This law doesn’t protect kids. It punishes them
Dad called them pillow parties.
I was 16 or 17 when he brought it up, once, over dinner. Mom, Dad, my little brother, and I were watching TV. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was a thing then, and 60 Minutes was asking and telling plenty. It made me uncomfortable. I wasn’t out to my family. I was barely out to myself.
Dad, an ex-Marine, wasn’t helping. He hated the thought of a gay man serving in the military. When the segment ended, he muted the TV to make sure we could hear him clearly.
“You know what we used to do with ‘em?” It was rhetorical. He continued before we could answer. “We’d throw pillow parties for ‘em.”
He explained: pillowcases, heavy rocks, a group of Marines, and an unsuspecting, suspected gay man asleep in the barracks. A bruised bedtime story. A sadistic Semper Fi sleepover. A pillow party. And if you want to see such hate in action, watch Stanley Kubrick’s Vietnam War movie “Full Metal Jacket.”
Great family dinner conversation, Dad. Pass the potatoes.
Families Demanding Action for Change and Accountability Press Conference
Thursday, January 16 at 6PM
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/O2nqudYtTz-0L4EJKTpoDA
This global event, held simultaneously in cities across the world, seeks justice, accountability, and systemic reform in response to the ongoing failures of law enforcement and the lack of accountability for police misconduct.
NRC Reveals Holtec Neglected Safety-Critical Steam Generator Tube Maintenance for Two Years at Palisades Atomic Reactor
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"Rookie Error" Severely Accelerated Degradation for 22 Months after Holtec Applied for Billions of Dollars in Public Bailouts to Restart Permanently Closed Nuclear Power Plant |
Ginther and City Hall Bail Out Cherished Developer with Millions of Taxpayer Dollars
The Columbus Dispatch reported (City finances purchase of Idea Foundry and Gravity Experience Park in Franklinton January 13, 2025) that the City of Columbus has purchased The Idea Foundry and Gravity Experience Park for $7.5 million. The purchase was made with taxpayer grant agreements made out to Columbus Next Generation which is the City’s non-profit development arm. Next Generation Executive Director Boyce Safford, who is a former City of Columbus Development Director has served in his role since 2013 and is paid $168,062 annually. Some may recall that Director Safford told a group of minority business contractors at an April 2009 meeting that “they need to contribute to Columbus officials’ political campaigns if they expect to win contracts from City Hall” (Columbus Dispatch City officials advice upsets contractors, April 11, 2009.)
Anti-Death Penalty Alerts: Final Call to Action
As President Biden said on Monday in relation to another matter, "Never ever ever give up." As you know, our primary demand has always been that the President clear all death sentences under his authority.
WEDNESDAY at 9pm ET
"Final Call to Action: Biden #FinishTheJob!"
Invasion of the “Hyperscalers” will increase Central Ohio’s demand for electricity “similar to all of Manhattan”
Invasion of the “Hyperscalers” – or large-scale data centers – into Central Ohio is full-speed ahead with no end in sight. And there’s a looming question that many are not paying attention to, but should: Who is going to foot the bill for the extra American Electric Power (AEP) infrastructure and electricity needed by Amazon, Google, and Meta, to satisfy their hunger?
“The bottom line from a consumer protection perspective is, these data centers are the largest, richest, most powerful companies in the world, and they are going to consume a very large amount of electricity. And the consumer protection issue is, who is going to pay for all the infrastructure necessary to serve those big data centers and who will bear the risk in the event if something goes wrong?” Bill Michael told the Free Press, senior counsel with the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel.
COP29 [29th Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change] and What’s Next for International Climate Policy
Tuesday, January 14, 4-5pm, this on-line event requires advance registration
This past November, world leaders gathered at the United Nations annual climate talks (COP29) with the main goal of securing an ambitious climate finance agreement, alongside reaffirming that nations will take meaningful steps to cut emissions and transition away from fossil fuels as was agreed upon last year.
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) invites you to join a virtual discussion to learn more about our efforts to highlight scientifically necessary outcomes at COP29, how we engaged on the ground during these contentious international climate negotiations and called out the malign influence of fossil fuel interests, and where we go from here — including the impact of the incoming Trump administration which has threatened to exit the Paris Agreement.
Mass Movement for January 20th Planning Meetings
Monday, January 13, 2025, 6:00 PM
Columbus Public Library, Main Branch, 96 S. Grant Ave., Columbus, OH 43215, meeting room A
As Trump takes office on January 20th, Martin Luther King Jr Day, the mass movement is reigniting to say NO to the billionaire agenda! A mass protest in defense of immigrant families, in support of women’s and LGBTQ+ rights, against the war machine and for people’s needs, and more, will be held at the Ohio Statehouse at 12PM.
Sponsored by the ANSWER Coalition, PSL Columbus, JVP Central Ohio, Columbus DSA, the Gateway Film Center union, Black Men Build Columbus, and more, this action aims to fight for our people’s rights on Day 1 of this new presidency.
In preparation for this action, weekly organizing meetings are being held and are open to all. Now is the time to get organized and join the working-class fight-back movement!
What happened at the January 2025 Free Press Second Saturday Salon
Mark Stansbery, Free Press Board member, again did a fabulous job facilitating the first Free Press Second Saturday Cyber Salon in 2025 on January 11.
See Video here.
The theme was “Organizing for the challenges of 2025, from despair to active resistance! - Housing First!”
The first speaker was Kate-Curry-DaSouza, a former longtime Near East Area Commissioner and Columbus City Council District #7 candidate. Kate spoke about Housing First!, that means that everyone deserves housing, and how we must work with public officials to understand this with dialogue moving to action. She talked about the criminalization of the houseless and how they are blamed for their problem. She explained that she’s on the short list for an appointment to Columbus City Council and the problems with the current “ward” system that forces candidates to still run at-large. Check out Kate’s website here.
Help close Guantánamo before Biden leaves office
The military detention facility at Guantánamo Bay is a horrific symbol of torture, indefinite detention, and injustice under the leadership of the United States.
It holds 15 Muslim men, many who have never faced charges or a trial. Hundreds of men and boys have been detained, tortured, and denied their rights at Guantánamo over the last 22+ years. All of these actions are human rights violations under international law.
Time and time again, President Biden said he was committed to protecting and upholding human rights — and these next two weeks are his final opportunity to make good on those promises.