History – Page 16 – Doug's Views

November 11, 2011April 18, 2020

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow…

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 the guns fell silent across the Western Front in Europe. That’s why we mark November 11th as Veteran’s Day to honor not only our war dead (like my father, pictured on the right) but to celebrate the living men and women who put themselves in harms way. Raise a glass to honor and thank them all and hope, one day, no other sons and daughters, moms or dads, or brothers and sisters have to go to war. Here’s a classic poem about war titled “In Flanders Fields”:

November 7, 2011April 18, 2020

One Day Until Ohio Votes No On Issue 2

Tuesday is election day. Ohioans will be going to the polls to hopefully overturn Senate Bill 5, the massive over reach by cheap labor conservatives to punch unions and public employees as the GOP tries to further enrich their wealthy check signers. Here are a few last minute notes to support voting NO on Issue 2.

Governor Kasich and his party have absolutely no respect for the public employees who work hard serving the state and local areas.

October 21, 2011April 18, 2020

Wild Animals In Ohio Had To Be Put Down

image of press conference Jack Hanna and Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz

Jack Hanna (speaking) and Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz

There has been a lot of anger and complaints about how most of the exotic animals that got loose at a farm outside of Zanesville, Ohio were killed rather than corralled and captured to save them. The facts of the situation led to the rational conclusion that the safety of the community trumped the need to save as many animals as possible.

The first fact is the number of animals. There were 56 large wild animals on the loose. Even on those wildlife shows that show conservationists drugging large wild animals only do it one at a time. There were dozens more in the area of the farm.

October 16, 2011April 18, 2020

Occupy Columbus A Big Success

screencap from report about protest in Columbus Ohio

Saturday was the big global protest day as part of the “Occupy Wall Street” movement and in Columbus hundreds showed up at the steps of the Ohio State House to join in the event. The top news station in town WBNS 10tv had a surprising objective report allowing for a good bit of face and sign time as well as mentioning the other locations of protest in the almost 4 minute report at the top of the 11 PM newscast.

September 11, 2011April 18, 2020

September 11th – A Humanist Response 10 Years On

Image of WTC before the attack with US Flag in background

Today is the 10th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on US soil. The World Trade Center in New York was attacked shortly before 9 AM on a bright and sunny Tuesday in 2001. By the end of the awful day both towers were destroyed, the Pentagon had been hit, and people were killed in a fourth plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. Five days later I wrote an essay about the attacks from my secular humanist perspective. I went through it this week and have posted it again – changed little from the day I wrote it.