to assist with the needs of women with unplanned pregnancies.
Ohio Christian Alliance, PO Box 3076, Akron OH 44309 (330) 887-1922
10 Commandments at the Ohio Statehouse
Ohio Christian Alliance presents Treasurer of State Robert Sprague with a framed copy of the 10 Commandments for hanging in his office, also presented were State Auditor Keith Faber and SOS Frank LaRose. Since 2003 OCA has presented over 230 members of the Ohio General Assembly as well as Statewide officeholders and members of Congress with framed copies of the 10 Commandments for hanging in their offices.
OCA is Celebrating 30 Years of Service to the Citizens of Ohio
Mark your calendar for September 17th at the Akron/Fairlawn Hilton for this year's Freedom Banquet, celebrating 30 years of public policy, advocating for life, faith, and freedom in the public square. Details will be available in the coming weeks.
I oppose H.B. 73, and I urge you to oppose it, too. H.B. 73 would eliminate the end-of-course exams for American Government and American History. Ohio’s current curriculum requirement of teaching American Government and American History in grades 8-12 is a success story.
That success is due to the passage of S.B. 165, known as the Founding of America Documents Curriculum, in the 129th General Assembly in 2012. It requires the teaching of our Founding Documents, namely The U.S. Constitution with an emphasis on The Bill of Rights, The Northwest Ordinance, The Declaration of Independence, The Ohio Constitution, and the Federalist and Anti-Federalist papers in grades 8-12, with a half-credit hour for American Government and a half-credit hour for American History, with an end of course exam for each. This curriculum instructs our students about their rights and privileges in this representative form of government. Ohio high school students in recent years have scored higher proficiency test rates in American History and American Government than their counterparts in other states. This is due to the current curriculum, and the end-of-course exam requirement in both American Government and American History is the guarantee that the curriculum will be taught. At a time when our nation’s institutions are under assault and are being torn down, it makes no sense that the 134th General Assembly would even be considering reducing class instruction of our American History and American Government. Therefore, I urge you to oppose H.B. 73 that would diminish Constitutional Studies in the Ohio classroom.
On-air prayer with Pastor Rodney Lord of Freedom's Gate Church of Marietta, Pastor Mark Able of Skywatchers Youth Ministry, and Pastor Al Davis of the Richfield Bible Baptist Church. Join us as we pray for our nation, the church, and the next generation on this, the 70th Anniversary of the National Day of Prayer.
Praying for the Peace of the CIty of Columbus With Pastor John Coats
Our Capital City of Columbus has been a city under siege, beset with conflict and problems this past year, with protests-turned-to-riots, community turmoil, and a skyrocketing crime rate. Pastor John Coats, Vice President of the NAACP of Columbus, and President of the Interdenominational Ministers Alliance, has called for emergency prayer for the City of Columbus and its communities. Tune in as we review the year that has been and discuss a way forward for the city that hosts our state government.
Ohioans were shocked and dismayed that the People’s House had become a target of vandalism by anarchists who were attempting to use the People’s House to send a message, and that message was sent through violence and vandalism. Ohioans were stunned, wondering why such security breaches occurred and were allowed, resulting in vandalism and destruction at the historic Ohio Statehouse.
The vandalism and destruction that the Ohio Statehouse suffered in May and June of 2020 was the first time that the Ohio Statehouse had become a target of such wanton vandalism and destruction in its 163-year history. The Ohio Statehouse actually housed Union troops during the Civil War, and Abraham Lincoln, the great abolitionist President, visited the Statehouse in 1859, speaking for two hours against the evils of slavery. He visited again on his way to Washington to take his oath of office, and his final visit was when his body laid in state at the Rotunda after his assassination. The Ohio Statehouse does not represent oppression or slavery or racism. It represents the People’s House in a representative form of government. The doors are open to the public to share their views on public policy. There was no reason for the violence or vandalism, but one cannot argue with a mob. S.B. 34 represents another step forward in the rule of law. It will increase the penalties for arson and related offenses, criminal damaging and endangering, and provides additional modern high-definition security cameras. Click here to read the 35-page Columbus Police call log of the riots on May 28, 2020
OCA President Chris Long was joined by Attorney General Dave Yost and his wife Darlene for services at St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown Columbus. The church was recently attacked when services were disrupted by radical protestors, violating the First Amendment rights of the congregants. Today we attended to express our support for the church and the congregation.
Attorney General Dave Yost Discusses Columbus Church Attack
Columbus, OH - St. Joseph's Catholic Church was the scene of an attack by radical abortion activists on Friday, January 22. The church was holding its annual memorial service for the unborn on the 48th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade when the nearly one dozen riotous protestors burst into the service with signs, bullhorns, shouting profanities at the attendees and the attending priests. The congregants were disturbed and frightened by the sudden attack. Columbus Police were called, but no citations were given and there were no arrests. The group has stated on their Facebook page that they plan on returning to the church. Attorney General Dave Yost discusses what his office is reviewing in light of this threat to religious liberty. Click here to hear the broadcast.
A statement from the Ohio Christian Alliance concerning the Texas elections case before the U.S. Supreme Court
The Ohio Christian Alliance fully supports the Texas elections case currently before the U. S. Supreme Court. Ohioans turned out in historic numbers to vote in this year's Presidential Election. President Trump carried the state by eight percentage points. Ohio, for the last 60 years, has been a bellwether state; if you win Ohio, you win the Presidency. Ohioans watched closely as the returns came in on November 3rd and into the early morning hours of November 4th, only to witness an unprecedented shift in vote tallies in key battleground states, switching from President Trump to Mr. Biden. As the days and weeks went by with reports of widespread voter fraud and election fraud by hundreds of eyewitnesses, it became apparent that something went terribly wrong with this year's Presidential Election.
The voters of Ohio feel violated and disenfranchised by having their votes for President negated by the fraud that took place in other states. Watching state after state conduct hearings with sworn statements from eyewitnesses who attest, not just to voter fraud, but to election fraud in their states, Ohioans became concerned about the validity of the election. Many wondered what this would mean for future elections. If massive fraud was being allowed in other states such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Nevada, and Wisconsin by not policing voter integrity, what would it mean for all future national elections? Many expressed that they had lost confidence in elections and wondered if they would bother voting in the future. This election has undoubtedly cast a dark shadow in the minds of many over voter confidence.
We are also saddened to see the courts in other states not take this matter of voter integrity seriously. Because many voters feel disenfranchised, we urge the U.S Supreme Court to review this complaint with Constitutional integrity and prudence, as it will undoubtedly affect millions who believe in one person one vote! We are heartened by the 18 other State Attorney Generals who have joined this lawsuit. We will be praying for the Court’s decision!
Medina, OH - Concerned Citizens of Medina City today submitted a protest appeal to the Medina County Board of Elections and the Ohio Secretary of State regarding the Medina City Ordinance 112-19 that was passed by Medina City Council on July 8, 2019. This ordinance is an LGBTQ comprehensive special rights ordinance. Citizens in the community of Medina had expressed concerns about the comprehensive nature of the ordinance before Medina City Council passed it.
Citizen volunteers with assistance of the Ohio Christian Alliance circulated a referendum petition to place the measure on the ballot. 1,173 signatures were gathered in just fourteen days. On July 31st, the citizens committee submitted the referendum petition in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code to City Finance Director Keith Durham. Mr. Durham held the petitions for ten days before submitting them to the Medina County Board of Elections for review. On August 12th the Board of Elections reported that they had invalidated 234 of the signatures. 983 signatures were needed to place the measure on the ballot. The Board determined that the referendum petition committee had 939 good signatures, 44 signatures short of what was needed.
The Ohio Christian Alliance made a public records request from the Medina County BOE and began a review with its attorneys of the Board’s findings. The Medina County Board of Elections officials had invalidated 59 signatures for what they called “non-matching signature.” In other words, these are registered voters in the City of Medina about whom the Board of Elections officials made a judgement call by stating that their signatures did not match what the Board had on file. The Concerned Citizens of Medina City Committee and its volunteers informed the petition signers whose signatures were rejected that the Board had invalidated their signatures for what they termed “non-matching”. These citizens were more than eager to sign sworn affidavits attesting to their identity, and that they had indeed signed the referendum petition and wanted it on the ballot.
This material proof has been submitted as testament that these signatures were valid and that these petition signers wrongfully had their signatures invalidated by the Board’s review. We are confident that upon further review, the referendum effort will be certified for the November 2020 ballot. It is important that the people’s right of referendum be upheld.
The Medina County Board of Elections on Monday reported to Medina City Finance Director Keith Dirham that the referendum petition effort on Ordinance 112-19, the LGBTQ Special Rights Ordinance, had fallen short of the signatures needed. However, OCA and its attorneys see discrepancies in the initial report. The Board invalidated 260 of the 1,173 signatures submitted. OCA President Chris Long made the following statement, “Today we officially made public records request for the complete report of the signature review by the Medina County Board of Elections. There are a number of questions concerning the initial report. We believe that upon further review enough signatures will be validated to place the measure on the ballot in November 2020. The Concerned Citizens of Medina City, along with the Ohio Christian Alliance and their attorneys will review and challenge the Board’s findings on the signatures they invalidated. We are confident that we will have enough signatures to be on the fall ballot of 2020. The residents of the City of Medina who are concerned about this new ordinance have a right to have their voices heard at the ballot box. We will fight for their right of representative government and for them to have their opportunity to vote. We are only 44 signatures away from certification for the referendum to be on the ballot. We are confident that the court will validate enough signatures for the referendum to be on the ballot and let the people decide.”
Government Accountability and Oversight Committee Passes HCR 10
Today, members of the Ohio Legislature took a positive step forward, pushing back against anti-Semitism by passing out of committee HCR 10, the resolution to condemn the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israel and to condemn increasing incidents of anti-Semitism on Ohio college campuses.
OCA President Chris Long stated, "The Ohio Christian Alliance is pleased to lend its support to this resolution that Representatives Andy Thompson and David Greenspan, along with 25 other co-sponsors, have signed on to.
FDR’s D-Day Landing Prayer Act in observance of the anniversary is read on the U.S. Senate floor by Senators Rob Portman and Co-Sponsor Joseph Lieberman.
Founding of America Documents Bill Passes Ohio House and Senate in a Concurrence Vote and is Sent to Governor Kasich for His Signature
The Ohio Christian Alliance celebrates the passage of S.B. 165 in the Ohio House and Ohio Senate today. This legislation entitled “The Founding of America Documents Bill” will strengthen the language currently in the Ohio Revised Code pertaining to the American History and Government curriculum to include The Declaration of Independence, The Northwest Ordinance, The Constitution of the United States with emphasis on The Bill of Rights, The Ohio Constitution, the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers.
o express our support for the church and the congregation.
