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The New Jim Crow, same as the old Jim Crow

In 1965, the United States finally became a democracy. The minimal standard for a democracy is that there are at least two political parties, the entire adult population has the right to vote, and the vote is fairly counted.

   The Voting Rights Act of 1965 finally enforced the right of black Americans to vote, primarily in the states of the old Confederacy. Historically, blacks had been subject to impediments to voting ranging from lynching, beating and intimidation – to paying a poll tax, passing a literacy test, and subjected to “white­only” primaries.

   So extreme was the racial apartheid in the South that the law created a new job category: armed federal registrars.

   Congress’ commitment to the Voting Rights Act has been overwhelming and steadfast. In 2006, the U.S. House of Representatives renewed the Voting Rights Act by a vote of 390­33, and by a vote of 98­0 in the U.S. Senate.

Be part of the solution: Why Water Matters

You may have seen or read ads for Britta water filtration systems that shows plastic bottles lined up end to end along a coastline. The narrative tells us that the number of water bottles that are thrown away could circle the Earth 50 times – an astounding 38 BILLION bottles. It’s a mind­ boggling number! And that’s not the only problem with bottled water. The amount of oil used to make these bottles annually would power one million cars for a year. Environmentally, aside from oil use, bottle water extraction has a huge impact on local water resources. The “Big Three” culprits in this crisis – Coke, Pepsi and Nestle – are getting access to water both in the form of city water and underground water resources at a huge cost to local communities around the world. People have seen their wells dry up and lakes and rivers run dry. In one case the corporation is paying 1/64 cents for a gallon of water, selling it at a huge profit, $1 per gallon. In Sacramento, in 2009, Nestle signed a contract with the city for access to city water for $0.71 for 748 gallons of water! This example is not unique.

A new era of urban agriculture is dawning in Columbus

For urbanites who have already been bit by the gardening bug, there is no need to wait. There are many community gardens and urban farming programs that will appreciate your assistance. Earth Day is a great day to get started. Green Columbus puts on a weeklong event for community organizations to host volunteers to beautify the land in various ways. From gardening to trash pickup, any type of work offered is greatly valued. Four Seasons City Farm and Franklinton Gardens are among the many urban gardens that are hosting volunteers. Four Seasons City Farm is a non­profit organization “dedicated to revolutionary food production and community ­building” in and around the near east side of Columbus. Started in the early growing season of 2004 as part of a ministry of the Old First Presbyterian Church, the City Farm vision has expanded to include fourteen lots in the city, including a one­acre “New Freedom Garden” on East Mound Street at Carpenter.

The Free Press loves animals and urges “no” vote on issue 6 “New Zoo” levy

If you liked Columbus City Schools’ 24 percent tax hike proposal last November (and most people didn't), you will love the Columbus Zoo’s 110 percent tax hike proposal coming this May. Voters overwhelmingly rejected the school’s proposed Issue 50 property tax levy boondoggle, and should do the same with the Zoo’s proposed Issue 6 property tax levy over­reach. Have these publicly­funded agencies lost their collective minds?

Old/New Law disparity

In a visit to the United States in 1842, Charles Dickens was appalled by our prisons, where a man never left his cell (except to the exercise courtyard) for the duration of his sentence, never got word of his family or news of the outside world. An alternative type of prison was the Silent, which permitted to mix with one another while working during the day…but forbade them to communicate. Fortunately, today’s prisons offer interaction, exercise, education, libraries, family visiting, correspondence and nowadays even a controlled email. But, Ohio’s prisons fail to offer release to prisoners who have 20, 30, 40 years in, because of a cruel parole board. Prisoners continually come to their hearings with a raft of programs they have taken, stellar behavior records (“18 years ticket­free”), volunteer hours, family support, a job waiting. They would seem models of rehabilitation and ideal candidates for parole, but the parole board invariably rules that, “due to the serious nature of the crime” – which will never change, although the person can and usually does – the inmate needs to serve another three or five years.

Monarch Migration and Mazdar: A pre­vegan story and dreams of a vegan world shift.

I was just reminded of a memory after hearing someone's hilarious story of kicking the ice off of the grill of a car that he later realized was not his, when he saw the actual owners of the car looking at him like "Hey man, WTH?" My story is about my best friend and I as we were driving through the desert in Southern California on our way back from our first trip to Las Vegas. We were 20, too young to drink or gamble, but we did have a blast while I was home on leave from my USAF tour in Germany. Headed in the same direction we were, I was awestruck by the beauty of the monarch butterfly migration as they passed through the area in what seemed like a fantasy. What a stunningly wondrous sight of millions and millions of orange and black butterflies peacefully fluttering by as they silently headed south for the winter escorting us on our journey.

Familiarity breeds comedy in estrogen­rich ensemble piece

In the mood for a Southern­fried chestnut? When CATCO first announced a 2013­14 season dominated by well ­known works such as Steel Magnolias, I was crestfallen. It seemed a sign that financial constraints were forcing the once­edgy troupe to stick to the tried and true. That description certainly fits Robert Harling’s comedy­drama. Not only has it been turned into a 1989 film starring Sally Field and Julia Roberts, but the stage version has been making the regional rounds for years. My own first viewing came more than two decades ago at a local community theater, where I decided the play was funny until it descended into sentimentality. After hearing that CATCO was mounting a new production, I could only hope the professional troupe would be able to uncover enough new levels of humor or meaning to justify the exhumation. Well, it does and it doesn’t. Working under Steven C. Anderson’s sure­footed direction, a distinguished cast makes Harling’s banter funnier than ever. In the end, the laughs still drown in a swamp of sentimentality, but until then, they come with clock ­like regularity.

Welcome to the Machine

Peter Baum is looking forward to becoming a weekend warrior for the Ohio Machine, a Major League Lacrosse team which plays out of Delaware. Like many of his teammates, the Colgate University graduate lives out of town but will join his fellow cogs in the Machine every weekend for games. “Yeah it’ll be pretty different,” says Baum, the 2012 Tewaaraton Trophy winner for the Raiders and the top pick in the 2013 MLL Collegiate Draft for the Ohio Machine. “It’ll be different to build a sense of chemistry when you are only playing together once or twice a week. “At the same time, the guys who are playing in this league are playing at such a high level. They understand how to play a sport, not just from the physical standpoint but from the mental side. It makes things easier to jell once we get playing.” President and General Manager John Algie will count on Baum and a host of new talent to help the Machine improve on their second consecutive 2­12 finish in their two­year history.

A Turning Tide in Syria

As the death toll continues to ascend, now reaching over 140,000, Syria has entered its fourth year of war on a high stakes battleground. The distinction between the war’s dynamic three years ago and today, however, is stark. A once largely unified rebel faction has been reduced to infighting amongst radical Islamist forces and secular moderate elements. Whereas moderate tone and language initially defined the opposition in Syria, Islamist groups from neighboring countries seized the opportunity to implant their influence in the region. These groups then began to join rebel forces, offering supplies and strategy. After all, several of the Islamist fringe groups had already been involved in guerilla-style warfare in places like Iraq. Yet original members of the opposition cause, who also value the overthrow of Bashar Assad, part company with extremists when it comes to the system of government they prefer after Assad is removed. Fighting between rebel coalitions has thus become commonplace. Of all the potential setbacks for Bashar Assad, he has not had to worry about a unified opposition.

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