Local
Police Lieutenant Melissa McFadden got done walking the “thin black line” and took a great leap of faith into the abyss of justice. Imagine if you can demonstrators going directly to police headquarters on the National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality. Bravely the lead speaker steps to the mic and screams “No Justice!” We know the reply. “No Peace!” She chants “Black Lives Matter!” But then she does the big reveal. She just finished her workday at police headquarters. And, by the way, she is the highest-ranking black woman in the department. A 24-year veteran of the force.
The October 22 rally at the Columbus Police Department on Marconi Boulevard in downtown Columbus was dedicated to supporting McFadden who is under fire for the revelations in her new book “Walking the Thin Black Line: Confronting Racism in the Columbus Division of Police.”
The Heartbeatmovement called the rally to make a show of community support for McFadden, who has reported she’s been threatened and harassed since the book was published. About fifty people gathered with signs reading #StandwithMelissaMcFadden and Black Lives Matter.
Less than two weeks to go until Election Day – what can you do?
Begin by reading Greg Palast’s How Trump Stole 2020: The Hunt for America’s Vanished Voters and then go out and stop the theft.
Not only is Palast one of our premier investigative reporters he is also a great storyteller, and the best part, the stories are all factual.
This latest tome reads like a rogue’s gallery of real crime. Because they are rogues and they committed real crimes.
Palast came to notoriety in 2000 when he revealed the illegal voter purges in Florida that cost Gore the election. Back then he focused on Governor Jeb Bush and Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris. In the new book he stalks, rightly, the likes of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and documents in detail how he helped rig the election he ran against Stacey Abrams in 2018. Kemp used his power as Secretary of State to purge 665,677 voters, overwhelmingly Democrats.
Now Palast spells out the big purge states of 2020: Ohio with 432,000 axed from the voting rolls; North Carolina with 576,534 purged; Arizona with 258,000; and Wisconsin with 99,000.
Director Emeritus, Kent R. Beittel, passed away October 16 at the age of 72. His efforts, passion and accomplishments in helping the homeless and marginally housed were unmatched and his legacy will live on at The Open Shelter. Kent and his wife Mary Beittel (who passed in 2017) were honored with community activism awards at the Free Press 2004 annual awards event as champions for the homeless. Often bucking the establishment coalitions in Columbus, Beittel was a strong and effective advocate for people caught up in societal injustice, addiction and poverty.
Friends of Kent and Mary Beittel told their stories about their relationships with Kent and Mary Beittel.
Thursday, October 22, 4pm
120 Marconi Blvd., downtown Columbus
Facebook Event
To our fellow humanitarians for justice and equality: the time to end systemic, institutional racism, inequality and injustices that for decades, has protected Columbus Police Officers that are clearly Racists , Prejudice, showing Discrimination toward their African Americans Colleagues. Protective face covering required. Hosted by the Heartbeatmovement - De-escalate Ohio Now!
For more information:
Columbus Black Female Police Officer Speaks Out on Racism in Law Enforcement in Her New Memoir, “Walking The Thin Black Line”
Wednesday, October 21, 12:00 - 1:30 PM, Tuesday, October 27, 5:30 - 7:30 PM, OR Thursday, October 29, 2020, 5:30 - 7:30 PM
Dayton - As part of a new national campaign to deliver better treatment and pay to all “essential workers,” the Dayton City Commission unanimously passed a resolution supporting an Essential Workers Bill of Rights on October 12. Essential Worker resolutions have passed in Lakewood and Toledo, and are under consideration in Fremont. Other cities across Ohio are starting the resolution process.
Mayor Nan Whaley said: “Of course Dayton is going to stand up for our essential community members: our government workers, health care workers, farm and factory workers, drug and grocery store workers, and others in the care, service, transportation, cleaning, and food industries. They can’t ‘work from home,’ they are needed in their workplaces to keep our society running. They have our backs, and we have to have theirs too.”
Channel 4’s Colleen Marshall is the matriarch of local broadcast news, so when she recently mentioned many Central Ohio suburban women are still undecided for President, some of us took serious pause.
Is it possible that thousands of educated and successful local women are still undecided and wavering whether to go with crotch-grabbing Trump as they did in 2016?
That’s all Columbus needs in its decades-long effort to attract and retain young professionals so to become as hip as Austin – another Trump victory.
Try not to cringe too hard or you could injure yourself, but as many are aware, the polls are neck-and-neck. RealClear Politics as of Sunday (Oct. 18) has Trump 46.5% to Biden 46%. Keep in mind women now vote more than men, a lot more: 73 million women voted in 2016 compared to 63 million men.
Nationally, polls and the mainstream media keep echoing that suburban women are bailing on Trump. This may not be the case for Upper Arlington, Dublin, Westerville, Canal Winchester, Grove City, Delaware and Licking County.
Last week in Cincinnati, Ivanka Trump told hundreds of invite-only supporters, “We’re going to win Ohio.”
Tuesday, October 20, 2020 07:00 PM
Two weeks until election day and we’ll be gathering activists from across the country. You’ll get fired up hearing from Rep Chris Pappas, you’ll meet a ton of other #Fight4HER activists, and get a chance to learn how to make sure we win big in November. What we do in the last 14 days just might determine the way things look for years to come. Register here.
From Sojourners
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) became a law 25 years ago, providing crucial protections for women and survivors of domestic violence. The legislation made it possible for courts to address violence inflicted upon women at home and in the streets. VAWA is now up for reauthorization but is being held up in the Senate. Ask your senators to vote for this important bill. More information here.
