and request their support of said resolution, until such time that the Gala Parade Committee enforces its rules and regulations uniformly in the interest of equity, fundamental fairness and freedom of speech.

DATED: at Crystal Lake, Illinois, this 20th day of June A.D., 2007.

Thomas J. Cynor Esq.                                        Carolyn Quinn

Chairman, McHenry County                               Secretary, McHenry County  Democratic Central Committee                                             Democratic Central Committee

     

CAROLYN QUINN          JULIA WARD HOWE

CAROLYN QUINN was also kind enough to share this letter she recently sent to Illinois Senators Barack Obama and Dick Durbin.

 I don’t think I have ever seen this sentiment expressed better. It reminded me of the original MOTHER’S DAY.  That day was organized by Julia Ward Howe.  She knew about war, too.

                A militant abolitionist, she penned the words to the BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC, to which’s cadence a generation of young men marched to their death in the CIVIL WAR.  She spent the rest of her long life as a champion of many causes and of social justice.  But having seen first hand the dreadful slaughter of war—even a just war in a righteous cause—she dedicated her greatest energies in preventing war.

                The outbreak of the FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR in 1870 caused her to attempt to mobilize women around the world for peace.  She called for June 10th to be celebrated annually as MOTHER’S PEACE DAY.  Her proclamation of the day, characteristically in verse went as follows: 

Arise then...women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe our dishonor,
Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil
At the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace...
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God -
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.

Dear Senator:

This isn’t just about the pain and heartache of losing a son, although the pain is infinite.  This isn’t just about imagining a grandchild that arms will never hold, or books that will never be written, it is also about an imagining a world without the heroes that could have maybe solved the problems of the masses.  Or one who could have been a good and decent person. We need those heroes back home.  Desperately.  

The military arm of our nation insisted they need my son even more.  They continue to require still more of our sons. 

I can remember my stepfather who raised me giving me the look along with the comment “Money doesn’t fall from trees, you know.”  Today I ask that you give your fellow senators the look and see if they know where all those brave young men come from.  They don't fall from trees, obviously.  They don’t come from some unknown place; they are FORMED.

They are formed on the potter's wheel of mothers who teach their sons to respect life and to be respectful. To be civil and use their manners. They are fired in the kiln of fathers who demand that their sons learn what it means to be honorable and to live a life of integrity. They are glazed by communities, where the colors of heroism and courage are the atmospheric paint.

And once they have been so formed they are precious treasures beyond any other.

The uncommonly heroic and courageous, honorable and reliable, are just the sort who will step up to the plate in times of crises or war. They WANT to defend their mother country. They WANT to be heroes. They WANT to demonstrate to themselves and their fathers and to the world all around, that whatever frightening circumstances can be arranged, will not daunt, and absolutely cannot measure against the power of love in their hearts. And so they give of themselves without limits. They choose to protect their band of brothers in the desert or the swamp or the skies on fire - They CHOOSE to face intense danger rather than melt back into unformed clay without principal.

They are the investment of our lives; they are the lifeblood of our truest hopes and dreams. They represent our best effort to send our best selves into the best future we can imagine.

And it is imperative that we not squander them, not a one.

At what cost do we send our biggest and best investment of men good and true, men of daring courage into wars across the ocean?

We mothers must tell you that these, our most precious treasures, can NEVER be replaced, and they cannot possibly be measured against dollars or other resources. We aren't particularly moved about the billions spent on the war, in comparison to the dread of losing our sons. Trillions of dollars means less than a penny compared to the cosmic pain of losing our sons. Loss comes in so many packages.

We want our sons back whole - physically, mentally and emotionally whole. We want to see their eyes still ablaze with the fire of strong, loving hearts that are fearless and hopeful.

This does not mean that we are completely unwilling to sacrifice even a son for the greater good of humanity, but you better believe it means that we are unwilling to sacrifice ANYBODY's son or ANYBODY'S father for profit or oil or greed or vengeance.

But I said this wasn’t going to be just about a mother’s pain.  It is also about protecting our absolutely greatest resource: our people and our youth. For they are our most precious national treasures. 

What will tomorrow’s generation look like if we spend our most heroic sons of today in a “dumb” war?    Where will our daughters find men who know how to honor and respect them if we throw away our best and bravest? Where will we as a country be if we ourselves do not honor and respect these good men and bring them home right now?

Carolyn Quinn

Crystal Lake, Illinois

PS.  I am not a gold star mom.  My son served six years as a Navy “Nuke” and returned home late last fall.  Of course we are beyond glad to have our Collin back home with us.  I want to tell you what he did when he got home.  He signed up to be an election judge and served in that capacity November 7^th, 2006 – which was also his first day back to being an official civilian.  I just want to make it clear that those who would say we are not patriots are either not listening, or they are not understanding what is real.   I thank you for taking the time to listen, and more importantly for “getting it.” 

(Photo by MARY MARGARET MAULE)

CAROLYN QUINN, the Secretary of the McHENRY COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY, was one of a carload of local Dems who drove down to Springfield this morning to hear BARACK OBAMA announce his candidacy for President of the United States at the historic OLD STATE CAPITAL—the building where Abraham Lincoln served in the state legislature, delivered his HOUSE DIVIDED speech, debated Stephen Douglas, and after a bitter war and martyrdom was laid in State for his friends and neighbors.  I asked Carolyn--who shares the honor with Virginia Red of being one of the only two guest contributors on this blog—to be our Special Correspondent at the historic event.  She complied with her usual enthusiasm, good eye for detail, and serious writing chops. 

Postcard perfect clear sky:

Left my camera bag, purse and backpack in the car on purpose to have less stuff to worry about.  Did bring THE AUDACITY OF HOPE and today’s copy of the SPRINGFIELD JOURNAL with Barack all over the front page.  I had planned to get them both autographed.

Wicked cold.  Where you think twice about taking in the next breath because the frigid gases seem downright invasive. 

A Mark Twain impersonator passed by on the sidewalk as we approached the OLD STATE HOUSE - and of course Abe Lincoln.  Both looked real enough.  A couple kids hawking tee shirts and buttons (but I didn’t buy any because the money wasn’t going to the Obama campaign – plus I didn’t have my purse.)

Long lines at 8:30 AM to enter the courtyard area, and despite the biting cold, spirits were incredibly high.  Nobody jostled for a better place in line.  We met one another in line.  I shook many mittened hands this morning.  People of different ages, backgrounds, races, regions, were all pleasant and of a single group spirit.  Today we shared a common hope.  To be able to make the difference in changing government to be more responsive to ordinary peoples’ lives.  Like our own.  And we hope this guy is the one to help us make it happen.  Townies were proud to host the announcement of Obama’s presidential bid.  Way proud.  Travelers were just thrilled to be there and shared how far they had come – how early they had arisen – with the same sense of pride.  What we all shared was a personal investment in the hope that we can reclaim America.  Debbie Ross from Lincoln, Illinois sang the STAR SPANGLED BANNER, and my friend Sam said she is the same woman who sang at his wedding.

He offered himself up as a vehicle today.  Why do we hope Barack is the one to help make us more able to affect change in the overall political climate?  All along he has been listening to the stories of ordinary people.  Listening carefully enough to remember our stories and pass them on.  To tie the stories together with a meaningful thread of who we are, what our challenges are, and how we try so hard against so many obstacles.  He heard people who are like me, it seems, because when he tells their stories, it sounds like he is telling my story and getting the gist of why I work so hard to keep my head afloat in an economy that doesn’t appear to put much value on my hard work.  He gets the gist of how I work so hard, what the challenges are like, and the kinds of things our government could do that would make me feel more like I was getting a decent shake at the American dream. 

But that’s not all.  He has spoken against the war in Iraq all along.  Today he proposed a date by which we should have our military out of there.  The crowd was quiet.  Not me.  I was whooping and hollering.  But I was one of ten thousand, and went unnoticed except by the people right around me.  And then he described how we must take care of all our returning vets, and the entire crowd was whooping and hollering.  He proposed that we bring unions back into power enough to take care of laborers.  He proposed that we give teachers the resources and money they deserve.  He proposed that we make college education more affordable, and there was an ocean of approval moving all around the lawn.  The twenty-somethings and the fifty-somethings are in complete agreement about this one!  And he spoke to us as a generation.  Not separate generations in clusters; but as though we in the audience were all one generation:  the generation who can step up to the plate, roll up our sleeves and fix what’s wrong with today’s government.  Dad’s held little kids up on their shoulders to see the sight.  We felt a part of history at that moment.  Not because of the event that happened, but because of the shared vision of events to come, events that we believe will come because of our commitment, our work ethic, our diversified talents, and our connection to this gangly attorney who is determined to do things differently if we choose to elect him. 

And it isn’t just that he seems so sincere when he flashes that brilliant smile, and it isn’t just that he is a powerful speaker, and it isn’t just that he speaks to us of our own stories.  The guy’s an expert on Constitutional Law who said that the battle we need to fight is making Washington DC work differently.  This at a time when the war abroad is an incredible, unbearable travesty and I get the feeling we are being distracted from an wicked attempt to undermine our Constitution.  The job description of president is to uphold the constitution. Would it be good for our next president to be a Constitutional expert?  I just don’t get why there’s any question of nominating anyone else.  This is to me as clear as a postcard perfect clear sky day at 3 degrees Fahrenheit.  Barack is my guy.  There is not much I would change about today’s rally if I could.  It would have been nice to get those autographs, though.

--CAROLYN QUINN

My friend Carolyn Quinn has contributed to this blog before.  She is a gifted and insightful writer.  Despite her Irish last name, fair skin and freckles, Carolyn was raised by her stepfather, a Japanese-American World War II veteran.  That has given her a unique perspective on the threat to our civil liberties and constitutional government represented by the “compromise” bill adopted by the Senate to regulate the treatment of “enemy combatants,” define who falls into that status, and under what conditions they can be brought before military tribunals. 

William Rivers Pitt has been a leading voice in opposition to the War in Iraq and a harsh critic of the Bush mal-administration.  After the Senate action he posted In Case I Disappear on TRUTHOUT.ORG.  This is Carolyn’s response to that article.

Carolyn is a tireless worker for peace and justice.  She currently serves with distinction as the Secretary of the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee.

           An oxymoron for you: Subjugation of the Constitution in the name of protecting American citizens. Hmm.  And is it paranoid to worry that the president could consider even me a threat? 

          In the forties, there was an element of fear that Japanese immigrants along with American citizens of Japanese descent might become traitors to the US.  There was also a desire on the part of white west coast farmers to be rid of the Japanese immigrant competition. 

          In June of ’43, Hirabayashi v. U.S. declared curfew laws imposed upon persons of Japanese ancestry constitutional.

          In ‘44, FDR signed into legislation an order that allowed the US Army to determine who might become a possible threat, round them up and forcibly remove them from their homes, with no accusation of a crime, no evidence of a crime, no talk or thought of a crime.  The order was planned as a preventive move, and approved by Congress.  

        In December of ’44, Korematsu v. U.S. ruled Japanese American evacuation order (Executive Order 9066) constitutional.

        All the “Japs” were taken from California and placed in prison camps, excuse me, relocation camps. They were legally stripped of home and all property, never to have it returned.    Elderly, children, teens, babies – born on American soil, schooled in American schools, speaking American English: all were a “threat,” and had to be removed.

        Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties act of 1988, which allowed an apology and symbolic redress to the victims of Executive Order 9066 who were still alive.  Restitution was sent to those victims in order of age.  I have in my hands a letter from George H.W. Bush from October of 1990, in which he apologizes on behalf of the United States of America, for the travesty of stripping citizens and immigrants, such as my dad and his family, of their rights.  It was accompanied by a 20,000 dollar check to my stepfather. I quote from it:

        A monetary sum and words alone cannot restore lost years or erase painful memories; neither can they fully convey our Nation’s resolve to rectify injustice and to uphold the rights of individuals.  We can never fully right the wrongs of the past.  But we can take a clear stand for justice and recognize that serious injustices were done to Japanese Americans during World War II.

        In enacting a law calling for restitution and offering a sincere apology, your fellow Americans have, in a very real sense, renewed their traditional commitment to the ideals of freedom, equality, and justice.  You and your family have our best wishes for the future.

                - George Bush, President of the United States

       Well.  I want to know what our past president has to say right now about our resolve to uphold the rights of individuals. 

       I spent my whole life hearing stories from those WWII days and those American Citizen prisoners-of-war who were never accused of a crime, nor granted legal representation, nor ever saw a courtroom. I have always known that I would take preventative action if necessary within whatever power and influence I could muster, to stop my country from doing any such similar thing again.  A Hawaiian general (HI was not a state yet at the time and had no representation in Congress) refused to comply with the army order to detain all the Japanese in Hawaii.  It didn’t happen there.  But it did happen in California, Oregon and Washington.  Relocation camps were built and operated in other states as well by the Department of Justice.   Barbed wire fences, pacing guards with rifles…

       September ’06  “…The broad powers given to Bush by this legislation allow him to capture, indefinitely detain, and refuse a hearing to any American citizen who speaks out against Iraq or any other part of the so-called ‘War on Terror.’"—William Rivers Pitt.

       George W. Bush may claim that he has the right to determine if I am a “threat” to country and act accordingly.  The Senate and the House may acquiesce.  But in doing so, they deny our commitment to the ideals of freedom, equality and justice.  They deny our spirit, our ideals, our dream.  They deny the deepest meaning of what it means to be a citizen, whether an immigrant or no.  They deny the fact that they exist to represent us.  They cast a blight upon our place in history.

       George W. Bush may indeed determine that I am an “enemy combatant.”  To the extent to which he believes he is the state, he is correct, for I stand opposed to him especially while he holds that belief and continues to undermine the Constitution. 

       “If you write a letter to the editor attacking Bush, you could be deemed as purposefully and materially supporting hostilities against the United States. If you organize or join a public demonstration against Iraq, or against the administration, the same designation could befall you. One dark-comedy aspect of the legislation is that senators or House members who publicly disagree with Bush, criticize him, or organize investigations into his dealings could be placed under the same designation’.—William Rivers Pitt.

       Uh-oh.  That’s me.

       But I don’t count on disappearing, for gosh sakes.

       I always wondered if I would have the guts to foil a governmental action that was designed to allow the arrest of other people without just cause.  Like the Hawaiian general, and the people who hid Jews like Anne Frank.  I just always wondered.  It never (really!) occurred to me that I should wonder if I would have the guts to deal with it if I myself was targeted as an enemy of state.  Unfathomable.

       If the authorities came to get me, I couldn’t really count on being able to defend myself legally in today’s climate.  I couldn’t count on a single phone call, could I?.

       So if that were to happen, someone call Sen. Daniel Inouye for me.   I think Inouye would get it.  No point making the plan to call Sen, Durbin.  He’d probably be detained without redress too…

       Which leads me to ask myself another question:  If I ever found myself in such a situation, would I lay my life on the line to fight for my country even after being treated in such a way?   My dad did. [Carolyn's father, like so many Nisei including Sen. Inouye, served with distinction in the Army in Europe during World War II with the most decorated army unit of the war, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team]  So did all his brothers and buddies.  And they did it for 3 reasons:

·                            To prove that they really are good Americans

·                            To fight the war that would END ALL WARS

·                            And to protect the right to citizenship for all their families into the future.               It’s too hard to know what I would do in such a situation.  But I certainly hope that my actions would be based on all that I’ve learned from their story.  I hope that I, too, would valiantly “Go for Broke.”  [The motto the 442nd.]
        I believe it is my responsibility and obligation:

·                            To protest unnecessary war.
·                  To prove by my actions that I, too, am a good American.   

·                           To protect civil liberties of all:  Japanese Americans, Irish American, Mexican Americans, African Americans, Muslim Americans, Immigrant Americans.  All of us.  Just Americans. 

--Carolyn Quinn

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It was a big day in Crystal Lake.  The Gala Festival Parade, the largest in McHenry County, was on under overcast skies and occasional drizzle.  It was humid, but cooler than many years and no one got bone drenching soaked like in 2004.  The streets were lined all the way from Woodstock Street to the Festival Grounds at Lake Side Center. 

My loyalties were divided between the McHenry County Peace Group and the County Democrats.  Both had nifty floats and lots of eager marchers.  But I was promised first to the Dems and walked with them.

The Peace Group entry drew a lot of attention because of a well publicized controversy over the winter.  The Parade Committee public scolded the group and the Libertarian Party for "too controversial” content in last year’s entries and threatened to banish the groups if they dared say anything “political” this year.  They were supposed to march only with signs identifying who they were without advocating for any issue.  The flap drew a lot of negative publicity for the Parade Committee who were reminded in letters to the editor and in newspaper editorials and opinion columns of the irony of censoring political speech in a parade celebrating Independence and the words of the Declaration.

The Libertarians, who last year had performers “arresting” individuals planted along the parade route for violation of the Patriot Act and throwing them in  jail cell on their float, opted not to march this year.  Some of their people passed out fliers to the crowd denouncing the suppression of their rights.

The Peace Group elected to join the parade and say what they were going to say.  They carried the same sort of signs noting the number of dead in the Iraq war and other “controversial” content.  But they also used a Liberty Bell on their float and carried signs outlining the freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.

And just like last year, they received far more cheers and applause than cat calls.

The large contingent of Democrats marched with a float featuring Jefferson’s words from the Declaration of Independence.  They were led by Dick Auman, candidate for Congress in the _^16th  District.  Following the float several County Board candidates worked the crowd.  They included Dr. James McTague, Dist. 1; Ron Sloan, Dist. 2; and Kathy Bergan Schmidt, John Darger, and John Gravenor, Dist. 3.

After the parade County Party Secretary Carolyn Quinn hosted a crowded “Strawberry Social” at her Van Buren Street home.  County Chair Pat Ouimet stirred up the troops and introduced the candidates.  Those who marched in the parade were joined by Richard Jackson of County Board District 2 who could not march because he had a bicycle accident the night before, and Darryl Franks of Dist. 6.

It was a great day that energized Democrats and peaceniks alike. 

What follows are some photos.  My camera’s battery died so I did not get anything from the parade route or the social.  Thanks to Nelson Borelli of the Peace Group for sharing some his photos.