"Historic" Empty Suit Visits Hiroshima

“Why do we come to this place, to Hiroshima? We come to ponder a terrible force unleashed in a not-so-distant past. We come to mourn the dead, including over 100,000 Japanese men, women and children, thousands of Koreans, a dozen Americans held prisoner.” – President Obama at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, May 27, 2016

The Revolution Will Not Be Clintonized


Hillary Clinton and her DNC status-quo flunkies ignore the reality that both the Donald Trump and the Bernie Sanders candidacies make clear. The United States is entering a thus-far nonviolent populist rebellion against a corrupt-to-the-core oligarchy. In this paradigmatic battle between the common good and the greedy corporate elite, it would be a catastrophic failure for Americans to allow the populist mantle of a Political Revolution to be carried and defined by the hateful demagogue Donald Trump. Currently, Sanders is the only figure in a position to carry that positive populist banner to victory.

Regardless of how much lipstick is slapped on an establishment pig, come November (and beyond) millions of people are going to choose change. Depending upon their options, they will either vote for a challenger to the status quo who best reflects there complaints and aspirations, or they will choose not to vote at all. So, despite Clinton’s recent shift in tone and her gradual, disingenuous and unbelievable makeover on the issues, her candidacy could never stand in for Sanders.

BREAD coalition to Mayor Ginther: End economic segregation in Columbus

Just hours before the Nehemiah Action meeting on May 9, organizers of the interfaith social justice coalition BREAD didn’t know whether Mayor Andrew J. Ginther would make an appearance at the Celeste Center for the annual event. They had invited Ginther to weigh in on an economic initiative that would benefit residents of Linden, the Hilltop, and other marginalized neighborhoods. They had two different programs printed up for the evening: one in case the mayor would show up, and another in case he wouldn’t.

He didn’t.

Nevertheless, central Ohio faith leaders made their case at the meeting. “Early practices of deed restrictions, discriminatory lending, and highway construction have created a tale of two cities,” said Clyde Sales, senior minster at the Genessee Avenue Church of Christ. “There are the privileged neighborhoods and the throwaway neighborhoods, with clear boundaries separating neighborhoods like Linden.”

COMFEST 2016 - Something for Everyone

Comfest 2016 logo - a skyline with tree roots

June 24-26 ComFest will fill Goodale Park once again with local music, art, food, crafts, workshops, and revelry. The festival has lots of diverse offerings, so guests are sure to find something for everyone.

This being an important election year, people can expect speakers and panels to express and explain progressive viewpoints on topics as far-ranging as economic justice, environmental crises, and voting rights. There will be workshops about gender identity and sexism, new trends and development in Columbus, local control of environment and resources, big money in local politics and how residents are represented in city council – the ward system or at large. Guest speakers will make remarks in support of labor and Planned Parenthood and other issues. And ComFest is one way to make sure you are registered correctly to vote, and learn how to defend your right to have your vote counted.

As American as...the Audion Piano?

Old timepiano

In last month’s article, I made the statement that the Electric Guitar is one of only two true American instruments, the other being the Sousaphone. Of all of the dumb things that I have said in print over the years, this one may have generated the most outrage. I was inundated with messages proposing (at times aggressively) other instrument candidates for Americanesedness. So to preserve my hard-won reputation for keeping an open mind, I have determined to explore the suggested candidates and rate them on a scale of 1-5 Bald Eagles.

To define American instruments, we must first define what “American” means.  Primarily to save space, I have decided to use the Drunk Republican Uncle on the Fourth of July definition: the original 13 states after George III got the heave-ho and the other states upon their admission to the Unionas states. That is, if Wyatt Earp invented a new type of trombone while U.S. Marshall for New Mexico Territory in 1878 he's out of luck.  

Without further ado, the candidates (in no particular order):

Who will reform those who have been tortured?

Person sitting with head in their hands

A joint report released in May by the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio (ACLU) and Disability Rights Ohio informed us that “Solitary confinement is torture” and that “ninety-five percent of people who go to prison are one day released back to their communities.”

The American Friends Service Committee reports that today there are more than 40 states that have super-maximum security facilities “primarily designed to hold people in long-term isolation.”

The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that ten years ago there were “more than 80,000 men, women and children in solitary confinement in prisons across the United States” and that “as with the overall prison population, people of color are disproportionately represented in isolation units.”

City Council Goes Crazy: New Charter Amendment Challenges the Status Quo--Executive committee of the bourgeoisie fear democracy may break out in Columbus

Many people holding boxes

After a five-year long struggle, the grassroots effort to give a voice to more Columbus residents will finally come to a public vote at a special election on August 2 this year. The charter amendment would expand Columbus City Council from seven to 13 members and include representatives from city ward districts. This would break the all-at-large, one-party Council system and make Columbus’ city governance comparable to other U.S. cities its size.

Grassroots groups had tried twice since 2011 to get the amendment on the ballot, but were stymied by what appeared to be politically-motivated maneuverings by the current powers at City Hall.

Represent Columbus is a coalition of Democratic, Republican, Green and Independent grassroots leaders. Building upon previous work by the Columbus Coalition for Responsive Government, Represent Columbus submitted 39,308 petition signatures to the Columbus City Clerk on May 3. The Franklin County Board of Elections determined that 19,035 of those were valid – 1,200 more valid signatures than the 17,780 required. City Attorney Rick Pfeiffer found the petitions to be “legally sufficient.”

Thomas Friedman Says Hillary's Lies No Big Deal

Most Hillary Clinton supporters, including Hillary, mostly spend their time talking about Trump, not Clinton, not Sanders, not what should be done in the U.S. government. But they don't try to articulate a defense for this practice. A couple of obvious reasons (which they would not want to articulate) come to mind: (1) Hillary is incredibly unpopular, (2) Talking about Trump fuels the pretense that the primary is over.

Ohio Peace Festival

People standing as a peace sign from a distance

Monday, June 6 to Tuesday, June 14, several locations in Central Ohio

We seek to celebrate and enhance understanding of diverse approaches to peace and community-building through politics, art, health, industry, and beyond. The Ohio Peace Festival is an annual event organized by the Ohio Peace Collaborative, a collective group of peace-driven individuals, organizations, non-profits, and companies within the State of Ohio.
Mission: To build unity through peace.
Vision: A collaborative world of peace, justice, and understanding.
Our values: Nonviolence, positivity, collaboration, and non-partisanship.
Events: See events listed below and at ohiopeace.com.
Contact: Ohio Peace Festival, 1501 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43201; or 614-327-8389 (voice/text) or 614-292-3810 (voice); or ohiopeacecollaborative@gmail.com
ohiopeace.com/

Ohio Peace Festival Events

Peace Film Festival Showcase

Tuesday, June 7, 6pm, Gateway Film Center, 1550 N. High St.

A Geek Speak summer schedule

Origins exhibitor hall

For many people, summer is a time for beach vacations and hiking trips. But for us, it’s convention season. And while some of Columbus’ regular cons are traditionally held in the off-season — Ohayocon in the midwinter cold, and Marcon over Memorial Day weekend — the next three months will keep us busy with gaming, cosplay and even the delightful smell of old paperbacks.
 

The biggest of them all is Origins Game Fair, which is coming to the Greater Columbus Convention Center from June 15th-19th. Origins is one of the biggest tabletop gaming cons in the country, and with exhibitors both big and small in attendance it’s a great place to see what’s available to play now and what’s coming soon. In addition to a gaming and panel schedule so dense it’s offered as a massive spreadsheet (with a door-stopper of a print version available at the show), this year they’re presenting the first Origins Film Festival, showcasing independent films related to sci-fi/fantasy and gaming.

 

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