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Which Party Do You View Iran Through?

Most people in the United States have little contact with Iran or its culture. Iran comes up as a scary threat in the speeches of demagogues. A range of debate is offered between obliterate it and pressure it into compliance with our civilized norms, or at least the civilized norms of some other country that doesn't obliterate or pressure people.

So how do Americans view Iran? Many view it, like all governmental matters, through the lens of either the Democratic or the Republican Party. The Democratic President has come to be seen as on the side of preventing a war with Iran. The Republican Congress has come to be seen as pushing for that war. In this framework, something remarkable happens. Democrats begin recognizing all of the arguments against war that ought to be applied to every war.

Frat Boys on the Bus

“You can hang him from a tree, but he can never sign with me . . .”

Yeah, something had to happen. The cellphone video went public and the frat boys on the bus, who were just having a little politically incorrect fun, y’know, singing about Jim Crow exclusionary practices and, well, lynching, suddenly found themselves thrust into a national context, embarrassing the hell out of their fraternity and their school.

Something had to happen, but I don’t think it was “zero tolerance” — that is to say, the immediate shutting of the door on a shocking, humiliating revelation that some students have bad attitudes and haven’t learned the national lesson: overt, casual racism against African-Americans is wrong.

Computerized Vote Counting: The Hole in United States' Political Bucket

Last month, I attended the Ninth Annual Voting And Elections Summit in Washington, hosted by Fair Vote, The Lawyers' Committee For Civil Rights Under Law, US Vote Foundation, and Overseas Vote Foundation, each a progressive organization dedicated to the betterment of elections in the United States. The summit was indeed a gathering of very bright, motivated, devoted, and patriotic individuals and organizations, whose efforts I deeply appreciate.

It was undercut, however, by a tragic, widely shared blindspot regarding the core vulnerability of the American vote counting process, both in theory and in concrete political bottom-line fact. That process, in the computerized voting era, has become and remains unobservable, offering an open invitation to targeted manipulation sweeping in its cumulative effect.

Putin Wants to Eat Your Children

If U.S. television and politicians started saying that Saudi Arabia should be bombed because it kills and tortures innocent people, within a week many millions of Americans would demand just that. And because those voices do say that about ISIS, many millions of Americans do favor a war on ISIS.

My point is not that bombs would be worse than the problem addressed and would make the problem itself worse as well, although that's all true. Rather, my point is that most people who favor wars do so in order to blindly support a nation, and in blindly supporting that nation they allow it to dictate which wars they will favor. Although war supporters will give you reasons for the wars they favor, they actually favor whichever wars they are told to favor, and no others. And they'll give you the reasons they are told to believe in as well.

What makes a good TV rating?

Many people all over the world watch television series based on the commercials, promotional media hype, interviews that the cast members, promoters and sponsors give and, of course, by word of mouth.  Another way that people are influenced into watching a particular show is through the television content rating systems.

Why did I not turn in my rapist?

Gena Smith is a 30-something Army combat veteran of Iraq. She suffers from both PTSD and MST, a roller-coaster of pain and emotions you never want to ride. She’s currently a veteran advocate who pens the blog “Regular Fury.” She is sometimes asked, especially by the media, Why didn’t you turn in your rapist?

Matt Bors comic

Free Press picks for Arnold 2015:

With more than 50 sports and events, including 14 Olympic sports, the 2015 Arnold Sports Festival presents fitness and fun for all ages March 5-8, 2015. The festival has expanded into the world’s largest multi-sport fitness weekend since its 1989 debut.  Over 18,000 athletes will compete at Greater Columbus Convention Center, Ohio Expo Center, Hilton Columbus Downtown, LC Pavilion, Hollywood Casino, Nationwide Arena, New Albany High School and Stars Indoor Sports. See ArnoldSportsFestival.com for all times and locations.

Local high school teacher with super hero strength goes for world record

Powerlifter John C. Downing, coach of The Ohio State University powerlifting club level team, is going for a world record in his weight class at this year’s Arnold Sports Classic. Downing is 5’6 and 181 pounds. In his weight class, the record is 617 pounds for the squat, one of three weight-lifting moves in the sport of powerlifting. Thus, he’ll be attempting to lift more than three times his bodyweight.
  Competitive powerlifting is a global sport that has nine professional organizations, and is up for review by the Olympic committee to make it a medal sport. Competitors vie for first place by achieving the largest weight total possible for three separate lifts – the squat, bench press and deadlift (where the weight is on the ground and must be lifted to hip level).
  Downing has mostly trained six days a week, several hours a day, for the last 12 years to reach this level and be a relevant contender at the Arnold, which is considered one of the sport’s most prominent events. Last year he tied for third place. This year he wants to break the record and take first place.

First Person Singular – Calla, local poet

“First Person Singular” an occasional column by JP Marat that provides Columbus artists the opportunity to speak . . . in their own voice. Thank you Free Press.


JP Marat writes:

  I’m fortunate. My radio show on WCRS 98.3 / 102.1 on Thursday Nights at 11pm (Big Barking Dog Alternative Radio Hour) gives me the opportunity to interview local musicians, artists and poets. In preparation for a radio show that aired on Feb 26, (“Columbus Musicians & Poets v2”) I spoke to an extraordinary young woman named Calla. If you attend any of the poetry slams around town, you’ve definitely seen her. Five feet nothing. Piercing brown eyes. Quick to smile. Strong & agile. Mischievous. Most likely a ninja in a previous life. We met at Kafe Kerouac on High Street. I let my audio recorder roll. We talked about gender, love, Skyline Chili and Tupac Shakur. The conversation that evening intrigued me. As the night ended, I needed to know more about her concept of “Body Politics.” Calla obliged. About a week later I got an email from her . . . Girl can write . . . Just Say’in.


Calla writes:

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