Local
The U.S. and other governments are not making the priority of rescuing endangered people from Afghanistan that a consumer of Hollywood movies might imagine being made were the endangered people Jews in Nazi Germany.
Sadly, the reality in the 1940s was no different from today. Major investments went into wars, and Western officials wanted no large numbers of refugees. They opposed them for openly racist reasons, exactly as if they worked for Fox News in 2021 only worse.
If only Afghans today were Jews back then, . . . it wouldn’t make a damn bit of difference. Saving human lives just does not rank up there with eliminating human lives as a national priority — not that anybody has to be reminded of that during the COVID pandemic.
If you were to listen to people justifying WWII today, and using WWII to justify the subsequent 75 years of wars and war preparations, the first thing you would expect to find in reading about what WWII actually was would be a war motivated by the need to save Jews from mass murder. There would be old photographs of posters with Uncle Sam pointing his finger, saying “I want you to save the Jews!”
Wakeup Calls
As the Afghanistan Armageddon unravels, this humiliating, devastating defeat for the US and its allies and the 20th anniversary of 9/11 (and who knows what may take place to mark that day?), plus the June 29 death of war monger extraordinaire Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, are wakeup calls. They offer Americans the chance to reflect upon, reconsider and rethink Washington’s disastrous, interventionist foreign policy. After 20 years of war, the retreat of US forces from the Afghan Theater – an ass-kicking of Biblical proportions – is a reminder of the limits of American power and overreach.
The US foreign policy establishment has again been exposed for its extraordinary imbecility, incompetence and an arrogance of Greek tragedy dimensions. As Kabul goes the way of Saigon 1975 and the September 11th sneak attack is commemorated, along with our ongoing racial reckoning, the USA also has a rare golden opportunity for an Imperial Reckoning, a Perestroika in how America – the global busybody – interacts with the rest of the world.
Meeting Friday, Aug 20, at NOON!
We need as many Ohioans as possible to attend the series of ten field hearings during the week of August 23. Participation in public hearings is our most important opportunity to end partisan gerrymandering by putting pressure on the official mapmakers!
Fair Districts is providing ONE LAST MEETING to inform you of the latest logistical info* and provide tips for effective testimony this Friday, August 20, at NOON!
Thursday, August 19, 7-8:30pm, this on-line event requires advance registration
This workshop is open to anyone who wants to learn about methods and tools for communicating effectively with Ohio State Legislators via social media, email, phone, at hearings, and in face-to-face meetings. This webinar is a lead-in to the September 22 #StatehouseStomp day of legislative visits and rally focused on stopping the Ohio anti-protest bills. This webinar is led by Rev Joan VanBecelaere, Larry Bresler, and guests.
Please use this link to register in advance for this meeting.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Morgan Harper, a consumer protection attorney and community organizer, is a 2022 Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate for Ohio.
Born to a teenager, Morgan lived in a foster home for nine months before being adopted and raised in Columbus by a public school teacher. She received scholarships to attend Tufts (BA), Princeton (MA) and Stanford (JD). During the Obama administration, she served as a Senior Advisor at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) responsible for protecting consumers against predatory lenders.
Wednesday, August 18, 5pm, this on-line event requires advance registration
Back by popular demand, join Alwiyah from Ohio Voice as she teaches you about a foundational idea for community organizing! “Social Movement Ecology” lays a framework for organizations with different theories of change to recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses and work together to produce large-scale social change. This training will provide participants with the skills, tools, and confidence to identify complex layers of approaches in social movement.
Please note that there is a two-step registration process to maintain a secure digital space.
RSVP for this event by using this link.
Hosted by Ohio Voice.
Facebook Event
Wednesday, August 18, 5pm, this on-line event requires advance registration
Back by popular demand, join Alwiyah from Ohio Voice as she teaches you about a foundational idea for community organizing! “Social Movement Ecology” lays a framework for organizations with different theories of change to recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses and work together to produce large-scale social change. This training will provide participants with the skills, tools, and confidence to identify complex layers of approaches in social movement.
Please note that there is a two-step registration process to maintain a secure digital space.
RSVP for this event by using this link.
Hosted by Ohio Voice.
Facebook Event
From the ACLU: Since COVID-19 hit prisons, tens of thousands of people incarcerated in federal facilities have been allowed to serve their sentences at home under the CARES Act. They have started planning futures, gotten jobs, signed leases, and reintegrated with their families and communities. Now over 4,000 of these individuals may be sent back because of a Trump memo issued right as he left office. Forcing thousands of people back to prison in this way would be cruel, legally unnecessary, ineffective at making us safer, and cost taxpayers millions.
Letter to Congresswoman Joyce Beatty:
Congresswoman Joyce Beatty
Ohio District 3
Dear Congresswoman Beatty,
Above is a photo of the group of us from SPAN Ohio and Our Revolution who gathered outside your Columbus Office yesterday. We came to ask you to become a cosponsor of Medicare for All, HR 1976, and to support the Medicare Expansion legislation that hopefully will be included in the reconciliation bill.
This gathering was prompted by the lack of a response to a meeting we had by ZOOM in May with Janay Eyo, a member of your staff, attended by 8 of us, including 6 constituents. We made the same ask of her at that meeting. We have had no response.
Columbus' metropolitan area now boasts over a dozen 100% vegan restaurants:
Ye's Vegan Asian Kitchen (Hilliard) Asian Food
The Little Kitchen (Dublin-Bridgepark NorthMarket)
Green House Canteen (Grandview)
Vida’s Plant-based Butcher (Grandview)
& Juice Co (Clintonville) Fresh Pressed Juices daily, and lovely weekend brunches and a monthly special dinner
Eden Burger (OSU Campus) Vegan Burgers, Fries and Milkshakes, other vegan Americana foods and incredible desserts by Doughasis (another vegan bakery)
Nile Vegan (OSU Campus & Grandview)
Ethiopian 4th & State (Downtown Columbus)
Two-Dollar Radio (German Village/Parsons Ave Columbus)
Lifestyle Cafe (Old Town East) Whole Foods meals from Waffles Soups Salads and Breakfast items and Bakery
Portia's Cafe (and Portia's Next Door in Clintonville)
Portia's Diner (Clintonville) Her latest whole foods restaurant
Seitans Realm (Clintonville in October 2020)
Woodhouse Vegan Cafe and Space (Italian Village -4th Ave just off 670 offramps)
Willowbeez SoulVeg (North Market Downtown)