Unity head coach Scott Hamilton talks to players after their home game against Althoff Catholic on September 20, 2024. After the game, Hamilton said the eventual Class 1A state champions was the best team his program has faced on the gridiron. See 19 more photos of Hamilton from his final season below.
All photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
TOLONO - The end of an era has come. Unity head football coach Scott Hamilton announced today that he will retire from the helm of Central Illinois' football powerhouse.
He made his future plans known via a post on social media thanking the school board, community, all the players he coached the past 31 years, and, of course, his family. He said his future plans included spending more time with his family, golfing, and the Florida sun.
Hamilton took the reigns to the Rockets' football program starting 1994, amassing a record of 291 wins against 74 losses in his 31-year tenure. He guided Unity to six state championship games, starting in 2000 in Class 2A, and made five more appearances in Class 3A in 2005, 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2021. In all five cases, his team finished with runner-up trophies.
Thanks to Hamilton, Unity won its first playoff game back in the 1996 season, knocking off St. Joseph-Ogden in a 42-6 thrashing. The contest cemented the intense legendary rivalry between the two programs that continues to this day. The Rockets went on to finish 11-1 after the quarterfinal loss.
Under the Roxana native and 2017 Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Famer, Unity has seen just one losing season. In 2018, the Rockets finished 4-5. The only other year the team missed the playoffs was in the spring 2021 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
by Jacque Trahan
In 2010, the Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court decision redefined American politics. By granting corporations the same free speech rights as individuals, it allowed them to spend unlimited sums on elections. While proponents called it a victory for free expression, it has instead created a dangerous paradox: a system I call “corporation communism.”
At first glance, the term might seem contradictory. After all, corporations are synonymous with free-market capitalism, while communism is the antithesis of that system. But beneath the surface, there’s an unsettling resemblance.
Much like the centralized control of resources in communist regimes, corporations have amassed outsized power, dominating markets, influencing legislation, and concentrating wealth. This centralization doesn’t reflect the competition capitalism promises; instead, it mirrors the monopolistic tendencies of an authoritarian state.
As President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “The corporation is the creature of the State, and it must be held to strict accountability to the people.” Roosevelt—a Republican—championed trust-busting because he understood that unchecked corporate power was a direct threat to democracy. His wisdom is more relevant now than ever.
The Citizens United decision unleashed billions in corporate spending, turning elections into auctions. Candidates no longer vie for votes alone; they chase dollars from the wealthiest donors. Policies that serve public interests—affordable healthcare, climate action, workers’ rights—are sidelined for those favoring corporate profits.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, warned during the Great Depression: "The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic State itself." Today, corporate lobbying often overwhelms the will of the people, making FDR’s cautionary words painfully prophetic.
This system fosters what I call "economic elitism," where a handful of powerful entities dictate the rules. From healthcare and energy to tech and agriculture, monopolies have reduced competition, stifling innovation and raising costs for everyday Americans.
Why Call It 'Corporation Communism'?
Though the term may sound provocative, the parallels are striking:
Centralized Power: Just as a communist state controls resources, corporations dominate entire sectors, from Big Tech to Big Pharma.
Loss of Choice: Consolidation through mergers limits competition, leaving consumers fewer options—whether in broadband providers or news outlets.
Suppression of Dissent: Employees who speak out often face retaliation, while public critics risk lawsuits or smear campaigns.
Reverse Redistribution: Wealth is siphoned upward, enriching executives and shareholders, much like the privileges enjoyed by elites in authoritarian regimes.
The Threat to Democracy
Unchecked corporate power corrodes democratic values. Voters’ voices are drowned out by well-funded lobbying and attack ads. Local businesses are crushed under monopolistic practices, reducing entrepreneurship—the backbone of a healthy economy.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower, another Republican, once warned in his farewell address: "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence… by the military-industrial complex." His words echo today, as corporate influence extends far beyond the military into nearly every aspect of policymaking.
Overturn Citizens United: Campaign finance reform is essential to restore fair elections.
Break Up Monopolies: Enforce antitrust laws to dismantle corporate giants and promote competition.
Demand Transparency: Require corporations to disclose political contributions and lobbying activities.
Empower Workers: Strengthen unions and worker protections to ensure fair wages and working conditions.
A Call to Action
The promise of capitalism is opportunity for all—not unchecked power for a few. By framing this issue as "corporation communism," we reveal the irony of a system that cloaks monopolistic control in the rhetoric of freedom.
Leaders across political lines—Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, Eisenhower—recognized the dangers of unchecked power, whether from corporations or governments. Their words remind us that democracy thrives only when power is accountable to the people.
It’s time to reclaim democracy from those who would buy it out from under us. Let’s make sure our government answers to the people—not corporations.
Based in Lafayette, Louisiana, Jacque Trahan loves to travel. "I save most of my money for this alone, concerts, festivals, video games with friends, I stream from time to time (but need to update my pc), and enhancing my coding skills." Jacque hopes to become a data engineer.
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