Category Archives: Freedom

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Dutertes administration is upholding the freedom of speech and expression of every Filipino, but will not tolerate the spread of misinformation, especially amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis, a Palace official said.

This government values every Filipinos freedom of speech and expression, knowing that they are truly vital toward a free flow of information and constructive and productive discourses, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.

In the same vein, it values, protects, and upholds press freedom by safeguarding the media environment and the media workers. Such freedoms clearly prove our thriving democracy, he added.

Andanar made the statement following the claim of United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet that Asian nations, including the Philippines, were using the Covid-19 crisis as an excuse to clamp down on freedom of expression and to tighten censorship.

Bachelete said people had been fined, arrested and attacked for allegedly spreading misinformation or criticizing the governments response in countries like the Philippines.

But the Palace official insisted the UN rights chiefs concerns were unfounded and uncalled for.

All operations that the government has undertaken regarding this matter are legal operations that are hinged on the respect for the rule of law and due process as provided by the countrys justice system, Andanar said.

Regardless of political or ideological positions, it is to be noted that we have undertaken such measures with transparency, impartiality and accountability; therefore, any arrests that were made were not targeted towards silencing the critics of this administration, he added.

Andanar lamented that Bachelet had opted to believe misinformation amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Without a doubt, global disinformation on matters relevant to social progress and development has created disorder, confusion, and division among communities. Furthermore, this generates effective spaces where corrupt individuals can flourish and exploit the publics fears and vulnerabilities if left unchecked, he said.

To combat the spread of misinformation, Andanar said that the government included a provision that penalizes a person and groups that create, perpetrate and spread false information about the coronavirus crisis under Republic Act (RA) 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act

He said the government would not tolerate those taking advantage of the crisis, especially those who are propagating false information.

It responds to cyber incidents that are taking advantage of the current pandemic situation to prey on the public through illegal activities, Andanar said.

When one uses information to deliberately mislead and deceive the general public on relevant matters, possibly leading them to harm, the complications caused by such actions need to be legally dealt with and rectified, he added.

RA 11469 states that people peddling false information about Covid-19 pandemic could face a two-month jail sentence or a fine ranging from P10,000 to P1 million, or both.

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Palace: PH values freedom of speech but won't tolerate misinformation The Manila Times - The Manila Times

Washington D.C., June 1, 2020 Local and state authorities in the U.S. must stop targeting journalists and media workers covering protests and ensure that the press is exempt from any curfew restrictions, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

We are horrified by the continued use of harsh and sometimes violent actions of police against journalists doing their jobs. These are direct violations of press freedom, a fundamental Constitutional value of the United States, said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna in New York. We call on local and state officials to explicitly exempt the news media from curfew regulations so that journalists are able to report freely.

Since May 29, at least 125 press freedom violations have been reported nationwide by journalists covering the demonstrations against the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody. The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, a nonpartisan website of which CPJ is a founding partner, is investigating each report and will publish confirmed incidents to its database.

The violations under investigation, including 20 arrests, were collated from social media accounts, news reports, and direct contact with some of the journalists affected.

In one example, on May 29 in Las Vegas, Nevada, two photojournalists, Ellen Schmidt, who works for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and freelancer Bridget Bennett were arrested while working and charged with the misdemeanor of failure to disperse, before being released the next day, according to the Reno Gazette Journal.

Police have hit dozens more journalists with tear gas, pepper spray, or rubber bulletsin several cases even as the journalists displayed their press credentials, according to the same sources.

A journalist for Minnesota Public Radio told CPJ she had a gun pointed at her head by police who refused to lower their weapons after she identified herself as a member of the press.

NBC photojournalist Ed Ou told CPJ that on May 30 he was in a group of photographers and video journalists standing apart from protesters in Minneapolis when police fired tear gas, pepper spray, and concussion grenades at them.

Some cities and states have imposed curfews in a bid to contain the demonstrations, some of which have turned violent. Not all of the curfew orders have explicitly exempted members of the press, although some officials, including in Minneapolis, have said that media are exempt after the initial announcement. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has published a map tracking where curfew orders exempt the media.

Journalists can consult CPJs safety advisory on how to minimize the risks of covering the protests.

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At least 125 press freedom violations reported over 3 days of U.S. protests - CPJ Press Freedom Online

The prattle from bureaucrats, politicians, business leaders and growth gurus about innovation incentives and programs continues, including this from the government of Canadas national innovation strategy: The innovation race is on! A bright future for Canadian businesses, creators, entrepreneurs and innovators starts with access to programs, services and tools that push ideas forward, create jobs and grow the Canadian economy.

If you have had enough of all these calls to harness the power of innovation through government action, there is now an antidote. A new and brilliant book by British author Matt Ridley offers a fresh world of understanding about a concept that has been bowdlerized into economic policy slush.

In How Innovation Works: And Why It Flourishes in Freedom, Ridley delivers a highly readable history of human creation, from the adoption of fire to the founding of Facebook, from sliced bread to biotechnology, from steam power to mobile phones and the polio vaccine with little or no government programs, and often despite state meddling.

Above all, How Innovation Works is a powerful exploration of why human innovation happens, how it happens and the political and economic environments that have allowed innovators to deliver centuries of miraculous improvements in the human condition.

Ridley is a confident proponent of the idea of human progress. The themes of his 2010 bestseller, The Rational Optimist, are carried over into How Innovation Works with even greater flare. Ridleys technique is to entertainingly and informatively explore, via authoritative references and research, centuries of human innovation in search of the common elements that helped foster and obstruct the progress of innovation.

Innovation happens when people are free to think, experiment and speculate

Matt Ridley

The book is packed with fascinating illustrative anecdotes and revelations about the individual geniuses behind innovations and the myriad obstacles that are often thrown in their path.

Theres the longshoremens battle against the compulsive entrepreneur from inland Maxton, N.C., who created the ocean-going shipping container. Theres government resistance to mobile telephone development. And theres Indias regulatory stubbornness against the import of a wheat innovation from Mexico. The 50-year story of how dwarfing genes were first found in Japan, cross-bred in Washington, adapted in Mexico and then introduced against fierce opposition in India and Pakistan is one of the most miraculous in the history of humankind. The idea likely saved the Indian continent from famine.

In the context of our current obsession with the media power of Facebook, Google and Twitter to shape the world, Ridley has a few parallels from innovation history.

After Gutenberg invented the printing press in the 15th century, the technology was transformed into a mass media of Facebook-like power by Martin Luther. Luther, writes Ridley, was the true innovator as he used the printing press to distribute versions of the bible and other materials that challenged Catholicism and led to the creation of Protestantism. By contrast, printing was banned in Islamic states for 200 years. Like Jeff Bezos at Amazon or Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook, writes Ridley of Martin Luthers printing-press media revolution,he had realized the potential of a new technology on a huge scale.

Governments had little or no role in the massive explosion of innovation over the past three centuries

None of this is new. Ridleys achievement is to take the 10,000-year history of innovation from potato farming to artificial intelligence and turn it into a lively narrative that opens new perspectives on the underlying structures and forces that are most likely to lead to continued technological change.

As the books subtitle makes clear, the key element is economic freedom. What is the best way to encourage innovation? asks Ridley in his introduction. Should governments aim to set targets, direct research, subsidize science, write rules and standards; or to back off from all this, deregulate, set people free; or to create property rights in ideas, offer patents and hand out prizes, issue medals; to fear the future; or to be full of hope?

By the end of How Innovation Works, innovation seems less of a mystery as one aspect becomes clear: innovation is not the product of the machinations of politicians, bureaucrats and rent-seekers trying to manipulate economic activity. Ridley takes on such state innovation theorists as Mariana Mazzucato, the British economist whose book, The Entrepreneurial State, was a Financial Times Best Book of 2015.

Ridley essentially says the entrepreneurial state is a myth. Governments had little or no role in the massive explosion of innovation over the past three centuries. In an excerpt from his book also on this page, Ridley notes that America became the most advanced and innovative country in the world in the early decades of the 20th century without significant public subsidy for research and development of any kind before 1940.

On the contrary, Ridley in effect argues that the world today suffers from an innovation famine brought on by excessive government meddling. Innovation happens when people are free to think, experiment and speculate, he writes.

As an advocate for innovation freedom, Ridley holds views that will startle some. He opposes patents, dumps on big companies and he sees China as the home of an innovation engine that is leapfrogging into the future over the heads of Western policy leaders who wrongly see China as a techno copycat that is stealing patents and other intellectual property.

Chinas authoritarianism, he adds, will surely stifle the countrys innovation momentum. If Chinas political regime does not expand economic and political freedom, the driving work ethic behind recent innovation could easily be crushed by bureaucratic strangulation.

Its a risk that faces innovation around the world. Ridleys insightful and revealing book has the potential to liberate innovation from those who claim innovation starts with a government program. On the contrary, thats often where innovation ends.

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Terence Corcoran: Bring back the freedom to innovate - Financial Post

Galveston, Texas After spending two months in Warden Newsoms COVID-19 prison, I decided it was time to make like El Chapo, and escape to freedom.

I was sick and tired of staring at the same four walls, watching Judge Judy reruns and eating Uncrustables with no end in sight.

First, they told us all we needed to do was flatten the curve and not overwhelm the hospitals. Now, we are expected to stay inside until there is herd immunity or we get a vaccine.

But who knows how long before that happens, if it ever does. After all, we are still waiting on vaccines for SARS, HIV and MERS, among others.

Whos got time for that?

The last straw for me was when the owners of one of my favorite restaurants, The Tropicale, in Palm Springs, were fined $1,000 for allowing an employee to rest at a table after finishing their shift.

According to owner Ranz Weinert, Welcome to a taste of communism aka Palm Springs, California. Got this citation because we had employees who just finished their shifts enjoying shift drinks out of plastic glasses waiting for their take out employee meal. Completely socially distanced from any other customer picking up their food. No warning given by this thug. Just a $1,000 fine.

If theres one thing every restaurant owner in this state needs right now its more unnecessary expenses.

The best part is, the code cop who wrote the citation lets call her Karen crossed out the fines listed, and bumped them up to $1,000 in pen, as if you can actually do that legally.

In all, Weinert was confronted by two uniformed code enforcement officers, four uniformed and armed police officers and three police cars, for the unconscionable sin of serving food in a restaurant.

First, the state ordered restaurants to create smoke-free sections; now theyre making them create no-eating sections. Is this really legal?

The cops who descended on this hotbed of crime were all wearing masks, which is what you do when youre illegally holding up a place for $1,000.

Only in California.

Granted, we dont get a lot of crime in Palm Springs, except maybe for the occasional double-parked Rascal scooter.

Ultimately, a public outcry forced the city of Palm Springs to back down and waive the citation. But you dont have to be an ardent libertarian for this abuse of power to frost your cookies.

Needless to say, it was definitely time for me to social distance from the state of California. Which is why, over the weekend, I and other freedom-seeking Californians got on a plane and flew to Texas.

It was the COVID-19 equivalent of being on the last helicopter out of Hanoi.

Now that Im in the Lone Star State, I must confess freedom tastes good. In fact, it tastes like a steak and scotch at a restaurant with other humans. The restaurants and bars are busy, people are spending money, and theyre sick and tired of wasting their lives away while politicians who dont know what theyre talking about constantly move the goalposts. The vulnerable wear masks or stay home, and everyone else is living their lives as normal.

When I tell my friends back home in California what life is like here, they freak out and act like I decided to play in traffic on my vacation.

Well, the numbers suggest otherwise. On May 25, Texas had the fewest COVID-19 fatalities since the end of March. It also had the fewest COVID hospitalizations since the middle of April. And, it has the second most recoveries from COVID in America.

Taking this trip has been a much needed and uplifting experience.

Clueless politicians, health experts and the mainstream media may try to beat us down with bad models, a constant barrage of fear porn, but coming to Texas has proven to me that they wont succeed.

The rest of America still loves freedom, and soon California will too.

John Phillips can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on The John Phillips Show on KABC/AM 790.

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A taste of freedom in the Lone Star State: John Phillips - OCRegister

Worth waiting for--rendering of Clinton Hall

Out of the confiningand, yes, scarymonths we have stayed at home, avoided crowds, not eaten out, some folks have been busy creating a dining and brewing experience that will be the new normal when things are back to normal.

It will take place at one of New Yorks newestand most interestingtourist attractions: Empire Outlets Mall on Staten Island. It is the citys only discount mall, and lots of fun just to get to. For the (free) Staten Island ferry lands only yards from the mall.

The new experience is the Clinton Hall Beer Garden, and youll not be surprised that it serves a variety of craft beersalong with a scrumptious variety of burgers and other bar classics.

But when New York is ready to open, many restaurants will be scrambling to keep up with the new regulations on distancing and other health-related matters. The crafty thinkers behind Clinton Hall have virtually become experts at what their establishment will do:

*Temperature checks of staffand guests.

*Servers wearing masks.

*Patrons seated six feet apart.

*Enforcing limited capacity.

*Disposable menus!

So when were able to go to Clinton Hall, it will be ready, observing all the new rules, for as long as it takes. In fact, the complete mall is also ready to observe all the various rules that will make it a safe environment. Beyond the safety, though, is the malls huge presenceallowing you to feel free and unconfined, while keeping what has become known as social distancing.

Staten Island rarely has been termed an oasisbut the Mall has almost four acres of outdoor space.

Clinton Hall describes itself asa Supercraft beer hallthat is, each brew is served to thebrewers demanding specs.

The Empire Outlets Mall overlooking NYC

In its opening in 2019, the Staten Island Mall was one of the best hidden assets in New York, but one I enthusiastically endorsed to friends, family and readers. And now, when things open up, it will become an even more important part of the New York scenea counterpoint to the smothering lifestyle weve been forced to endure. People will experience freedom and openness, and I think this will be the perfect solution.

There is, first of all, the ferry ride. No cramped subways or buses or standing. No worries about being close to one another, even after the distancing restrictions are lifted. The ferries are huge and also afford views of the Statue of Liberty and the famed New York City skyline.

Once on the island, you have to walk about the equivalent of a short home run to wind up at the mall.

It is huge, by any standards: 350,000 square feet. Yet, strangely, it also has a feeling of intimacy. You are not overwhelmed. The open space is a major reason, and from cleverly located viewing areas you can see great views of the Big Apple.

The outlets run the gamut of department storesincluding Nordstrom Rack, Levis Outlet Store, American Eagle, and U.S. Polo Assn. Nordstrom Rack is the flagship store.

And there are many places to eatall in their own special area

Getting There Is Half The Fun

Clinton Hall will be opening in two phasesfirst an outdoor space, then an even larger indoor restaurant. It will haveget thisalmost 24 kinds of draft choices. One of them, Flagship Brewery, boasts an on-site Flux Capacitor making sure every pour is perfect.Hungry? Get lucky with the Double Smashed Burger, and finish dessert with the curiously named WTF Waffles. And while youre munching, you can enjoy a variety of games found only in the best beer bars.

Soon to join Clinton Hall will be such establishments as MRKTPL, an artisanal food hall; an upscale sushi and hibachi restaurant named Wasabi, and Bake Culture, a Taiwanese bakery. They will join a food court that includes Shake Shack and Starbucks.

It will go a long way to make up for those months of home-confinement and being creative with Fruit Loops.

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Savoring The Freedom To Eat And Drink While Enjoying The New York Skyline - Forbes

The Idaho Freedom Foundation has usurped the word freedom. It labels legislators who fail to adhere to its rigid, libertarian ideology as being anti-freedom, RINOs or worse: Democrats. Many voters are misled by IFFs glib explanations of how it measures freedom. Embracing a philosophy that celebrates freedom is seemingly easy. What could be wrong with that? Sadly, a lot.

The IFF consists of extremist ideologues bullying legislators into conforming to its ideology. That isnt freedom.

The IFF insists that its Freedom Index is an unbiased measure of each legislators commitment to freedom. Actually, it measures adherence to the IFF agenda. The IFF is against funding education, infrastructure, preschool, parks or almost anything that costs money. No nuance, no compromise. Except for legal fees. IFF has sued Idaho six times and lost five. The lawsuits were expensive for taxpayers to pay to defend. The IFF even sued to overturn a lawfully passed citizens initiative, calling it mob rule. I dont remember being asked if I valued frivolous lawsuits more than supporting health care, do you? How is that freedom?

The IFFs board has shown a willingness to manipulate its data to benefit its members. Rep. Bryan Zollinger (IFF darling) and Bryan Smith (board member) work at the same law firm that argues Medical Recovery Services cases, and this years Idaho Patient Act likely negatively impacts their profits. IFF manipulated the bills Freedom Index score in an unsuccessful effort to kill the legislation.

Who else benefits from Freedom Index scoring is unknown because IFF keeps its donors secret. The IFF claims to champion transparency but it doesnt practice it.

Wayne Hoffman, founder and president, signs IFFs tax returns and denies significant lobbying even though lobbying appears to be IFFs primary purpose.

IFF employs three registered lobbyists who write bills, attend committee meetings and mingle with legislators. Five additional employees engage in 501c3-defined grassroots lobbying--using social media and online newsfeeds to encourage citizens to take actions that influence legislators. Yet Hoffman reports zero grassroots lobbying and minimal lobbying overall.

A recent IRS complaint charges the IFF with excessive lobbying and encouraging illegal behavior in violation of its 501(3) tax status. These charges should be upheld. One glance at its Facebook page shows that the IFF has incited folks to break the law in the name of freedom, how it uses the Freedom Index to support candidates and the extent of its lobbying.

The IFF is more than a political organization that cheats on its taxes and spurs citizens to break the law. It is an extremist ideology that has infiltrated our local politics. Several Republican lawmakers have written editorials comparing the IFF to McCarthyism. They ought to know, theyre living it.

I am a Democrat, so you might ask why Im concerned about a Republican primary. Because it involves the future of Idaho. Voters, please vote carefully and be aware that the Freedom Index measures compliance to an ideology, not freedom.

Freedom beats in all our hearts, and we dont need an ideological organization to redefine it for us.

Jackie Stephens is a member of the Bonneville County Democratic Party Central Committee and Precinct 21 captain.

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Idaho Freedom Foundation usurps the word 'freedom' - Post Register

As I look through the paper every day, I watch for anything written by Lois Collins. Arguably, she is the best youve got; and I have been enriched by her contributions for many years. She adds a thoughtful perspective and depth to any subject she is assigned.

I especially appreciated her article of May 25 (How COVID-19 affects the body). Most of the information was new to me, and it was really disturbing. She detailed the ravages the virus can and does create in multiple areas. Her thorough description of exactly how it makes its attacks and how our bodies respond was both fascinating and very sobering.

She said, As American reopens, she needs to know what shes dealing with and not drop her guard or become less vigilant(.) The pictures on TV of thousands frolicking in their new freedom have helped me remember which part of having choices is most important to me.

Having quarantined almost completely for 74 days, I am ready to go on if needed. As I go out, I am certainly willing and prepared to follow every caution related to masks, social distancing and sanitizing. I am grateful that we have these guidelines concerning these efforts, hard as they are. I want the freedom of going to sleep thankful for still another day of being well and with the assurance that I havent hurt anyone else.

Peter Marshall, chaplain of the United States Senate in the 1940s, said May we think of freedom not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right.

Sherry McMullin

Salt Lake City

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Letter: Freedom is the opportunity to do what is right - Deseret News

Editors note: in conjunction with the 200th celebration of the establishment of Sidney, the Sidney Daily News will be publishing a year long series about the citys history.

SIDNEY Known as the land of plenty, America offers freedom and opportunity to those who journey here. However, for the people brought to this country as slaves, the American dream was replaced by oppression, poverty and indignities. In 1803, Ohio became the first state carved out of the Northwest Territory where the ownership of slaves was not permitted, yet laws were passed in 1804 prohibiting blacks from serving on juries or testifying against whites. Blacks could not settle in Ohio without a certificate of freedom, and those here must register and pay 12 1/2 cents. In 1807, blacks had to post a $500 bond, significantly limiting migration. The first documented black man in Shelby County was in the early 1820s when William Roberts moved to Salem Township to grant his slaves their freedom. One chose to stay with the family and worked as a paid employee on their homestead.

John Randolph and His Slaves

Virginian John Randolph was a wealthy politician who left three wills, two of which freed his slaves, I give and bequeath to all my slaves their freedom, heartily regretting that I have ever been the owner of one. He left $8,000 for transporting/settling his slaves and those over the age of 40 would receive 10 acres of land.

Claiming that John was insane, his brother contested the will and 13 years passed before the courts would honor it. Randolphs cousin, William Leigh, then traveled to Mercer County where he bought 3,200 acres for $6,000. In June 1846, 383 former Randolph slaves and wagon master Cardwell loaded 16 wagons heading 500 miles to Ohio. Their ages ranged from that of an infant to 100 year old Granny Hannah.

Their certificate of freedom stated, A true list and description of the emancipated slavesmade out from the general book of registers of free Negroes and Mulatoes (sic). The document listed all their names and according to Piqua historian Helen Gilmore, They examined them from head to toe and wrote down any marks you had on youmade you feel like you was cattle or pigs. Every slave had a number. Included on the 12 page list was No. 514 Shadrach, who would take White as a surname (later known as Buddie Shang) and No. 421 Carter a man of black complexion, aged 33 years, 5 9 . (A slave did not have a last name until freed and would often take the name of his/her master, residence or of some famous person).

Randolph Slaves Arrive in Ohio

The slaves boarded Miami & Erie Canal barges in Cincinnati heading to Mercer County. A Dayton newspaper reported, Some of them regretted being compelled to leave Virginiaa great deal of opposition has been manifested by the Mercer County citizens, and resolutions were passed to prevent these Negroes from coming.

In Piqua, the travelers were not allowed access to water and the barges moved into Shelby County, passing through the Lockington locks, on to Berlin/Fort Loramie where they were not allowed to land, and New Bremen/Mercer County. They were greeted by an armed mob of whites, Resolved, we will not live among Negroes; as we have settled here first we will resist the settlement of blacks and mulattoes in this county to the full extent of our means.

The blacks left on canal boats, disembarking in Miami County (Rossville) where whites brought them food. They would later locate in Sidney, Troy and other communities. Sidney newspaper, Aurora condemned the selling of land and pocketing a large amount of money for provisions not two weeks before the arrival of the poor creatures whom they so unjustly treated.

Some headed for Sidney/Shelby County said a Piqua newspaper, last week an effort was made to settle them in Shelby County, but like the attempt in Mercer it faileddriven away by threatened violence. Former slave Clem Clay told how local citizens eventually decided to allow a number of them to stay in Sidney: A good class of white people took some on the farm and some to houses

In 1900, the Randolph Ex-Slaves Association was formed and 62 of the original Old Dominions (born into Virginia slavery and transported to Ohio) were present. (The Buckeyes were born in Ohio). Up to 300 people attended reunions in Piqua, Troy and at the Shelby County Fairgrounds.

Plunkett, a man trusted to represent the slaves, sold the unclaimed land in the 1840s for $7,700. In 1907, approximately 170 of the former Randolph slaves unsuccessfully filed 27 cases to recover the land willed to them, or its $38,000 value. The cases lasted a decade and went all the way to the United States Supreme Court.

The Underground Railroad

Ohios Underground Railroad was a network of routes and stations/safe houses where blacks could stay while traveling north. Two trails entered Shelby County from the south, one split following the Miami & Erie Canal while a third trail passed through Sidney to the east and west.

Mount Vernon Baptist Church

Gospel songs indicated how escapes would occur on the Underground Railroad. Follow the Drinking Gourd referred to the North Star/Big Dipper. The Mt. Vernon Baptist Church began in the homes of two Randolph slaves in 1846 Roger Lee and Frank Brown. A circuit rider minister assisted in creating a new church and the first building was constructed on a lot now occupied by the Monarch Community Center.

Education

An 1853 state law established schools for colored children. A separate school was built for them in 1878 and abandoned in 1895 as the Black Laws had been repealed. There are sixteen schools in allone colored school. The 1885 Sidney Journal reported, Teacher of the Negro school is sick no school.

The Civil War (1861-1865)

In 1863, President Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation led Sidneys Elias Artis and Hezekiah Stewart to join the 54th Massachusetts Black Volunteer Infantry. Although many died in battle, both men are thought to have survived the Civil War and their names are listed, among 324 veterans, on the tablets in Sidneys Monumental Building.

World War I (1914-1918)

Almost 400,000 blacks served in the militarys segregated units and a 1918 Sidney Daily News article featured five men, the colored people of the county had turned out to wish the boys God speed in their answer to their countrys call. As the men came out of the Court House they formed lines honoring the boys as they passed through. The colored people, then proceeded by the Sidney band, marched to the B. & O. stationAn immense crowd (white and black) was at the station

1930s 1960s

The plight of blacks was captured in the Depression-era slogan, Last Hired and First Fired. In 1948, President Truman desegregated the nations armed forces. Court rulings addressed education and housing where discrimination and segregation still festered. Jim Crow signs were posted in the 50s/60s segregating blacks from whites. These laws were based on the Supreme Courts 1896 decision ruling blacks accept separate accommodations as long as they were equal. For White Only signs appeared in businesses across the nation.

Ku Klux Klan

The KKK, a group of white secret societies, traces its roots to a group of Confederate veterans organized to oppose minorities. With concealed identities, they often beat and murdered, burning crosses to intimidate blacks.

Sidney Daily News April 28, 1923: We have waited a week in regard to the demonstration of the KKK in our village (Anna). The citizens are pretty much wrought up over the affair. About 95 per cent against such demonstrations. On May 16, 1923, a cross was burned in East Sidney (Brooklyn Avenue).

Harry Miller worked as a conductor and brakeman for the Western Ohio Traction Company from 1917 to 1929. He recounted for the local paper how he worked the Ku Klux Klan car which made trips from Sidney to the St. Marys/Celina area in the 1920s.

NAACP

NAACP, a national civil rights organization that works to end discrimination against blacks and minority groups, was founded in 1909. Major successes included the Civil Rights Acts of 1957/1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Consulting with black and white residents, Frank OLeary created a Sidney chapter of the NAACP in 1965. Fifty members were required and the founders included Carl King, Rufus Sims, Harrison Brown, James Daniel and Lucille King. The organizations initial mission was workplace discrimination that existed within some Shelby County industries. In 1971, the chapter became the Ohio Tri-County NAACP serving Shelby, Miami, and Logan counties.

James P. Humphrey First Black Mayor of Sidney

A descendent of the Randolph Slaves, Sidneys first black mayor, James (Jim) Humphrey was a lifelong resident that gave significant amounts of time trying to preserve the tragic saga of the Randolph slaves. Born in 1921, Jim was a World War II veteran and served in city government as councilman-at large, vice mayor and mayor (1981-1987). He was a deacon of the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church for over 40 years and involved in community organizations such as the Salvation Army, NAACP and the Sunset Kiwanis. He was included in Whos Who Among Black Americans and honored in 1987 with the establishment of a scholarship fund in his name. Scholarships are awarded each year to black Shelby County students as incentives for achievement and has provided over $246,000 to 172 Sidney/Shelby County graduates. The funds are awarded in recognition of Humphreys commitment to excellence in education, black history, community service and his deep dedication to religious beliefs. He earned countless honors, including Black Mayor of the Year for Ohio, Sidneys Black Achiever of the Year, Man of the Year, Outstanding Senior Citizen in Shelby County, etc. Jim was a tremendous advocate for black history and talked passionately of the struggles that he and others suffered during earlier years.

On Jan. 17, 1890, former Randolph slave Buddie Shang stood in the courtroom of the Shelby County Courthouse accused of killing a white Lacyburg resident, (a shantytown behind Sidneys Graceland Cemetery). His attorney claimed self-defense to the all-white jury that took three minutes to render a not guilty verdict.

President Ronald Reagan spoke in Sidney, Ohio, on a Whistle Stop Tour on Oct. 12, 1984. He arrived on U.S. Car One a famous train car used by former president Harry Truman. Mayor James Humphrey was on the podium with the president as he gave an introduction and official welcome on behalf of the City of Sidney. The Ronald Reagan library has posted videos of the presidents journey through Ohio and the Sidney visit can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV9ObAlfNwM. A unique app was developed by the SMS Group for the Shelby County/Sidney Bicentennial which lists points of interest throughout Shelby County, including this stop at 400-416 North Street in Sidney. The app is free and can be downloaded to your smartphone/device.

A naturalized American citizen, David Lodge was born and raised in Manchester, England, serving in the Royal Air Force prior to coming to the U.S. He is a former City of Sidney Council member who served with Sidneys first black mayor and a long-time community volunteer. The Lodge Soccer Fields in Tawawa Park were named in his honor for bringing the sport of soccer to this area. He has authored three Teachers Guides as well as numerous articles on local history. Retired, he writes a column for Linns Stamp News, a philatelic publication of Amos Media.

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Finding freedom in Ohio and Shelby County - sidneydailynews.com

FridayMay29,2020at12:44AM

I consider it a shame that some of the letters you print are for the sole purpose of gratifying the ego of the letter writer so he can see his name in print rather than to add any knowledge to our collective consciousness. It is ironic that a letter writer from Freedom is calling on you to censor your op-ed page because he can't accept any opinion that differs from his own. How small-minded and ignorant is that?

It is too bad that he doesn't read the other columns you print, rather than just looking for his own name. He should have noted Diane Nine's excellent article about the former White House press reporter Helen Thomas. She was someone who understood the necessary function of a "free press." Like Ms. Thomas, I agree that the freedom of the press" should be part of the First Amendment, because of how important it is to protect our democracy.

Trump and his faithful minions hate the free press, and label every question and criticism as fake news. That is the first step on the road to fascism, and a free press exposing all of their lies is what protects our way of life as a representative democracy. Although lately, I see little in the way of representation when Republicans are too scared of offending Trump to actually represent their constituency and do what will benefit them.

And how much of a democracy is left, when those in power have the money to tell lies, run negative ads, enforce voter suppression and buy their way into another term. It is another delusion to think Trump will be elected unanimously most of the people in this country aren't that simple-minded. At least I hope not. I think the press should do a better job of "comforting the afflicted, and afflicting the comfortable." They have a thankless job. More censorship is not necessary unless you actually favor fascism over democracy.

Thomas M. Finch, Aliquippa

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Letter to the Editor: Freedom of press protects our democracy - The Times

CHARLESTON, W.Va. U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., are part of a group of senators asking President Donald Trump to award a West Virginia native the Medal of Freedom.

The senators, alongside Republicans Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, wrote a letter Wednesday detailing their support for awarding Hershel Woody Williams the honor recognizing his advocacy on behalf of Gold Star families.

The Medal of Freedom is the countrys highest civilian honor.

Williams, a Harrison County native, is one of the last two living Medal of Honor recipients from World War II. He took part in the Battle of Iwo Jima, in which his efforts earned him the Medal of Honor.

Williams, through his foundation, has pushed for monuments recognizing families whose loved ones have died while serving. Sixty such monuments currently exist with plans for more than 70 additional memorials in place.

These achievements and many more illustrate a legacy that warrants recognition at the highest level. We sincerely appreciate your consideration of Woody Williams legacy, the senators said.

The state Capitol grounds will be the location of a future Gold Star Families Monument. The projects completion has been delayed because of difficulties securing materials and the coronavirus pandemic.

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Manchin, Capito push for Williams to receive Medal of Freedom - WV MetroNews - West Virginia MetroNews