We live in an uncertain age wherein the very essence of truth is not only being questioned, but is literally under assault. Not one but two screen versions of the classic fable Pinocchio were produced in 2022. Books, including history texts, are being hysterically banned in Florida and elsewhere. Fox “News” (now there’s an oxymoron!) is embroiled in a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit, while its smug prig Fucker Carlson reportedly demanded the firing of a Fox staffer for fact-checking its 2020 election lies and telling the truth. Journalism has been decried as “fake news” – by a U.S. president who, in turn-around-fair-play, was accused of making “false or misleading claims” 30,573 times by The Washington Post’s fact checking team during Trump’s misbegotten presidency.

Tuesday, February 21, 2023, 8:00 – 9:00 PM
Join CODEPINK Congress and special guests to discuss what has transpired in the one year since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. One year after Russia invaded Ukraine, the US and NATO continue to escalate the war with sophisticated weapons and military training of Ukrainian troops on US soil.

While President Biden bemoans the need for an exit strategy for Russian leader Vladamir Putin, there seems to be little evidence of diplomatic efforts to push for a ceasefire and peace negotiations. Instead, Congress budgets over $100 billion for the war in Ukraine, with roughly half the money filling the coffers of military contractors in what some would call a giant money laundering scheme. Is there any hope on the horizon? Can the United Nations broker a peace? Does China hold the cards? What about a Korean-style armistice?

A week from today the Florida Democratic Party is going to choose its new Chair. A few years ago, Florida like Arizona, Michigan and Pennsylvania was considered a purple state. No more. 

What caused Florida’s deviation? Faulty Democratic Party leadership. Like it or not to counteract the abundant right-wing forces that make Florida their home, the main force of opposition is the State’s Democratic Party. But what hindered the Democratic Party from being a force to counteract the rapidly increasing rightwing volume of the Republican Party? Very simple, the Florida Democratic Party failed to distinguish itself politically from a Republican Party that every day gives thinking Floridians a view of what Fascism would look like. 

The governor of the State, Ron DeSantis, who has presidential ambitions is using Florida as a laboratory to promote his Fascist ideas, and the Democratic Party, instead of focusing in combating those ideas it engaged in a coco maniac battle with the Republican Party meant to show Floridians that they are more anti-socialist than the Republicans, as if many people cared. 

City of Columbus mayoral candidate Joe Motil states, “The OSU student newspaper The Lantern reported today that the warming center for the unsheltered, located in the Summit United Methodist Church is closing Monday at 6PM because of increased safety concerns. “According to 10TV, the Division of Police reported that two people were stabbed February 10th at the warming center.” But this is only publicized a week later. Motil adds, “The other 24-hour  warming center located at 501 East Broad Street closed its doors about two weeks ago.”