A generation ago, racist politicians invented a mythical “Willie Horton” as a made-up “straw man” to represent their false stereotype of African Americans. They campaigned against this mythical character, using his made-up bad behavior as something we had to fight against, change. Unfortunately, they were able to mobilize many white people to vote against their own interests, further their reactionary agenda that hurt all of us.

Critical Race Theory (CRT) is an important theory developed over 30 years ago that explains how racism/inequality toward one group also harms, increases inequality of others, including white people and harms our nation as a whole. It in no way vilified white people. Unfortunately, that hasn’t stopped Republicans, racists, from saying it did, using it (like those politicians a generation used Willie Horton) to mobilize their base.

CRT shows how race/racism has been central to our nation’s development, since even before its founding. It shows how defeating racism is key to progress, for African Americans, but also for white folks. Republicans are using our people’s ignorance to push cutting Social Security, huge tax cuts for the wealthy.

Saturday, February 4, 7-9pm, Columbus Mennonite Church, 35 Oakland Park Ave.

Serious love songs, humorous trivia questions, and surprises will highlight the 14th annual Valentines concert by Bill Cohen and friends from 7pm to 9 pm on Saturday, February 4.

With guitar and piano, Bill will sing favorites from the 1940s through the 1980s that have been made famous by John Denver, the Everly Brothers, Sam Cooke, Bette Midler, James Taylor, Bing Crosby, the Shirelles, the Eagles, Johnny Mathis, and others.

Ann Fisher will be on hand to add some romantic flute accompaniment on several songs. David Maywhoor will keep the beat on percussion, and Brian Szuch will add extra sparkle on lead guitar. Plus, the all-girl trio, The Harmonettes, will sing smooth backup vocals.

While the songs will reflect the ecstasy, warmth, heartache, and pain that love can bring, there will be a lighter side too, as Bill will pose trivia questions about famous and infamous couples and love songs throughout the decades.

The concert will take place at the Columbus Mennonite Church, 35 Oakland Park Ave.

The Oil and Gas Land Management Commission met Wednesday morning to discuss a change to the Ohio Revised Code which will compel state agencies starting April 7 to approve any request from the oil and gas industry for extraction on public land. 

In attendance at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources office on Morse Road was a group of dedicated users of Ohio state parks and forests who demanded robust public notice and commenting procedures before any state lands are fracked or drilled, as well as calling out the oil and gas industry’s grab of our public land. 

The meeting follows the passage of HB 507, signed into law by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on January 6. HB 507 forces any state agency, which owns a parcel of public land, to allow the oil and gas industry to extract from public land. It changed the phrase “may lease” to “shall lease” under the law.

Saturday, February 4, 9am on Zoom
We have meetings of our State Council every other month to plan the ongoing work of our organization. Everyone is invited to join us, though to participate in voting you must be a member of the State Council. Our next meeting is this Saturday, February 4th, at 9:00 am via zoom. The zoom invite is below.  We would love to see you there.