Weekly Free Speech Forum established Jan. 6, 1951
College of Complexes
The Playground for People Who Think
sustaining the academic tradition of “One Fool at a Time”
Every Saturday at 5:00 PM CT
Dapper's Restaurant
2901 W. Addison, Chicago, Free Parking The next open dates are:
CTA Route 152 Addison June 7, 14, 21, 28
Tuition $3.00 and food/drink purchase Contact the Program Coordinator
if you would like to speak at
All meetings open to the public, no membership is maintained cpiaidock@hotmail.com (312) 842-5036, (312) 714-7790 cell
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Upcoming Presentations:
April
April 26th
Marie Newman, former US Rep
Author of “A Life Made From Scratch"
The Current State of Activism and Politics / How to Build a Movement & Political Power
Meetings # 3,815
"Marie Newman is a former congresswoman, nonprofit CEO, marketing executive, author of A Life Made from Scratch and When Your Child Is Being Bullied: Real Solutions, antibullying activist, former Moms Demand Action spokesperson and national LGBTQ+ advocate. In addition to those roles, she is a mom of two adult children, consultant and podcaster. Marie Newman is known for building movements and solving the toughest problems. Marie’s next book, her memoir, was released in March of 2025, A Life Made From Scratch. Her motto has always been, when you do not see the solution you desperately need, make it from scratch!"
Information: https://www.marienewmanstudio.com/
Buy book at https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-life-made-from-scratch-marie-newman/1146694081?ean=9798888246580
May
Special May Day Speaker
May 3rd
What Can Libertarians Learn from Saul Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals"?
Meetings # 3,816 - Justin Tucker, college regular and 1st Ward Libertarian Committeeperson
Saul Alinsky of Chicago tremendously influenced the labor movement and the Democratic Party. He founded the Industrial Areas Foundation, where he helped organize community groups across the United States. His infamous "Rules for Radical: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals" laid down a strategy to effect change. The book was a publishing success and became well-regarded by many on the American left.
During Barack Obama's ascent to the presidency, the book was re-examined by American conservatives as a way to understand the philosophy of the incoming president. To some, the book was further evidence of a Marxist agenda they thought Obama was about to impose.
Justin Tucker will offer an analysis of "Rules for Radicals." He will discuss the practicality of Alinsky's rules, particularly when applied to Libertarian organizing. He will also examine Alinsky critics such as David Horowitz to determine how much reactionary reaction was warranted against the book.
Great Power Politics
and the Multipolar World 2025 and Beyond
Meetings # 3,817 - Eric Mao: Geopolitical analyst and the founder and president of the Geopolitical Forum
Description: The trend having been going on in recent years and getting more evident, with the public acknowledgements by Sec. Rubio the world has “officially” transitioned from unipolar to multipolar. How will the former unipole, the United States, behave in the new world order? How will the dynamics be between the other great powers—China and Russia—and the rest of the world?
May 17th
American Monetary Institute (AMI)
for reforms to bring forth a greater level of economic justice
Meeting # 3,818 - Steven Walsh
The American Monetary Institute (AMI) is a publicly supported charity, founded in 1996 to present the results of our research in a manner understandable by the average citizen; leading to monetary reforms which bring forth a greater level of economic justice and a more equitable and efficient functioning of government.
The speaker states that: “It is a timely moment in our history for a few reasons, not all of them obvious. I will reference two recent books on the Federal Reserve: Our Money: Monetary Policy as if Democracy Matters by Leah Downey and Spread the Fed by Robert Hockett (and two of his earlier works are The People’s Ledger and Financing the Green New Deal). Hockett and other authors are pushing for substantial changes that only Congress could authorize. It will take many enlightened citizens pushing our politicians to make these vital changes. Further, it will be necessary to lay out the plan of this new foundation before we are staring down the barrel of the next financial crisis (p.46 of Our Money above referenced).
People who want to further their understanding before May 17th are cordially invited to a webinar with Hockett on Wednesday, April 23rd, at noon.”
For Information: https://monetary.org/
May 24th
Remember the Culture Wars?
They Came for the Arts and Got the Country
The story of how the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) had been targeted
by a collection of conservative politicians for destruction
Meetings # 3,819 - Tom Tresser, Civic Educator. Public Defender
You may know Tom Tresser (www.tresser.com) as one of the leaders of the No Games Chicago campaign from 2009 (www.nogameschicago.com) that spiked Chicago’s Bid for the 2016 Olympics (which cost the winning city, Rio, $24 billion! You’re welcome).
But over 20 years before that Tom was an organizer for the League of Chicago Theatres fighting to save the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) from destruction (https://www.tresser.com/save-the-nea). The NEA had been targeted by a collection of conservative politicians and Far Right evangelical organizations, led by The Christian Coalition. What happened has been called the Culture Wars, and – spoiler alert – we lost. Tom will tell the story of what happened, how the arts in Chicago responded, and what FAILED to happen as the Far Right built its civic muscles.
If you love the arts, freedom of expression, believe in separation of church and state, are repulsed by hate-fueled politics, or are curious as to how the Far Right has taken over this country, you need to attend!
Stay connected to my work by subscribing to my “CivicNotes” Substack newsletter. Recent work -> click here.
Read my latest piece in The Nonprofit Quarterly -> “How to Stop TIFs & Megaprojects”
NOW ON SALE! – My new book tells the never been told story of the No Games Chicago campaign! Learn more.
May 31st
A Detailed Look at Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMNRs) -
The Energy Solution or a Costly Dead End?
(manufactured in a factory and shipped to operational sites to reduce costs)
Meetings # 3,820 - Jan Boudart, environmental activist
Information Illinois’ Nuclear Power Watchdog
Committed to ending nuclear power since 1981 https://neis.org/
PRESS RELEASE: Small modular reactors are still too expensive, too slow, and too risky
June
June 7, 14, 21, 28
Open
Meetings # 3,8 21+ contact the Program Coordinator Charles Paidock if you would like to speak at cpaidock@hotmail.com or (312) 842-5036, (312) 714-7790 cell
College of Complexes
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