Published in the Columbus Dispatch in February 2012.

The outcry about the mandate to include contraception among covered preventive services tries to frame it as an assault on separation of church and state. As an ex-Catholic, I fully understand the church's position on contraception and abortion, and defend its right to preach its creed to the faithful.

Letter submitted to the Columbus Dispatch.

Peggy O’Brien, in her letter, April 7^th, clearly demonstrates, and perpetuates, a problematic fact of modern political life.  If you repeat a lie often enough, and inject a little paranoia, people will believe it.  Unfortunately most of us don’t bother to check the facts when the lie is told with authority.  But I don’t really blame her.  She has probably heard the lies often enough that she believes them.

UA Progressive Action Coffee and Conversation
Saturday, April 7, 2012, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
30 Attendees

Speaker: Lauren Harmon, Director of the Ohio Democratic Women’s Caucus

Carolyn Casper introduced the speaker. Lauren Harmon will give us a brief overview of the war against women.

Upper Arlington Progressive Action Membership Meeting

Thursday, February 23, 2012, 7pm,

UA Public Library

13 people attended.

Announcements:

Ohio's Issue 3 (more info below) is a disaster waiting to happen and current polling shows it passing on November 8th by wide margin. Unless you help get the word out.

Every major Ohio newspaper has come out against Ohio Issue 3 even traditionally conservative papers that endorsed Issue 2.

• Athens News: Issue 3 will disrupt, complicate health care in Ohio (Oct. 26)
• Cleveland Plain Dealer: No on Issue 3: editorial (Oct. 22)
• Canton Repository: Editorial: Let’s not go down this road again (Oct. 21)
• Akron Beacon Journal: No on Issue 3 (Oct. 16)
• Toledo Blade: No on Issue 3 (Oct. 16)
• Athens Messenger: Statewide ballot issues ... our endorsements (Oct. 16)
• Columbus Dispatch: Health-care amendment wouldn’t override federal law, might cause problems (Oct. 14)

We'd like to share a great story about the importance of healthcare. It's written by CNN.com contributor LZ Granderson, and he provides some great points about the necessity of affordable healthcare for all.

Don't repeal Americans' health care lifeline

(CNN) -- I had been wrestling with eye redness for weeks. After trying nearly every brand of over-the-counter eyedrops available, I finally decided to see a doctor.

The Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities has a replacement levy on the November 8, 2011 ballot. Money raised by the levy will help maintain the basic services for children and adults in Franklin County who have developmental disabilities.

Programs at risk if Issue 22 doesn't pass include Adult and Child Behavioral Support, Dual Diagnosis Clinics, Early Intervention and Early Childhood Education Programs. Also at risk is supported living, and job and home-based training and transportation.

UAPA Book Club will meet on Monday, November 28 at the Upper Arlington Main Library, Room B. Our next selection is "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide" by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.