Local

Sixty-two years ago, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., ignited America with his dream of what this country could be. Regrettably, that dream turned into a nightmare when Walter Carter, Jr., the president of the Ohio State University, declared that OSU would “sunset the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI)” as well as the Center for Belonging and Social Change (CBSC), effective February 28. So the sun is going down on diversity and inclusion at OSU? Is OSU now a “sundown town?”

For those of you too young to remember such places, they were towns that made it clear that Black people were not welcome there “after sundown,” often displaying these hostile sentiments on large billboards on the way into and out of town. Who is welcome here, and who is now excluded from the OSU community? What ideas and thoughts are welcome here, and which are excluded? Carter could not have made it more clear by leaping to obey legislation that has not even been enacted yet and federal executive orders that do not carry the weight of law.

Monday, March 17, 2025, 4:00 PM

The catastrophic shutdown of lifesaving foreign aid is putting millions at risk of disease and death despite lawsuits and promises of waivers. And now Congress is threatening draconian cuts to Medicaid and food assistance for low-income Americans. The drama in DC is constantly shifting, making it hard to keep up.

RESULTS is on Capitol Hill every day and holding meetings with congressional offices across the country and with partners around the world. In this hour-long chat, we’ll share the latest on the struggle to save foreign aid and to protect Medicaid and SNAP. We’ll leave ample time to answer your questions and hear your concerns. Join us to learn what your support has made possible, what we’re doing now, and what’s next.  

Sunday, March 16, 2-4pm
Sequoia Pro Bowl, 5501 Sandalwood Blvd.

Looking for a fun way to connect with like-minded folks while supporting Simply Living? Join us for an afternoon of bowling, community, and sustainability-inspired fun at Sequoia Pro Bowl!

After last month’s screening of Join or Die, which explored the power of community and civic engagement, we’re keeping the momentum going with a social event that brings people together — on the lanes! Whether you’re a seasoned bowler or just in it for the laughs, this event is about strengthening local connections and supporting Simply Living’s mission, all while having a great time.

Cost: $25 per person (includes two hours of bowling + shoe rental)

Why You Should Join Us

Community Matters: Research shows that strong local connections lead to healthier, happier, and more sustainable communities. This event is a chance to step away from the screen and build real-world connections.

Support Simply Living: Your participation helps fund Simply Living’s programming, including educational events, sustainability initiatives, and community outreach.

Saturday, March 15, noon
Ohio Statehouse AND
4-5pm
Grove City, 4035 Broadway
Uphold the Constitution! End executive overreach! Liberty and Justice for all!
Peacefully protest the policies of the second Trump administration.

Veterans of all ages and their supporters lined the sidewalk from State to Broad Street in front of the Ohio Statehouse protesting the proposed Trump administration cuts to federal Veterans Administration (VA) jobs.

The Columbus demonstration answered a call for veterans' protests at capitol cities fSandy Bolzenius, a veteran at the protest, estimated there were at least 350 people in attendance.or Friday, March 14 at noon across the country demanding Congress stop the proposed cuts of 80,000 VA jobs would affect benefits many depend upon. 

Protester signs expressed anti-fascism, anti-Trump and anti-Elon Musk sentiment as well as defending the Constitution and hands off veteran's benefits. Members of Veterans for Peace held banners for their organization. Sandy Bolzenius, a veteran at the protest, estimated there were at least 350 people in attendance.

This year being the 30 th anniversary of Beyond Capital , it's high time for a broader audience to become familiar with this masterwork by István Mészáros. Following up on two previous installments in this series, this essay focuses on the implications drawn from chapters 15 and 16 . I encourage you to read them for yourself to draw your own conclusions.

Click here for the Spanish translation

It Takes Genius to Be Awed by the Obvious

There's an old proverb that anyone and everyone takes notice when the strange and unusual happen, like the hurricanes that came by while I typed the first and second drafts of these lines... but only real intellects can be overwhelmed by the obvious, such as wondering why there is an “up” and a “down,” and what could cause them.

Friday, March 14, noon
Ohio Statehouse, Broad and High Streets
Part of a nationwide call to stand up for veterans rights in the midst of the federal cuts to the VA program.

The U.S. Energy Administration (EIA) or the EIA recently released electric generation data from 2024. 

Solar and wind grew nationwide at the same time that coal continued its long-term decline. Natural gas had small increases and remains the country's top fuel for producing electricity. Natural gas power plants generated 43.3 percent of the country's electricity last year, up from 43.2% in 2023. Utility-scale renewables, wind, solar, and hydropower, were 22.7 percent, up from 21.4% percent. Nuclear was 18.2 percent, down from 18.5 percent. Coal accounted for 15.2 percent of electric generation, down from 16.1 percent.

EIA projects this trend will continue in 2025 as wind and solar dominate new generation sources. EIA also projects that solar plus storage will account for 81 percent of all new electrical generation in 2025. Wind will provide 12 percent of new generation surpassing natural gas accounting for about 7 percent.

Nuclear and Coal Stagnant and Declining

Welcome to AmeriKKKa, the home of White mass shooters and land of “No black lives matter.” We have been taught that America is the land of the free and the home of the brave, but I’m having a hard time believing that statement in light of what happened to pro-Palestinian student activists Mahmoud Khalil of Columbia University and Liu Lijun, a grad student at University of California, Los Angeles, CLA- Mahmoud is a green cardholder and Miss Lijun is on a student visa. These are dark days in America.

Two days ago, petition demanding the immediate release of Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil has garnered nearly 900,000 signatures after his detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Saturday.

Not everyone obeys illegal and immoral orders. Sometimes trends even develop, tipping points are reached, in which people disobey en masse and set things right.

Large numbers of U.S. government workers are refusing to email Elon Musk, many are speaking out against illegal directives, and some are suing the billionaire leader of the DOGE fiasco.

What starts with refusal to censor basic English words or bury scientific data could develop into refusal to disappear political enemies.

We need to encourage civil disobedience before it is too late.

Click here to tell federal workers you support defying unlawful orders.