At the December Free Press Second Saturday Cyber-Salon, we discussed a progressive agenda for 2021, both locally and nationally. Many local activists reported on their goals and events for the new year.

Connie Hammond described the work of the Central Ohio Worker Center (COWC) and their victory in having Columbus City Council pass a Wage Theft Ordinance. Their main issue is wage theft and they will hold a seminar on it in February 2021. Their new member orientation will be January 16:

Most Free Press readers are familiar with Ohio House Bill 6, the infamous $1.3 billion electric ratepayer bailout of FirstEnergy’s nukes and coal.  And the bribery and racketeering scam revealed by the FBI last July, implicating FirstEnergy in illegally funneling money to legislators and later into opposition to a signature gathering campaign that would have overturned the bill.

There has been a lot of publicity, anger, and citizen outrage directed at the legislature to repeal House Bill 6 since the scandal broke. Yet the legislature, which took only 96 days to pass the bill, somehow cannot act on repealing House Bill after 145 days—until now.  

Although this is not a milestone that we wished to have reached, we would like to come together to recognize and reflect upon the 900 days that Miriam and her family have spent living in sanctuary. Let’s continue the fight (¡Que siga la lucha!) to ensure that Miriam does not spend a day more in the shackles of sanctuary.

Please join us on Sunday, December 13th at 6:00pm for a Zoom event that will include music, an update from Miriam herself, a call to action, ways to help Miriam and her family, and an hour to spend in the uplifting company of community.

ZOOM LINK for the event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84893189981?pwd=RG1MKzJvU3VOYmJNelRMc2pNdXBUZz09

If you would like to help Miriam and her family directly but cannot attend the event:

Please visit our GoFundme and contribute what you can. All donations go directly to Miriam to cover basic needs and legal fees for when she is finally free: https://www.gofundme.com/f/miriam-and-family-at-first-english

Event plan:

Smedley Butler won’t be around next year to save us.

       The former Marine Corps general was offered a ton of money in 1933 to murder newly-elected president Franklin Roosevelt and stage a fascist coup.

Armed with the then-huge sum of $3 million, infamous billionaires funded a “Banker’s Plot” with 500,000 armed thugs set to erect a corporate dictatorship atop FDR’s grave.

Butler had led US troops throughout Latin America during the “Dollar Diplomacy” 1920s. He crushed grassroots uprisings and installed brutal dictators. America’s richest barons now wanted him to do the same thing here.

But they chose the wrong guy. In shocking Congressional hearings, Butler blew the whistle on (until then) US history’s best-funded attempted coup. “War,” he warned, “is a racket.”

The super-rich plotters hotly denied Butler’s account. None of them went to prison.

Butler won’t be around next year to expose the Trump coup attempt, already in progress. He won’t have to. It’s already visible for all to see.

Friday, December 11, 6pm, Franklin County Municipal Court, 373 S. High St.

Facebook Event

Enough is enough. After months of demonstrations against police brutality and the disproportionate murder of Black people, it has happened again.

Join us in a peaceful protest to demand justice for Casey Goodson Jr., the beloved son, brother, cousin, friend, neighbor, and community member.

As always, wear masks, social distance, and bundle up! Bring your signs and help us demand justice, accountability, and transparency.

Casey, aka Tank, was murdered by a 17-year-experienced Franklin County Sheriff Deputy who was working with the U.S. Marshal to capture an individual who was not Casey.

The media has reported multiple lies and facts that don’t add up. Casey was murdered as he entered his home, holding a Subway sandwich, in front of his family. His back was to officers and he was not a threat. Yet they killed him anyway.

#JusticeForCasey