By Mike Matejka
In two weeks, the McLean County Museum of History is hosting its fifth History Makers Gala, June 16 at Illinois State University’s Bone Student Center. This is always a great event and a homage to outstanding individuals who have enriched our community. This year’s honorees include famed ISU basketball coach Jill Hutchinson, recently retired pastor from St. Mary’s Church, Father Rick Schneider, former State Representative Gordon Ropp and lawyer, Presbyterian minister and activist Jack Porter.
Of the four, the two I’ve spent the most time with are perhaps the most opposite politically, Gordon Ropp and Jack Porter. Gordon is a strong Republican, Jack is a very liberal Democrat. When Gordon was in the State House, even though he voted against many issues I supported, I knew he would always carefully listen and ask strong questions, but he never cut off a reply. We also worked together on vocational education issues and when a series of our Bloomington union Laborers were killed in construction work zones in the late 1970s, Gordon helped open doors with Laborers 362’s John Penn to establish the Work Zone Safety committee at the Illinois Department of Transportation. This on-going effort has led to legislation and had a positive impact on motorists and workers in highway construction zones.
I’ve known Jack Porter since I was an ISU student in the early 1970s. In my first acquaintance, we worked together to help support Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers Union. Jack has far-reaching interests, but always grounded himself locally. When local housing was still discriminatory, Jack worked to break those barriers; later, as an attorney at Prairie State Legal Services, fair and safe housing was a prime concern. Jack can be very serious and thoughtful, but he also takes an impish delight in rattling local politics, particularly over issues of civil rights.Jack first came to Bloomington as a Presbyterian minister to serve Western Avenue Community Center in the early 1960s. The daily lives and challenges of west-side working and low-income families always found welcome support from him. Treating all people, no matter their status, with dignity and compassion has been his life-long motivation.
Although Gordon and Jack might differ significantly in their politics, one thing they share is a passion for their community. And there’s a lesson here – we can agree or disagree on many issues, but we always need to remember we are dealing with another human being, who also has deep feelings and concerns. That basic mutual recognition is what makes a community livable, and both Jack Porter and Gordon Ropp have helped make this a better place. I hope you’ll join me on June 16 to honor them, along with Jill Hutchinson and Fr. Rick.
Mike Matejka is the Governmental Affairs director for the Great Plains Laborers District Council, covering 11,000 union Laborers in northern Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. He lives in Normal. He served on the Bloomington City Council for 18 years, is a past president of the McLean County Historical Society and Vice-President of the Illinois Labor History Society.
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