The Sunnyside Magazine Online

The Eastern bank of the Mississippi River, in Northwestern Illinois, is the setting of an American travesty yet again. Historically a pristine wilderness with the longest stretch of sand dunes in Illinois and home to Americas symbol of freedom, the Bald Eagle, until they nearly went extinct. The Bald Eagle is once again nesting along these banks, but only after a 100 year environmental disaster that lingers on and possibly with some new neighbors.

The bald eagle, which is native to Western Illinois, nearby the Mississippi River, was nearly driven to extinction.

The transfer of inmates from the infamous Guantanamo Bay Military Prison in Cuba to the Thompson Correctional Center in Western Illinois is reported by many sources to be a very real possibility. Politicians like the US Senator from Illinois, Richard Durbin, seem supportive of this transfer. Presumably due the the financial gain involved for those associated with the Illinois prison system. As a politician who has spoken out against the Guantanamo Bay Prison, it is revealing to see Sen. Durbin now support the incarceration of its inmates locally.

Arguably, Sen. Durbin’s position regarding the transfer of inmates from Guantanamo Bay to Thompson Correctional Center is one that is in accordance with a majority of Illinois residents. The major concern, as stated in an NPR news release, is security. There is a request for the Defense Department to conduct a security review on all the inmates to be transferred. As a regular newspaper reader and resident of the Chicagoland area, the security threat is probably one that I have heard before: “With many potential targets (including nuclear sites) close to the Thompson Correctional Center, is it too risky to house “known” terrorists?”. This is a reasonable argument only within the context of being involved in a “War on Terror”. While in this “War on Terror”, any action seems reasonable to prevent terrorists from blowing up Chicago buildings and killing our families. This is a continuance of the promotion of fear that reached recent heights under the Bush administration but has been in practice for centuries.

Continue reading What Is News? – Guantanamo Illinois

The cold and dry seasons prove to be a more difficult and challenging time than our seasons of warmth and abundance. Issues with homelessness and hunger become more severe. Impacting these issues will require more than a short article, but alleviating the suffering of those subject to homelessness or hunger is as easy as bringing food or clothes to the nearest person in need. However, humans are not the only creatures who struggle and suffer through these challenging seasons.

We can learn a lot from observing nature. Trees produce nuts that squirrels eat. Squirrels bury nuts, some of which eventually turn into trees. Maybe the tree the squirrel is standing on started out as a nut buried by a squirrel.

An observant look around even the most concrete jungle will reveal a myriad of creatures working for survival. A great benefit can be had by the individual who keeps these creatures in their consideration. When one observes any of these creatures, they will see them engaged in the work of survival. This work provides the daily and future needs of the individual and their family. In this aspect, we as humans can relate to the importance of working for the survival of ourselves and our family.

Continue reading What Is News? – Going Green