McHenry County Blog

Cassidy Tire had this sign up the week that Sgt. Jason McLeod was honored in Crystal Lake.

Donations to the widow and her children may still be made by calling Marie Davis at 815-477-5050.

The McHenry County College Student Peace Group, or course, had no way of knowing its timing would be bad.

They canceled NIU Professor Marc Falkoff’s talk about his book

“Poems from Guantanamo: The Detainees Speak”

Now its on for the Thursday after next Tuesday’s election.

The group’s press release follows:

MCC’S STUDENT PEACE GROUP RESCHEDULES EVENT FEATURING GITMO LAWYER ON FEB. 4th

[Jan. 26, 2010.Crystal Lake, IL] The McHenry County College Student Peace Action Network (SPAN) has rescheduled a controversial event focusing on a book of poetry by Guantanamo Bay detainees. for Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. in the college’s conference center.

The keynote speaker, Marc Falkoff, a Northern Illinois University criminal law professor who represented 16 detainees, plans to speak about a book that he edited titled “Poems from Guantanamo: The Detainees Speak.”  The moderator will be Todd Culp, Ph.D., political science instructor at MCC.

Falkoff initially was scheduled to speak at the college in December, but the event was canceled because of security concerns. SPAN had planned the December speaking engagement well in advance, but publicity about the event stirred up controversy as it coincided with funeral visitation for Sgt. Jason A. McLeod, a 22-year-old from Crystal Lake who died in a mortar attack in Afghanistan.

Northern Illinois University criminal law Professor Marc Falkoff

He will discuss the torture the prisoners suffered, the false information elicited, the disarray of evidentiary files, and the telling resignations of  key military prosecutors.  According to Dr. Falkoff, a very real problem exists,

“politics rather than principle reigns at Guantánamo.  As concerned American citizens, we can learn what action we can take to demand accountability and redress of grievances.”

Following the program, he will be available to sign books.

The event is part of SPAN’s Current American Issues Information Seminar Series. SPAN is made up of students promoting peace nationally and locally through action and education. The event is co-sponsored by Pax Christi and the McHenry County Peace Coalition. The event is free and open to the public.

The college is located at 8900 U.S. Hwy. 14, Crystal Lake.  For more information, contact the MCC Student Activities Office at (815) 455-8772.

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Here’s background from NIU on the professor:

Background: Falkoff comes to NIU after three years as an attorney with Covington & Burling in New York. The firm, which is considered the top pro bono law firm in the nation, once named Falkoff the Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year during his time there. He earned his juris doctorate from Columbia and also holds a Ph.D. in literature from Brandeis. While this is his first full-time faculty appointment, he taught for several years as an adjunct member of the faculty at the Brooklyn Law School. He is currently working on behalf of 17 Yemeni men who are being held without charges by the U.S. military at Guantanamo Bay.

Why NIU? “NIU has a very high commitment to public interest law, and that is extremely important to me.”

Goals: “I want to give my students a solid grounding in legal theory, but also instill in them an appreciation for the amount of social good they can do in the world as a lawyer. Personally, I want to not only do excellent scholarly work, but also maintain my real-world focus. It is very important for me to do both, and that is actually something that is encouraged here.”

Another press release from the Student Peace Action Network at McHenry County College:

FORUM AT MCC TO EXAMINE WHAT IS REALLY IN HEALTH CARE REFORM BILLS

CRYSTAL LAKE—The controversial topic of health care reform will be addressed at a public forum this Wednesday evening at 7 PM at McHenry County College Conference Center. A panel of speakers will examine the actual content of proposals before Congress and de-bunk some of the many myths and misconceptions that have been circulating on the subject.

“America’s health care system is a disaster causing vast amounts of suffering and unneeded expense,” according to Molly McQueen of the Student Peace Action Network (SPAN) at the college, the principle sponsor of the program. “Now is the time to work together to correct its’ many flaws, however myths perpetuated by the health industry itself appear to be derailing this process by creating confusion in the public discourse. We have assembled a panel of experts to help sort fact from fiction.”

Jane Hansen who holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BA in economics from Wellesley will begin the evening by presenting an overview of the current health care system to provide a better understanding of the present health care crisis facing our country.

David Borris, proprietor of Hel’s Kitchen Catering, will address the need for reform in the health care industry to assist small business owners.

Dr. Hal Snyder, a volunteer organizer with Health Care for America NOW! has studied the various bills in Congress. He will dispel the many myths circulating throughout our country and tell the truth about the reform legislation.

John Gaudette, Illinois Director of Health Care for America NOW!, will explain what is happening in Congress and how citizens can have a say in the outcome.

The program is part of the Current American Issues series of informational programs co-sponsored by SPAN, McHenry County Pax Christi, and the McHenry County Peace Coalition.

The program is free and open to the public.

The McHenry County Peace Group is sponsoring another public form at McHenry County College on November 6th.

Here is the group’s press release:

MCC Forum Examines War Profiteering, Blackwater and The Rise of Private Militaries

Crystal Lake–G. Simon Harak, S.J. will lead a discussion of “War Profiteering and Blackwater: the Rise of Private Militaries” at the Conference Center at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake on Tuesday, November 6 at 7 p.m.

The private security firm Blackwater has been the focus of international controversy recently after being accused by the Iraqi government of the murder of civilians and has been the focus of Congressional hearings.

Fr. Harak is a former Director of the War Resisters League in New York where he organized a National Speakers Bureau on war profiteering and has traveled extensively speaking on this issue. In 2006, he was awarded Pax Christi‘s New York City Peacemaker of the Year.

The longtime peace activist helped found Voices in the Wilderness which has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. He is currently director of the newly formed Marquette University Center for Peacemaking.

“Fr. Harak will address the issue of corporations that sell war, then profit from the bloodshed,” according to Peace Group member Libby Pappalardo. “Extensive research reveals who these companies are, how much they make, and how they literally ‘call the shots, when it comes to selling war.”

He will also talk about Blackwater, which has opened a training facility recently in northern Illinois’s Joe Davies County, and the rapid rise of corporate armies. Since 9-11, the Bush administration has paid Blackwater more than one billion dollars for its trained civilian soldiers, while granting full immunity from prosecution in Iraq and allowing them to operate without oversight.

The program is sponsored by the McHenry County Peace Group and McHenry County Pax Christi as part of the Current American Issues series. It is free and open to the public. For more information call 815-455-3683 or e-mail lib4paz@comcast.net.

The McHenry County Peace Group is sponsoring another public form at McHenry County College on November 6th.

Here is the group’s press release:

MCC Forum Examines War Profiteering, Blackwater and The Rise of Private Militaries

Crystal Lake–G. Simon Harak, S.J. will lead a discussion of “War Profiteering and Blackwater: the Rise of Private Militaries” at the Conference Center at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake on Tuesday, November 6 at 7 p.m.

The private security firm Blackwater has been the focus of international controversy recently after being accused by the Iraqi government of the murder of civilians and has been the focus of Congressional hearings.

Fr. Harak is a former Director of the War Resisters League in New York where he organized a National Speakers Bureau on war profiteering and has traveled extensively speaking on this issue. In 2006, he was awarded Pax Christi‘s New York City Peacemaker of the Year.

The longtime peace activist helped found Voices in the Wilderness which has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. He is currently director of the newly formed Marquette University Center for Peacemaking.

“Fr. Harak will address the issue of corporations that sell war, then profit from the bloodshed,” according to Peace Group member Libby Pappalardo. “Extensive research reveals who these companies are, how much they make, and how they literally ‘call the shots, when it comes to selling war.”

He will also talk about Blackwater, which has opened a training facility recently in northern Illinois’s Joe Davies County, and the rapid rise of corporate armies. Since 9-11, the Bush administration has paid Blackwater more than one billion dollars for its trained civilian soldiers, while granting full immunity from prosecution in Iraq and allowing them to operate without oversight.

The program is sponsored by the McHenry County Peace Group and McHenry County Pax Christi as part of the Current American Issues series. It is free and open to the public. For more information call 815-455-3683 or e-mail lib4paz@comcast.net.