Blogging Forgottonia

In 2000, the fourteen West-Central Illinois counties that Neil Gamm once grouped under the aegis of Forgottonia had a total population of 334,800.  Based on recently released data from the U.S. Census bureau, that population has now fallen to 324,389, a 3.1% decrease.  Only two of the 14 counties had a population increase – Calhoun (a whopping +5, so essentially no change) & Schuyler (+ 355, a 4.9% increase).

We could cheer for Schuyler County, but I wouldn’t.  The population increase there can be accounted for entirely by the number of inmates housed at the Rushville Treatment and Detention Facility for Sexually Violent Persons (average inmate population 352 in 2009).

The local papers have published several articles on the local census figures: Monmouth & Warren County census figures, Galesburg & Knox County census figures, official reaction in Knox County, population numbers for local school districts, Burlington’s population loss, and overall rural population decline in Iowa.  The hardest hit counties of Forgottonia are right here at its heart – Knox, Warren, Henderson & Hancock.  Henderson County saw the biggest percentage drop, down 10.7% to 7331.  The 2008 flooding that devastated Gulfport & other communities played a big roll in that precipitous drop.

All of the Illinois counties that saw population increases (except Schuyler) included &/or collared metropolitan areas – Peoria, Springfield, Champaign-Urbana, Bloomington-Normal, Carbondale, Rockford, Vincennes (IN), Dubuque (IA), Paducah (KY), St. Louis & Chicago.  It’s suburbanization at work.  The jobs are in the larger communities, and that’s where the people go.

The home of the Review Atlas at 400 S. Main Street is for sale.  I searched the paper’s website, but I found no mention of the sale or their plans for the future.

Ryan Neal at the Review Atlas has produced an excellent series of articles (#1, #2, #3, #4) on autism and how local families and school districts are struggling to deal with the consequences of this challenging neurodevelopmental disorder.  I encourage everyone to check out the articles, and I salute Mr. Neal for some excellent reporting.

The second article in the series has drawn the ire of the houngans of anti-vaccine voodoo at Age of Autism.  Anne Dachel, the media editor for Age of Autism, saw fit to personally respond to the article.  Her commentary is filled with ad hominem venom directed at Mr. Neal, the CDC, and medical researchers who had the temerity to provide evidence against their doctrine of faith that vaccines are the root of all autism.

I’m not going to fight the willful ignorance of the anti-vaccine movement here.  Others have done so quite well before me.  As a primary care pediatrician who has vaccinated thousands of children, I have very carefully reviewed the evidence in this matter.  The truth is that the preponderance of medical and scientific evidence discounts any link between vaccines and autism.  I have fully immunized my own five children according to the ACIP / CDC / AAP recommendations, and I strongly endorse that vaccine schedule.  I have never received funds from any vaccine developer, and I, like most pediatricians in practice, do not receive any additional compensation based on my vaccination rate.  Many pediatricians LOSE money by providing vaccines, but continue to do so because they know it’s the right thing to do.  Bottom line: vaccines save lives – not hundreds, not thousands, but MILLIONS of lives.

If you want to help children with autism, support organizations like the Autism Science Foundation.  They will not needlessly throw money at a question that has already been answered over and over again.  They seek to find REAL answers for the parents of children with autism and adults living with autism, and they deserve your support.

Addendum (1/4/2011): The Review Atlas has now posted a 5th article in the series.  Again, excellent!  It points out that we already have a tool – Applied Behavioral Analysis – that when applied early and intensely can make all the difference in the world for those with autism.

It’s actually today, September 16.  Cinco de Mayo celebrates the victory of the Mexican army over invading French forces at the Battle of Puebla.  May 5 has achieved more notoriety in the U.S. … because we like to drink in May?  It’s become the Mexican St. Patrick’s Day.

There will be a local celebration of Mexican Independence Day on the 200 block of South Main Street (in front of La Tapatia) on Saturday, September 18, from 4 PM to 11 PM.  Gus Munoz, owner of La Tapatia, is organizing the event.  Come down and support a local business!

Vaughn’s Jewelry and the Downtown Coffeehouse, both owned by Tom & Mary Scudder, will be closing.  Unfortunately Monmouth seems to be losing more small local businesses than it’s gaining lately.  Walgreens and Dollar General are fine, and they provide employment (albeit low wage) and tax revenue.  However, no one is going to drive to Monmouth to visit those stores, and most of the profits generated by the chains don’t stay local, either.

Monmouth has a great downtown area, with local cultural institutions like the Warren County Library and the Buchanan Center for the Arts.  I hate to see the businesses there dying off.

According to the Review Atlas, Kevin Cerar’s new restaurant, Petey’s Pub and Grill, should open in the next few weeks.  The restaurant will employ 50 to 60 people including about a dozen full time employees, which is certainly good news for Monmouth.  It’s nice to see  a new local business open up, instead of more chain stores, and I look forward to checking out the new place.

Yet again we have a local leader, this time retired judge Harry Bulkeley, weighing in against the Park51 project in New York City.  Again, I have a response.  Read the editorial first, then my response below.

No one has claimed that Muslims don’t have the right to build a mosque, there or anywhere else.

Have you seen some of the signs being waved at the Tea Party protests against the Park51 project?  I’m pretty sure that a lot of those folks think that the best use for a mosque is as kindling.  They absolutely want to deny Imam Rauf & the Cordoba House the right to build their community center – by fear & intimidation, if not clearly unconstitutional legal force.

By the way, a piece of the plane that hit the south tower landed on that building, so it is Ground Zero.

OK … well, dust from the towers spread over the whole island of Manhattan & beyond.  Are we thus supposed to shut down all of New York City and preserve it as a museum piece???

If it is an effort to heal the wounds, then why isn’t it a multicultural, interfaith facility?

It will be a multicultural, interfaith facility.  Yes, the Park51 project is a Muslim community center (only part of which will be a mosque), but ALL faiths and ethnicities would be welcome there.  Its purpose is to be a bridge of understanding to the broader community, and obviously understanding of the Muslim faith and its diversity is something that many Americans seem to be lacking.

Perhaps the developers don’t intend it as a victory shrine, but can anyone doubt that it will be perceived and portrayed as such by our enemies?

Do we really care what the Taliban & Al Qaeda think?  Would portraying the Park51 community center as a triumphal monument to Islam be a recruitment tool for them?  I don’t think so.  Right now we’re handing Al Qaeda & the Taliban the best recruitment tool they could imagine – all the images of American anti-Muslim hate filling the airwaves right now.

Imam Rauf has been working for years as a strong voice for interfaith cooperation in the U.S. and democracy & women’s rights in the Muslim world.  After 9/11, Rauf was sent to the Middle East by the BUSH administration as an emissary of our interests.  What he represents is the polar opposite of what Al Qaeda & the Taliban represent, and Osama bin Laden & Mullah Omar would likely deny that Rauf is even a Muslim at all.

Does Eric Rudolph, the Olympic Park bomber, represent all Christians?  Does Fred Phelps, pastor of the Westboro Baptist Church, represent all Christians?  Does Terry Jones, the pastor in Gainesville who wants to burn Korans, represent all Christians?  No, of course not.  So quit lumping Imam Rauf & the Cordoba House in with Atta & the other mass-murdering 9/11 thugs.

Jim Bennett, minister at the Rozetta Baptist Church & regular editorial commentator at the Review Atlas, is from what I can tell a truly decent & good human being.  Unfortunately he decided to weigh in on the whole “ground zero mosque” fiasco.  I really wish he hadn’t.  Here is the response that I gave to him, posted in the comments of his Review Atlas editorial.  I have added some links here so that my points may be clarified & expanded.  None of this will make much sense unless you read his editorial first.

The NRA convention was held LESS THAN 2 WEEKS after the Columbine shootings.  It has been almost 9 years since September 11, 2001.  Certainly one could make an argument regarding the scale of the respective events, but I still don’t think you’re making a valid comparison.

Muslims have been worshiping in the Pentagon for years, the prayer room they use a matter of feet from where Flight 77 crashed into the building.  The building that is being renovated for the Park51 project in New York is ALREADY IN USE for Muslim worship and has been for some time.  In December 2009, Imam Rauf’s wife appeared on Fox News & received glowing commendations for what they had planned.  That segment recognized that the project had broad support from community leaders, including Christian ministers & Jewish rabbis.

Imam Rauf is widely recognized for his condemnation of terrorism and his interfaith activities with Christians & Jews.  Yes, he has made some inflammatory statements, but actions speak louder than words and he & his wife have done a lot of good work.  They don’t deserve to be demonized by you & others like you.  Islamic charities and communications with Islamic countries are HEAVILY monitored by our intelligence services, and Rauf has NEVER been implicated in any wrongdoing.

Let’s also clarify that the Park51 project is going to be a community center WITH a mosque.  From Wikipedia: “Plans are for the facility to include a 500-seat auditorium, theater, performing arts center, fitness center, swimming pool, basketball court, childcare area, bookstore, culinary school, food court serving halal dishes, and prayer space for 1,000–2,000 Muslims.”  Ooooh, a BASKETBALL COURT.  A DAYCARE!!!  Oh my lord, the horror!!! (ROLLING EYES).  Yes people, Muslims work out, swim & play basketball.  Shockingly, they are human beings, and they do the things many other New Yorkers do.  Like many in this country they also pray, and one of the central requirements of Islam (the Five Pillars) is that one should pray five times per day.  Of course this Islamic center is going to have a prayer room – and a rather large one for such a large facility in one of the largest & most diverse cities on Earth.

Let’s clear up a few more facts, like the fact that more Muslims were victims of the 9/11 attacks than perpetrated it.  American Muslims serve in our armed forces loyally & have given their lives for their country.  All of our soldiers in Iraq & Afghanistan are fighting ALONGSIDE Muslims to DEFEND other Muslims, in the hope that we can start those countries down the path toward freedom & democracy.  Don’t you think that honoring those Muslims is “simple human decency”?  Instead you spit on their graves & their service to their country.

Essentially what you’re doing, Mr. Bennett, is to lump all Muslims together and to blame them for the 9/11 attacks.  This is both ignorant & entirely unfair.  Because you are a Christian, would it be right to blame you for the crimes of the Crusades?  The Inquisition?  The Salem witch trials?  The 30 Years War?  You would have quite a lot of blood on your hands by those standards.  You’re a Baptist minister, so do you hold the same opinions as Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church?  Get my point yet?

You are also fanning the flames of ignorance & hatred that PUT THE LIVES OF OUR SOLDIERS AT RISK.  This may surprise some of those commenting here, but Muslims can read.  They can watch TV & get on the internet.  They can see & hear all the ignorant and hateful things being said about them, all the crass generalizations being made about them by people like WAKEupAMERICA.  How do you think that affects our troops in harms way in Iraq & Afghanistan and other Islamic nations???  There’s a group of local National Guard in Egypt right now – our own sons & daughters.  Ignorance like this makes their job a hundred times more difficult.  It puts their lives in danger.

What I read here & from many other conservative pundits is a bunch of hand-waving & excuses that cover up the true underlying problem: intolerance of the “other”, hatred & fear of a “foreign” religion, and frequently racism.   I’m saddened to see you publicly wallow in that cesspool, Mr. Bennett.

Vishnu Springs Open House

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Does Monmouth really need FOUR pharmacies?

We already have Axline and Shopko in town, Brent Family Pharmacy in Oquawka and multiple pharmacies nearby in Galesburg.  The new Monmouth Walgreens is nearing completion, and just recently I noticed a sign in front of County Market proclaiming that its newly renovated store will be home to Warren County Pharmacy.

Methinks at least one of these Monmouth pharmacies will go belly-up.  You can be sure it won’t be Walgreens, the new big boy muscling in on the block.  I’m hoping that Axline’s drive-through, home delivery service and customer loyalty will save this local business.

Perhaps Axlines should look to ally itself with the County Market venture.  They certainly need to consider expanding their hours.  As a physician prescribing medications (most often by direct-to-pharmacy email prescription), I can say with absolute certainty that Axline loses a significant amount of business because they close at 6 P.M.  Right now that business usually goes to Shopko.  We’ll just have to see what happens once the new players open up.