[salukigirl]

So Im a fairly new resident of Illinois. I moved here in July of 2007 and thusfar have already seen the president of my university admit to plagiarism (along with a chancellor of my main campus and a chancellor of a satellite campus in Edwardsville). Now, my governor has been arrested on charges of corruption. Not to mention the fact that, living in southern illinois, we basically support over 5 million people in the far northeast corner of the state and our economy is dying. And while our local economy is suffering, SIU enforced a 20 million dollar project to build a new football stadium that adds on hundreds of dollars to every person's tuition and fees every semester. And on top of that our schools are struggling and test scores here are horrible.

I just don't get it. I understand that this stuff happens everywhere but it feels like recently it has been localized in my state. I don't really expect any advice or anything, Im just venting because Ive come to love this place and it sucks seeing it turn into what it has in a years time. I kinda feel like Im just surrounded with corruption. And Ive always been a good spirits type of person expecting the best out of everyone but its really hard to keep the cynicism out of my head when I keep seeing headlines of how the leaders of the state and my own university are doing things like this. Ugh.

[Lenny]

Hi salukigirl...

By reading history I learn to understand that we could never live in a better time despite the fact that our human appetites still often go unchecked...

It is our nature to fail but we can also observe those failings from both the inside and out...and determine there is a better way..

Glaciers move,,,but it takes time to see the path they take...pretty much the same with us..

Hang in there,,this too shall pass...
With care,

Lenny

[KathyM]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...ptstates_N.htm

I'm a lifelong resident of Chicago, and I share your pain, embarrassment, and disgust. I certainly didn't vote him into office - we could have had Paul Vallas! If it's any consolation to you, we are NOT the most corrupt State in the Union. We're No. 18 on the list of most corrupt States.

It's really sad to think so many public officials care only about themselves and nothing about the people they have been elected to represent.

[cantstopcrying]

And just two days before this broke I was cheering him for saying the state would do no further with Bank of America until the sit-in was handled. Amazing what power will do to some people. At least your state is still alive--you could live in Michigan, which, with the way things are going is going to be a ghost state in no time...no tumbleweeds blowing through, just big snowballs.