Be afraid. The Trump Administration has “put on leave” — effectively fired — 35 experts from FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, for signing a letter to Trump saying that his mass elimination of emergency experts is threatening the lives of Americans. Another 155 signed but masked their names.

Trump’s announced scheme: completely eliminate FEMA and turn over emergency evacuation to privateers. 

The firings were pushed by Elon Musk when he headed DOGE. The cuts were the core cause of the deaths in the Kerr County, Texas flood.

Trump’s own appointed FEMA director, Cameron Hamilton, criticized the cutting of 2,000 emergency workers (a third of the agency’s staff) and the interference by political hacks, especially by Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem, slowing down life-saving response to floods. Trump fired him, too.

According to the Army Radio, this is the third time since the beginning of the war and the 23 times in 22 years that Israel has attempted to kill Abu Obaida. He has managed to escape all previous attempts but this time Israel succeeded. He was killed by Israeli airstrikes that targeted an apartment building believing he was in at the Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City on August 30, 2025. The Times of Israel reported that 11 people, including children, were killed in the strike.
 
One of his famous quotes, “We saw God’s victory manifest as we stormed the enemy’s fortresses on October 7th, which crumbled before us like a spider’s web.” Abu Obaida threatened Israel on August 29 that it would "pay the price" with "its soldiers' blood" if it sought to conquer Gaza City.
 
Abu Obeida is a hero and the voice of resistance. He exposed the Israeli lies and showed the world who the real child-killers are, the Zionists.
 
He stood like a mountain with nothing but faith in his heart, facing an enemy with weapons far greater than his own — and yet, it was his courage that shook the Israelis.
Details about event

Monday, September 1, 4pm
McFerson Commons, 218 West Street, downtown Columbus

Labor Day, September 1st, 2025, people in more than 1,000 communities across the 50 United States, Sweden, and the Territory of Guam will gather for Workers Over Billionaires. This is a national day of action sponsored by the same coalition that brought you this year’s May Day National Day of Action. Participants will creatively and nonviolently protest the billionaire takeover of our democracy and the government’s abandonment of the American working class.

The War on Workers.

Comic of Trump in US flag diaper

Donald Trump has signed an unconstitutional executive order banning protected speech. He is ordering that anyone who burns an American flag should receive a year in jail.

So I guess it doesn’t matter if the flag is desecrated, but only how you desecrate it. MAGAts seem to think this is OK.

Trump did pardon J6 MAGAt terrorists for using flagpoles with the flag to attack Capitol Police.

And he seemed OK with Kid Rock’s attire.

And in the Oval Office, which Kid Rock must have confused with Waffle House, and with the way Trump decorates, who can blame him?

And Trump desecrates the flag with his ping-pong paddles, which you can find in the Trump Store.

Today, over on GoComics, a MAGAt told me my school shooting cartoon should be removed because it’s disgusting. GC is a private platform, but the MAGAt still proved how he feels about protected speech. The only speech he approves of is speech he wants to hear, just like Donald Trump.

Details about event
Community Potluck in Support of our Immigrant Refugees

Sunday, August 31, 3-5pm
Old First Presbyterian Church, 1101 Bryden Rd.

Join us for a community potluck where we will center our immigrant community. We will share stories, food, and more as we build collectively towards a better world.

Hosted by Old First Presbyterian Church.

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Concert for a Meaningful Labor Day: Celebrating All Who Work

Sunday, August 31, 4pm
Columbus Mennonite Church, 35 Oakland Park Ave.

Join Bill Cohen as he sings songs made famous by a wide variety of folks: Woody Guthrie, Sam Cooke, Dolly Parton, Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen, Alabama, James Taylor, etc.

Powerful vocal harmonies will be added by veteran Columbus musicians Phil Hart and Teresa Schleifer.

Plus, we’ll recall how, decades ago, labor unions won historic reforms that many of us take for granted today — the eight-hour workday, improved workplace safety, a guaranteed minimum wage, and an end to child labor.

Hurricane from above

Hurricane Betsy hit New Orleans on September 9, 1965, days after I had begun my senior year in high school. Those were the old days when school didn’t start until after Labor Day. The night the hurricane came, our whole family stayed, along with others, in the city’s central business district on the 4th floor of the old California Company building on Loyola Avenue, a stone’s throw from the central library and not much more to City Hall.  My brother and I had to sit in to play hands of bridge to help make up foursomes among the adults. Our house didn’t flood, but the streets had enough water that, when we returned, I could paddle my 14-foot pirogue around the neighborhood and up Paris Avenue. It took a week for the water to subside and power to return. Having a gas stove was a lifesaver, which is part of the reason I still hang onto one now.

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