Protesters at Champaign's Hands Off! rally line University Avenue in Champaign. Over a thousand people were at Westside Park on a chilly April 5 for two hours, joining more than an estimated 1 million protesters nationwide. URBANA - The 50501 group, using the slogan "50 protests. 50 states. 1 movement," is gearing up for its next event. The grassroots organization that coordinated 1,400 protests worldwide on April 5, is calling for a "Day of Action" on April 19.
While individual chapters/states can organize protests, 50501 said on its website, "We just aren't doing a big national push since many states need more time to plan and coordinate. We need to think a bit more long term and practical."
Activists nationwide had hoped for another rally similar to April 5 from the organization. The group thinks Americans affected by the Trump administration's tariffs and job cuts can be better served Easter weekend by performing acts of kindness and service.
"You don't have to reinvent the wheel, if there's an organization locally that has been doing the good work ... ask how you can help!"
Four things they suggest include:
Donating to a local organization that feeds/clothes/helps local people, especially underserved areas.
Hosting a picnic where everyone brings a few items that are in good condition to swap out for something they might need from someone else.
Doing a clothing drive during a park day or community cookout.
Meeting up at the library to discuss different actions or start a book club.
Walking with other demonstrators around the park’s perimeter, Kathleen Toalson described the first 76 days of Trump’s second term as a “disaster.”
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Nearly a thousand people took part in Champaign-Urbana's installment of a nationwide day of action at Saturday's Hands Off! protest.
CHAMPAIGN - In a show of solidarity against President Donald Trump's trade and immigration policies, which critics say are harming families and retirement savings, more than a thousand protesters gathered Saturday at West Park near downtown Champaign for the Hands-Off! Mobilization rally.
The two-hour event featured several guest speakers who shared their thoughts on the state of the country since Trump began his second term. Large turnouts were also reported in major cities including Chicago, Boston, New York and Washington, D.C., as part of a national day of action that highlighted growing dissatisfaction with the administration’s policies and service cuts.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Standing with a long line of people along University Avenue, a protester holds up a sign as cars pass by. Many of the drivers showed their support, honking as the drove past the hundreds of Americans demonstrating against the hamfisted approach to nearly every issue the Trump administration as taken the past 75 days.
After attending a similar rally earlier Saturday near his home, John Edwards traveled from Sullivan to Champaign to take part in the demonstration. The Army veteran said he would attend a third if there were another nearby.
“They are not representing anybody but the rich,” Edwards said of the Trump administration. “We were already at one in Sullivan today. You might as well do two if you’re going to do one — and three if there’s another somewhere. We’ve got to get the word out.”
Walking with other demonstrators around the park’s perimeter, Kathleen Toalson described the first 76 days of Trump’s second term as a “disaster.”
“It’s an absolute nightmare for our nation, for our world,” she said. “It’s inconceivable to me that a nation as wealthy and prosperous as ours would turn its back on its own citizens.”
Cynthia D’Angelo, one of several speakers at the rally, criticized the administration’s policies.
“They are trying to destroy the things that are good about America. We are a leader in science. We are a leader in higher education and training future scientists, and they are trying to destroy all of that,” she said. “I feel like it is important for people to speak up and make a statement about what they believe.”
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Cynthia D'Angelo, one of many speakers defending American values, delivers remarks at the Champaign Hands Off! rally at Westside Park.
Hands-Off! was the largest coordinated day of demonstrations by concerned citizens across the country since Trump began his second term, with events held at more than 1,200 locations in all 50 states. According to The Associated Press, over 150 organizations participated in organizing the peaceful rallies.
When asked about her views on how the administration is running the country, Urbana resident Terri Barnes laughed while walking with the procession.
“I think they are evil and pathetic. They are stronger than people anticipated,” she said. “Evil. Definitely evil.”
CHAMPAIGN - Over a thousand people gathered at West Park for the Hands-Off! Mobilization rally on Saturday at noon. Across the nation, hundreds of thousands of Americans participated in a national day of action to protest policies implemented since Donald Trump began his second term as President. Critics highlight Trump's frequent use of executive orders, bypassing legislative process, which they argue has harmed the country's reputation, economy, and exacerbated societal divisions. The two-hour rally featured several guest speakers who shared their thoughts on the state of the country since Trump has taken office. Conservative estimates put the attendance significantly above last Saturday's rain-soaked Rally for Democracy organized by Champaign-Urbana Resistance Effort (CURE) in Urbana. See more photos here ...
CHICAGO - On Tuesday, March 25, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the national mail voter registration form to require documentary proof of citizenship, such as a passport, to register to vote.
The order threatens to withhold federal funding from states that count mail ballots received after Election Day, which is permitted under Illinois law. Overall, the executive order attempts to overhaul federal elections by making it harder for Americans to vote through unnecessary procedures verifying citizenship status and voting eligibility. The E.O. also affects uniformed and overseas voters' ability to cast their ballots in an election.
The American Civil Liberties Union immediately condemned the order on Tuesday, saying it would disenfranchise millions of eligible voters and make the process more cumbersome. The ACLU said in a statement, "This directive represents a significant overreach of executive power and poses a direct threat to the fundamental right to vote."
Around the nation, other voting rights advocate groups voiced their disapproval. The League of Women Voters of Illinois and the ACLU of Illinois released the following joint statement:
As organizations who have worked tirelessly to advance and expand access to the ballot across Illinois for many years, we condemn the President’s blatant overreach aimed at changing the progress we have made in our state. Donald Trump would disenfranchise millions of eligible voters – based on the lie that non-citizens are voting in large numbers. This executive order – like so many of Trump’s efforts – is blatantly illegal and attempts to substitute the conspiracy theories of the Trump White House for good policy measures we have adopted in Illinois.
With less than a week before voters across the State of Illinois go to the ballot box in critical important elections, no one should be confused or misled: the President’s order does not impact the ability of people to vote by mail or register on election day in our state for these elections. We encourage everyone who is eligible to participate and vote for candidates who reflect their values in these important local elections.
We encourage any voters with questions to call the non-partisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (English), 888-VE-Y-VOTA (Spanish), 888-API-VOTE (Asian languages), or 844-YALLA-US (Arabic).
"President Trump's executive order attempting to require documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration and restrict the acceptance of mail-in ballots received after Election Day, among other measures, is a blatant overreach that threatens to disenfranchise tens of millions of eligible voters," Sophia Lin Lakin, the director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project. "This measure will no doubt disproportionately impact historically-excluded communities, including voters of color, naturalized citizens, people with disabilities, and the elderly, by pushing unnecessary barriers to the fundamental right to vote. We will do everything in our power to stop this unconstitutional attack on the right to vote to ensure that every eligible American can participate in our democracy. We will see President Trump in court."
The Order directs the Attorney General to prohibit states from counting mail ballots received after Election Day in elections for President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House. States that do not comply with the executive order would be subject to funding cuts by Election Assistance Commission.
The executive order states, after citing examples of election procedures in other countries, that "Free, fair, and honest elections unmarred by fraud, errors, or suspicion are fundamental to maintaining our constitutional Republic. The right of American citizens to have their votes properly counted and tabulated, without illegal dilution, is vital to determining the rightful winner of an election."
Past audits and studies have shown that cases of voter fraud in American elections are rare.
President Trump's order requires states to remove noncitizens from voter rolls. Federal agencies must share data with states, such as immigration and Social Security records, to facilitate states checking voter eligibility. It also insists that states and federal agencies share data to prosecute election crimes, potentially violating individual privacy. The order grants federal agencies, including the head of the Department of Government Efficiency team, access to check state rolls "for consistency with Federal requirements."
Another provision states that when submitting the national mail voter registration form to register or update their information, the only acceptable proof of citizenship are a passport or a REAL ID, military ID, or other valid government ID indicating citizenship. Only about half of Americans have a U.S. passport, and currently, only five states—Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington—offer enhanced driver's licenses that show proof of citizenship.
The order also authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and the DOGE Administrator to review each state’s voter registration list for "consistency with Federal requirements." As part of this requirement, the E.O. allows DHS and DOGE to subpoena state records at their discretion.
While civil liberties and voting rights groups mobilize, many legal experts argue that President Trump lacks the authority through the use of an executive order to make such changes, asserting that the order violates existing federal voting statutes.
by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator
America has given Ukraine a lot of money. Does anyone really know how much?
President Trump recently said $350 billion while other sources say we have spent less than $200 billion. A billion dollars is a billion dollars. Hundreds of billions of dollars mean Americans across our country are being taxed hard earned dollars to send to another country for the purpose of financially underwriting their war.
The Beatles sang, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” but apparently you can buy some fake friends for a while. When the money ceases then the love and friendship you bought speedily goes away.
If we don’t write big checks to countries like Ukraine then they get mad really quick and for some reason, we become the bad guys. What happens when we totally run out of money? Our national debt is $36 trillion dollars. Who will rescue us when we go bankrupt and there is no Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid? No one will come to save us.
Approximately 58,220 Americans were killed in the Vietnam war. This number includes battle and non-battle related deaths. The Vietnam war cost around $111 billion in 1968 dollars, equivalent to approximately $800 billion in today’s dollars. The war lasted about 15 years. What does our country have to show for $800 billion and almost 60,000 lives? A lot of graves and a lot of Veterans with PTSD.
The war in Afghanistan cost America approximately $2,313 trillion dollars from 2001 to 2022. This includes money we spent in Afghanistan and Pakistan but does not account for the cost of lifetime care for veterans. Some estimates suggest the total cost could be higher ranging from $4 to $6 trillion when including long-term medical care and disability compensation. Plus, we spent over $68 million on a second runway at Bagram airfield in 2006 making it the best and strongest runway in that part of the world.
In the 1960s, we built the Kandahar International Airport which cost us over $15 million dollars. Who are the people using these airports today? A lot of Americans have suffered to pay big taxes bills while our government plays Santa Claus.
It’s a great idea to ask Ukraine to pay back the billions we have given to them. The idea of America having access to their land and vast resource of minerals sounds appealing.
Financially, it sounds like it would be worth mega billions and would supply us with badly needed resources. However, how many roads and bridges will we have to build?
How big will our military presence have to become to protect American citizens who will go to work the land? A military presence in Afghanistan could only mean the possibility of altercations with Russia’s army which would escalate into America becoming head and shoulders into a full scale war with Russia.
Putin can’t be trusted as far as you can throw the car sitting in your driveway. A growing presence in Ukraine by America will eventually mean fighting to protect our interests in that country. Such a land deal with Ukraine sounds like a good deal but has the potential of becoming a very bad deal.
Unfortunately, after last week’s oval office disaster between Zelenskyy, President Trump and Vice-President Vance there may never be a deal.
If Russia eventually topples Ukraine, Putin won’t be making any deals, paying anyone anything back and we may be buying our bread from him.
About the author ~
Glen Mollett is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states.
The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.
CHICAGO - Local chapters of the League of Women Voters of Illinois will host community protests and rallies in five cities across Illinois tomorrow, March 4. The goal is to bring people together in solidarity during the president's address to Congress on Tuesday.
Donald Trump will deliver the first joint congressional address of his second presidency on Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST. While not a State of the Union address, the president is expected to announce his goals for the year and accomplishments as he starts his second term before a packed House chamber.
LWVIL says the events around the state are being held to "offer a peaceful and unified space to come together for the health of our democracy, the future of our nation, and the well-being of all its people."
Gatherings will be held in Batavia, downtown Chicago, Naperville, Rockford, and at the Courthouse Plaza in Peoria.
"Defending democracy is our mission," Becky Simon, president of the League of Women Voters of Illinois, said in a release today, stressing an "urgent" need for peaceful protest during this administration. "The League’s spirit to act and fight for our democracy is exactly the courage we need to defend our constitutional republic."
Kathy Cortez, LWVIL vice president for issues and advocacy, noted that "The League has been defending democracy for 105 years, and we are just getting started."
League of Women Voters of Illinois protests will take place on Tuesday, March 4, at the following locations:
Batavia: 7:30 pm, Calvary Episcopal Church, 222 S Batavia Ave, Batavia, IL 60510
Chicago: 7:30 pm, Federal Plaza, 50 S. Adams St, Chicago, IL 60604
Rockford: 7:00 pm, Rockford City Hall, 425 East State Street, Rockford, 61104
Naperville: 4:30 pm, Washington Street Overpass by 5th Avenue Train Station, 105 E 4th Avenue, Naperville, IL 60540
Peoria: 7:30 pm, Peoria County Courthouse Plaza, 324 Main Street, Peoria IL 61602
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CHICAGO - On Tuesday, March 25, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the national mail voter registration form to require documentary proof of citizenship, such as a passport, to register to vote.
by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator
CHICAGO - Local chapters of the League of Women Voters of Illinois will host community protests and rallies in five cities across Illinois tomorrow, March 4. The goal is to bring people together in solidarity during the president's address to Congress on Tuesday.
Donald Trump will deliver the first joint congressional address of his second presidency on Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST. While not a State of the Union address, the president is expected to announce his goals for the year and accomplishments as he starts his second term before a packed House chamber.
LWVIL says the events around the state are being held to "offer a peaceful and unified space to come together for the health of our democracy, the future of our nation, and the well-being of all its people."
Gatherings will be held in Batavia, downtown Chicago, Naperville, Rockford, and at the Courthouse Plaza in Peoria.
"Defending democracy is our mission," Becky Simon, president of the League of Women Voters of Illinois, said in a release today, stressing an "urgent" need for peaceful protest during this administration. "The League’s spirit to act and fight for our democracy is exactly the courage we need to defend our constitutional republic."
Kathy Cortez, LWVIL vice president for issues and advocacy, noted that "The League has been defending democracy for 105 years, and we are just getting started."
League of Women Voters of Illinois protests will take place on Tuesday, March 4, at the following locations:
