Feature

At the Ohio Statehouse December 17, a gathering of Pro-Palestine advocates demonstrated against the codifying of the IHRA (International Holocaust Reembrance Alliance) definitions in the Ohio Revised Code. The IHRA definition states that to criticize the State of Israel for its actions in the genocidal murdering of over 45,000 people or its decades of apartheid, is an act of anti-semitism. 

In a bold yet peaceful demonstration of civic engagement, a group of determined Ohioans gathered Tuesday in the Rotunda of the Ohio Statehouse to take action against the proposed amendment to H.B. 315. This amendment, which incorporates the controversial IHRA definition of antisemitism, has sparked widespread concern over its potential impact on free speech and the First Amendment.

The sit-in was carefully planned as a way to both garner media attention and directly address legislators. Sitting in a circle beneath the grand dome of the Statehouse, participants passed out call scripts and worked together to make phone calls and write emails to their representatives. This unique form of advocacy transformed the Rotunda into a hub of collective action, with citizens uniting their voices in the very space where decisions are made.

As representatives walked by, participants continued to make calls and send emails, ensuring their presence and concerns were impossible to ignore. This wasn’t just a call for attention—it was a clear message to lawmakers: “We’re here, we’re engaged, and we demand to be heard.”

Once again, the holiday season is upon us. Whether we choose to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa – or simply participate in ongoing festivities – we can all agree that it’s a special time of the year, graced by extended time with family and friends, good food, and merry-making. For obvious reasons already enumerated in countless media outlets, it can also be a stressful time, a lonely time, and a sad time. This year, but a few weeks after the presidential election, the stakes are even higher. The probability of uncomfortable dinners has grown, perhaps exponentially, as we take stock of how deeply divided our nation truly is.

The Oil and Gas Land Management Commission will consider fracking two large tracts at Salt Fork State Park, two wildlife areas and two rights-of-way along state highways at its Monday, Dec. 9 meeting.

The 1 p.m. meeting will be held at the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Charles D. Shipley Building, 1970 W. Broad St. in Columbus. A rally is planned for 12:15 p.m. outside the building.

"At 20,000 acres, Salt Fork State Park is Ohio's largest state park," said Anne Sparks, steering committee member at Save Ohio Parks. "This pristine area belongs to the people of Ohio in perpetuity, not politicians in office for a term or two. Twenty-four hour lights, noise and increased truck traffic will negatively impact people's health, disturb park user experiences and shrink its bird, animal and plant populations. Of note is that the commission delayed a decision on Salt Fork at its October meeting so it could read more than 300 public comments against fracking."

On the agenda for discussion, with possible approval or denial for fracking:

Why did the American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF), the non-profit arm of AIPAC, fund Columbus City Councilmembers’ trips to Israel in 2023, including one nine day trip costing over $17,000? According to a public records request to the City of Columbus, AIEF sponsored trips to Israel for several City Councilmembers prior to October 7, 2023. Below the article there is a PDF table of the cost breakdown including airfare, ground transportation, hotels, food, and other expenses.

Judging from Trump’s appointments so far – hard core Zionists like Elise Stefanik for ambassador to the United Nations and Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel – combined with the fact that he will have control of the House and Senate, and with the collusion of most Democrats, it’s going to be a committed Zionist administration.  It’s going to be brutal.

Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) Central Ohio is attempting to assess the impact of the election results on our efforts to promote to a world where all people – from the U.S. to Palestine — live in freedom, justice, equality, and dignity. We recently held a zoom program to address this. The recording can be accessed here. https://youtu.be/l9AMT2U4y6Y. At the national level, JVP is networking with Adalah Justice Project, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, Arab Resource Organizing Center, Movement for Black Lives, and Rising Majority to develop a strategy for confronting these challenges.

The recent election results have significant implications for our immigrant communities, many of whom are undocumented or have sought refuge here to escape instability. With Trump’s proposed anti-immigration policies and promises of massive deportation campaigns, we foresee a heightened state of fear and uncertainty. Our organization is committed to countering this climate by intensifying efforts to protect immigrants’ rights and inform our community about their legal protections.

In anticipation of these challenges, we will draw on our experience from Trump’s first term, when deportations surged and many individuals, including members of our local Senegalese and Mauritanian Muslim community, were detained or deported. This period saw immigrants held in detention centers even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, creating traumatic and life-altering impacts.

Since 1980, RESULTS volunteers have secured billions of dollars in new funding for health, education, and economic opportunity programs worldwide. They have helped pass groundbreaking legislation that will help kids in low-income countries go to school and get life-saving medical treatment. They have mobilized against cuts to vital anti-poverty programs that help millions here in the U.S. put food on the table and get health insurance. They have done it all by building relationships with members of Congress, engaging with the media, and taking their message straight to Capitol Hill.

While many advocates in RESULTS are very disappointed by the election results, we are prepared to continue with our work. That's because RESULTS, which has been around for 44 years, is non-partisan and has been through this before -- many times. We work with both sides of the aisle to get support for policies that are aimed at  ending poverty such as the expanded Child Tax Credit, a fully funded SNAP, a Renter's Tax Credit to help low income renters afford their homes.

This article first appeared on Ohio Capital Journal.

Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance will become the next vice president, thus creating a vacancy in the U.S. Senate. 

Former President Donald Trump and his running mate Vance defeated Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in the presidential election that was called Wednesday morning by the Associated Press. Vance will have to resign from his Senate seat before being sworn in as vice president during Inauguration Day on Jan. 20. 

It is now up to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to pick a Republican to fill Vance’s open Senate seat until a special election is held in 2026. Whoever DeWine appoints must run in the 2026 special election if they want to keep their seat. 

The election is just hours away, yet we likely won’t know the winner for a while. The electoral college has shifted all of the significance onto seven swing states, leaving the election up to a small percentage of our country. This article argues that the people who will decide this election is even smaller than seven swing states; it could be decided by a few thousand people in a small town in Pennsylvania called Millcreek Township.