In theory, Europe and the United States stand on completely opposite sides when it comes to the Israeli occupation of Palestine. While the US government has fully embraced the tragic status quo created by 53 years of Israeli military occupation, the EU continues to advocate a negotiated settlement that is predicated on respect for international law. 

 In practice, however, despite the seeming rift between Washington and Brussels, the outcome is, essentially, the same. The US and Europe are Israel’s largest trade partners, weapon suppliers and political advocates. 

 One of the reasons that the illusion of an even-handed Europe has been maintained for so long lies partly in the Palestinian leadership itself. Politically and financially abandoned by Washington, the Palestinian Authority of Mahmoud Abbas has turned to the European Union as its only possible saviour.

Man and woman smiling

Director Emeritus, Kent R. Beittel, passed away October 16 at the age of 72. His efforts, passion and accomplishments in helping the homeless and marginally housed were unmatched and his legacy will live on at The Open Shelter. Kent and his wife Mary Beittel (who passed in 2017) were honored with community activism awards at the Free Press 2004 annual awards event as champions for the homeless. Often bucking the establishment coalitions in Columbus, Beittel was a strong and effective advocate for people caught up in societal injustice, addiction and poverty.

Friends of Kent and Mary Beittel told their stories about their relationships with Kent and Mary Beittel.

Details about event

Thursday, October 22, 4pm
120 Marconi Blvd., downtown Columbus
Facebook Event
To our fellow humanitarians for justice and equality: the time to end systemic, institutional racism, inequality and injustices that for decades, has protected Columbus Police Officers that are clearly Racists , Prejudice, showing Discrimination toward their African Americans Colleagues. Protective face covering required. Hosted by the Heartbeatmovement - De-escalate Ohio Now!
For more information:
Columbus Black Female Police Officer Speaks Out on Racism in Law Enforcement in Her New Memoir, “Walking The Thin Black Line”

The nation has less than two weeks left to live in its comfort zone of platitudes. This is by far the most ominous election buildup of my (fairly lengthy at this point) lifetime. What will happen on Nov. 3 and thereafter? Will all the votes be counted? Presuming Trump loses, will he leave office?

Are we approaching the end of our . . . uh, democracy?

A real democracy, of course, has always been a terrible inconvenience to those in power, which is why, in the nearly two hundred and fifty years of the nation’s existence, voting — as well as acknowledgment of certain people’s humanity — has been endlessly gamed, suppressed and denied; and a fragile, racist status quo has managed to maintain itself, wrapped in the lie of “liberty and justice for all.” Perhaps it’s this status quo that’s really up for grabs.

BANGKOK, Thailand -- After the military-backed government used
truck-mounted cannons to blast irritant-laden water at revolutionary
youngsters in the street last week, the protests spread.

“Don’t challenge the Grim Reaper," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha warned.

"We are just asking people not to do wrong and destroy the government
and people’s property.

"What the government needs to do is to protect the monarchy," Mr.
Prayuth said on October 19.

The regime repeatedly shut down Bangkok's mass transit system during
the protests, stranding thousands of passengers.

That also did nothing to stop the escalating pro-democracy dissent.

Looking increasingly desperate, vulnerable and bewildered, Prime
Minister Prayuth did the unthinkable -- he declared it illegal to post
online any selfies photographed at rally sites.

Protesters and others laughed at what seemed to them to be Mr.
Prayuth's ridiculous response.

Peaceful, nationwide, pro-democracy protests led by tens of thousands

Details about event

Wednesday, October 21, 12:00 - 1:30 PM, Tuesday, October 27, 5:30 - 7:30 PM, OR Thursday, October 29, 2020, 5:30 - 7:30 PM

I would like to announce the publication of a new book, which discusses the question of how oligarchs maintain their grasp on an excessive share of wealth and power when, as Shelley pointed out, the have-nots are many, while the power-holders are few.

http://eacpe.org/app/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Ye-are-Many-They-are-Few-by-John-Scales-Avery.pdf

The Peterloo Massacre

Rise, like lions after slumber

In unvanquishable number!

Shake your chains to earth like dew

Which in sleep had fallen on you:

Ye are many, they are few!

n ordinary times, Ted Glick would hardly be someone you’d expect to hear urging fellow progressives to vote for the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee.

 

During the first 18 years of this century, Glick was an active member of the Green Party. He ran for the U.S. Senate as the Green Party’s nominee in New Jersey and put in a long stint co-chairing a local branch of the party. In fact, he recalls, “I have been a member of organizations working to build a political alternative to the Democrats and Republicans since 1975.”

 

Now, Glick is more than two weeks into a water-and-vitamins-only fast that he plans to continue until voting ends on November 3. As a headline says over his daily postings, it’s all about “Fasting to Defeat Trump.”

 

Dayton skyline

Dayton - As part of a new national campaign to deliver better treatment and pay to all “essential workers,” the Dayton City Commission unanimously passed a resolution supporting an Essential Workers Bill of Rights on October 12. Essential Worker resolutions have passed in Lakewood and Toledo, and are under consideration in Fremont. Other cities across Ohio are starting the resolution process.

Mayor Nan Whaley said: “Of course Dayton is going to stand up for our essential community members: our government workers, health care workers, farm and factory workers, drug and grocery store workers, and others in the care, service, transportation, cleaning, and food industries. They can’t ‘work from home,’ they are needed in their workplaces to keep our society running. They have our backs, and we have to have theirs too.”

Woman wearing Trump can grab my...

Channel 4’s Colleen Marshall is the matriarch of local broadcast news, so when she recently mentioned many Central Ohio suburban women are still undecided for President, some of us took serious pause.

Is it possible that thousands of educated and successful local women are still undecided and wavering whether to go with crotch-grabbing Trump as they did in 2016?

That’s all Columbus needs in its decades-long effort to attract and retain young professionals so to become as hip as Austin – another Trump victory.

Try not to cringe too hard or you could injure yourself, but as many are aware, the polls are neck-and-neck. RealClear Politics as of Sunday (Oct. 18) has Trump 46.5% to Biden 46%. Keep in mind women now vote more than men, a lot more: 73 million women voted in 2016 compared to 63 million men.

Nationally, polls and the mainstream media keep echoing that suburban women are bailing on Trump. This may not be the case for Upper Arlington, Dublin, Westerville, Canal Winchester, Grove City, Delaware and Licking County.

Last week in Cincinnati, Ivanka Trump told hundreds of invite-only supporters, “We’re going to win Ohio.”

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