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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are happy to call Springfield home for several 
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months each year; Springfield is the home to many attractions 
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and special points of interest that draw people here from 
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around the world; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Twentieth Century Fox is conducting a competition 
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to  determine which Springfield will hold the premiere of "The 
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Simpsons Movie" in July of 2007; and

 
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    WHEREAS, There are uncanny similarities between the 
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fictional Springfield of "The Simpsons" and the Capital City of 
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Springfield, Illinois; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Abraham Lincoln is the favorite son of 
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Springfield, Illinois and Jebediah Springfield is the founder 
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of the Simpsons' Springfield; there is a statue of each 
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displayed in the center of his respective Springfield; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Todd Renfrow, general manager of Springfield's 
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City Water, Light and Power bears a remarkable likeness to 
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Montgomery Burns, owner of the nuclear power plant where Homer 
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Simpson works; and

 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, Montgomery Burns once ran for political office and 
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kicked off his campaign from Springfield's Lincoln Depot; in 
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the same manner, President-elect Abraham Lincoln bade farewell 
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to Springfield from the Great Western Depot, currently known as 
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Lincoln Depot; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Both Springfields are in close proximity to a town 
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named Shelbyville; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The Simpsons live at 742 Evergreen Terrace and 
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Springfield, Illinois  has a housing development that was 
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formerly named Evergreen Terrace; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Both Springfields have a newspaper called the 
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Springfield Shopper; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The band Aerosmith has performed in both 
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Springfields; in that episode, Steven Tyler yells out, "Hello, 
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St. Louis" and then is corrected; St. Louis is, of course, just 
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90 miles from Springfield; later in the episode, Tyler falls 
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into the crowd; on July 13, 1984, Aerosmith played a concert in 
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Springfield, Illinois, and Steven Tyler collapsed face first 
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into the audience; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The Simpsons' Springfield has a Springfield 
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Memorial Hospital and Springfield, Illinois has a Memorial 
 


 






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Medical Center; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In one episode, Lisa Simpson was living in a 
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redwood tree she was attempting to save from destruction; as 
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she climbed to the top of the tree, the camera panned to the 
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view from the tree and the Gateway Memorial Arch in St. Louis, 
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Missouri was in the distance; the Arch is just 90 miles from 
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Springfield, Illinois; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The Simpsons' Springfield is known for a mount of 
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continually burning tires; Springfield, Illinois recently 
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discovered a garbage dump burning on the southside that has 
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shown no signs of extinguishing itself; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Each of the Springfields have a medical library, 
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university, Catholic hospital, bartender named Moe, zoo, 
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botanical garden, water park, armory, Christian Science 
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Reading Room, a donut connection, bus depot, train station, 
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House of Pancakes, and drive-in theater; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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urge Twentieth Century Fox, as well as Simpsons creator Matt 
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Groening, to hold the world premiere of "The Simpsons Movie" in 
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Springfield, Illinois; and be it further

 
 


 






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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Matt 
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Groening, and those involved with the decision-making process 
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as it relates to the location of the world premiere of "The 
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Simpsons Movie" as a symbol of the State of Illinois' 
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commitment to bringing the premiere to Springfield, Illinois.