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Free Press is committed to documenting the people taken by ICE

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested, detained, deported, and/or imprisoned many people that it has unilaterally determined to be undesirables.  At first, they claimed they would deport only criminals, but it has already gone beyond that.  We at the Free Press consider every person who has been sent to the Tecoluca (El Salvador prison), Guantanamo naval base, or detained in other prisons throughout the country to be innocent until proven guilty. We will include students who have been expelled for protesting genocide.  It appears the government will revoke Visa's to get rid of undesirable students.  This article will be updated as long as is necessary.

Familiar tale gracefully blends feminism and fantasy

Feminism has a crucial role to play in modern life, but I sometimes wish it would leave our fairy tales alone. The results of its revisionist meddling are too often unconvincing and unsatisfying.

Remember last year’s Maleficent? It turned an age-old story on its head by revealing that the fairy (Angelina Jolie) who turned a princess into a “Sleeping Beauty” was not evil at all. No, she was merely wronged and misunderstood. Worst of all, we learned that the somnambulant princess could not be awakened by a kiss from the handsome prince, but only by a motherly peck from that same fairy.

How heartwarming. And how utterly unromantic.

Thank goodness Disney’s new live-action version of Cinderella doesn’t wear its feminism on its sleeve. It has nods to modern sensibilities, to be sure, but they’re handled with a lighter touch.

Expecting Different?

Sample ballot

I love Chinese food, but I have standards. What if there was a Chinese restaurant a mile away and rated 2 stars? NOT A CHANCE. No matter how hungry I might be, it’s worth it to drive farther for better Chinese food.

Why then, do we KEEP SETTLING FOR LESS? Recently, Columbus City Schools were rated overall as a TWO-STAR SCHOOL DISTRICT by the State of Ohio.

The Columbus City School Board has three Board of Education positions open for election this November 4. Every election we keep voting for the approved Franklin County Democratic Party (FCDP) “endorsed candidates.” And for all of our loyalty, our schools earn TWO STARS. No, it’s not the fault of the teachers or the students. It’s a MONOPOLY OF FAILED LEADERSHIP.

Politicians and education don’t mix

Solidarity Mobilizations: a 2-part training on showing up for immigrant communities

Details about event

Wednesdays, October 15 and 22, 7:00 – 8:15 PM
More information and registration for the zoom here
Across the country, immigrant communities are under attack and authoritarian forces are gaining ground. But there’s a growing movement of people ready to take action with clarity, courage, and discipline.

This training is for all of us who want to stand up in solidarity, especially those of us who are white who are ready to organize, respond, and show up with commitment and care.

Project 2025 clashes with both historic KKK Act and modern Ohio initiative: Protecting Ohioans Constitutional Rights

People with End Qualified Immunity sign

A stark but unsurprising contrast in the philosophy of governance and civil rights enforcement is emerging between the proposals of Project 2025 and the grassroots efforts of the Ohio Coalition to End Qualified Immunity.

While Project 2025 seeks to curtail federal oversight and reshape the civil service, the Ohio initiative, much like the historic 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act, aims to intensify and reinforce the accountability of government officials who’ve committed civil rights violations. The Protecting Ohioans’ Constitutional Rights citizen-led ballot amendment initiative was cleared for signature gathering earlier this year. The initiative seeks to restore a fundamental check on government power by allowing Ohioans to hold public officials and entities accountable in civil court.

Save Ohio Parks: Tell the House Natural Resources Committee to Ban fracking under state parks, Lake Erie

Sign for Salt Fork State Park

Wednesday, October 15, at 9 a.m.
We will meet at 8:45 a.m. in the Statehouse Rotunda to gather and distribute small signs.
Then we will walk together to the hearing in Room 116 of the Ohio Statehouse shortly before 9 a.m.

he House Natural Resources Committee will hear sponsor testimony on House Bill 399 – a two-page bill that would ban oil and gas extraction from under Lake Erie or any Ohio state park.

Tom Hayes receives a hero's welcome at Columbus airport

Man walking through airport holding a plant with people and balloons surrounding him

Released American hostage Tom Hayes received a hero's welcome at John Glenn International Airport in Columbus, Ohio yesterday Sunday October 12, 2025. 

He was among the nearly 500 Sumud Flotilla crew who were taken hostage by the Israeli pirates on October 3 in internarial water about 100 miles away from Gaza shores. 

All Global Sumud 46 vessels were intercepted by Israel as it was sailing to break the siege in Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged and starving people in the Strip. They carried food, water, baby formula, and toys for kids.

A group of well-wishers with Tom Hayes at Columbus airport on October 12. Photo taken by Mahmoud El-Yousseph 

Several dozen people from Central Ohio and some from Athens in Ohio came to Columbus airport to give Tom Hayes the welcome he deserves: A hero's welcome! After all, he risked his life for the people of Gaza and for justice. 

Indigenous People's Day

Book cover

The city of Columbus no longer celebrates "Columbus Day" and has removed all Christopher Columbus statues, however there's a movement to return one. Instead, as of 2020, the day is referred to as "indigenous People's Day" -- something the Free Press and many local activists had been demanding for decades. 

In honor of this day, here is a poem by longtime local activist Michael Eckhardt, from his recently published book, Navigation: In these uncertain times. You can purchase the book from the Free Press here. 

dance with destiny

tall ships danced

across the water

the course of history

about to change

fence rows appear

each post a stake

in mother earth's breast

church and state combine

to commit acts of genocide

manifest destiny continues

proud indigenous peoples

deceived and displaced

Images of ICE running wild in America

Are American's seeing the images of ICE attacking people? It would seem that the entire population would revolt. There are a brave few protesting but not enough to change the behavior. Unless enough American's take to the streets or revolt in other ways, we will see this government to continue to commit crimes against innocent American citizens, for at least 3 more years.  In a Democracy, public opinion alone would be enough to stop this.  

Here are just a few links of ICE running wild in America.  I urge everyone to have access to TwitterX/ TicTok and/or Bluesky.  This is just a small sample of the horrors being inflicted.

Illinois State Police confronted a group of aggressive anti-ICE protesters,

WATCH: Law enforcement officers clash with anti-ICE demonstrators 

He dropped his sons off at school and never made it home.

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