“I humbly beg forgiveness for the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous Peoples.”

So said Pope Francis last week, at a powwow in Alberta, at the start of his “apology tour” across Canada — for the participation of the Catholic Church in the multi-century horror of Native American “residential schools” on this continent, which more accurately might be called concentration camps for 6-year-olds.

This papal mega-apology, while cheered by some, has been widely criticized as little more than a wimpy shoulder-shrug — sorry about that — for a governmental, church-complicit policy, lasting well into the 20th century, of snatching indigenous children from their families and squeezing their culture, if not their life, out of them.

Wednesday, August 3, 12noon-1pm, this on-line event requires advance registration

In the face of relentless attacks on abortion access and bodily autonomy, abortion pills have become even more essential.

Learn how to share information about why Self-Managed Abortion (SMA) through medication is a safe, effective, and convenient reproductive health option for those in your community.

RSVP for this event by using this link.

Hosted by Faith Choice Ohio. 

Facebook Event

When New York City recently released a grotesque “public service announcement” video explaining that you should stay indoors during a nuclear war, the corporate media reaction was principally not outrage at the acceptance of such a fate or the stupidity of telling people “You’ve got this!” as if they could survive the apocalypse by cocooning with Netflix, but rather mockery of the very idea that a nuclear war might happen. U.S. polling on people’s top concerns find 1% of people most concerned about the climate and 0% most concerned about nuclear war.

On May 17, I wrote a column titled “How Whaley Beats DeWine.” It contained my advice to Nan Whaley, the Democratic nominee for governor, on how to pull the upset of incumbent, entrenched Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. ColumbusMediaInsiderPoliticalOutsider: How Whaley Beats DeWine | ColumbusFreePress.com

At the time, 75 days ago, I gave Whaley 1 chance in 10 of pulling the upset. After the Roe decision threatening women’s right to choose brought many motivated women into the political marketplace, I revised my forecast to 3 chances in 10. I think the decision boosted Whaley’s standing by 3 percent, but it still leaves her 12 points behind (she was 15 points behind in the only post-primary poll) with 100 days to go. I give Whaley only 2 chances out of 10 of winning at this writing.

I am going to review each category I cited in my original analysis (first take) and tell you where I think Whaley stands (second take).

UNDERSTAND THE VOTERS

First take: Election after election show that Ohio voters are evolutionary not revolutionary.

Do the Mayor, City Council, and senior staff need a map of Columbus? A walking tour? A bus tour of their “Opportunity for a Few City”? They cannot turn to Columbus Partnership whose CEO lives in New Albany, the Downtown Development Corporation which does recognize the actual downtown, Columbus Police Department who does not know one area from another, or the Department of Public—that is, Private—Service who sells public space to private interests indiscriminately. I personally give walking tours of the University District to City Neighborhood staff but I recognize my limits. City government does not know the city.

The Mayor’s and Council’s obsession with protecting private property in the Short North—the only area where their actions even vaguely resemble a policy—that is, a set of somewhat related actions rather than random undeveloped and unvetted stabs in the dark—and with environmental damage to the Scioto River Bank with private development convince me that our undemocratically selected “leaders” do not know the locations or the socio-economic geography within Columbus whose history and identity remain unknown.