Opinion

Central Illinoisans and people from other surrounding areas were rudely awakened by the New Madrid fault line stirring this morning. Today’s earthquake was rated as a 5.2 on the Richter Scale and hardly any damage …

Sometimes, when I visit a church for the first time, I feel like Dorothy when she says: “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” And other times when I visit a new …

Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza was born with malformed hands in Germany in 1938. The story is told that her father recognized she would not make a good farmer’s wife, so he decided instead to invest in …

Few would deny that Champaign-Urbana is home to an actual “music scene.” That we can even pose this question is proof enough. And let’s not forget that our little community has spawned a band that …

Dearest Reader. I am steadfast, and remain, The Campus Wit. It’s that time of year again. The season that brings joy to the hearts of humanity. From the young in age to the young at …

OK, I admit it. I’m a church hopper. I have been hopping around from one church to another for a few weeks now with some kind of naïve belief that there might actually be a …

I lost my initial enthusiasm to see Horton Hears a Who when I heard the pro-life crowd had co-opted it. Although I’m pro-choice, I do know people who are honorably pro-life, and these days I …

In late March, Alderman Charlie Smyth introduced an ordinance to the Urbana City Council that resulted in a packed council chamber and so much discussion — a vote on the proposal was postponed until April …

First Sniff I never had the chance to tour in a bus when I was a musician. It’s the dream of most bands actually; your own cot, a living room in the back with video …

“Are you even a Christian?” This is one of the gentler responses I sometimes receive from conservative evangelicals who cannot comprehend that a fellow Christian would criticize certain aspects of our faith. I like this …

Next Thursday marks the kick-off (pop-and-lock-off?) of the 6th annual Hip-Hop Awareness Week, organized by U-C Hip-Hop Congress and Floor Lovers Illinois. This event, which continues through next weekend, aims to both educate and entertain …

I did a little soul searching this week and realized that I was turning into a curmudgeon. Yes, I have used a thick slab of this column space to whine and complain about a lot …

When deciding whether to volunteer for a relief trip, you always need to ask the hard question: Would it be more useful to those in need if I simply sent money instead of myself? Sometimes …

Both Illinois basketball teams made valiant runs for a Big Ten Tournament title in 2008. Had either of them won the championship, they would have earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The women’s …

First Sniff You’ll forgive me if I seem more than a little wracked in the brain, please. After all, it’s officially March Madness, and if you are one of the 16–47 people who read the …

Hello, dear friends. As always, I remain the Campus Wit. Being somewhat of a misanthrope, I often feel the need to look back and find time periods where the state of humanity was not as …

On Tuesday, the News-Gazette reported that “Unofficial St. Patrick’s Day” — which, like REO Speedwagon, Roger Ebert and that Miss America lady, are the spawns of Champaign-Urbana — cost the community more than $30,000. These …

I admire and support Barack Obama. I am looking forward to seeing him in the Oval Office after he is sworn in next January 20. I also admire and support Obama’s long-time pastor, the Rev. …

One advantage to being in a foreign country and not knowing the language is that a major political crisis can happen while you remain largely ignorant of how serious it is. I was in Colombia …

Downtown Champaign’s M2 building is slated for completion in late 2008. As home to the Destihl Restaurant and Brew Works, BankChampaign, four floors of office space and four floors of residential units, the building will …

First Sniff I have recently tangled up with a new and freshly-minted obsession: weight loss. After years of making certain that my belt line increased annually with plenty of red meat, Jarling’s Custard Cup, and …

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz? My friends all drive Porsches; I must make amends.                                                         —Janis Joplin The Bible contains a lot of wisdom about wealth. In fact, wealth may be the …

In the past few years, the University of Illinois campus has made room for a plethora of new restaurants, shops and other businesses. This week, workers broke ground on a County Market to be completed …

There is a bill in the Illinois House (HB 1826) that, if passed, will give same-sex couples the right to be joined together in a civil union. This bill has a dozen or so sponsors …

Good day, gentle reader. I remain, The Campus Wit. As of late, many people have approached me and questioned my moniker. “Why do you call yourself The Campus Wit? In three posts, you have yet …

It’s springtime, which means students at the University of Illinois (and all their friends, who come in from campuses all around) are ready to get their drink on. And you know why: It’s Unofficial, people. …

I have to state it, for the record: I think WPGU (107.1 FM) is the best commercial radio station in Illinois. No sarcasm here. I promise. The station’s playlist engages me, every time I listen …

I don’t really understand the pro-gun folks. They put those little Burma Shave-like signs out in the cornfields that tell us how guns save lives. They complain that the State of Illinois doesn’t allow them …

One of the most disturbing things about the Northern Illinois University shootings last week (aside from the actual carnage, of course) was the lack of any warning signs. Steve Kazmierczak, the shooter, did not seem …

WUNA, or the West Urbana Neighborhood Association, is known for its amazing ability to organize and engage its immediate community with relevant and important issues facing its neighborhood, one of the most economically diverse in …

lllinois American Water Company, provider of Champaign-Urbana agua, is currently building a new treatment plant on West Bradley Avenue that will pump out 15 million gallons a day. With a price tag of $51 million, …

Some religious scholars have been trying to discover the “historical Jesus” — the real guy, Jesus of Nazareth, before he got buried under centuries of mythology and became “Jesus Christ the Son of God.” A …

Last Tuesday, City of Champaign Township voters had the opportunity to vote on a referendum to ask the City of Champaign Township trustees to restore the level of general assistance funding by “any and all …

A Saturday server outage means we’re getting the second installment of Ask Politely to you a little late. But this week’s issue is still fresh in the minds of anyone who’s taken a vehicle to …

Greetings Humble Reader. I remain, The Campus Wit. Winter is here again. All over campus, I see people grumbling about the cold, cursing the snow, and wearing dour frowns on their faces. Everybody is surly …

For those folks unfamiliar with Islam, there are five “pillars” or duties that are required of Muslims: 1. Confessing that Allah is the one God and Muhammad is God’s messenger 2. Praying five times every …

The weekend is a time for contemplation and lively conversation, right? We think so. And in this vein, we inaugurate Ask Politely, a question-and-answer feature that’ll come your way every weekend. The premise is simple: …

In my Christian tradition, we set aside special days to honor certain noteworthy people (saints and martyrs) of our faith. A long time ago, the Orthodox Church thought it would be really cool to make …

I wonder if Jack Davis, the University of Illinois graduate who created the Chief Illiniwek logo in 1980, feels like he created a golem? If you already know what a golem is, you can probably …

Welcome back, faithful reader. I remain, the Campus Wit. With the bulk of the students gone, I have been able to reflect on the some of the worst aspects of Campustown. In the course of …

If you’re a religious believer with a holiday to celebrate or a non-believer with a spirit for giving, you’ve likely thought about making a charitable donation this month. As everyone knows, there is a huge …

Backstage during a play, there is sometimes a lot of waiting, or something that looks a lot like waiting. Actors wait, reading by dim light, listening to iPods, or knitting quietly, the clicking of needles …

Last night I was walking to Champaign’s Brass Rail, talking about Chicago, and how my friends there had referred to me as “country mouse” when I moved to Andersonville in 2000. “Bright lights, big city,” …

First sniff Where do I begin? How about where I left off? Plenty is different from the last time I wrote, but then again, even more is probably the same. Though life is never defined …

Less than three years ago, I didn’t think much of Champaign-Urbana-that is, I didn’t think about it much at all. I’d grown up about an hour south of the cities, on my parents’ farm, mostly …

Hello Gentle Reader. I am the Campus Wit. I attend the University of Illinois and find absurdity around every corner. Being a wit, I feel it is my duty to satirize and bring to light …