We can use the ugliness of neo-Nazi rally to create lasting, tangible change
Early in February, our communities faced a profound challenge when neo-Nazis brought their hatred to an overpass on I-75. The impact of that day continues to ripple through Evendale, Lincoln Heights and our neighboring communities, leaving many feeling hurt, frustrated and uncertain.
As mayor, I want to be clear: Hate has no home in our region. Our commitment to justice and equality must not just be a call to action but a promise we continually make to each other. As leaders, we cannot simply acknowledge the pain, the rage or the fear of these events − we must actively use those feelings to transform our world. This moment demands that we choose a new path forward that emphasizes trust, inclusion and shared outcomes.
From the outset, we have known that rebuilding trust would require transparency and accountability. That's why we took the deliberate step of hiring 21CP Solutions, a nationally recognized and diverse team of experts, to conduct an independent and thorough review of the events of Feb. 7. We are committed to full transparency throughout this process. When the 21CP review is complete, we will release the findings in their entirety, and we will work alongside our neighboring communities to address the recommendations.
We have also known that rebuilding trust would require us to address the impacts of these events. This is why our Village Council is actively working with elected leaders from within the Princeton School District. They will be meeting for the first time as a group in the coming days. Child safety, trauma mitigation and educational advancement concern all the Princeton communities, and I believe these conversations will pave the way for understanding and cooperation, which will benefit everyone.
In addition to these steps, our council is engaging in numerous private conversations to include business, faith and community leaders in the process of rebuilding. By fostering understanding and collaboration on issues ranging from safety to shared opportunity, we are trying to create a future we all desire. As we continue to rebuild the trust that was damaged, we will need to respect the diverse experiences, aspirations and concerns of our neighbors and be supportive of their efforts to realize their dreams.
Opinion: Hate must be confronted wherever it appears. Lincoln Heights is an example.
We recognize that the events of Feb. 7 not only caused pain but also raised questions about how we, as leaders, chose to respond when faced with such vile actions. We needed to be connected, empathetic, accountable and, when necessary, contrite. We were not. In the aftermath of the events, we focused too heavily on getting to the facts as quickly as possible. We should have first demonstrated our concern and our caring, which our community has in abundance. We apologize for this and are committed to learning from this experience.
Opinion: Evendale investigation is a start, but tougher laws needed against armed threats
Feb. 7 does not have to be remembered only for the pain and division it caused. We can use the ugliness of that day to help transform our communities in tangible and lasting ways. This journey will not be easy, nor will it be quick. But our futures, and the futures of our neighbors, require it.
Richard H. Finan is the mayor of the Village of Evendale. He formerly served as the president of the Ohio Senate from 1997-2003 and was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1973 and the Ohio Senate in 1978. Contact him at: Richard.finan@EVENDALEOHIO.ORG
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Evendale is working to rebuild trust after neo-Nazi rally | Opinion
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San Francisco Chronicle
9 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
No Kings Day: Tens of thousands pack Bay Area streets and parks to defy Trump
Tens of thousands of protesters crowded streets and parks in dozens of Bay Area cities Saturday to voice opposition to President Donald Trump and his administration as part of nationwide No Kings rallies. The protests, potentially the largest in U.S. history, included calls for action at Civic Center and a human banner at Ocean Beach in San Francisco, impassioned speeches by political leaders in Oakland, and a 7-mile human chain between Tesla showrooms in Palo Alto and Sunnyvale, as well as scores of protests, summits and teach-ins in other Bay Area cities. No Kings Day marked Trump's 79th birthday and stood in contrast to Saturday's military parade through Washington, D.C., for the anniversary of the U.S. Army, protest organizers said. 'We just chose the same date to show the world a counter image,' said Liliana Soroceanu, an organizer with Indivisible SF. The demonstrations came after uproar over Trump's ordering of the National Guard and Marines into Los Angeles to 'liberate' the city from what he labeled as 'animals' in a speech in Fort Bragg, N.C.. Demonstrators have gathered in Los Angeles for more than a week of protests over raids and detentions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. In San Francisco, a protest against the National Guard's deployment led to the arrest of 150 demonstrators. The San Francisco protesters assembled in Dolores Park long before the start of the march Saturday, then headed north on Dolores Street and down Market Street. Eric Kingsbury, a leader of the San Francisco Democratic Party, held a sign containing Uncle Sam's likeness as he marched to Civic Center, encouraging people to stop 'the Nazis in Washington.' 'It is not just our right, but our responsibility as citizens of a democracy to stand up when we see our democracy crumbling before our eyes,' Kingsbury said. 'The only way that we can stand up against Donald Trump right now, when Democrats are in the minority at the national level, is to show that we have the people behind us.' Tanisha Humphrey, an organizer with the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, told the Civic Center crowd that protesting is a 'core tenet' of American freedom. Humphrey led demonstrators in a 'know your rights' training from the stage, including telling protesters to protect their data and lock their phones. 'Stay calm. Don't run. Comply,' Humphrey advised the crowd on dealing with police. Humphrey told protesters that police can lie and intimidate people, but 'there is power in your silence.' 'These are scary times,' Humphrey said. 'Protect yourself. Look out for each other.' Oscar Arbulu, a Marine Corps veteran with the activist group Common Defense, called out 'that federal gang called ICE' for detaining and deporting veterans. Arbulu, the child of immigrants, condemned Trump's deployment of Marines to Los Angeles ICE protests. 'He dishonors our service,' Arbulu told the crowd. 'Using Marines against peaceful protesters betrays our oath and history.' Arbulu said Common Defense organizes progressive veterans and called on the crowd to 'take back the American flag and let it be a symbol for everybody.' After the rally, a group of activists assembled on Grove Street and vowed to continue resisting Trump's hard-line agenda on immigration and other policies. 'We gotta do this every day. Everywhere we go, everyone we talk to,' a speaker told the crowd through a microphone. A few minutes later, Conny Commers, 52, of San Jose reiterated the point while bemoaning how many members of Generation X had voted for Trump. 'We refuse to accept a fascist America,' Commers told the crowd. Saturday's San Francisco march followed a 7 a.m. protest outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office South of Market and a Refuse Fascism rally at 10 a.m. at 24th and Mission streets. The early ICE protest drew more than 100 people to 478 Tehama St. after immigrants received text messages Friday ordering them to check in with immigration officials this weekend. 'We believe there's a very high likelihood that means that they're planning to detain people on that site,' said Sanika Mahajan of immigrant outreach group Mission Action. As many as 25 immigrants including families arrived by about 11 a.m., but the office appeared closed and no one had entered or left. Instead, activists met with the immigrants outside and connected them with lawyers. Several protesters returned to the building Saturday afternoon after the No Kings march wound down. Some chant leaders and a drum line had remained there since 7 a.m. 'People are still out there holding it down, and they have not been able to open the ICE office today,' Mahajan told the crowd. 'We're not waiting for anyone to come save us.' Saturday morning's ICE protest was followed by a human banner at San Francisco's Ocean beach, featuring hundreds of volunteers spelling out 'NO KING!' The event was organized by travel writer Brad Newsham and architectural designer Travis Van Brasch, local activists who assembled human banners spelling out 'IMPEACH + REMOVE' and 'HANDS OFF DEMOCRACY' at Ocean Beach during nationwide protests in April. In the more suburban South Bay, the No Kings protest took the form of a 7-mile-long rally along El Camino Real from one Tesla showroom in Palo Alto to another in Sunnyvale. Protesters lined the busy thoroughfare as far as the eye could see, waving signs and lobbing 'No Kings' chants at an overwhelmingly supportive audience of drivers, who leaned on their horns or waved American flags out their windows in response, and occasional bicyclists, who gave thumbs-ups or rang their bells. The demonstration highlighted Trump's relationship with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, which soured in recent weeks after Musk left the Department of Government Efficiency. The rally, named 7x7 because 7,000 participants were expected, far exceeded attendance hopes, drawing about 20,000 people, said organizer IdaRose Sylvester. She called the turnout 'phenomenal' and said scores of attendees told her the rally had made them feel hopeful and less alone. 'It was fuel for me to keep this battle going,' Sylvester said. Designed as an accessible form of protest, the rally was meant to build unity among protesters, said Sally Lieber, an organizer with the liberal group Together We Will and former state assemblywoman. 'Our feeling is very strongly that we have to come out of this crisis with a sense of radical solidarity,' Lieber said. 'This is not normal and this is not acceptable, and we will not sit down.' Attendees rattled off a litany of motivations for protesting, but many were especially critical of Trump's deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles over the past week. 'California never called for his help, and there he was,' said Myra Cohen, a retired elementary school principal two weeks from her 99th birthday. Sitting in a wheelchair in the shade, she wore a gold paper crown that said 'No Kings!!!' and held a sign that read 'This generation won't stay silent on fascism.' Asked about her motivations for protesting, she quipped, 'Do you want a list?' Cohen called Trump a 'bully' and said his actions stupefy her. 'I never thought I'd live to see this day,' she said. 'I just don't sleep well at night thinking about what's going on in the world.' Ron Cohen, 72, Myra's son, stood a couple feet away brandishing a sign calling the president 'Trumpfuhrer' and his base 'MAGAstapo.' A retired Stanford physician, Ron Cohen said Trump's militarized response to L.A. protests constituted hypocrisy. 'This requires the Marines, but January 6th gets pardoned? Let's get real,' he said, referring to Trump supporters' 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Later, thousands of South Bay protesters descended on Palo Alto's Rinconada Park for a Democracy Fair featuring music, arts and crafts and educational workshops on topics such as climate change and abortion bans. An impromptu town hall meeting with Rep. Sam Liccardo, D-San Jose, and a short speaker lineup including retired California Superior Court Judge LaDoris Cordell and Stanford political science professor Larry Diamond closed out the event. The gathering, organized by local Indivisible groups, was meant to provide a 'nourishing' space for new activists and 'emotionally spent' veterans, said organizer Naomi Woldemar. Part of that nourishment was physical: Organizers provided 10 Costco sheet cakes, frosted with American flags, as an ironic nod to Trump's ''let them eat cake' attitude,' Woldemar said. The desserts, handed out on red, white and blue napkins, were gone within 30 minutes. Singer-songwriter Joan Baez finished out the fair's programming by reading poems and leading the swaying crowd in a rendition of 'No nos moverán' — 'We shall not be moved.' Baez said she considered the day's demonstrations a 'little victory' worth celebrating and told people to 'pony up' and keep protesting. 'This is not a time for the comfort zone,' she said. Thousands of protesters also rallied outside Oakland's City Hall, packing Frank Ogawa Plaza and spilling onto the adjacent streets. Some sang protest songs. Others picnicked with toddlers on the grass. Some climbed the city's famed Jack London Oak tree. Speaking from the back of a pickup truck, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee called for the protection of constitutional rights, democracy and immigrant communities. 'We are here to remind our country that this is a democracy. No kings allowed,' she said to cheers from the crowd. 'We do not allow dictators in a democracy. We are not going to allow this country — our great country — to devolve into an autocracy.' Assembly Member Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, said Trump's 'authoritarian policies' on immigration are destroying California. Immigrants 'are welcome here,' Wicks said. 'They are members of our communities. They make California what it is today. They represent the beauty of California and what makes the state great. I'm proud of our immigrant community.' The Oakland protesters voiced disappointment with Democrats as much as they slammed Trump's policies. Friends Sharlene Holmes and Janis Jackson said they showed up to fight for democracy because 'everybody has to do their part.' Both said they were disappointed by how Democrats have not been aggressive enough in responding to Trump. 'More of them need to be like Jasmine Crockett and AOC,' Jackson said, referencing the progressive Texas congresswoman and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Corte. 'They have more balls than the men do.' Republicans have 'flipped the script,' and Democrats need to respond, said Jackson, a Contra Costa County resident. Pam Brandau, 78, said she couldn't stay silent amid Trump's mass deportations plans. She stood at Frank Ogawa Plaza holding a sign made by her 8- and 11-year-old granddaughters that said 'Restore Justice and Mercy for everyone' on one side and 'Not Wanted: Kings' on the other. 'I am sad. I am mad. People are being taken,' she said. 'I just can't stand by and sit at home.' Nearby, Nitya Sampath drove from the South Bay on Saturday morning to meet her sister in Oakland for the march. Sampath had only one message for Trump; 'He's a moron,' she said, pointing to her sign that read 'MAGA: Morons Are Governing America.' Several thousand people gathered for a noon march through downtown Petaluma, carrying signs reading, 'No crown for the clown,' 'No MAGA monarchy,' and 'Eggs are so expensive cuz the chickens are in Congress.' Outside the Bay Area, crowds spilled out onto Soquel Avenue in Santa Cruz, stretching for blocks while traffic at the intersection with Riverside Avenue ground to a halt. Protesters chanted, 'Ain't no power like the power of the people because the power of the people don't stop.' Veterans Vanessa Lopez and Tim Butler attended the Santa Cruz rally with their daughter. The couple said they are concerned by cuts to Veterans Affair jobs and benefits. Butler, who served in the Marines, said he is disturbed by the Marines being deployed in Los Angeles. 'To see Marines in the streets… we're not supposed to be in the streets, that's not what we're designed for. We're designed to protect the country and for assistance abroad,' Butler said. 'It's scary to see that, it's not something that should be happening in the United States.' The couple's daughter, Tatiana Lopez, said it was her first protest. 'I'm proud to be here,' she said. 'For me it's about the deportation. My grandma, she's an immigrant, and I would hate to see her go back to Mexico after all the hard work that she's done to make my mom and me live such a good life.' In Los Angeles, Anna Perez, 46, of suburban Lincoln Heights carried a sign honoring her grandparents, who immigrated to the U.S. from Sonora years ago and became citizens. Her parents worked as civil servants, and she now works for the city of Los Angeles. 'There's an insinuation we're all criminals, that we want to take from the government, to steal,' Perez said. 'We all turned out perfectly fine.' She had spent the last week watching ICE raids and unrest with alarm. The situation crystallized for her when she asked her 14-year-old how she felt about everything. Her daughter replied, 'It's sad this has become our new normal,' she said. 'It's hard to hear that.' Caroline Heldman, a professor at Occidental College in Los Angeles, said in an interview on KPIX that the number of people marching nationwide in Saturday's No Kings protests could set a new record for the U.S. The largest single-day protest in U.S. history was the Women's March in 2017, which was held in response to Trump's first inauguration. Estimates of the number of people who attended demonstrations that day range from 3.3 million to 4.6 million, including about 100,000 in San Francisco. Ko Lyn Cheang, Sarah Ravani, Hannah Hagemann, St. John Barned-Smith, Christian Leonard and Demian Bulwa contributed to this report.
New York Post
21 hours ago
- New York Post
Lefties' assisted suicide push and more: Letters to the Editor — June 15, 2025
Slide to suicide Rep. Elise Stefanik was spot on ('Cruel 'Choice,' ' PostOpinion, June 12)! While the heartless and soul-less 'compassionate' far-leftists who have wormed their way into a near supermajority in the Legislature strike one more blow against faith and humanity, our governor has her licked finger in the air looking for direction and/or donations. While the left and its media sycophants chastise President Trump and Republicans as 'Nazis,' the left quietly goes about passing pro-euthanization laws that would put a smile of the faces of Josef Mengele and Adolf Hilter. They are in favor of aborting the viable and now exterminating the ill. Assisted suicide has now become one of Canada's top causes of death. Our self-serving 'leaders,' who couldn't run even a small business, are pushing New York down a path towards spiritual, moral, economic and physical death. Demetrius Kalamaras, Staten Island Tulsi's nuke fears If Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard wants to get us away from 'nuclear holocaust,' she can begin by supporting stronger arms to Ukraine ('Doom to repeat,' June 12). The conflict began in 2014, when the Obama administration failed to enforce the Budapest Memorandum and punish Russia for illegally annexing Crimea. There's a direct link between that failure and the current administration not being able to convince Iran to give up enriching uranium. The Iranians have seen first-hand what happens when a country does just that. The only way to fix this is a decisive victory for the rule of law. Daniel Kuncio, Tribeca Name games In regards to Connetquot High School and their 'Thunderbirds' team name, there is currently an American Hockey League team in Massachusetts by the name of the Springfield Thunderbirds ('$23M for the birds,' June 11) The team's inaugural season was 2016! If a professional hockey team can call themselves the Thunderbirds (with a bird mascot), there's no reason why a high school can't keep/use the same name. James Lautier, Windsor, Conn. Reining in rats Thank you for 'NYC's rat war family feud now' (June 10). Cleanliness is ideal and a great deterrent. Containerizing trash has been helping, which makes sense. When food isn't available, then there won't be many rodents around. The article also mentions lacing rat bait with birth control. Tactics like this seem far more humane than glue traps, which cause prolonged and severe suffering, all while doing nothing to address root causes. Many people may not like rats, but they shouldn't have that type of agony inflicted upon them. In terms of disease, the Centers for Disease Control advises against glue traps because the urine from stuck animals is out in the open and can spread pathogens. James Scotto, Yorktown Heights Cow control So now our lefty pols are concerned with cow methane and manure pollution ('The War on . . . Cows?' Editorial, June 11). If there were a million cows in New York, it wouldn't compare to the pollution currently created by the methane excreted from the mouths of these brainless progressives. Karl Olsen, Watervliet Want to weigh in on today's stories? Send your thoughts (along with your full name and city of residence) to letters@ Letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, accuracy, and style.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Tucker Carlson: Trump ‘complicit' in Israel's strikes on Iran
Political pundit Tucker Carlson criticized President Trump on Friday, saying he is 'complicit' in Israel's attack on Iran and warning the escalating conflict between the two nations could lead the U.S. into war. Carlson, as part of his morning newsletter, said Trump was 'complicit in the act of war,' noting the U.S. long-standing alliance with Israel, which attacked several military targets in Iran overnight Thursday and killed top Iranian military leaders — leading to fears of an all out war between the two nations. 'What happens next will define Donald Trump's presidency,' Carlson wrote in his newsletter, which was highlighted by several media outlets. Carlson has been a longtime media ally of the president, sitting with him at the Republican National Convention last summer and hosting him as part of speaking tour during the 2024 campaign. The former Fox News host is known for his firebrand commentary on politics and culture, and has for years been a vocal critic of so-called neo-cons he argues have dragged the U.S. into unnecessary wars in the Middle East and elsewhere. He has in recent weeks sparred with other conservative commentators who have urged Trump to take a tougher stance on Iran. Carlson is among the president's favorite right-wing pundits, and Trump has praised him publicly both while he was at Fox and after he left the network in 2022. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
