You can determine the opportunities a Franklin County child will likely have by his neighborhood. Social determinants like health, education and incarceration rates are indicators for success and portend a bleak future for many neighborhoods. What’s to be done? First, let’s look at the numbers. If you live in Upper Arlington, your life expectancy is […]
A neighborhood’s resources determine future of its children Read Post »
One of President Trump’s defenses to his impeachment is that he withheld aid from Ukraine because of his concern for corruption in the country. But there’s a significant fact he doesn’t mention. According to Trump, then-Vice President Joe Biden told Ukraine’s president at the time, Petro Poroshenko, the U.S. would withhold $1 billion in loan
Trump’s defense skips over an important fact Read Post »
Prostitution and trafficking trap countless women in a life of misery and subjugation. For those who lead comfortable lives, it’s a distant—if even recognized—problem. But it’s right here in Columbus, Ohio, and it’s widespread and destructive. To get a sense for the problem, listen to the podcast Lawyer Up, where lawyers John Gonzales and Jack
Restoring women trapped in prostitution Read Post »
Sometimes we hear things that make us uncomfortable, ideas that challenge a core belief. Almost by reflex, we reject such ideas if for no other reason few of us readily accept change. We have concluded for generations that capitalism is king, that it’s the best economic system on the planet. Author Richard Rohr questions whether
Has capitalism distorted our world view? Read Post »
Gov. Mike DeWine has put a hold on executions. He’s bothered that the drug protocol used by the state to execute inmates causes severe pain and mimics waterboarding. DeWine is right to be bothered, but more than anything, he should be concerned for how flawed the system is. The Death Penalty Information Center tells us
Criminal justice system prioritizes procedure over results Read Post »
Are religious freedoms under attack? Gays have the right to marry. The U.S. Supreme Court has left open the question whether a baker must decorate a wedding cake and a florist must provide floral arrangements to be used at gay weddings, and the court is now deciding whether employers can discriminate against LGBTQ employees. Can
LGTBQ rights pose no threat to religious freedom Read Post »
I’m intrigued by the theology of Paula White, President Trump’s new spiritual adviser. Let me give you a couple snippets of her belief system and then contrast them with Richard Rohr, a Catholic priest and author. Most striking about White is that she knows what God wants for us politically. If you don’t support
Trump’s spiritual adviser has a direct line to God Read Post »
How governments prioritize expenditures is sometimes a head-scratcher. An example is the city of Columbus’ decision to invest millions in a new soccer stadium, while a segment of the west side continues to decay. Two weeks ago, the Columbus Dispatch ran a three-day series, “Suffering on Sullivant,” about a three mile stretch of Sullivant Avenue
New stadium scores over economic blight Read Post »
I don’t like it when authors quote the Bible to justify a position, because, I think, so many people use the Bible to advance very narrow interests and not the expansive message of love and compassion that authors like Richard Rohr advocate. But then there’s that old adage, “Never say never,” which allows me to
What part of “Thou Shalt not kill” don’t we understand? Read Post »
If you’re not outraged by the nation’s gun violence, you should be. If you’re outraged but doing nothing, recognize that your inaction contributes to the problem. If you’re a state or U.S. lawmaker who follows the gun lobby script, it’s time to acknowledge that gun violence is a public health issue. Here are suggestions for
Citizens and lawmakers all can work to combat gun violence Read Post »
We want them to protect us and maintain law and order. We authorize them to use force, lethal, if necessary, and we expect them to get it right every time. And when the police err, we get angry. We’ve seen a number of police shootings nationwide, and the shootings that cause us concern often involve
Culture of accountability crucial for police Read Post »
If you pay attention to the reasoning given by legislators for the bills they propose, you’ll frequently see more anecdotes and personal opinion offered as support than statistics or other forms of evidence. Gun legislation provides a good example. Pending in the Ohio Statehouse is H.B. 178, which is sponsored by Republican representatives. The bill
No evidence needed when it comes to gun legislation Read Post »