The subjects debated at Bughouse: A count
Combined topics, 1993 to 2016. Categorizing is subjective so feel free to heckle.
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LOCAL
POLITICS
60
51
INTERNATIONAL
ECONOMY
30
OPINION
27
36
SOCIAL
RELIGION
CRIME
FOOD
22
24
24
8
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POLITICS
60
FOOD
8
LOCAL
51
INTERNATIONAL
30
ECONOMY
27
OPINION
36
CRIME
24
SOCIAL
RELIGION
24
22
Heckling a public speaker is not often encouraged by the event organizers.
That’s not the case at the Bughouse Square Debates, a 30-year tradition in Chicago hosted by the Newberry Library in Washington Square Park where a healthy debate is the point.
Hosted by the Newberry Library since 1986, the debates became popular between the 1880s and the 1930s. Now, as in the past, the debates include one main debate, as well as several shorter “soapbox speeches” — with actual soapboxes. The speeches are known for their open heckling.
“The more outrageous people get the most heckling,” said Newberry’s Director of Public Engagement Karen Christianson. “This year one of the speakers is a global warming denier; I’d imagine he’d get a lot.”
This year’s topics include the city’s budget, parliamentary systems of government, improving education, and God, among many others. Political topics, particularly immigration and health care, have been popular for years. Religion — specifically topics around Jesus and Christianity — have been increasingly common in recent years. International issues see a spike in the early 2000’s.
Christianson said local budget issues have always been popular.
“Even when it doesn’t directly have to do with money, like higher education or Chicago schools, it always has to do with the budget somehow,” she said. “Probably because we sometimes don’t have one.”
The Tribune has taken past Bughouse Square Debate topics from 1993 to today, organized topics by year and put them in one of nine categories below. Soapbox speeches from 1999 were unavailable. Since only topic titles were available from past records, some category placements are approximate.
Click a button to highlight the debates that discussed that topic, then scroll down
1993
The Sixties: A Dream Or A Nightmare?
Speaker: Studs Terkel vs. Tom Roeser
Where's The Media When We Need Them
Speaker: Jack Doppelt, Medill School of Journalism
Legalizing Drugs
Speaker: Julius Echeles, Criminal Defense Lawyer
Is This The Best Of All Possible Worlds?
Speaker: Aaron Freeman, Comedian
Why We Should Not Listen To Public Radio
Speaker: Tom Gohagan, Attorney
Immigration: What Should America's Policy Be?
Speaker: David Marzahl, Chicago Coalition for Immigration And Refugee Protection
Panhandling On Rush Street
Speaker: Chris Persons, Streetwise
The Confederate Flag Still Flies Over Chicago
Speaker: Eugene Pincham, Mayoral Candidate
Is Bughouse As Good As It Used To Be?
Speaker: Seymour Simon, Former IL Supreme Court Judge
Lake Shore Drive: Should It Be A Freeway Or Boulevard?
Speaker: Mary Ann Smith, 48th Ward Alderman
How Can We Get Politics Out Of Chicago Parks?
Speaker: Erma Tranter
The Canadian Health System: A Perfect Model For The U.S.?
Speaker: Quentin Young, Former Medical Director Of Cook County Hospital
1994
Stopping The Spread Of Gambling In Illinois
Speaker: Tom Grey, National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling
Issues In National Healthcare Reform In 1994
Speaker: Alan Jackson, Physicians For National Health Plan
The Case For New Council Wars: Why We Need More Factional Strife
Speaker: Tom Geoghegan, Attorney
Putting Conservatism In Its Place
Speaker: Larry Horist, United Republican Fund
Why It Is Time To End The Death Penalty In Illinois
Speaker: Seymour Simon, Former IL Supreme Court Judge
Reform Of Congress: Term Limits, Campaign Finance Reform, Town Hall Meetings
Speaker: Dick Simpson, Former Alderman
Organized Grass Roots Efforts To Achieve Effective Gun Control Policy In The U.S.
Speaker: Dan Kotowski, IL Council Against Handgun Violence
Ending Drug Prohibition
Speaker: Jay Miller, ACLU Of IL
1995
The Contract For Or On America
Speaker: James Wall vs. Larry Horist
Privacy, Privatization, Privateering
Speaker: Michael Silverstein, University Of Chicago
Do We Need Prayer In Schools?
Speaker: Seymour Simon, Attorney
Remembering Bughouse Square 1930-35: What Lessons Of The 1930 Depression Are Applicable to 1995?
Speaker: Jack Spiegal, Amalgamated Clothing Union Former Director
Rescuing the American Health System From The Corporate Plague
Speaker: Quentin Young, Health And Medicine Political Research Group
The U.S. Flag: Symbol Or Substance?
Speaker: Barbara Flynn Currie, State Rep. For 25th District
1996
Dole: Do We Deserve Him? Who Should Lead The Country?
Speaker: Jacky Grimshaw vs Joe Morris
Does American Law Service Well?
Speaker: Peter Baugher, Lawyer
Politics: A Rustbelt Industry?
Speaker: Michael Silverstein, University Of Chicago
How The Media Kills The Poor
Speaker: Steve Sewall, Chicago Civic Media Project
Corporate Menace To Healthcare
Speaker: Quentin Young, Health And Medicine Political Research Group
The Real Population Problem
Speaker: Christopher Check, The Rockford Institute
The Trouble With Republicans
Speaker: Jacob Weisberg, New York Magazine Political Columnist
Capital Punishment: What About Mistakes???
Speaker: Seymour Simon, IL Supreme Court Former Justice
America's War On Drugs
Speaker: Jay Miller, ACLU Of IL
1997
Driving A Stake Through The State Income Tax Increase Proposal
Speaker: Jim Tobin, National Taxpayers United Of IL
Campaign Finance: Whose Money Is It Anyway?
Speaker: Dawn Clark Netsch, Northwestern University School Of Law
Cooperation, Coercion, and Love: The Case For Capitalism
Speaker: Jospeh A. Morris, The Lincoln Legal Foundation
Affirmative Action Or Positive Discrimination?
Speaker: Jay Miller, ACLU Of Illinois
Sex Scandals In The Armed Forces: How To Stop Them
Speaker: Christopher Check, The Rockford Institute
Riverboat Gambling: Will It Send Us Up The Creek?
Speaker: Tom Grey, National Coalition Against Gambling Expansion
The Doctor Business
Speaker: Quentin Young, Health And Medicine Political Research Group
The Death Penalty: A Moral Dilemma
Speaker: Seymour Simon, IL Supreme Court Former Justice
Living Wage: Can A Working Guy Get A Fair Shake?
Speaker: Lester Schlossberg, Chicago Typographical Union Local 16
Not In My Neighborhood: The Battle Over Housing
Speaker: Elmer Gertz, Public Housing Association
Why Government Should Fund The Arts And Humanities
Speaker: Alton Miller, Illinois Arts Alliance
Ask A Wobbly
Speaker: Carlos Cortez, Charles H. Kerr Company
1998
Karl Marx: Dead Or Alive
Speaker: J. Quinn Brisben vs. Joseph Morris
How To Get Decent Health Care In The New Millennium
Speaker: Quentin Young, Health And Medicine Political Research Group
Lewinsification, Truth, Spectacle, And Money To Burn
Speaker: Michael Silverstein, University Of Chicago
Life Under Sanctions: Iraq And The Embargo
Speaker: Kathy Kelly, Voices In The Wilderness
Gun Control And The Bill Of Rights
Speaker: Arnie Matanky, Near North News
Clinton/Starr; Jordan/Reinsdorf; Chicago Ward Remapping: Debacles Abound!
Speaker: Eugene Pincham, Retired IL Appellate Court Justice
1999
Youth, Crime, And The Criminal Justice System
Speaker: R. Eugene Pincham, Retired IL Appellate Court Justice
2000
Should Capital Punishment Be Abolished In America?
Speaker: Seymour Simon vs Joseph Morris
Racism And The Drug War
Speaker: Jay Miller
Liberating The Concentration Camps Of America: The Case For Prison Abolition
Speaker: Gale Ahrens, surrealist
Free Speech And The Media: Do You Get What You Pay For?
Speaker: Yahale Yadede
Local Phone Competition: Opportunity Or Insanity?
Speaker: Martin Cohen
Is Your Sweatshirt Made In A Sweatshop?
Speaker: Tom Strunk
The Dot. Commies Are Coming!
Speaker: Michael Silverstein, University Of Chicago
Future Global Mechanisms For the Guarantee Of Human Rights
Speaker: Glen Nuttall
Political Realism Of Pacifism
Speaker: Brad Lyttle, US Pacifist Party
Mother Nature Says "Don't Play With Your Food"
Speaker: Liane Casten
Bush & Gore Make Me Want To Ralph
Speaker: The Green Party
2001
Is There A God?
Speaker: Reverend Eugene Winkler vs. Kenan Heise
The Human Rights Problems In The World Today Is Right Here In The USA
Speaker: Gale Ahrens, surrealist
Food Irradiation: Health Food As Frankenfood?
Speaker: Paul Fehribach
Crossing The Line With Ameritech
Speaker: Robert Rubin
Smart Sanctions: Tightening The Noose Around The Necks Of Ordinary Iraqis
Speaker: Kathy Kelly, Voices In The Wilderness
Is The Right To Vote Enough?
Speaker: Matt Galloway
Taking It To The Streets: The Drive For A Car-Free Chicago
Speaker: Jim Redd
Arresting The Police State
Speaker: Daryl Gordon
Mystery Topic
Speaker: Eugene Pincham, former Cook County judge
Losing The War On Drugs
Speaker: Jay Miller
Is A House No Longer A Home?
Speaker: Pam Alfonso
Can The Green Party Take Seed In The US
Speaker: Bob Rudner
2002
Is Corporate Healthcare Killing You?
Speaker: Dr. Quentin Young, American Public Health Association former president vs. Joseph Morris, Lincoln Legal Foundation
The Terror Of Terrorism
Speaker: Eugene Pincham, former Cook County judge
Oil For Food?
Speaker: Kathy Kelly, Voices In The Wilderness
Energy Deregulation And ComEd: The Dark Side Of The Force
Speaker: Yonatan Zamir, Citizens Utility Board
Gambling: Panacea Or Peril?
Speaker: Tom Grey, National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling
Parking Lots, Not Parks: A Modest Pavement Proposal
Speaker: Jim Redd, Critical Mass
The Tragedy Of 9/11: A Pacifist Interpretation
Speaker: Brad Lyttle, US Pacifist Party
Commies In The Countryside?
Speaker: Jane Alexander, farming activist
World Federalism For Americans
Speaker: Haim Bodek, technology entrepreneur
An Obituary: The Last Miserabilist Has Died
Speaker: Gale Ahrens, surrealist
Kleptocracy Does Dallas And Then Some
Speaker: Michael Silverstein, University Of Chicago
War On Terrorism Or War On Us?
Speaker: Jay Miller, former director of ACLU of Illinois
Old Times On Walton Street
Speaker: Seymour Simon, Former IL Supreme Court Justice
2003
Are We Safer With Fewer Civil Liberties?
Speaker: John E. McNeal, former Assistant Illinois Attorney General vs. Michael Silverstein, University of Chicago
Are The Patriot Acts Unpatriotic?
Speaker: Jay Miller, former director of ACLU of Illinois
Why GMO Foods Should NOT Be Labeled
Speaker: Tamara Smith, Loyola University
King George W: Executive Branch Abuse Then And Now
Speaker: William Wendt
Operation Shock And Awe: Terrorists Attack Iraq
Speaker: Kathy Kelly, Voices In The Wilderness
The Super Predator Punishing Class
Speaker: Gale Ahrens, prison abolitionist
An Enviro-nomic Recovery Plan
Speaker: Bob Matter, Chicago Critical Mass
Do We Have A Constitution?
Speaker: Joseph Morris, Lincoln Legal Foundation
You Can't Scare Me, I'm Sticking With The Union
Speaker: Rust Gilbert
Gambling In Illinois Is A Bad Bet
Speaker: Tom Grey, National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling
The Great Corporate Medical Rip-Off
Speaker: Quentin Young, American Public Health Association former president
President Bush Lied … And People Died
Speaker: Andy Thayer, Chicago Anti-Bashing Network
2004
Surreal Times In The Age Of Terror?
Speaker: Edmar Marszewski, Lumpen Magazine
Chicago, A Tale Of Two Cities: Casinos Or Communities?
Speaker: Tom Grey, National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling
Let's Abolish All Work
Speaker: Gale Ahrens, prison abolitionist
Has Free Speech Gone The Way Of The Free Lunch?
Speaker: Sharon Kissane, Kissane Communications
Autoholics Anonymous: A 12-Step Program For Overcoming Automobile Dependency
Speaker: Bob Matter, Chicago Critical Mass
The Geneva Conventions Are Not 'Quaint' But Highly Relevant In Today's World
Speaker: Stephen Sawyer, Northwestern University
Why The USA Patriot Act Is Unpatriotic
Speaker: Brent Mesick, community activist
Walmart Is Not An End
Speaker: Kellie Germond, Illinois Department of Labor
Anybody But Bush? Why Kerry Is No Answer For Peace And Justice Activists
Speaker: Andy Thayer, Chicago Coalition Against War & Racism
Secrecy And Government: Do Either Of Them Exist?
Speaker: JJ Jameson, College of Complexes
More Top Picks Best Generators For Home
2005
Is The US On The Road To Real National Security?
Speaker: Christopher F. H. Robling, public relations, vs. Marilyn Katz, MK Communications
Why Steroids In Pro Sports Don't Bother Me And Shouldn't Bother You
Speaker: Bill Savage, Northwestern University
To Heck With Work! Down With The Work Ethic!
Speaker: Gale Ahrens, surrealist
Pacifism Or Barbarism? Give Us Peace Or Else!
Speaker: Bradford Lyttle, US Pacifist Party
It's Only Fare: Free CTA And Make Cars Pay!
Speaker: Michael Burton and Bob Matter, Chicago Critical Mass
George W. Bush: Is He The Best President Money Could Buy?
Speaker: Sir Harris Tocracy
Who Says Crime Doesn't Pay? The Privatization Of American Prisons
Speaker: Eugene Pincham, former Cook County judge
Should Mayor Richard M. Daley Be Indicted?
Speaker: Andy Thayer, Chicago Coalition Against War & Racism
Where's The Corporation For Public Democracy?
Speaker: Michael Silverstein, University Of Chicago
Justice Not Vengeance
Speaker: Kathy Kelly, Voices In The Wilderness
Is Christ The Only Way To God?
Speaker: Erwin Lutzer, senior pastor
Should The US Pacifist Party Run A Candidate For President?
Speaker: Brad Lyttle, US Pacifist Party
2006
Is American Policy Exportable As U.S. Foreign Policy? (Can It Be Imported To Cook County?)
Speaker: John Cox, Restore Trust, vs. Michael Silverstein, University of Chicago
Why The Jesus Of The Da Vinci Code Is Bogus
Speaker: Erwin Lutzer, senior pastor
Bring Back The Draught: A Homebrewed Strategy For Restoring America's Greatness
Speaker: Michael Burton and Josh Deth, Logan Square Draught Beer Preservation Society
Rotten Justice: Convicting The Innocent
Speaker: Rob Warden, Center on Wrongful Conviction
Hello Yanqui, Fill Your Tank With CITGO!
Speaker: J. Quinn Brisben, former CPS teacher
No Human Is Illegal! What's Wrong With Immigration Reform
Speaker: Gale Ahrens, surrealist
There Is No Justice In Or Out Of Court
Speaker: Warren Leming as Clarence Darrow, Wilderness Road
Planes And Parks: Bring Back Meigs Field
Speaker: Rachel Goodstein, Meigs Action Coalition
Health Care For Every Body
Speaker: Quentin Young, Health And Medicine Political Research Group
Quit Telling Us What We Can Cook!
Speaker: Michael Tsonton, Copperblue Restaurant
How Corporate Agriculture Abuses American Farmers And Consumers
Speaker: Keith Bolin, American Corn Growers Association
The War And The Press
Speaker: Alma Washington as Lucy Parsons, actress
Depave Paradise: The High Cost Of Free Parking
Speaker: Bob Matter, Campaign for a Free and Clear Lakefront
2007
Immigration Reform: Build A Wall, Offer Amnesty, Or Do Nothing?
Speaker: Voter Slam by Bread and Butter Forum and Second City
Jesus In The Spin Zone: Why The Early Church Got It Right
Speaker: Erwin Lutzer, senior pastor
In The Spirit Of Surrealism, Overthrow Everything!
Speaker: Gale Ahrens, surrealist
How Far From Farm To Fork? Local Food Systems And Your Health
Speaker: Keith Bolin, American Corn Growers Association
Car-Sicko: A Prescription For Socialized Transportation
Speaker: Bob Matter, Campaign for a Free and Clear Lakefront
Globetrekking Across America
Speaker: Ian Wright, Wright Across America
Electoral Justice For The Supremes!
Speaker: Michael Silverstein, University Of Chicago
Do Dogs Belong In Cafe Society?
Speaker: Steve Dale, dog and cat behavioral consultant
Why Your Neighborhood Needs A Sex Shop
Speaker: Rebecca Steinmetz, University of Chicago
2008
The American People Should Choose The President By National Popular Vote
Speaker: John A. Fritchey, Illinois General Assembly, vs. Joseph A. Morris, Morris & De La Rosa
From Protest To Power: Fitting Student Organizing Into The Bigger Picture
Speaker: Nick Kreitman, University of Chicago
The Grapes Of Wrath
Speaker: Paige Listerud, writer and actor
It's Not All About You, Your Family, And Your Group(s): Are Your Actions Fair To Others?
Speaker: Michael Mackaplow, chemical engineer
Quality, Affordable Healthcare For Everyone: A Future Doctor For Healthcare Reform
Speaker: Jing Luo, UIC College of Medicine
Long Live Food Producers: Food Sovereignty And The Importance Of Local Food
Speaker: Keith Bolin, American Corn Growers Association
Why The Proposed Million Dollar State Grant To Pilgrim Baptist Church Is Unconstitutional
Speaker: Rob Sherman, atheist
Why God Is Not More Tolerant Than He Used To Be
Speaker: Erwin Lutzer, senior pastor
Toward A Politics Of Affirmation!
Speaker: Michael James, Heartland Cafe
No Torture. No Exceptions.
Speaker: Allison Carter, ACLU of Illinois
Who Is Stealing Our Parks?
Speaker: Herb Caplan, Protect Our Parks
2009
Abraham Lincoln vs. Stephen Douglas
Speaker: Michael Krebs, theatrical company founder, as Lincoln vs. Larry Diemer, Galesburg High School, as Douglas
Enhance Immigrants' Rights
Speaker: Jorge Mujica, former journalist
The Use Of Religion As A Weapon In Burma/Myanmar
Speaker: Nora Rowley, human rights activist
Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable: Chicago's Most Underappreciated Historic Figure
Speaker: Haroon Rashid, Friends of DuSable
Chicago's Parking Debacle
Speaker: The Parking Ticket Geek, theexpiredmeter.com
Stop Unconstitutional Donations Of Your Tax Dollars To Houses Of Worship
Speaker: Rob Sherman, atheist
The Resurrection Of Jesus: Why All Historians Should Agree He Rose From The Dead
Speaker: Erwin Lutzer, senior pastor
Chicago 2016 Olympics: Biggest Disaster To Hit Chicago Since The Great Fire!
Speaker: Tom Tresser, Protect Our Parks
No One Should Be Caged: Amnesty International USA's Campaign For Immigrant Rights
Speaker: Stephanie Velasco, Columbia College Chicago
Artifical Turf Is Poison: Chicago's Park District Is Responsible, The Victim Is You
Speaker: Herbert Caplan, Protect Our Parks
A Politically Incorrect Recipe For A Fair And Prosperous Society
Speaker: Michael Mackaplow, chemical engineer
Speech Is Change
Speaker: Raven Tillman, Lincoln Park High School
The Arrogance Of Power: Why The Local Stuff Is Also Important
Speaker: Enrique Perez
2010
Gun Control In The City
Speaker: Otis McDonald, plaintiff on McDonald v. City of Chicago vs. Garrett Evans, Virginia Tech shooting survivor
Logical Reasons Why Jesus Is The Only Way To God
Speaker: Erwin Lutzer, senior pastor
Can Sarah Palin Be A Feminist? (Is There Such A Thing As A Conservative Feminist?)
Speaker: Nona Willis Aronowitz, political critic
Standing Up To City Hall
Speaker: Herbert Caplan, Protect Our Parks
How Organized Workers Can Win Justice And Change The World
Speaker: Leah Fried, United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America
Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death Panels
Speaker: Steve Tucker, Chicago Tea Party
The Past Is Never Dead
Speaker: Jim Grossman, Newberry Library
Twenty Is Plenty: Reasons To Dethrone The Daley Dynasty
Speaker: Rachel Goodstein, City Hall-fighter
Who Will Guard The Guardians? Stop Prosecution Of Citizens who Videotape Police Officers At Work
Speaker: Edwin C. Yohnka, ACLU of Illinois
Undocumented Immigrant Youth At The Forefront Of Our Own Movement
Speaker: Tania Unzueta, radio journalist
The Art Of Soapbox Oration, With A Historical Survey Of The Most Distinguished Chicago Boxers
Speaker: Paul Durica as historical soapbox speaker Dr. Ben Reitman, University of Chicago
Unless You Repent
Speaker: Jeff Bilotich, Straightened Paths Ministry
The Patient Neglect And Bankruptcy Act: The Health Care That Obama And Company Actually Delivered
Speaker: Edward Crouse, Chicago Single-Payer Action Network
2011
Collective Bargaining And The Public Sector: Is Collective Bargaining Compatible With Public Service?
Speaker: Kenzo Shibata, Chicago Teacher's Union vs. Richard Lorenc, America's Future Foundation
FBI Harassment Of Anti-War Activists
Speaker: Stephanie Weiner, Chicago peace activist
Freedom Of Expression In The Classroom
Speaker: Ken Melvoin-Berg, Weird Chicago Tours
Are Americans Mature Enough For Free Speech?
Speaker: Eric Kohn, liberty evangelist
In Praise Of Shyness
Speaker: Hugh Iglarsh, writer
How To Disarm A Police Officer
Speaker: Jerry Boyle, Chicago lawyer
Clarence Darrow And The American Dream
Speaker: Warren Leming, writer/actor
Underage Drinking And The Legal Drinking Age
Speaker: Pam Selman and Evan Ribot, University of Wisconsin and Harvard University
Screaming Louder: The Power Of Volume In Modern Debate
Speaker: Seth Dodson and Kellen Alexander, "1, 2, 3, Fag!"
Should Religiously-Based Social Service Agencies Be Permitted To Discriminate When They Are Engaged In A Government Function?
Speaker: Edwin C. Yohnka, ACLU of Illinois
Jesus Among Other Gods: Why Jesus Alone Has The Qualifications Of Being Both Savior And God
Speaker: Erwin Lutzer, senior pastor
Why The Park District Hates Me
Speaker: Herb Caplan, Protect Our Parks
The Blame Pattern (Speech And Songs)
Speaker: Jamie Albert, folk singer
The American Dream Of Hypocrisy
Speaker: Jordan Hestermann, Becoming We The People
Why Illinois Should Cancel Millions Of Dollars In State Grants To Religious Organizations
Speaker: Rob Sherman, atheist
2012
Who's To Blame For The Great Recession, Big Government Or Big Business
Speaker: Jon Anderson, Occupy Chicago vs. Eric Kohn, Chicago Tea Party
Down And Dirty: Three Reasons Progressivism Has Made Chicago The Most Racially Segregated And Corrupt City In America
Speaker: David Ratowitz, Republican committeeman for the 47th ward
On The Madness Of Capitalism
Speaker: Elisa Shoenberger as "Red Martha" Biegler, renegade historian
Is It Arrogant To Say That Jesus Is The Only Way To Heaven?
Speaker: Bill Bertshe
An Appreciation Of Appreciation
Speaker: Sam Singleton Atheist Evangelist, fictional character played by Roger Scott Jackson
Mobile Food In Chicago: Let Freedom Roll!
Speaker: Beth Kregor, director of the Institute for Justice Clinic
Privatization Is The Symptom, Not The Cure, For What Ails America's Cities
Speaker: Tom Tresser, CivicLab
About The Holy Bible
Speaker: Scott M. Priz as Robert Ingersoll, historical re-enactor
Citizenship Is A Daily Call To Arms!
Speaker: Ruzz Bruzek, actor and writer
Why Is It Important To Debate Faith?
Speaker: The Atheist At Large, vocal atheist
Political Toxicity In Higher Education: The Analysts And the Solutionists In Decomposing America
Speaker: Jamie Albert, folk singer
Doc Meriwether's Miracle Cure-All Elixir!
Speaker: Meghan McGrath as "Yellow Kid" Weil, Narrative Magazine
Stopping 300 Million Tax Dollars For Religious Colleges That Discriminate
Speaker: Rob Sherman
2013
How Much Is It Worth To The City To Keep The Chicago Cubs?
Speaker: Lester Munson, ESPN vs. Tom Tresser, Civic Activist
Quitting Is The Cat's Meow
Speaker: Jill Howe, Story Sessions
More Top Picks Best Carbon Steel Skillets
Edward Snowden And Whistleblowers Under Fire: The Dark Future Of A Free Press In A Police State
Speaker: David Ellis, Chicago Public Schools
Equal Pay for Equal Work For Singles
Speaker: Todd Stump
Why Rahm Is Unbeatable!
Speaker: Enrique Perez
The Imperatives Of Imperialism: Running And Empire The Thucydides Way
Speaker: Hugh Iglarsh, writer
Why Honest People Should Believe The Claims Of Jesus Christ
Speaker: Erwin Lutzer, senior pastor
What Would Eleanor Roosevelt Do? Save The Julia C. Lathrop Homes!
Speaker: Rachel Goodstein, City Hall-fighter
Just Asking Questions About Conspiracy Theories And Social Media
Speaker: Marcus A. Davis, writer
2014
Mayoral Tutorial: An Interactive Lesson On Chicago Politics
Speaker: Don Washington
The Immigrant Child Invasion
Speaker: Jorge Mujica, Arise Chicago
Incarceration: A Tale Of Teaching In Chicago Public Schools
Speaker: Jill Howe, Story Sessions
On The Back Of Labor
Speaker: A.J. Segneri, Foundation for a United Front
Why Rahm Is Still Unbeatable, However…
Speaker: Enrique Perez, South Loop concerned citizen
Everything We Know About Joseph McCarthy Is Wrong
Speaker: Mike Flores, author
Drones: Murder By Remote Control
Speaker: Brian Terrell, Voices for Creative Nonviolence
Country Pig, City Pig
Speaker: Regional Relationships
The Blame Pattern: The Most Important Function In Society
Speaker: Jamie Albert, folk singer
The Supremacy Of Jesus: A Savior Who Can Lead Us Into God's Presence
Speaker: Erwin Lutzer, senior pastor
Syrian Democracy And 'Moderate' Syrian Rebels: An Oxymoron And A Flimflam
Speaker: Joe Iosbaker, former election monitor in Syria
1,000 Actions For Chicago Torture Justice
Speaker: Lucky Pierre, collaborative group for writing, performance, and visual forms
The Redeeming Powers Of The Market
Speaker: John Holtgreve, ordained minister of the Universal Life Church
There's No Place Like Homelessness: The Scourge Of Homelessness In America
Speaker: Scott K. Summers, Illinois Green Party
Judged
Speaker: Kristine Hernandez, Alcott High School
2015
Public Or Private? What Should Be The Future Of Public Education In Chicago?
Speaker: Troy LaRaviere, Blaine Elementary School vs. Bruno Behrend, Heartland Institute
A Democratic Revolution From Below
Speaker: A.J. Segneri, Foundation for a United Front
The Chicago Region As The Picture Of Dorian Gray; Or, The Co-Dependency Of Winnetka And Englewood And Why We Should Care
Speaker: Gail Schechter, Executive Director of Open Communities
The Prioritization And Faults Of Security
Speaker: Malik January, Urban Prep Academies for Young Men
The Care And Treatment Of Veterans For Education And Employment
Speaker: Jerry Field, professor and veteran advocate
The Best Health Care Plan For America
Speaker: Michael Brennan, Illinois Single Payer Coalition
The Root Causes And Solutions To World Problems
Speaker: Tom O'Donnell, independent researcher
Tough Talk For Tough Times In The Toddling Town: Serious Solutions For The Second City's Crises
Speaker: Rachel Goodstein, general do-gooding
A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall: The Blame Pattern
Speaker: Jamie Albert, folk singer
Jesus And A Skeptic: Why All Rational People Should Believe In Jesus
Speaker: Erwin Lutzer, pastor
Problems In Translation; Or, Jesus' Virgin Birth?
Speaker: Bill Geraci, University of Chicago.
The Irrelevance Of Coincidence And Hard Work
Speaker: Natia Weathers, Wheaton College
Emerging Alternatives For Israeli-Palestinian Coexistence
Speaker: Howard Cort, approachestocoexistence.com
2016
Is Chicago Broke? Solving the City’s Budgetary Woes
Speaker: John Nothdurft, Heartland Institute vs. Tom Tresser, activist and editor
It Takes More Than Your Words: How to Stand with Me as A Victim of Hatred and Bigotry
Speaker: Ada Cheng, storyteller
Making School Better from a Kid’s Mind
Speaker: Ammad Hyland, Centro Romero Dare2Dream Youth & Teen Program
Censored News in America: Evidence that Would Alter the Political and Economic Landscape in America if it Were Not Intentionally Suppressed by the Mainstream Media
Speaker: Andy Anderson, semi-retired HVAC service technician
Why I Am a Global Warming Denier
Speaker: David Ramsay Steele, author
Not for Cowards: The Power of Nonviolence
Speaker: Gail Schechter, former executive director of Open Communities
Who is GOD?
Speaker: Kenny Damara, pastor
City of Big Shoulders and Big Science—Chicago’s Reputation Needs to Change, because Science!
Speaker: Monica Meltzer, Illinois Science Council
Betraying the Public Trust: Politics, Cronyism and Administrative Bloat at Chicago State University
Speaker: Robert Bionaz, Chicago State
Recasting Our Governance: The Case for a Parliamentary System in the United States
Speaker: Scott Summers, Illinois Green Party
Kickstart Your Crowdfunding away from Me
Speaker: Scott Whitehair, professional storyteller
Source: Newberry Library
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