Anti-War and Pro- Peace in Gaza Protests in Illinois and Wisconsin, Scheduled for Between March 22nd and April 27th, 2024

      The following is a list of protests, in favor of peace in Gaza and in other parts of the world, which are scheduled to take place in Illinois and Wisconsin, between March 22nd and April 27th, 2024.

     This list was compiled by Joe Kopsick of the Green Party of Lake County, Illinois. You can obtain physical flyers, or call to add protest dates, by contacting Joseph W. Kopsick at jwkopsick@gmail.com (by e-mail) or at 618-751-3229 (by text or phone call).

     Sources: The following websites, managed by Peace Action Wisconsin, Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine, and Muslim Civic Coalition:

Peace Action Wisconsin (www.peaceactionwi.org)

Facebook page for Chicago Coalition for Justice for Palestine (C.J.P.)
(http://www.facebook.com/groups/chicago.cjp)

Muslim Civic Coalition

(c/o Impact House, 200 West Madison St., Suite #300, Chicago, IL 60606)
 (http://muslimciviccoalition.org)

     Click the following link in order to download a three-page .PDF file containing the information below:
     http://drive.google.com/file/d/1p3osXEURYu4_6Ljyef1j2Ruods0wYHj-/view?usp=sharing

Flyer Version; Front Side / Outside / Side 1.

Click, and open in new tab and/or new window,
and download if necessary, to see in full resolution,
and to obtain printable version.

Flyer Version; Back Side / Inside / Side 2.

Click, and open in new tab and/or new window,
and download if necessary, to see in full resolution,
and to obtain printable version.

 

Friday, March 22^nd

- 4:00 P.M.: No Happy Birthday for Genocide Enabler Terrible Tammy Duckworth, with Chicago Coalition for Justice for Palestine (C.J.P.). Rally outside Senator Tammy Baldwin’s birthday celebration / fundraiser. Please wear masks for safety. 222 North Canal St., Chicago.


Saturday, March 23^rd

- 11:00 AM – 12:00 Noon: Driftless Palestinian Solidarity Vigil. In Viroqua at Decker and Main. Email driftless.solidarity@gmail.com for more information.

- 12:00 Noon to 1:00 P.M.: Stand for Palestine, at the intersection of King and North in Milwaukee, with Peace Action Wisconsin.

- 12:30 PM: M.L.K. Plaza, 909 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Racine.

- 5:30 P.M.: 15th Annual Benefit: Iftar Dinner for the Voices of Gaza. At the Muslim Civic Coalition / Impact House, at 200 West Madison St., Suite #300, Chicago, IL 60606.

- 6:30 P.M.: Potluck Iftar. At the Muslim Civic Coalition / Impact House, at 200 West Madison St., Suite #300, Chicago, IL 60606.

Sunday, March 24th

-10:00 A.M – 11:30 A.M.: Mohammed Webb Foundation Adult Discussion Series. At Muslim Civic Coalition / Impact House, at 200 West Madison St., Suite #300, Chicago, IL 60606.


Tuesday, March 26^th

- 11:00 AM: How to Fight the Climate Crisis and Militarism, with Veterans for Peace.


Thursday, March 28^th

- 5:30 – 7:30 P.M.: Bushra Amiwala’s Muslim Civic Coalition Grand Iftar. At Holiday Inn, 5300 West Touhy Avenue, Skokie, Illinois.


Friday, March 29^th

- 11:00 A.M.: Illinois Muslim Chamber of Commerce Suhoor Festival. At Muslim Civic Coalition / Impact House, at 200 West Madison St., Suite #300, Chicago, IL 60606

- 6:30 P.M.: Ramadan Interfaith Iftar. At Muslim Civic Coalition / Impact House, at 200 West Madison St., Suite #300, Chicago, IL 60606.


Saturday, March 30^th

- Noon to 1 P.M.: Stand for Palestine, at the intersection of Cesar Chavez (16^th St.) and Greenfield, with Peace Action Wisconsin. Northwest corner of Highways 20 & 31. Drive into the Kohl’s parking lot, park near the AT&T store. 5502 Washington Ave., Racine, Wisconsin.


Wednesday, April 3^rd

- Noon to 1 P.M.: Waging Peace in Vietnam: U.S. Soldiers and Veterans Who Opposed the War.: Soldiers in Revolt. Ron Haeberle, David Cortright, and Susan Schnall. In Alumni Memorial Union Lunda Room at Raynor Memorial Library. With Marquette University.



Thursday, April 4^th

- 12:30 P.M. – 1:45 P.M.: Waging Peace in Vietnam: U.S. Soldiers and Veterans Who Opposed the War.: Healing War’s Legacies. Chuck Searcy and Ngo Thien. In Alumni Memorial Union Room 227 at Raynor Memorial Library. With Marquette University.

- 6:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.: Muslim Association of Greater Rockford Ramadan Interfaith Iftar. At Muslim Civic Coalition / Impact House, at 200 West Madison St., Suite #300, Chicago, IL 60606.


Saturday, April 6^th

- 11 A.M.: Fox Valley Peace Coalition vigil for a ceasefire in Gaza, at intersection of College and Appleton streets, Houdini Plaza, Appleton. Email ronnajean61@gmail.com for more information.

- 12:00 Noon to 1 P.M.: Stand for Peace, with Peace Action Wisconsin. Location T.B.A.. [unclear whether for peace in Palestine in particular]


Tuesday, April 9th at 9:00 A.M. – Wednesday, April 10^th at 9:30 P.M.

- Eid-al-Fitr.


Wednesday, April 10^th

- 7 P.M.: Waging Peace in Vietnam: U.S. Soldiers and Veterans Who Opposed theWar.: Live, online-only screening of documentary film “Sir, No Sir”, and Q&A with director David Zeiger.


Thursday, April 11^th

- 9 A.M. – 12:30 P.M..: Volunteers needed for Peace Action Wisconsin. Visit peaceactionwi.org for more information.


Saturday, April 13^th

- 12:00 Noon to 1 P.M.: Stand for Peace, with Peace Action Wisconsin. Location T.B.A.. [unclear whether for peace in Palestine in particular]


Sunday, April 14^th

- 1:30 P.M.: Rachel Corrie commemorative event, and benefit for Middle East Children’s Alliance, at Alliance Christ Presbyterian Church in Madison. With Madison Rafah Sister City Project.

- 5:30 PM: Waging Peace in Vietnam: U.S. Soldiers and Veterans Who Opposed the War.: Livestream from Wisconsin Historical Society, performance with Vietnamese musician Van-Anh Vanessa Vo, plus documentary film.


Monday, April 15^th

- 4:00 – 5:00 PM: Waging Peace in Vietnam: U.S. Soldiers and Veterans Who Opposed the War.: Author Le Ly Hayslip, “child of war, woman of peace”, Vietnam War survivor. In Beaumier Suites B & C at Raynor Memorial Library.


Wednesday, April 16^th

- Noon – 1:00 P.M.: Anti-R.O.T.C. Vigil at Marquette Union Library on WisconsinAvenue. Sponsored by Milwaukee Catholic Worker.


Thursday, April 18^th

- Noon – 12:30 P.M.: Women in Black for Justice Against War’s Weekly Peace Vigil. At Main Street & 4^th Street in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Email dbuffton@yahoo.com for more information.



Friday, April 19^th

- 5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Monthly Peace Stand in Eau Claire. Meet at Trunk and N. Golf roads. Email helpsmeet@usa.net for more information.



Saturday, April 20^th

- Noon to 1 P.M.: Stand for Peace, with Peace Action Wisconsin. Location T.B.A..


Sunday, April 21^st

- 2 PM: Waging Peace in Vietnam: U.S. Soldiers and Veterans Who Opposed the War.: Live, online-only screening of Hunting in Wartime documentary about veterans returning from the Vietnam War.



Saturday, April 27th

- Noon to 1 P.M.: Stand for Peace, with Peace Action Wisconsin. Location T.B.A..

- 5:00 – 7:00 P.M.: Oasis Community Sanctuary Ramadan Benefit Gala. At Muslim Civic Coalition / Impact House, at 200 West Madison St., Suite #300, Chicago, IL 60606.

 

 

 

 

Compiled and created on March 20th, 2024.

Originally published to this blog on March 21st, 2024
under the title
"Anti-War and Pro- Peace in Gaza Protests in Illinois and Wisconsin,
Scheduled for Between March 20th and April 27th, 2024".

Edited / Updated on March 22nd and 29th, 2024.

Chicago and North Suburbs Plagued with Sex Trafficking, Parental Alienation, Child Rape, and Psychiatric Drugging of Molestation Victims

[Note: The full title of this article is

Chicago and North Suburbs Plagued with
Sex Trafficking, Parental Alienation, Child Rape, and Psychiatric Drugging of Molestation Victims:
Fifty-Nine People and Places Which Are Threats to Children's Safety

1. Brad W. Andersen, Lake Bluff realtor. His sons’ female friend - who was also the daughter of one of his own friends - performed as a camgirl for him when she was in her early twenties.

2. Ronald Bell, Waukegan-based attorney. Commits parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children. 

3. Raymond Allen Boldt, Mundelein attorney. Commits parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children. Defended a statutory rapist; a priest named Jeffrey B. Hannah. Hired by Kash Jackson's ex-wife to extort him for child support money and pay egregious amounts to G.A.L. Sally Lichter in order to speak to them over the phone.

4. Janelle Christensen, Waukegan judge. Commits parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children.

5. Sam Cunningham, former Mayor of Waukegan. Defended Joe Biden's groping and molesting of children as "part of the job" of being president, in public, while speaking to a protester in downtown Waukegan in 2021.

6. Sheriff Mark Curran, former Sheriff of Lake County, Illinois. Assists in parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children.

7. Sean Curran, Lincolnshire police officer. In 2009, interrogated then 22-year-old Melissa Calusinski and coerced her into falsely confessing to murdering 1-year-old Benjamin Kingan.

8. David del Re, Waukegan-based attorney. Commits parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children. One of his victims included a Lake County father named Sam Gorg.

9. Jonathan Dick, Lake Forest confectioner (owner of Sweet’s). Molested, raped, and provided alcohol (and possibly also access to pornography) so the son of his sister; his ten-year-old nephew. The mother of the victim is formerly of Lake Forest, who wrote the book Straying Towards Truth. Jonathan Dick is the husband of Susan Dick, who helped Mr. Dick cover-up his crimes, and blame and gaslight the victim. May or may not be using the alias “Jonathan D. Jonathan”; this might have been a typographical error. Jonathan Dick is almost definitely Jonathan Dick, Jr., the son of Jonathan H. Dick, a man who is probably around age 70, who won squash tournaments at his golf club Onwentsia, and has been a member there since the 1970s, and is currently a member of that club's Board of Senators in good standing. Jonathan Dick, Jr. might be using his father's power and influence - and his own personal wealth, from his ice cream shop as well as his real estate sale and/or development - to purchase attorneys who are willing to defend him for child rape charges. Unclear whether he has any other victims in addition to his nephew; the mother of that victim is worried that Mr. Dick has a lawyer on retainer to defend him for those purposes.

10. Susan Dick, Lake Forest confectioner (owner of Sweet’s). Molested and/or raped the daughters of the mother, formerly of Lake Forest, who wrote the book Straying Towards Truth. Wife of Jonathan Dick, and possibly served as accessory to his crimes after the fact.

11. Michael Feld, Northbrook psychiatrist. Had an affair with a client. Prescribed neurotranquilizing / sedative atypical antipsychotic medications to Joseph W. Kopsick when he attempted to come forward with child molestation allegations against his attorney father Richard S. Kopsick in 2015. Came recommended (to Richard Kopsick) by psychiatrist and youth counselor Sol Rappaport, who works with children in his practice.

12. George Filenko, Lincolnshire police officer. In 2009, interrogated then 22-year-old Melissa Calusinski and coerced her into falsely confessing to murdering 1-year-old Benjamin Kingan.

13. Marc Fisher, Waukegan-based attorney. Commits parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children.

14. Scott Boen Gibson, Waukegan / Lake Forest attorney. Former partner of child molester Richard S. Kopsick. Gibson pinched Joe Kopsick’s behind, and other children’s behinds, at his pool parties when Kopsick was a child, while yelling “There’s a butt-biter in the pool!”. Former heroin user. Recovering alcoholic.

15. Melodie Gliniewicz, Fox Lake. Widow of Fox Lake police officer Joseph Gliniewicz. Defrauded a children’s charity with her now deceased husband.

16. Kenneth Hasty, Waukegan basketball recruiter. Molested teenage boys, was put on probation, and tried to seduce a 19-year-old boy. His attorney Richard S. Kopsick recommended more probation in 1993 - saying that Hasty had "reformed" his behavior - but Hasty was jailed. Two years later, Richard S. Kopsick molested and raped his first born son, Joseph W. Kopsick.

17. Eric Hill, Zion police officer. Shot 17-year-old Justus Howell to death, in the back, while Howell was fleeing.

18. Laura Horner, Waukegan-based attorney. Commits parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children. 

19. Adam Hyde, Lincolnshire police officer. In 2009, interrogated then 22-year-old Melissa Calusinski and coerced her into falsely confessing to murdering 1-year-old Benjamin Kingan.

20. Sheriff John Idleburg, current Sheriff of Lake County, Illinois. Assists in parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children.

21. Howard Kallem, attorney. Wrote a sham 47-page investigation about the sorry, half-hearted attempt, by Lake Forest High School and its attorneys, to investigate why L.F.H.S. and its employees dropped the ball in regard to David Miller's 47-year-long, off-and-on molestation (and possibly statutory rape) of teenage boys at his school. Kallem created this report (one-eighth of which was redacted) in conjunction with attorney Rebecca Leitman Veidlinger.

22. Richard S. Kopsick, Waukegan / Lake Bluff personal injury attorney. Defended child molester Kenneth Hasty in 1993. Molested and raped his oldest son Joey in 1995 and 1996, multiple times. Former friend of attorney Scott Gibson, who pinched Joe Kopsick’s behind and the behinds of other children at his pool parties. Active in the Lake County Democratic Party and the Lake Bluff District 65 school board during the 1990s. President of the Lake County Bar Association for the year of 2004. Defends people charged with statutory rape. Associate of Joseph McKeown, who used to work in his office, along with McKeown's father Dennis (now retired).

23. Sally A. Lichter, Libertyville-based G.A.L. (Guardian Ad Litem) at Sally Family Law. Commits parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children. Charges parents tens of thousands of dollars to speak to their children. Victims include the father Kash Jackson (born Benjamin Adam Winderweedle).

24. Steve Lunardi, Waukegan-based attorney. Effectively committed defamation against Joseph W. Kopsick in fall 2023; by claiming, to his face - in public - that Richard Kopsick did not molest or rape the younger Mr. Kopsick.. Lunardi was arrested in the late 1980s for possession of crack cocaine.

25. Lisa Malkov, Lake Bluff police officer. Refused to charge Richard S. Kopsick with molesting his son (despite multiple written statements, precise estimation of dates on which the abuse occurred, explanations as to why physical evidence is not available, and a prosecutor’s admission that it sounds to him like Joe Kopsick’s mother and brother believe him about the abuse).

26. Matt deMartini, Antioch attorney. In 2011, prosecuted Melissa Calusinski alongside his associate attorney Steven J. “Steve” Scheller. Framed Calusinski by failing to produce sufficiently light X-ray evidence showing that the baby who died in Calusinski’s care had previously existing head injuries.

27. Steve McCollum, Waukegan-based attorney. Former (and possibly still current) friend of child-raping attorney Richard Kopsick and child-groping attorney Scott Gibson. McCollum defended Diane M. Ross (a teacher and mother) for sending and/or receiving child pornography in 2000.

28. Joseph "Joe" McKeown, Waukegan-based Guardian Ad Litem (taking custody of children for legal purposes). Once used an image of "Herbert the Pervert" (a pedophile character from Family Guy as his Facebook profile picture. Making light of sex crimes against children in this way, is arguably something that a person whose job it is to hold legal custody of children, should not do, as it is insensitive, and reflects a lack of seriousness regarding such crimes.

29. Justice Robert McLaren, Illinois justice. Prevented lawsuit against David Miller from going forward, on grounds that statute of limitations had expired. That statute was replaced by a new law in 2020, which allows victims to pursue charges against their abusers past the age of 38 if they can prove they were intimidated, and until the age of 38 if they cannot.

30. David “Dave” Miller, Lake Bluff / Lake Forest theater director. Exchanged sexually charged text messages with boys around the age of 17 years old, and kissed students. May have also had sexual relationships with teenage boys. Reportedly, information about this was suppressed between 2009 and 2020 because Miller’s victims wanted to retain their privacy.

31. Judge Christopher Morozin, Waukegan-based judge. Commits parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children.

32. Michael Nerheim, Waukegan former State's Attorney of Lake County. Republican. Defeated by Democrat Eric Rinehart in November 2020. Nerheim's office refused to charge Richard S. Kopsick with child molestation. Nerheim urged support of police after the shooting death of 17-year-old Justus Howell, who was shot by police in the back while fleeing.

33. Victor o’Block, Waukegan prosecutor at the Specialized Victims Unit of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s office. Refused to charge Richard S. Kopsick with multiple counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse or assault against his son Joe Kopsick, despite the existence of medical evidence of injury (on Mr. Kopsick's lower left ribs), and while admitting that it seemed to o'Block that Joe Kopsick's mother and brother believed his claims about his father attacking him with sexual intent.

34. Kathleen o’Hara, Lake Bluff / Lake Forest former teacher and principal. Mayor of Lake Bluff since 2007. Screamed at students (including Joe Kopsick) while disciplining them, during her tenure at Lake Bluff Middle School (possibly contributing to an environment in which children would be unlikely to report abuse). Possibly failed to sufficiently bring Diane M. Ross’s child pornography arrest to the community’s attention.

35. Sol R. Rappaport, Libertyville psychiatrist and youth counselor. Recommended Dr. Michael Feld (who had an affair with a client) to Richard S. Kopsick, to treat his son Joe Kopsick, after he began recovering memories of abuse in 2015, and attempted to come forward about his father molesting him in 1995 and 1996.

36. David del Re, Waukegan attorney. Commits parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children. Works with psychiatrist and youth counselor Sol R. Rappaport.

37. Diane M. Ross, Lake Bluff / Lake Forest English professor at Lake Forest College. Mother of students who were in Lake Bluff schools in the year 2000, when Ross was arrested for sending and/or requesting child pornography over the internet via a web forum, using the screen name "SnowyViolet". Employed Steve McCollum (friend of child rapist and attorney Richard Kopsick, and child groping attorney Scott Gibson) as her attorney in that case.

38. Judge Al Salvi, Waukegan judge. Commits parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children.

39. Joseph V. Salvi, Waukegan judge. Commits parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children. Prevented lawsuit against David Miller from going forward, on grounds that statute of limitations had expired. That statute was replaced by a new law in 2020, which allows victims to pursue charges against their abusers past the age of 38 if they can prove they were intimidated, and until the age of 38 if they cannot.

40. Steven. J. “Steve” Scheller, Waukegan attorney at Scheller & Burke, L.L.C.. Prosecutor, and former defense attorney. In 2011, prosecuted Melissa Calusinski alongside his associate attorney Matt deMartini. Framed Calusinski by failing to produce sufficiently light and legible X-ray evidence showing that the baby who died in Calusinski’s care had previously existing head injuries. Friend of attorney Richard S. Kopsick, who defended a child molester and molested his own son.

41. Gary Schlesinger, Waukegan-based attorney. Commits parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children.

42. Justice Mary Schostok, Illinois justice. Prevented lawsuit against David Miller from going forward, on grounds that statute of limitations had expired. That statute was replaced by a new law in 2020, which allows victims to pursue charges against their abusers past the age of 38 if they can prove they were intimidated, and until the age of 38 if they cannot.

43. Nicole Slobe, Waukegan-based attorney. Commits parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children.

44. Rebecca Leitman Veidlinger, Waukegan-based attorney. Wrote a sham 47-page investigation about the sorry, half-hearted attempt, by Lake Forest High School and its attorneys, to investigate why L.F.H.S. and its employees dropped the ball in regard to David Miller's 47-year-long, off-and-on molestation (and possibly statutory rape) of teenage boys at his school. Veidlinger created this report (one-eighth of which was redacted) in conjunction with attorney Howard Kallem.

45. Donna-Jo Vorderstrasse, Waukegan judge. Commits parental alienation, a/k/a legal kidnapping from parents not proven unfit to care for children.

46. "Popz", the adult male proprietor of a hookah bar and music venue called Swing State, which used to exist in Waukegan. Solicited topless photos from at least one underage teenage girl. May have also sexually abused and/or pimped-out at least three underage girls; likely some time in the early 2000s.

47. An adult male in either Lake Bluff or Lake Forest, name unknown, who molested a boy in the 1990s and/or 2000s who attended school in Lake Bluff with Joe Kopsick.

48. A Lake Bluff father, name unknown, who molested and/or raped his daughter, who attended school in Lake Forest with Joe Kopsick.

49. One or more sailors at Great Lakes Naval Base who committed statutory rape against a girl or girls as young as 12 or 13 years old, some time between the years 1999 and 2002. One of these girls was also victimized by the proprietor of a Waukegan hookah bar.

50. The adult male who molested, or attempted to molest, young boys in the men’s showers of the Lake Bluff park district’s public pool in the 1990s. Name unknown.

51. The Office of Child Support Enforcement, of Illinois. Assists in legal child kidnapping (a/k/a parental alienation, through the family courts system; demanding ransom from parents, for Guardians Ad Litem, in exchange for seeing their children and/or talking to them over the phone).

52. The proprietors of, and dance instructors at, Model Act Studios, based in Schaumburg and Lemont. Accused of taking parents money for photographs of children, without offering adequate dance instruction to kids; may be a scam to defraud parents for money and/or obtain photos and/or videos of children for illicit purposes. Works with International Modeling and Talent Association (I.M.T.A.) to put on child fashion shows featuring young girls in immodest two-piece swimsuits. May be working with (I.M.T.A.) to find attractive children who can be lured into the entertainment industry.

53. J.B. Pritzker and family (including former Jeffrey Epstein associate Tom Pritzker, J.B.’s cousin). Governor of Illinois, Democrat. The Pritzker family owns the Hyatt Regency “Chicago” (actually in Schaumburg) and the neighboring Hyatt Place in Schaumburg. Sex trafficking has occurred at the Hyatt Regency, and has likely occurred at Hyatt Place as well.

54. The Village of Schaumburg, which owns the Renaissance Convention Center and Hotel in Schaumburg. The Renaissance Convention Center has hosted conventions of Tremaine dance studios, which teaches young girls (and some boys) sexually charged dance routines.

55. The owner(s) of Private Events by Sam and Harry’s in Schaumburg. Located next to the Renaissance Convention Center. Reputed area where sex trafficking has likely occurred (possibly in connection to sex trafficking occurring at the Renaissance).

56. The City of Chicago, which owns o’Hare International Airport in northwestern Chicago (a known human trafficking and sex trafficking site) and Midway Airport in south Chicago (another possible human trafficking site).

     [note: Some names have been removed temporarily, in order to help protect the author. More information will be added to this page at a later date.]

Written and published on May 25th, 2021

Updated, Edited, and Expanded on November 15th and 18th, 2023.

Thirteen Proposed Highway Extensions and On-Ramps That Could Help Relieve Traffic in Chicago (Incomplete)

     Here are some changes that I would recommend be made to the highway system of the city of Chicago, Illinois.
     The choices of these thirteen proposed extensions, was informed by a map charting the location of the city's road congestion at different times of the day. That map can be found at the following link:
     http://www.illinoisvehicle.com/about-us/blog/traffic-patterns-chicago/


     1. Make the Interstate 290 / Dan Ryan Expressway connect to Butterfield Road better. (Between western Elmhurst and eastern Hillside)

     2. In western Evanston, build a highway off-ramp leading from McCormick Road, to a highway to be built over (or in place of) McDaniel Avenue and Park Avenue (leading north to Wilmette). (Evanston and Wilmette)

     3. In the south Skokie neighborhood, expand the portion of Highway 50 / North Cicero Avenue, where it meets Interstate 94. Allow cars traveling from south to north on Interstate 94, to more easily merge into North Cicero Avenue. (Skokie)

     4. Streamline the transition from N. Lake Shore Drive, going northwest, to North Ridge Avenue, in the Edgewater neighborhood. (North Side)

     5. In the northwest part of the Lincolnwood neighborhood, build an on-ramp leading from W. Touhy Ave. to Route 41. (North Side)

     6. Create a more efficient interchange where Interstate 94 meets Caldwell Avenue / Highway 50 and Highway 14. (West Side)

     7. Build an extension off of Highway 64 / North Avenue, at the corner of Thatcher and North, curving northward, then west to merge with Highway 19 (which lies south of o’Hare International Airport). This should help relieve congestion southeast of o’Hare Airport. (Northwest Suburbs).

     8. Develop Highway 20, Lake Street, and Kinzie Street into a highway (building highway over train tracks on Kinzie), or connect these roads. This will provide an alternative route from downtown Chicago to Elmhurst and the west suburbs, allowing drivers to avoid the Dan Ryan Expressway / 290 if their destination is north of the Dan Ryan. (West Side & Downtown)

     9. Connect Highway 56 to St. Charles Rd., and to Main Street, Central Avenue, and Kinzie St. (possibly by building highway over train tracks on Kinzie). This will provide an alternative route from downtown Chicago to Elmhurst and the west suburbs, allowing drivers to avoid the Dan Ryan / 290 as long as their destination is north of the Dan Ryan Expressway. (West Side & Downtown)

     10. At the Jane Byrne Interchange, build on-ramps and off-ramps enabling access to North and South Halsted streets from the Dan Ryan / Interstate 290. This should help relieve congestion on the Dan Ryan. (Downtown)

     11. In the northern part of the Englewood neighborhood, build an on-ramp connecting traffic moving south on N. Halsted, over W. 63^rd Street, to Interstate 90 going southeast towards Indiana. (Near South Side)

     12. Create an interchange where Highway 50 meets Highway 55 / Stevenson Expressway (north of Midway Airport). This should help relieve congestion on the Stevenson, and near Midway. (South Side)

     13. North of the McKinley Park neighborhood, build a new highway that connects the Stevenson Expressway to W. 31^st St., Historic U.S. 66, and Highway 34 / Ogden Rd. Build a highway over these streets, or widen them and connect them in some way. This should help relieve congestion on the Stevenson. (South Side)

Written on May 14th, 2021

Published on May 15th, 2021

State of Illinois v. Smollett: What if Jussie Smollett is Telling the Truth? (Incomplete)

     The following article was written as a script for my presentation to the Chicago College of Complexes, which I delivered on August 15th, 2020 via video teleconference.

Table of Contents

Part I: Introductions
     1. Introduction to Illinois v. Smollett, incl. Basic Facts About the Attack
     2. Why People Suspect This Was a Fabricated, Staged, Fake Hate Crime
     3. Speculation vs. the Rules of Evidence

Part II: The Physical Evidence and Verbal Testimony in the Case
     1. Examining the Supposed Proof That the Attacks Were Fabricated
     2. Additional Facts and Possibilities
     3. Conclusions About Physical Evidence, Verbal Testimony, and Speculation

Part III: Looking Closer at the Claims About "M.A.G.A."
     1. What is the Role of "M.A.G.A." in the Attack?
     2. Looking Closer at the Threatening Letter Smollett Received
     3. What the Police Say About the Purchases
     4. What Did the Osundairo Brothers Purchase Before the Attack?
     5. What Did the Police Find in the Osundairo Brothers' Apartment?

Part IV: Legal and Political Aspects of the Case
     1. Introduction to Legal and Political Aspects
     2. Did Smollett Confess? Did the Osundairo Brothers Confess? Who Says They Confessed?
     3. Political Aspects of the Case
     4. Did Smollett Get a "Sweetheart Deal"? Why Was He Let Off?

Part V: Conclusions, Part 1
     1. Confessions and Police Statements Don't Match Up with Verbal Testimony or Physical Evidence
     2. The Fact that Cameras Didn't Capture the Incident Could Mean Absolutely Nothing
     3. Smollett's Explanation of the Phone Call and the Noose Makes Sense
     4. Mayor Emanuel and Police Chief Johnson Made People Believe Smollett Defamed the City, Owed Reparations

Part VI: Conclusions, Part 2
     1. Faked Hate Crimes in America
     2. Jussie Smollett Was Lynched

Content

Part I: Introductions





     1. Introduction to Illinois v. Smollett, incl. Basic Facts About the Attack

     Introduction

     Thank you for having me. My name is Joseph W. Kopsick, I'm an independent researcher and blogger, and frequent candidate. I first addressed the topic of Jussie Smollett on my YouTube channel, JoeKopsick4Congress, on April 4th, 2019. That video is titled "Why Jussie Smollett Might Be Innocent." [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dbcrl5k6DU

     In that video, I read an e-mail which I addressed to podcast host and comedian Jimmy Dore. I thanked him for covering the Jussie Smollett case, but I explained that I disagreed with him that CNN host Brian Stelter was wrong to say that we can never really be sure about what happened the night that actor Jussie Smollett was allegedly attacked in Chicago (the morning of January 29th, 2019).

     I explained why I believe that Jussie Smollett might be telling the truth, and why I think it's possible that the Osundairo brothers were in fact extorting Smollett for money rather than Smollett commissioning them to attack him in a staged hate crime.

     I will do the same thing here tonight, and I will additionally explain why I think statements by the Chicago Police Department are a mix of lies and truth. Most importantly, I will explain why I think the physical evidence and the verbal testimony in the case contradicts a large portion of what the police are saying about what happened.


     Basic Facts About the Attack

     For those who aren't familiar with the case, Jussie Smollett was friends with Abimbola "Abel" Osundairo, and his brother Olabinjo "Ola" Osundairo, both immigrants from Nigeria. Smollett had worked on the Fox T.V. series Empire with Abel, who was a stand-in for the character "Kai", who was the love interest of Smollett's character Jamal Lyon.
     Jussie Smollett claims that he was attacked around 2 A.M. on the morning of January 29th, 2019, while on the phone, after leaving a Subway located at 511 North McClurg Street in Chicago. The attack occurred on the 300 block of East Lower North Water Street in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago.
     Smollett told police that he had received a threatening letter in the days before the attack. That letter contained a white powdery substance, and was mailed to Smollett at the T.V. studio where Empire was filmed; 1445 South Rockwell Street in Chicago.

     2. Why People Suspect This Was a Fabricated, Staged, Fake Hate Crime

     There are eight main reasons why people suspect that this was a staged, fabricated hate crime:

     1. People can't understand why Smollett's assailants would shout "This is M.A.G.A. country" in Chicago.

     2. People can't understand why Smollett would be outside at 2 A.M. in the middle of a polar vortex, in below-zero weather.

     3. People can't figure out how the bleach which was allegedly poured on Smollett, could have stayed warm long enough to remain a liquid, in time to be poured on Smollett, as he claims.

     4. People can't understand why Smollett would go outside in the middle of the night, given the supposed danger he was in, from the people who had been sending him threatening letters.

     5. People seem to suspect that the fact that Smollett received a threatening letter before the alleged attack, was done by the Osundairo brothers, at the direction of Jussie Smollett.

     6. People can't understand why Smollett was wearing the noose allegedly used in the attack, when the police arrived.

     7. Smollett's job (his role on Empire) was supposedly at risk, which people believe suggests that he staged the attack in order to create publicity for himself, as a victim of a staged hate crime, to keep his role, and increase his wealth; and people think he used his acting skills to do it.

     8. People aren't pleased about the fact that security cameras in the area supposedly didn't capture the alleged attack.

     3. Speculation vs. the Rules of Evidence

     I will show, throughout this presentation, that a lot of what the public has been led to believe - by the mainstream media and the Chicago Police Department, and by citizens commenting on the case - is purely a matter of speculation, or else is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the physical evidence and verbal testimony surrounding the case (which are better indicators of the facts).

     The rules of evidence, and the scientific method, are such that the person making the claim, must be the one who proves his claims; not the person being accused. I agree with the notion that perhaps we will never know what really happened that night", but my goal in this presentation is not to figure out exactly what happened. It is to figure out what might have happened that night, if Smollett has been telling the truth all or most of the time.

     We should remember that Smollett has barely had a chance to tell his story, and when he has, his statements have been twisted around by countless YouTube commenters, including people claiming to be "body language experts", whose credentials are dubious and whose comments are mostly speculation. I will additionally explain how each and every one of Smollett's actions and statements have been twisted to make him look like he is guilty and lying.

Part II: The Physical Evidence and Verbal Testimony in the Case




     1. Examining the Supposed Proof That the Attacks Were Fabricated


     M.A.G.A. Country

     Smollett stated that his attackers shouted "This is M.A.G.A. country" during the attack. This refers to Donald Trump's slogan "Make America Great Again".

     Judging from the conversations I've had on the subject, the average Chicagoan who hears Smollett claim that his attackers shouted "This is M.A.G.A. country", thinks "Chicago is definitely not 'M.A.G.A. country'. Why would Smollett's attackers say such a thing in one of the most heavily Democratic cities in the country?

     People who are already convinced that Smollett is lying, will jump to the conclusion that, if whomever attacked Smollett shouted something that wasn't true, then Smollett couldn't possibly be telling the truth.

     But isn't it more likely - or at least just as likely - that the attackers were lying? Isn't it possible that the attackers just said "This is M.A.G.A. country" - even though they didn't believe it - in order to conceal their identities?

     The Polar Vortex, the Temperature, and Bleach

     Some Americans who discussed the case were led to believe that the temperature outside, when Smollett was allegedly attacked, was 60 degrees below zero. However, the actual temperature at the time was probably sixteen degrees below zero (although it has been reported as anywhere between -20 and +2).
     The temperature was sixty below, with the wind chill included. That means it felt like sixty below, but that was not the actual temperature. However, some sources, such as C.B.S., gave the wind chill at the time as 40 below, 55 below, and 60 below. So what the temperature and wind chill were at the time of the alleged attack, is a matter which is under dispute.

     Most Americans were perplexed as to why Smollett would be outside, at 2 in the morning, in the middle of a polar vortex. That's why they think Smollett must be lying about the attack. But what many Americans don't know is that Chicagoans are used to going out in below-zero temperatures. We are used to it because we sometimes have to go outside in the middle of the night, for whatever reason, and we have to dig our cars out of the snow sometimes. 

     Another thing that confused people watching Smollett's case develop, was the issue of how the bleach stayed a liquid in such cold temperatures. However, Smollett only believed that bleach had been poured on him. It was reported as a "bleach-like substance". Different types of bleach freeze at either 7, 19, or 20 degrees above Fahrenheit, depending on which type of bleach, or bleach-like substance it is.
     Still, that's a higher temperature than the temperature at which the attack occurred, so it's understandable that people would be confused about how the bleach stayed a liquid at such a low temperature. But there is an explanation: The bleach could have been stored indoors, and then brought outside for the attack before it could freeze.

[The remainder of this article will appear on this page at a later date.]

Published in Part on August 16th, 2020

Incomplete Portions Removed on August 17th, 2020

Support for Libertarian Candidate Gary Johnson in Illinois in 2016

     The map below was created by James Borden, the former chair of the Libertarian Party of Lake County, Illinois. It was created online, in late April 2017, by James Borden, with the help of an unknown volunteer from the Illinois Libertarian Party (possibly Jeni Floyd).

     The map was inspired by a hand-drawn map of the same statistics (except with more details) which I created in early 2017.

Click, and/or open in new tab or window, to enlarge

Map created in late April 2017

Click, and/or open in new tab or window, to enlarge

Map created in early 2017

Article originally published, with only the first image included,

on June 27th, 2020.

Second image added to this blog entry on August 21st, 2020.

Links to All Posts About George Floyd and the 2020 Nationwide Protests Against Police Brutality

1. My May 2020 video "Chicago Police Pepper-Spray Peaceful Protesters without Warning (May 30^th, 2020)"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KNQCyyHAJw

2. My May 2020 video “Amateur Footage Captures Moments After Cop Car Set Ablaze in Chicago (May 30^th, 2020)":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83tf2IBVD_g

3. My May 2020 video “Chicago Cops Kick Protesters Off State & Wacker (May 30^th, 2020)”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYHk2XvPCLI

4. My June 2020 article “Bad Elk v. United States: In Which States is it Legal to Resist Unlawful Arrest with Force?”:

http://aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2020/06/resisting-unlawful-arrest-by-police-in.html

5. My June 2020 infographic “How to Succeed in Street Warfare #1: Surrounding Aggressors”:

http://aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2020/06/how-to-surround-racist-cops-and-neo.html

6. My June 2020 infographic “How to Succeed in Street Warfare #2: Gaining Territory by Moving Barricades":
http://aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2020/06/how-to-succeed-in-street-warfare-2.html

7. My July 2020 article "Police Officers Can Legally Rape and/or Kill You in Every State Except Georgia and North Carolina":

http://aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2020/07/police-officers-can-legally-rape-and.html

8. My August 2020 Instagram post about how the police are legally allowed to rape and kill people in many states:

http://www.instagram.com/p/CD8FXVkMvWw/

9. My September 2020 article "Ending Involuntary Servitude, Police Brutality, and Cruel and Unusual Punishment (Incomplete)"

http://aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2020/09/ending-involuntary-servitude-police.html

10. My April 2021 article "Forty-Seven Badly Needed Reforms to Policing, Drugs, and War That Could Save America from a Second Trump Term":
http://aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2021/04/forty-three-badly-needed-reforms-to.html

Originally Published on June 10th, 2020

Edited and Expanded on June 12th and August 20th, 2020,

and January 17th, 2021

Links to All of My Articles, Videos, and Memes About the Jussie Smollett Case

- Link to a YouTube playlist featuring all 17 of my videos on Jussie Smollett:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCXK0l-uGKjV50LcCmEcyhMECwq2XCRep

- My memes about the Jussie Smollett case [NO LONGER AVAILABLE]:

http://www.instagram.com/p/B8sk_mPAViS/
http://www.instagram.com/p/B8isjxKgXGT/

http://www.instagram.com/p/B8smsCkAiHy/

- My (thus far incomplete) August 2020 article "State of Illinois v. Smollett: What if Jussie Smollett is Telling the Truth?":
http://aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2020/08/state-of-illinois-v-smollett-what-if.html

Compiled and Published on February 21st, 2020

List of links expanded, and title changed, on August 27th, 2020

Updated on July 19th, 2023

     Click the link below to see a page containing links to all of my articles and videos about policing, crime, prison, shootings, and gun control:
     - http://www.aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2023/07/links-to-all-of-my-articles-and-videos.html

Comparative Rates of Taxation in Chicago-Area Counties, 2019

Click on image to enlarge

High resolution version available at http://imgur.com/gallery/OwsHCAR

Data collected in December 2019

Image created and published on January 15th, 2020
Edited on February 22nd, 2020

Letter to Charles Paidock on Discrimination in Public Accommodations

     The following is the text of an e-mail which I sent to Charles "Charlie" Paidock, concerning the topic of whether public and private entities have an obligation to recognize our civil liberties while we are on public and private property.

     Mr. Paidock is a former union negotiator, and a manager at the Chicago-based College of Complexes. The College of Complexes is an organization dedicated to free speech, debate, and adult education on political and social matters.

     What prompted my e-mail to Mr. Paidock, was his e-mail to me, which preceded it. In that e-mail, he sent me an article entitled "The Colorado wedding cake case: How libertarians view it", published by Yahoo News on June 9th, 2018.

     Paidock provided a select quotation from that article, which reads: "The perspective of the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, is that the government should have no oversight over discrimination in private business transactions, such as the sale of a wedding cake or almost anything else. It is a private business owner’s right to choose whom to sell to; free markets will regulate discrimination."

     Although I did not explain this in my e-mail, the Cato Institute does not represent all libertarians, nor does the Libertarian Party. The libertarian movement consists of Libertarian partisans, libertarian-conservatives, libertarian Democrats, libertarian-leaning Greens and socialists, and "libertarians" of the traditional 19th century European variety (i.e., anarchists).

     "Libertarian" is neither a trademark of the Libertarian Party (which, in fact, does not claim any intellectual property), nor do the Cato Institute - nor the Koch brothers, nor Ron Paul, nor anyone else - hold a monopoly on what it means to be a libertarian.

     Since that is the case, it would be completely irrational to conclude that all libertarians share any particular belief, or set of beliefs, about the issue of whether private enterprises should be required to sell wedding cakes to same-sex couples if requested. Especially since that issue touches on many areas of law and legal theory, including freedom from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and - most importantly for the purposes of this discussion - the meaning of the interstate Commerce Clause in the U.S. Constitution, as it pertains to discrimination in public accommodations, and the differences between the rights and responsibilities of private companies vs. companies which receive public funds.

     I have already weighed-in on the latter three topics in-depth, most recently in my article "Revised Position on Discrimination and Interstate Commerce", published in May 2017. While in the first several years of my writing career, I defended the right of all businesses to discriminate, I eventually realized that most or all enterprises receive some form of public funding and/or support.

     I explain that idea in my e-mail to Mr. Paidock, which reads thus:

     You're correct that many libertarians support discrimination by private businesses. However, I am not one of those people. I've realized that most private companies are not as private as they are described. Nearly all "private" companies receive some form of public subsidy, privilege, monopoly right, or bailout. That makes them public organizations in my book.

     Most Libertarians disagree with me [on this issue], but I criticize them for having a blind spot for the right of "private" agencies to discriminate against the same public that they're receiving funds from.

     I actually heard you say the other night that private companies can do basically whatever they want, in terms of violating people's First Amendment rights, because you said the government can't violate those rights, but private entities can. I see your point, but I disagree in part.

     The next time you see a company restricting the speech of its workers, I hope you will keep in mind, to ask, not only whether it calls itself a "private" company, but whether it receives any public supports. If it does receive public supports, then it should not discriminate, and it should not be called a private company.

     I think you and I can agree that no firm which receives public funds, should be discriminating against anybody. I suspect that you also agree that we need a clear delineation of private vs. public institutions. Because blurring them together in Public-Private Partnerships, etc., is just confusing things.

     Thanks for your message.

     To read the article that Charles Paidock sent me - about "the" libertarian position on cakes for same-sex couples - please visit this link:
http://news.yahoo.com/colorado-wedding-cake-case-libertarians-view-100047297.html 

     To read my article "Revised Position on Discrimination and Interstate Commerce", please visit:
http://aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2017/05/revised-position-on-discrimination-and.html

     For more information about the Chicago College of Complexes, please visit the following links:
- http://www.collegeofcomplexes.org/
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_of_Complexes

E-mail composed on June 4th, 2019

Commentary written on June 5th, 2019

Published on June 5th, 2019

The Obama Murders (Part 1B: Examination of 16 Particular Cases From the First List) (Incomplete)

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.