Local

A Tale of Two Thanksgivings

With Thanksgiving just over a week away – and initial preparations for the holiday feast already underway in homes across the country – it has perhaps never felt more important to pause, take a breath, and reflect on the meaning of the season.

On Saturday, November 16, a small group of neo-Nazis marched through the Short North, near downtown Columbus, Ohio. 

The group chanted vile expressions of racism and white supremacy, including the phrase “Bow down, [N-word]!” according to Rev. Derrick Holmes, senior pastor at Columbus’ Union Grove Baptist Church, speaking on behalf of members of his congregation who witnessed the vulgar display firsthand. The cowardly neo-Nazis spouted this hateful rhetoric while carrying black flags with red swastikas and spinelessly hiding distinguishing features behind black concealing outfits and red masks.

The City of Columbus has opened four new food scraps drop-off locations. You can now bring food scraps to:

Beatty Park Community Center: 247 N Ohio Ave

Howard Recreation Center: 2505 Cassady Ave

Linden Park Community Center (behind building): 1350 Briarwood Ave

Carriage Place Community Center: 4900 Sawmill Rd

These join our existing sites at Bill McDonald Athletic Complex, Dodge Park, Scioto Southland Park, and the two Waste and Reuse Convenience Centers. Accepted items include fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, meat, bones, and soiled napkins.

Learn more at columbus.gov/foodwaste.

The coalition of voting and civil rights organizations behind the Ohio Voters Bill of Rights releases the following statement in response to the Ohio Ballot Board rightfully certifying its proposed ballot measure as a single amendment:

“We are grateful that the Ohio Ballot Board made the correct decision today to keep our proposed Ohio Voters Bill of Rights amendment intact. This ruling affirms our position that the amendment relates to a single purpose: voting rights for eligible Ohioans. 

The decision marks another crucial milestone in our journey to put these popular and necessary pro-voter policies before the people of Ohio. 

The Ohio Voters Bill of Rights is fundamentally about restoring and protecting the people's power. We remain unwavering in our commitment to enshrining voting rights into our state constitution, ensuring that every eligible Ohioan has the opportunity to make their voice heard at the ballot box. And the positive outcome from the Ballot Board brings us one step closer to placing this vital issue on the ballot. 

As part of its 35th year as central Ohio’s premier LGBTQIA + performing organization, the Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus (“CGMC”) is very proud to announce that they are launching their first-ever Youth Performing Ensemble.

“I’m incredibly proud that we are launching this Youth Ensemble because there are very few opportunities like this across the country,” said CGMC’s Executive Director Donovan Jones. “It’s important to me that we create a space where LGBTQIA+ youth in Columbus can come together, feel seen, and express themselves through music.”

CGMC believes that we are living in a time where members of our vast LGBTQIA+ family are continuing to be persecuted for simply daring to exist as their authentic true selves. This horrific truth is evidenced by the numerous pieces of anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation that have been introduced in governing bodies all across our nation. Specifically, regarding LGBTQIA+ youth, there continues to be too few safe spaces where they can feel accepted and affirmed for being exactly who they are.

After the recent news that federal grants reached a 

According to the news wire service, Israel Ambassador nominee Mike Huckabee said hostages must be released. Does he mean the 2.2 million Palestinian hostages held in Gaza or the 12,000 Palestinians held in 13 Israeli concentration camps without charges or trial dates for years? Among the thousands of Palestinians (some Christians, yes, I said Christians) held in Israeli jails without due process, must also be released.  So now Mikey, as a professing Christian, how will he work on that one?

Since Huckabee said during his presidential campaign in 2015 that "There is no such thing as Palestinians, I assume he was referring to only the Israeli hostages. Huck spends a lot of time on Twitter. He thinks he's very funny and slick. The fact is he is boring, dull, and Islamophobic, and he will put you to sleep.

Judging from Trump’s appointments so far – hard core Zionists like Elise Stefanik for ambassador to the United Nations and Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel – combined with the fact that he will have control of the House and Senate, and with the collusion of most Democrats, it’s going to be a committed Zionist administration.  It’s going to be brutal.

Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) Central Ohio is attempting to assess the impact of the election results on our efforts to promote to a world where all people – from the U.S. to Palestine — live in freedom, justice, equality, and dignity. We recently held a zoom program to address this. The recording can be accessed here. https://youtu.be/l9AMT2U4y6Y. At the national level, JVP is networking with Adalah Justice Project, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, Arab Resource Organizing Center, Movement for Black Lives, and Rising Majority to develop a strategy for confronting these challenges.

The U.S. House just passed H.R. 9495 — a bill that would grant the incoming Trump administration the power to shut down organizations they don’t like by revoking their nonprofit status.

We can’t let this happen, Suzanne. It would have a chilling effect on our ability to fight for climate justice and oppose fossil fuel projects. But we can still stop this bill in its tracks in the Senate if we amplify our outrage before H.R. 9495 can come to a vote.

We need you to take action with us today. Send a message to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer now urging him not to let H.R. 9495 get a vote!