BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand's authoritarian coup leader Prime
Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Tuesday (May 2) he expects to enjoy a
much-needed boost to his military regime thanks to President Donald
Trump's surprise invitation to the White House.
   "The U.S. president said that we are their good ally, and he
assured me that although we have been rather distant recently,
Thai-U.S. relations will now be closer than ever," Mr. Prayuth told
reporters on Tuesday (May 2).
   While speaking with President Trump, Mr. Prayuth "affirmed that
Thailand stands ready to support and promote bilateral cooperation in
all fields, particularly trade, investment and security," announced
Deputy Government Spokesman Lt. Gen. Werachon Sukondhapatipak.
   Mr. Prayuth will "support the constructive role of the United
States in maintaining peace and security in the region," Lt. Gen.
Werachon said.
   Mr. Prayuth accepted the White House invitation and asked the U.S.
president to come to Bangkok.
   No dates were announced for either visit.

In the years 2013-2016, the Columbus Police killed 24 people, 20 of them black.

Mappingpoliceviolence.org lists the names of all Columbus citizens killed by the Columbus Police Department (CPD). Despite only 27.6 percent of Columbus’ population being black, 83.3 percent of all people killed by cops were black (see chart).

Out of the 15 largest U.S. cities, Columbus ranks number one in percentage of police killing black people. (see chart).

Often the police and their allies will excuse the high rates of police violence against black people by claiming they are just trying to stop black-on-black crime, a phrase popularized in the 1980s under Ronald Reagan, as the United States created the world’s largest prison industrial complex. Police shootings of black people are not reflective of high black-on-black crime rates. They are not the result of a police department’s attempt to protect poor communities. A report from mappingpoliceviolence.org points out that there is no relationship between police killing blacks and community violent crime rates.

Thursday, May 4, 7-8:30pm
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 30 West Woodruff
The growing resistance to the Trump Administration's reactionary agenda is clear evidence of widespread anger at the glaring extremes of wealth and poverty and the many injustices inflicted on workers, the poor, and the oppressed in our society. 

In addition to organizing and joining protests, many people are seeking out an alternative to capitalism and are for the first time embracing socialism and joining socialist organizations. 

Each summer, the International Socialist Organization organizes the Socialism conference in Chicago, with the goal of building and strengthening left-wing organization. 

The conference annually brings out 1,500 activists and leftists from across the country and beyond for four days of debate, workshops, and discussion with sessions on key questions within the Left. 

Socialism 2017, which will take place July 6 - 9, will likely be the biggest Socialism conference yet, and ISO Columbus is looking to bring other solidarity-minded people to come with us and join the discussion.

Because of President Donald Trump’s policies and Neolithic attitude toward women, pussy hats have become popular regalia at protests in downtown Columbus. But at the March for Science on April 22, brain hats outnumbered pussy hats. White lab coats were also in abundance.

An estimated five thousand people gathered on the west lawn of the Ohio Statehouse to hear physicians, researchers and science educators speak about the essential role of scientific research and the need to base public policy on objective evidence instead of ideology.

“We are wearing our white coats,” said Dr. Beth Liston MD, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at OSU. “They’re not red; they’re not blue. This isn’t a partisan issue. This is simple truth and real fact.”

Dr. Liston is also affiliated with the Physicians Action Network. “Science saves lives,” she said, describing cases of patients surviving cancer after receiving new treatments discovered through publicly-funded research.

In a perfect world, $50 million would be spent showing Ohioans the following political ad on TV:

Announcer: "This is the Ohio Newscast featuring Lenny Smith and Lara Lewandowski." (Ken and Barbie lookalikes)

Lenny: "Ohio's runaway governor is running the Buckeye State into an even bigger ditch."

(Picture of a disgruntled-looking Gov. John Kasich superimposed in background.)

Lara: "That's right, Lenny. A few months ago Kasich said Ohio was running a $400 million deficit. Now it's ballooned to $800 million. Kasich is driving Ohio into a $1 billion debt hole."

Lenny: "In other words, Kasich's so-called Ohio Miracle has become a Buckeye Catastrophe."

Lara: "Isn't Kasich the guy who cut taxes for rich Ohio business owners and cut the hell out of Ohio public schools, cities and counties."

Lenny: "This guy's bad plans are bankrupting the state and hurting its people. What is Kasich doing running around the country campaigning for president and promoting his new book while our home state goes to hell in a hand basket?"