<div class="storyDateline">Chicago Tribune article yesterday:<br><br>CHAMPAIGN, Ill.</div>
— When a man with a video camera at a tea party protest asked Champaign Mayor Jerry Schweighart what he thought of <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="PEPLT007408" title="Barack Obama" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/politics/government/barack-obama-PEPLT007408.topic">President Barack Obama</a>, the three-term Republican didn't hesitate.<br>
<br>
"I don't think he's American, personally," the mayor said Thursday in a video that's been posted on <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="ORCRP00000211004" title="YouTube" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/entertainment/movies/youtube-ORCRP00000211004.topic">YouTube</a>.
"You know, if you're not willing to produce an original certificate
like a birth certificate, then you've got something to hide."<br>
<br>
The 71-year-old Schweighart told The Associated Press on Friday that he stands by the statement.<br>
<br>
"Oh, sure," he said. "My stand, and I don't understand why everybody is
so upset, is he's never shown the original birth certificate."
<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GC4LBdSnhkE&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></object>
<br>Schweighart was echoing complaints made by some tea party activists
and so-called birthers who doubt Obama is qualified to hold his office.
Though state officials in <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="PLGEO100101900000000" title="Hawaii" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/us/hawaii-PLGEO100101900000000.topic">Hawaii</a> say records confirm Obama was born there, birthers say the president has never proven his citizenship.<br>
<br>
A spokesman for the Illinois <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="ORGOV0000005" title="Democratic Party" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/politics/parties-movements/democratic-party-ORGOV0000005.topic">Democratic Party</a> said he was surprised to still be responding to questions about Obama's legitimacy as president.<br>
<br>
"Most rational people have discarded that question years ago," Steve Brown said.<br>
<br>
The mayor's statement led to discussion on local talk radio Friday. A
half-dozen or more callers sounded off on WDWS radio's "Penny for Your
Thoughts" program, some backing the mayor, some saying he embarrassed
the city.<br>
<br>
Schweighart said the man who videotaped him appeared to be part of a student group from the <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="OREDU0000155" title="University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/education/colleges-universities/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign-OREDU0000155.topic">University of Illinois</a>
who attended the rally in opposition to the tea party. The YouTube
video was posted by someone whose online ID is illinoisgrads, but the
person didn't respond to a request for comment that The Associated
Press sent through the Web site.<br>
<br>
The mayor said he doesn't know Obama, though years ago he shared a
table with him at a Champaign event where Obama spoke. Schweighart said
he had no particular awareness of Obama as a politician — much less
concern about him — before the former senator from Illinois became
president.<br>
<br>
But Schweighart, who was a <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="PLGEO100100602011576" title="Champaign (Champaign, Illinois)" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/us/illinois/champaign-county-%28illinois%29/champaign-%28champaign-illinois%29-PLGEO100100602011576.topic">Champaign</a> police officer for 32 years, said he shares many tea party concerns about the president's health care plan and other issues.<br>
<br>
"It's just worrisome that the government is going to be running everything," he said.
<br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 5:56 PM, Durango Mendoza <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:durangom@hotmail.com">durangom@hotmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div>
<div><br></div><div>Adding sugar and cream to the tea party birther line with a couple of verbal pastries on the side is to cloud the issue at hand. We have not just seen a slip of the tongue after quaffing from the tea party cup. We have glimpsed the underlying and fundamental base that guides the mayor’s thoughts, actions and non-actions. They reveal, if not fully, why he could let the killing of a black teen not have logical consequences. </div>
<div><br></div><div>Adding side issues that national wrongs should be addressed instead, and pointing out one’s right to lie bears a striking resemblance to school yard retorts, “Oh, yeah, what he did is nothing compared to what big so-and-so did, so just shut up already! Why don’t you make HIM stop if it bothers you so much?” Such dismissive and pot-stirring comparisons are too easily made and are fundamentally unhelpful. That larger issues need work does not mean local ones do not need action. This issue adds traction to the injustice ones.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I’m sure there were some major national and world issues that needed work at the same time that a tired Rosa Parks decided to sit where she was rather than move. “Why, I bet some of those white passengers were more tired than she was. I mean, like, like...what makes her better than them? Don’t they have rights too? I bet she wasn't really tired. She just wanted to make local trouble.” And she did have a plan: start local and personal and larger change could follow. In spite of dismissers, apologists, assassins, and "moles" planted among the change agents, positive change happened. And more is needed as our work is not yet complete. It requires the helpful support of the many.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Change does start one person at a time. Sadly, so does hate.</div><div><br></div><div>DM</div><br>> Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2010 10:13:25 -0500<br>> From: <a href="mailto:galliher@illinois.edu" target="_blank">galliher@illinois.edu</a><br>
> To: <a href="mailto:martiwilki@gmail.com" target="_blank">martiwilki@gmail.com</a><br>> CC: <a href="mailto:peace@lists.chambana.net" target="_blank">peace@lists.chambana.net</a>; <a href="mailto:peace-discuss@lists.chambana.net" target="_blank">peace-discuss@lists.chambana.net</a>; <a href="mailto:announce@lists.communitycourtwatch.org" target="_blank">announce@lists.communitycourtwatch.org</a><br>
> Subject: Re: [Peace] [Peace-discuss] WCIA has posted a petition re resignation of Mayor Schweighart<br>> <br>> And of course the chief magistrate whose legitimacy the mayor questions <br>> has ordered murder on a large scale - including assassination and the <br>
> summary execution of American citizens; he's not merely failed to <br>> fulfill his responsibilities in regard to corrupt and murderous police.<div class="im"><br>> <br>> <br>> C. G. Estabrook wrote:<br>
> > Talk about straining at a gnat & swallowing a camel...<br>> > <br>> > There should be a serious campaign for the removal of the mayor of <br></div>> > Champaign - & the other members of the Champaign City Council - for <br>
<div class="im">> > nonfeasance in not dismissing police officers responsible for the <br>> > killing of an unarmed 15-year-old. But instead we have a frivolous <br>> > campaign for his removal because he points out that the Constitution <br>
> > requires the president to be a natural-born citizen - as it does (art. <br>> > 2, sect. 1) - and that questions have been raised whether Obama <br>> > qualifies - as they have.<br>> > <br>> > It's hardly wrong to ask the question, as Obama supporters seem to <br>
> > assert. What's curious is the dog (or the mule) in the night - how <br></div>> > hesitant the Democrats have been in answering the question. You'd think <br><div><div></div><div class="h5">> > that they would go out of their way to refute any suggestion that Obama <br>
> > is not constitutionally entitled to be president. --CGE<br>> > <br>> > <br>> > Marti Wilkinson wrote:<br>> >> I'm of the opinion that removing the mayor from office is best done<br>
> >> with the vote of the people. Setting aside his stupid remarks at the<br>> >> 'Tea Party' - I would like to see a democratic process take place<br>> >> where *his record* **becomes the focus. Since he has taken office he<br>
> >> has supported the actions of the police force, has voted against<br>> >> broadband,and is generally rude and boorish towards the citizens who<br>> >> question the actions of the city council during public commentary. I<br>
> >> could go on of course, but demanding that he resign at this point<br>> >> will just bring out every 'birther' out of the woodwork. Is that<br>> >> really in the best interest of the citizenry.<br>
> >><br>> >> Besides, Jerry is a figurehead at best. The person who really runs<br>> >> the show in Champaign is Steve Carter...perhaps we can circulate a<br>> >> petition asking him to resign over his failure to fire Chief Finney<br>
> >> and for allowing Officer Norbits to work while supposedly on<br>> >> 'administrative leave'.<br>> >><br>> >> Marti<br>> >><br>> >><br>> >><br>> >> On Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 12:01 AM, Jenifer Cartwright<br>
> >> <<a href="mailto:jencart13@yahoo.com" target="_blank">jencart13@yahoo.com</a>>wrote:<br>> >><br>> >>> I just watched the Ch 3 News. The lead story was about Schweighart<br>> >>> and titled, "Caught On Tape." The story ended w/ an online petition<br>
> >>> re the Mayor's resignation. Here's the link to the story<br>> >>> <a href="http://illinoishomepage.net/fulltext/?nxd_id=143655&watch=1" target="_blank">http://illinoishomepage.net/fulltext/?nxd_id=143655&watch=1</a> and the<br>
> >>> petition <a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/schweighartresign/" target="_blank">http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/schweighartresign/</a><br>> >>><br>> >>> <<a href="http://illinoishomepage.net/fulltext/?nxd_id=143655&watch=1" target="_blank">http://illinoishomepage.net/fulltext/?nxd_id=143655&watch=1</a>>They<br>
> >>> played the YouTube video a couple of times, and took statements<br>> >>> afterwards in which he reaffirmed his opinion that Obama isn't an<br>> >>> American because he wasn't born in the US, tho' he conceded he's<br>
> >>> become a citizen since then. They interviewed the grad student John<br>> >>> O'Connor, the guy who taped Schweighart. He said he went public w/<br>> >>> the tape because "it's the right of all citizens to know that he<br>
> >>> believes this and to make judgments based on this. He is a private<br>> >>> citizen, but the fact is, he is also the mayor... and if he<br>> >>> believes a fringe, frankly loony conspiracy theory, that directly <br>
> >>> impacts his ability to do his job." The report said that the mayor<br>> >>> said his office has received several phone calls, some asking for<br>> >>> his resignation, but that that's "something that won't happen<br>
> >>> anytime soon." County Board member Alan Kurtz said that the mayor<br>> >>> should resign as he represents the city... and "How do you run a<br>> >>> city when you don't have the facts?"<br>
> >>><br>> >>> Jennifer Roscoe said that 3 cases re Obama's Citizenship had been<br>> >>> filed w/ the IL Supreme Court and all had been dismissed.<br>> >>><br>> >>> She also said that there is an online petition and that Channel 3<br>
> >>> wants to know what we think. Again, here's that link <br>> >>> <a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/schweighartresign/" target="_blank">http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/schweighartresign/</a> --Jenifer<br>
> >>><br>> >>><br>> >>><br>> >>><br>> >>><br>> >>><br>> >>> -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content<br>> >>> by *MailScanner* <<a href="http://www.mailscanner.info/" target="_blank">http://www.mailscanner.info/</a>>, and is believed to<br>
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