Local

The Columbus Dispatch's corporate owners, the Gannett Co., are compelling it to become an honest, diverse newspaper. And you can blame the late, great Al Neuharth. I will explain shortly.

You would have to be a resident of outer space without satellite communication to not know that at the Dispatch, white men dominate the newsroom.

For as long as I can remember, the Dispatch and its companion websites have  covered the news from the perspective of white men. Women, minorities, people practicing alternative lifestyles and the young have gotten the short shrift.       

Systemic racism. According to some sources it’s a form of racism that is embedded as a normal practice within society or an organization. Recently, Merriam-Webster has decided to change their definition of racism to reflect systemic oppression and examples of such actions. I don’t have to read someone else’s definition of systemic racism. In fact, no minority person, who is aware of what it entails, needs to read it. We live, hear about it and see it, almost daily. 

It happens everywhere, even in the grocery line. I was fourth in the line at Save-a-Lot in Northern Lights on Cleveland Ave, which is in a minority area. The line had stopped moving and I heard the security guard, white, say “Where’s your receipt for that?” in an aggressive manner to a clean cut, nicely dressed middle aged Black man. The man was speaking in low voice tone and I didn’t hear his response. The guard said, “How do I know you brought that across the street?”

Political commentators have spent nearly four years trying to understand why Donald Trump spreads lies, ignores constitutional norms and otherwise fails to act like the president of the United States. In a new documentary by Dan Partland, mental health experts take on the challenge.

Their conclusion is spelled out in the film’s title: #Unfit: The Psychology of Donald Trump. The 45th president, they believe, is so psychologically impaired that he’s incapable of functioning responsibly. Specifically, they say he has “malignant narcissism,” which is marked not only by self-importance but by paranoia, anti-social behavior and sadism.

It’s actually George Conway—lawyer, Trump critic and husband of departing presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway—who first makes the charge. But health professionals such as psychologist John Gartner agree, which may raise a question or two in viewers’ minds:

First, can psychologists really diagnose someone they haven’t met? Yes, says Gartner. In fact, he claims that observing an individual’s behavior—as we’ve all had a chance to do with Trump since he took office—can yield a more accurate diagnosis than an in-person interview.

The first 10 minutes of Rebuilding Paradise are harrowing.
Ron Howard’s documentary is mostly about the aftermath of the November 2018 “Camp Fire” in Paradise, California, but first it shows us the fire itself. With the help of cellphone and dashcam footage, it recreates people’s terror as they attempt to escape a wildfire that engulfed their town only minutes after originating on a nearby hillside.

In one particularly hair-raising moment, we find ourselves inside a vehicle barreling along a road that has turned into a fiery obstacle course. Meanwhile, the air is so filled with smoke that the day appears to have turned to night.

The danger is real, we learn. By the time the fire is brought under control, 85 residents of Paradise are dead. Of those who survive, most have lost their homes, along with schools, municipal buildings and services.

Following this terror-stricken beginning, Howard’s documentary evolves into a month-by-month account of attempts by residents and officials to revive a community that has been largely destroyed. The result is a film that’s sincere and warmhearted.

And, it must be said, just a little dull.

Monday, August 24, 5:30-7:30pm
Worthington Village Green

Saturday, August 22, 12noon
North Broadway and High Streets

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.

Friday, August 21, 5:30pm
Goodale Park
Facebook Event

"Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble." -John Lewis

*Yoga with Ellen at the gazebo at 5:30!*

Speakers include:
Kiara Yakita
Kiara Curry
Jessica Smiley
Tyler Rutledge
And more TBA

Grab a mask and join us at Gooddale Park for a peaceful rally to support Black Lives Matter, Black liberation, justice, and the valuing of black lives. We will rally in the park with passionate speakers and march to allow our voices to be heard.

Friday, August 21, 5:30pm
Goodale Park