Local
This is a music story that begins, oddly enough, in a courtroom at the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati, Ohio. Around a month ago, I happened to be present when arguments were being made in the case of PGP, LLC vs. TPII, LLC, et al. PGP is a corporation owned by a Nashville talent manager named Herbert Graham. TPII is the corporate face of Keith Burns and Hattie Newfield, two of the three founding members of the pop-country band Trick Pony.
Trick Pony is godawful. I’m not sure if their songs “Pour Me” and “On a Night Like This” were the absolute nadir of late 2000’s pop-country dumbassery, but if they weren’t it certainly wasn’t for lack of trying. Every cheap trick (sorry) in the book, from exaggerated accents to American flag themed guitars. Their website even features an adorable listing of the band members likes and dislikes. For the record, Newfield dislikes mean people and blue cheese and Burns is a fan of cold beer.
Saturday, June 9, 6:30-11pm
1021 E. Broad St.
Network and socialize with progressive friends, food, drink, music and a political presentation. Free. No RSVP required. colsfreepress@gmail.com or 614-253-2571.
Cleveland.com is reporting that Senator Sherrod Brown has strongly denounced yesterday’s aggressive, military-style raids on the Corso’s Flower and Garden Center in Sandusky and Castalia, calling them “immoral” and an “insane policy.” Sabrina Eaton reports:
"Tearing families apart will not fix our broken immigration system," said Brown. "It will mean more problems for all of us. There is no good reason, ever, to separate children from their parents." "I don't want to be the kind of country where federal agents split families up and send kids who knows where without being able to account for them," said Brown, who is running for re-election this year against GOP Rep. Jim Renacci of Wadsworth.
To our knowledge, Sen. Brown is the first member of the Ohio congressional delegation to speak out publicly against the raid. Taking one look at these photos of children whose parents were arrested yesterday, posted by Veronica Dahlberg of HOLA, will make it clear why.
As summer starts to take over the Midwestern air, we’re approaching what is easily one of the best times in Ohio -- festival season. From the recent Nelsonville Music Festival to the Columbus Arts Festival on June 8-10 and the beloved ComFest on June 22-24, there really is something for everyone as Ohioans find themselves getting into the summer season spirit.
Growing up in Columbus allowed me to experience most of these festivals firsthand and appreciate them more and more every year. As a student at Ohio University, I saw how the entire Hocking Hills region would flock to the Nelsonville Music Festival, even during its humble beginnings. This year it was obvious that it appeals to people from all over the state and elsewhere as the concerts and musical acts have only gotten bigger and better. The economic benefits are proving to be invaluable to the Nelsonville area as well, as it’s become a tradition for performers and audience goers alike.
It felt like last football season we weathered the President's attempts to use racism to make himself appear patriotic.
In 1985, our president (pre-presidency) tried to move the USFL into direct competition with the NFL. After winning a lawsuit regarding monopoly laws his method of conflict ran the USFL into the ground.
Is it weirder that the guy is using racial divisiveness during football season instead of caring about American citizens, or that the NFL wouldn't sell this guy a team 30 years ago so he ran another league into the ground out of spite?
One of the people who seemingly led the victory over the president's divisiveness is Lebron James, who showed complete class in uniting sport fans. In 2018, my guess is whoever the MVP of this month's NBA finals will not be visiting the White House.
In Columbus, Ohio, you can't think Lebron James without thinking about his support of local Hip Hop group Fly Union. Jay Swifa of Fly Union just released his first solo album called Enigma.
A recent visit to Las Vegas demonstrated the wisdom and far-sightedness of the Nevada city's leaders compared to the "thinkers" of Columbus regarding NHL hockey and casinos.
Two decades ago, Columbus landed an NHL expansion team, the Blue Jackets. The team was housed downtown in Nationwide Arena.
It was Columbus' first "big four" major league sports franchise. Fans hoped the Jackets would be competitive from the start, make the playoffs and eventually win the Stanley Cup.
What ensued was an epic fail. The Jackets have made the playoffs only three times and have never gotten beyond the first round.
Industrialist John H. McConnell plunked down an $80 million franchise fee and the team began play in 2000. After he died, his son John P. McConnell took over. Nationwide Insurance now owns 30 percent of the club.
It is well-known that for professional teams in medium-sized metropolitan areas to compete for championships, the owners must be wealthy enough to subsidize the team to the tune of millions a year. This does not appear to be happening in Columbus.
When was the last time you lost track of your friend at a protest against a US war because you were among hundreds of thousands of fellow activists also out in the streets? When was the last time you had to squeeze yourself into a teach-in against US foreign policy because the room was packed? It's been a while? Then you are not alone.
Unseen Wars
Columbus Community Pride 2018: Back to Our Roots
It's time to celebrate Pride in the best way - as a community! Stonewall Columbus' Pride isn't safe for LGBTQIA+ people of color, so we created Columbus Community Pride to bring Pride back to its radical roots and support ALL people. Our Pride will center LGBTQIA+ people of color and other marginalized groups. Community Pride takes no corporate sponsorship and will not invite the police to any of our events. Columbus Community Pride will feature a range of celebrations, performances, and cultural events, culminating in a day-long Community Pride Festival. All events are FREE to attend!
Black, Brown and ONYX ’Zine Release and Cookout
Thursday, June 7, 6-9pm
934 Gallery, 934 Cleveland Ave.
The saying “ignorance is bliss” means that it is better to not know about a thing, situation or event. It means it's better for someone to not know what a person really thinks about you or your circumstances. Some people feel that it’s better to be unaware, and thus ignorant of unpleasant situations that cause them stress or would in some way hold them accountable for what they have now become aware of in their safe, blissful world. If we don’t know about a thing, we can’t help, support or change a thing. If we don’t know about it, we can’t care about it.
Currently there is a “Me Too” campaign going on across the nation. It seems that now is the time for people, especially women, who have been sexually harassed to have their voices heard. If women have been raped in the past they are now speaking out about it in the present. Men are going to jail, they are being fired from their jobs, they are being made to step down from high political offices, a few women have also been accused of sexual harassment. Now is the time for people to speak out and demand justice for the sexual crimes committed against them.
Now that the gubernatorial primary is over, the policies pursued by the two major party candidates for Ohio’s chief executive office indicate we’ll have boring, middle-of-the-road corporate status quo. It looks like Ohioans’ choices will be between a third party woman and two male candidates racing to the wishy-washy center.
Richard Cordray’s already running as a centrist shunning the progressive democratic left and staking out territory to the right of John Kasich – particularly on the health care issue. The Dispatch spelled it out in a recent headline: “Cordray bashes House GOP, praises Kasich.” Mike DeWine’s campaign commercials emphasize that he has a large family. He’s also opposed to opioids. Like, who isn’t? This creates space on the Left for progressives to push for universal single-payer health care in Ohio.
Also, Cordray is afraid of legalizing marijuana which gives a tremendous boost to the Green Party, the only other party on the ballot for governor.