The Good Guys
This time last week I was pretty stuck - unable to get my mind off of the situation in Minneapolis, wondering how Central Ohio would respond should ICE bring such behavior here. I almost wrote a checklist for how we should be preparing for that possibility. But then I started wondering just how smart that would be - both in terms of strategic effectiveness and personal security.
Was it un-American to think and prepare for ICE’s arrival? Would I become a target for government harassment? Just how discrete must people be to prepare their support for vulnerable members of the community? I will admit that I lost some sleep pondering these things.
It eventually dawned on me that I couldn’t be the only person thinking along these lines, and I was able to make a few calls to some local leaders around Central Ohio, which confirmed my suspicion.
It felt good to learn that I was not alone in my thinking. It feels good to know that there are lots of people ready to take action to preserve the constitutional rights that ICE seems so willing to trample. I’ll leave it there - people in Columbus and elsewhere are watching and learning from Minneapolis, and are making plans for how to lawfully respond to similar circumstances should they arise in our part of the world.
As Mark Twain once wrote “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” I certainly hope that my latest batch of fears and concerns are never realized. But if they are, it is comforting to know that preparation is underway that is designed to mitigate the negative impact on our local communities.
The world is dynamic. No plan is perfect, and it would not be fun to host an ICE convention in Columbus. But I slept better last night knowing that we were unlikely to be caught flat-footed.
It was also easier to sleep knowing that I wouldn’t have to shovel snow these last few days - Lori and I snuck away to Phoenix, where the sun was bright, the enchiladas spicy, and the pizzas at Pizzeria Bianco were everything I expected when watching this restaurant featured in Netflix’s Chef’s Table series. It was the perfect way to recharge during this stout winter we’ve been having.
Oh, yeah - one more unique experience we had this week: we took a couple of rides in Waymo robo-taxis. Completely driverless, they felt entirely safe. The system did have a hiccup when dropping us off at a restaurant - it seemed confused by some pylons that directed traffic for “Valet Vehicles” and “Through Traffic.” But it learns from every single hiccup, and doesn’t make the same mistake twice. If only we could do that ourselves.
Sunday Supper
This Pineapple Chicken will warm you up. This Fish Chowder offers a nice warm hug on a cold winter’s night. These Buffalo Blue Cheese Deviled Eggs could be good football food for tonight’s game - or these Totchos.
Sunday Music
Check out this performance by Matteo Mancuso at the Montreal Jazz Festival last year. Here’s Dawes performing Crack The Case live at WFUV. Here is John P. See & New Life performing NPR’s Tiny Desk. Enjoy!
If you know anyone who might like this essay, please share it with them.
Have a great week ahead! You can do anything you set your mind to. Let me know how I can help.
Peace & Love,