Gapers Block has ceased publication.

Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
 Thank you for your readership and contributions. 

TODAY

Friday, March 29

Gapers Block
Search

Gapers Block on Facebook Gapers Block on Flickr Gapers Block on Twitter The Gapers Block Tumblr


The Mechanics
« DePaul Students, Faculty Take Stand Against Planned Arena How D.C. Public Transit Will Go Open Fare and Keep Their Version of the Chicago Card »

Federal Government Thu Feb 13 2014

Restore the Fourth Hosts Rally in Loop

photo.JPGRestore the Fourth - Chicago, a non-partisan political group concerned with restoring fourth amendment rights, hosted a march and dinner yesterday to keep the National Security Agency in check and fight back against mass surveillance.

The rally on a day dubbed "The Day We Fight Back" began with a rally at Daley Plaza and culminated with a dinner at Timothy O'Toole's Pub. About 50 people attended the rally.

"We demand that our government respect our constitutional rights, instead of using them to wipe its feet on before walking right in," said John Bumstead, organizer of the event.

Bumstead said that knocking down digital doors represents exactly the same violation as unauthorized home searches, and deserves exactly the same constitutional protection, yet it is painfully obvious that our government is completely oblivious to this fact

Attendees held up their signs and chanted as they made their way through Loop streets. Despite the weather, the reaction from the attendees and onlookers was universally positive, said Bumstead. Many onlookers joined in on the rally for short periods, and echoed the chants.

"My favorite of our chants is, 'What do we want? Privacy. Why do we want it? None of your business!'" said Bumstead.

Restore the Fourth - Chicago hosts weekly meetings on Tuesdays at CivicLab. For more information on how to get involved, visit the group's website.

 
GB store
GB store

Feature

Parents Still Steaming, but About More Than Just Boilers

By Phil Huckelberry / 2 Comments

It's now been 11 days since the carbon monoxide leak which sent over 80 Prussing Elementary School students and staff to the hospital. While officials from Chicago Public Schools have partially answered some questions, and CPS CEO Forrest Claypool has informed that he will be visiting the school to field more questions on Nov. 16, many parents remain irate at the CPS response to date. More...

Civics

Substance, Not Style, the Source of Rahm's Woes

By Ramsin Canon / 2 Comments

It's not surprising that some of Mayor Emanuel's sympathizers and supporters are confusing people's substantive disputes with the mayor as the effect of poor marketing on his part. It's exactly this insular worldview that has gotten the mayor in hot... More...

Special Series

Classroom Mechanics Oral History Project
GB store



About Mechanics

Mechanics is the politics section of Gapers Block, reflecting the diversity of viewpoints and beliefs of Chicagoans and Illinoisans. More...
Please see our submission guidelines.

Editor: Mike Ewing, mike@gapersblock.com
Mechanics staff inbox: mechanics@gapersblock.com

Archives

 

 Subscribe in a reader.

GB store

GB Store

GB Buttons $1.50

GB T-Shirt $12

I ✶ Chi T-Shirts $15