March for Racial Justice

Fist and state of Ohio with words March for Racial Justice
Saturday, May 6, 3pm, Franklin Park, 1755 E. Broad St.

https://actionnetwork.org/events/march-for-racial-justice

Our communities are in crisis and we don’t all share the burden equally. While wages are down for everyone, Black and Latino workers still make less than white workers. Because our neighborhoods are increasingly segregated by race and class, and because of racial disparities in policing and sentencing, Black Americans are imprisoned at nearly six times the rate of white Americans. Across the country — and right here in Ohio — Black men, women, and children are killed by police with few if any repercussions.

Ohio needs good jobs, criminal justice reform, and investment in schools and public services. On Saturday, May 6, we will march for racial justice and to demand accountability from our justice system and our elected officials.

Sponsored by a coalition of individuals and organizations across Ohio committed to rejecting racism in our state and fighting for safe, healthy, and equitable communities.

Franz Lyons of Turnstile Is Down For Life (or At Least Rock on the Range)

Black and white photo of black guy playing guitar with people all around dancing

I hit up Columbus Native Franz Lyons and asked him about his band Turnstile performing at the sold-out Metallica headlined Rock On the Range festival. Franz replied in regards to the size of the crowd. “I think it will make more sense when I get there…”

Franz was in Los Angeles with Turnstile for the “While We Were Young Festival.” The Baltimore, Maryland based hardcore band just played on a line-up that included Morrissey, the Descendants, A.F.I. and other bands that were too big to play the Legion, Bernie’s or the Hi-Five during Franz’s formative years.

Turnstile has also rocked stages with Sick Of It All, Madball, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Ignite and New Found Glory off the strength of previous releases Move Through Me, Non-Stop Feeling, Pressure to Succeed and Step To the Rhythm.

Turnstile begins recording an album for Road Runner Records, June 26th. They are recording with William Yip who has worked with Title Fight, Lauryn Hill, Braid and Schoolly D.

After the bus stops running

Black man in graduation robe and hat receiving diploma

This past April 2, 2017 marked the 10th Annual Autism Awareness Day. Organizations from around the world joined forces to bring awareness about autism and to raise much needed funding to continue research, develop educational and treatment programs, and to help support the families of people with autism.  

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2016 issued an ADDM Autism prevalence report that showed autism had risen to one in every 68 births in the United States. Of this rate, one in 54 boys had autism. More than 3.5 million Americans live with an ASD. No one seems to understand or agree on why this number has almost doubled since 2004, therefore it can’t be controlled and continues to increase.

Bob Bites Back: Asking our Ohio legislators some questions

Bob's at mic yelling and words Bob Bites Back

Once again, a voter ID bill briefly reared its head again in the Ohio legislature. Ohio House Bill 41 in its original form sought to alter Ohio early voting requirements. State Representative Bernadine Kent (D-25) asked me to analyze the bill and offer testimony on its hearing in the Government Accountability and Oversight Committee.

Here’s my brief analysis. The bill continues a bizarre and undemocratic practice introduced in 2004 by our infamous Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell. That is, if voters are at the correct polling place but is directed to vote in the wrong precinct -- their vote will not be counted. The bill reads in a key section: “If an individual cast a provisional ballot in a precinct in which the individual is not registered and eligible to vote and in the incorrect polling location for the precinct in which the individual is registered and eligible to vote the provisional ballot shall not be opened and the ballot shall not be counted.”

Drumming for Planet Earth

At the climate rally in Chicago last week, people started drumming in the rain.

Pardon me while I walk uncertain ground here, looking for clues and connections in a smattering of unlikely places. The world is in a fragile, dangerous place. We need to create peace, fairness and sustainability. We need to create a world that doesn’t yet exist, but this is only possible if we look at the world we have with awareness that transcends the limits of our knowing. I don’t know how to do this, but I’m going to try.

And so I listen again to the native drums beating in the rain, in the bitter wind, in the company of several thousand people huddled next to each other in the city’s Federal Plaza, many of them bearing signs that expressed fragments of hope and alarm:

“Defend Our Mother.”

“We are the Earth, rising up to defend herself.”

“Save Our Planet. I don’t want to move!”

CIA Chief Declares War on Truth

“… the American people deserve a clear explanation of what their Central Intelligence Agency does on their behalf…. we are an organization committed to uncovering the truth and getting it right…. And sure—we also admit to making mistakes…. But it is always our intention—and duty—to get it right. And that is one of the many reasons why we at CIA find the celebration of entities like WikiLeaks to be both perplexing and deeply troubling.”

– CIA Director Mike Pompeo, April 13, 2017

KISS THEATER REVIEW

My readers (hiya Ma!) know I’m usually very careful regarding plot spoilers, either completely avoiding or clearly labeling them, so as not to ruin the element of surprise for theatergoers. This is actually the first time I’ve reviewed a play when critics and ticket buyers are not given the program until after the play and reviewers are admonished in a press kit disclaimer printed in boldface to “not give away details of the plot.” So, to paraphrase Teddy Roosevelt, your reviewer will make it a point to “talk softly, but carry a big Bic” in this critique.

 

Trump & Prayuth Suddenly Become Good Buddies

BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand's authoritarian coup leader Prime
Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Tuesday (May 2) he expects to enjoy a
much-needed boost to his military regime thanks to President Donald
Trump's surprise invitation to the White House.
   "The U.S. president said that we are their good ally, and he
assured me that although we have been rather distant recently,
Thai-U.S. relations will now be closer than ever," Mr. Prayuth told
reporters on Tuesday (May 2).
   While speaking with President Trump, Mr. Prayuth "affirmed that
Thailand stands ready to support and promote bilateral cooperation in
all fields, particularly trade, investment and security," announced
Deputy Government Spokesman Lt. Gen. Werachon Sukondhapatipak.
   Mr. Prayuth will "support the constructive role of the United
States in maintaining peace and security in the region," Lt. Gen.
Werachon said.
   Mr. Prayuth accepted the White House invitation and asked the U.S.
president to come to Bangkok.
   No dates were announced for either visit.

Trump Declares May 1 Loyalty Day

International Workers’ Day is commemorated worldwide annually on May 1 - except in America, where worker rights long ago were abandoned, corporate profit-making alone supported.   Trump ignored what May Day signifies, proclaiming May 1 as Loyalty Day - insulting US workers, asking all Americans to pledge allegiance to what demands condemnation, saying:   “We pledge our dedication to the United States of America and honor its unique heritage, reminding ourselves that we are one Nation, under God, made possible by those who have sacrificed to defend our liberty.”   Fact: America’s “unique heritage” reflects doing more harm to more people over a longer duration than any other rogue regime in history.  

Columbus is Number One! (In police killing black people)

A red map of Ohio with faces of black men shot by police and their names

In the years 2013-2016, the Columbus Police killed 24 people, 20 of them black.

Mappingpoliceviolence.org lists the names of all Columbus citizens killed by the Columbus Police Department (CPD). Despite only 27.6 percent of Columbus’ population being black, 83.3 percent of all people killed by cops were black (see chart).

Out of the 15 largest U.S. cities, Columbus ranks number one in percentage of police killing black people. (see chart).

Often the police and their allies will excuse the high rates of police violence against black people by claiming they are just trying to stop black-on-black crime, a phrase popularized in the 1980s under Ronald Reagan, as the United States created the world’s largest prison industrial complex. Police shootings of black people are not reflective of high black-on-black crime rates. They are not the result of a police department’s attempt to protect poor communities. A report from mappingpoliceviolence.org points out that there is no relationship between police killing blacks and community violent crime rates.

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