Never have I seen/heard so many good solid people, unionists, progressives of various stripes, activists/fighters verbalizing feelings of extreme frustration, powerlessness. Between COVID, complete legislative gridlock, a conservative packed Supreme Court, Trump’s continuing influence over large sections of white people influenced by racism, it seems as though the corporate ruling class has done a tremendous job of blocking any way forward. Wide sections of our people are fighting depression growing out of feelings of hopelessness.

However, as the great John Lewis liked to say; “It’s darkest just before the dawn! We cannot give up hope!”

As well, it is important for us to understand that the undemocratic power-grab by Republicans/corporate pols, is ultimately based in weakness, fear of a rising people’s movement, not in strength.

In previous periods, progressive government economic programs which put money into worker’s pockets, combined with Union organizing campaigns, have turned these situations around, funneling funds to workers, and helping the entire economy.

Obstacles To Progress Are Formidable

As Adrienne Hood told the Free Press, “People really haven’t been paying much attention” to what is arguably one of Columbus’s most important leadership decisions in decades. The choice of Jacqueline Hendricks-Moore for first-ever Inspector General of the Civilian Police Review Board, which Columbus voters overwhelmingly approved for in November of 2020.

“I will say that I hope she has the boldness to stand up when necessary because that will make or break this whole review board and further damage the relationship with the community,” said Ms. Hood to the Free Press.

The Civilian Police Review Board or CPRB essentially has this main responsibility: To serve as a standing administrative jury hearing cases investigated by the Inspector General, which will be independent of the Department of Public Safety.

As for when the Inspector General will begin conducting investigations, those close to the situation predict this spring or early summer.

Smedley Butler is generally left out of U.S. history. If you bring up a guy who prevented a Wall Street coup against FDR, you do real damage to the tale of peaceful respect for government from the beginning of time up through January 6, 2021. If you mention the scandal that erupted when he recounted how Mussolini had run over a little girl with his car, it’s hard to leave out the U.S. government’s friendly relations with Mussolini.

Interestingly, it was Cornelius Vanderbilt IV, who had been in the car with Mussolini and who had told his friend Smedley Butler about it, who later recounted in his autobiography a second Wall Street coup plot that he said he had exposed to Eleanor Roosevelt and thereby her husband, and successfully put a stop to. For some reason we never celebrate Vanderbilt as the savior of the U.S. government in the way that those of us who’ve heard of him do Smedley Butler, even though Vanderbilt turned against oligarchs as Butler turned against warmakers.

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, is leading his country’s anti-Palestinian propaganda, this time engaging in pre-emptive hasbara in anticipation of a Palestinian response to the ongoing evictions in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.

“Would you consider it a terror attack if a rock like this was thrown at your car while driving with your children?” Erdan asked the United Nations Security Council members, while holding the rock in his hands. “Would you, at the very least, condemn these brutal terror attacks carried out against Israeli civilians by Palestinians?”

This Israeli logic is quite typical, where oppressed Palestinians are depicted to be the aggressor, and oppressive Israel - a racist apartheid state by any standard - presents itself as a victim merely engaging in defending its own citizens.

Today, I tell a story. It is both familiar and out of the ordinary. It focuses on a new friend whose personal and family history merits widespread attention in Columbus, Ohio, and across the nation. The family is second- and third-generation Palestinian Americans who contribute in remarkable ways to our society, culture, and polity.

For understandable but not acceptable reasons, it is much more common to tell stories about Black, Latino, and Asian brothers and sisters than Middle Easterners. Prejudice remains.

The grandfather to today’s younger generations emigrated from Lebanon to Columbus 40 years ago. Born in Palestine, he immigrated to Lebanon at age 10 during the 1947 war. After graduating from high school and university, he worked with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for more than 25 years. As a refugee, he had a life-long commitment to education and service for which he is remembered by all who knew him. He was devoted both to adaptation and to the transmission of Arabic and his heritage.