Human Rights
A terrible anti-protest bill was introduced in Ohio. Text is here: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-documents?id=GA133-HB-784
Among other things, HB 784:
· Creates steep new penalties for interfering with or blocking traffic during an unpermitted protest.
The city of Columbus is asking for the public’s help with an independent investigation into the actions of some Columbus Police officers during the Summer 2020 protests and riots.
On June 1st, Mayor Andrew J. Ginther established an email hotline outside of CPD’s chain of command for the public to send complaints, video, and photographs related to officer actions during the protests and riots.
An independent committee established by the city reviewed complaints received, and separated the complaints to be investigated either criminally or administratively. To ensure each complaint received an independent review, the city hired a retired FBI agent to investigate any complaints deemed potentially criminal by the committee.
In order for a full and independent investigation to be done, the city needs help identifying all parties involved in the encounters, whether it be a member of the public or an officer participating in the actions seen in the photos/videos.
A group of locally-based, high-profiled corporations are financially backing the Issue 2 campaign – for a civilian review board of the Columbus Police – but when asked whether they would officially endorse it publicly, or encourage their employees and customers to vote ‘yes,’, the answer was ‘no.’
The Columbus Partnership, the region’s so-called public-private partnership seeking prosperity for all Central Ohioans, and its biggest players have (quietly) contributed to the Issue 2 campaign. This includes Huntington Bank, Nationwide Insurance, Cardinal Heath and JP Morgan.
But they aren’t putting their mouth where their money is.
Huntington Bank was the only one to respond to repeated emails asking whether they would publicly endorse a ‘yes’ vote to finally bring a civilian review board to Columbus.
As many know, Columbus is one of the largest US cities without a civilian review board to independently investigate citizen complaints against police, and city residents are set to make a historic vote on November 3 to create one within the city charter.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
These are America’s prestigious medical research center, health protection agency, and the agency that controls and supervises our food safety, medications, and vaccines. They are three agencies within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), whose mission is to “enhance the health and well-being of all Americans by fostering sound, sustained advances in the sciences underlying medicine, public health, and social services.” They are three of the longest standing pillars of scientific strength, providing decades of comfort to Americans as voices of protection, research, and fact.
Fear and divisiveness have impugned these pillars of scientific strength, and have cast doubt upon their work.
One underrepresented voice in the police reform movement that’s swept the country this summer is that of the Black police officer. In her new memoir, “Walking The Thin Black Line: Confronting Racism in the Columbus Division of Police,” Melissa McFadden tells the story of her 24-year career, currently as a Black lieutenant with the Columbus Division of Police.
Black officers walk a thin Black line every time they put on their uniforms. On one side is the Black community they strive to serve and protect from unjust treatment; on the other, a racist institution where they experience ongoing discrimination themselves.
McFadden shares her 24-year quest to defend her overpoliced community while coping with the personal trauma of surviving in a racist police department in this new book available now on Amazon.
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand's democracy activists, angered by Hong Kong's police brutality, joined an international "Mulan" boycott which expanded after Disney thanked China's security forces for help with filming in a desert where one million Uighurs and other Muslims are imprisoned or suffer other rights violations.
"It just keeps getting worse!" Hong Kong's leading activist Joshua Wong tweeted.
"Now when you watch #Mulan, not only are you turning a blind eye to police brutality and racial injustice -- due to what the lead actors stand for -- you're also potentially complicit in the mass incarceration of Muslim ethnic Uighurs. #BoycottMulan," Mr. Wong said.
"We have still not forgotten that Mulan's leading actress supported the police use of violence against Hong Kong protesters who fight for freedom and democracy,” announced prominent Thai student activist Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal.
The CDC announced on September 1 a moratorium on residential evictions nationwide through the end of the year. While it falls short of what activists have asked for, it is a welcome relief to many. This order comes in the wake of massive political unrest, a spike in evictions and homelessness, and a looming wave of evictions working their way through the courts, brought on by millions of people losing income in the COVID crisis.
In Columbus alone, there have been hundreds of eviction hearings per week for the last month, with eviction courts being moved to the Convention center to allow for COVID precautions and to handle the increased workload. Activists have been working overtime, trying to get information, assistance, and masks to people facing evictions in crowded hearing schedules.
When: Tuesday, August 25th from 1pm until 3pm.
Where: A car caravan protest will circle the OSU Columbus campus, beginning from Bricker Hall on Annie and John Glenn Ave. A socially-distanced rally will take place at and around Bricker Hall.
Who: The Graduate Student Labor Coalition, an organization to build collective power among graduate and professional students at OSU, across all colleges and departments. The GSLC advocates for policies that are emblematic of an anti-racist culture, value fair compensation for graduate student labor, promote a collaborative and supportive work environment, and further a productive and restorative relationship with the greater Columbus and University communities.
Canton, OH – The Wooster Daily Record’s three-part series on COVID outbreaks in Ohio protein processing plants shows that Ohioans continue to benefit from the hard work of immigrants and native-born meat packers, while employers fail to provide for their health, safety, and financial stability. (See also, “Farmworker advocates press state for health and safety mandates,” Fremont News-Messenger).
On the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, we are here to stand in solidarity with Hibakusha, the survivors of the atomic bombings, and say: No more Hiroshimas, no more Nagasakis — never again!
Gensuikyo, the Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, says (at http://www.antiatom.org/intro_activity/solidarity.html): “「核兵器と人類は共存できない」「生きているうちに核兵器廃絶を」―これらは被爆者のねがいです。(“‘Kakuheiki to jinrui wa kyozondekinai’ ‘Ikiteiruuchini kakuheikihaizetsuo’ — korewa hibakushano negaidesu).” Hibakusha believe that “it’s impossible for humanity to coexist with nuclear weapons.” Their hope is to “see the abolition of nuclear weapons within their lifetime.” There are still some 190,000 Hibakusha. The average age of hibakusha today is over 82. We have only a few more decades to make their wish come true.
Defund the Military, Refund Humanity