Examining politics, religion and morality in America

By Jason Satek - SGA/General Assignment Reporter

The Center for State Policy and Leadership held a summit on University of Illinois-Springfield campus Monday night, free and open to the public, in which politics, religion and morality were examined. Dr. James Morone, the author of “Hellfire Nation: The Politics of Sin in American History”, spoke, read segments and took questions from the audience.

Though a topic much discussed recently in the news, politics and religion was, as Chancellor Richard Ringeisen noted in his welcome, a theme for this years lecture series chosen some time ago and showing foresight now reaped by the audience.

UIS Professor of Political Studies Stephen Schwark introduced the author by telling a story of his inclusion in this forum, including the chance encounter with the book at a “Barnes & Noble”. The title and content of the early pages drew him in and made Schwark want to read more, to the point of including the author on a completed memo list of targets for the year.

Morone, a Professor of Political Science at Brown University in Rhode Island, began by giving personal examples of morality in America he had come across, a smoking lecture in a grocery store and the unexpected reaction of a poor New Jersey neighborhood to the creation of a pediatric A.I.D.S clinic, to illustrate the complexity of religion in America.

Citing the life expectancy data that would seem to justify governmental action due to America's poor showing among industrialized nations, Morone credited the American political system for its dampening effect, resistance to quick fixes and radical change. This pronouncement was counterbalanced by one of “1 in 33 adults in America are in prison, on parole or probation”, aggressive policy leading to many times the number of prisoners compared to most western democracies.

To make a declarative statement on the relative strength or weakness of American government, one would have to encompass both statements, according to Morone. “If you are looking for national health insurance, it is a weak government. If you look at our prison and justice system, it is a very strong government”.

This schism is explained by a policy he termed “Us vs. Them”. Whether or not people seem to be part of our community, or people who do not and frighten us. “How do we tell “Us” from “Them” through all the changes in American society? At the heart of it, is morality politics”.

The origin of America, settled in waves by immigrants weary of religious conflict gave rise to particular views of what is debatable in the public sphere (government & law), and which in the private one (virtue & religion).

Puritans and other devout groups came with a feeling of inner mission, to be exemplars of virtue, judging others and viewing with suspicion settlers of differing backgrounds. Immigrants would assimilate and be incorporated, while a revival of faith would update the “Us” term while recasting the “Them”.

The “neo-Puritanism” that would account for the jail statistics has since run into what Morone called the “Social Gospel”, with less focus on the individual and more on the systems that encompasses them. To illustrate this point, he quoted the reformer and advocate Jane Adams as saying “Prostitutes are not depraved, they're deprived”.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt paved the way for “Social Gospel”, embracing it in making a case for Social Security by comparing poverty to a disease that must be addressed communally by government. Conservative religious elements, smarting from the Scopes/evolution trial, failure to stop this program, and to maintain Prohibition receded as “Social Gospel” advanced. This relationship continued, said Morone, until Ronald Reagan, “personal responsibility” and the moral tradition sent the pendulum swinging back in the other direction.

Ending the lecture on a historic note and citing multiple examples of Americans increasingly feeling “that every generation believes that kids are running wild” Professor Morone humorously stated the underlying story of his book was “that we've survived the unprecedented wickedness of our children”.

Student Government Association holds candidate forum

By Jason Satek - SGA/General Assignment Reporter

A candidate forum was held on April 7 in the Public Affairs Center cafeteria, approximately one week before the SGA elections to give the prospective officers a chance to introduce themselves and address any questions. Only one of the races is contested, that of Student Representative to the Board of Trustees.

Facilitated by Assistant Dean of Students Jim Korte and Student Life Director Cynthia Thompson, each of the unopposed candidates was given a chance before the microphone to make a brief biographical statement, and then take any questions put to them.

Sarah Doyle, running for the position of secretary for the Fall 2006 Student Government Association, was the first speaker. She stated, “SGA works for the students. The students need an association that is going to be very organized and accessible. With my skills, I feel I can do it for them.”

John Morris, running for the position of treasurer. A transfer student from Lake Land College , Morris spoke about the SGA “opening itself up more to what students think and what they feel.” He mentioned promoting school pride, praised the affordability of the UIS education and from the position of treasurer, he promised, “not to let (new) fees go into effect without a heated debate.”

Last among the unopposed candidates was the current Representative from the Capital Scholars Program, Samantha Drews, who is the sole candidate for SGA president. She began by stating that a main concern for her was that she was unopposed for the position, and that her initiative would be “a greater involvement of the student body.” She praised the hard work by her predecessors, current SGA President Tyson Roan and former President Jason Stuebe, hoping to continue their legacy.

Drews will be the first president to have an administration under the new Constitution, which will be considered for ratification during the same election on April 13-14.

The candidates for the B.O.T. position, both current members of this administration, went last. Much of the debate involved the possibility of garnering the one Board vote given by the governor to a student trustee from the U of I school system. In the 10 years of its existence, UIS has never had this vote, with it remaining between trustees of University of Illinois-Chicago and the University of Illinois-Champaign .

Carrie Bauer, the current vice president, talked about the four years she has spent at this university and the activities and contacts she has acquired. A Capital Scholar, four-year SGA member and volleyball player, Bauer will remain on campus as a graduate student. She spoke about her superior experience and connections, and about wanting the UIS graduate program to become “more prestigious, and not a fallback option. I think we can do this by having more exams and more tests.”

The second candidate for Board of Trustee, current Representative at Large Robert Skorczewski, spoke next. He mentioned that he was a sophomore Capital Scholar, and as a major selling point that “he would be here for two more years.” Quoting the outgoing two-term student Trustee Andrew Hollingsead, Skorczewski stated “ Springfield will not get the vote with a first-term student trustee. Period.” He admitted that there are no guarantees to getting the vote, but stated “I am the best chance we have of getting the vote next year (after hopefully being re-elected).”

The two candidates then fielded numerous audience questions, ranging from possible support for a Graduate Assistant union, the current health care plan, tuition rates and academic reputation. Bauer and Skorczewski were of similar opinion on a majority of these issues, appearing to leave the decision to be made between them on the basis of her experience versus his long-term worth.

The voting for all of these candidates will be conducted online April 13-14.

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