Goodyear Firestone New Policy

The new administration of Goodyear and Firestone has decided to concentrate ALL their production activity exclusively for Akron. This means that they feel that since there is so much need for tires and rubber products including polymer right here in Summit County they will stop producing for anywhere else.

Both companies have announced that all their factories and offices outside of Akron Ohio will be closed immediately. Employees who live outside of Akron will be terminated as of this coming week-end. Outlets bearing the Goodyear or Firestone name and logos who sell tires outside of Akron will be mandated to stop using these corporate names and stop selling Goodyear and Firestone tires and other rubber and polymer products.

The new administration has decided that it is unnecessary to serve need anywhere else but in Akron with some exceptions for some communities in Summit County. CEO Sam Snodgrass stated, “Why should we be serving needs outside of our home city when there is need right here under our noses. Just yesterday I witnessed two autos on Market Street with BALD tires!”

When asked by Beacon Journal reporters where these two world renowned companies would obtain their raw materials for manufacturing their products, CEO Snodgrass proudly announced that,

“There is plenty of room right here in our county to plant rubber trees and obtain other raw or basic polymer kind of stuff here at home.”

All assets of these two formerly international corporations will be returned to Akron and applied to uses locally. Snodgrass did concede that some internationally based employees with family ties to Akron may be given opportunities for employment in these two companies here.

Snodgrass also stated that the Goodyear blimp would only be used at local Aeros baseball games and at some Akron high school football games when they have home games. He concluded, “Obviously it is a waste to be flying these things in places like Cleveland. They should get their own blimps. Their teams aren’t winning so much anyway.”

When asked why the former executives of these two great corporations were fired and let go, Snodgrass replied, “Because they were internationalists.”

Refreshments at the press conference included pies made in Akron by Gardner pie factory on Turkey Foot Road in Coventry Township which until last week supplied 17 states with pies made in Akron. This company has also decided to limit its distribution of pies only to consumers in Akron and some Summit county communities. Gardner executives including CEO Mr. Gumo Smits concluded that,” We are simply following the prudent policies of our successful rubber executives and limiting our pies for use locally. There are plenty of Akronites who haven’t eaten a Gardner pie in weeks.”

This retrenchment is affecting churches throughout the USA. Missionaries are being re-called and told to get back home “where you belong.” Humanitarian, health and medical programs sponsored by United States religious organizations operating overseas will be closed, including hospitals and clinics and feeding stations which now operate in over 100 poorer nations.

The U.S. government foreign aid program which costs us one per cent of the total national budget will be eliminated as soon as possible. Pending withdrawal from the United Nations should close that loop hole including UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the World Food Program.  In order to curtail sympathy for those suffering disasters and famine the media are requested to stop covering those events if they occur outside the USA.

How Does God Want You to Vote?

The Akron Area Interfaith Council will present John Green, the Director of the Bliss Institute at the University of Akron, on Wednesday, October 24, from 7:00 pm until 8:30 pm.  His talk is entitled, "How Does God Want You to Vote?".  Dr. Green is a nationally recognized authority on the intersection of religion and politics.  Admission is free, but registration is required.

Sikh Shooting

The Akron area Interfaith Council deplores the senseless, horrible attack on the Sikh Temple in Wisconsin. We mourn with those who lost loved ones and those wounded physically and emationally. In reality all of us are diminished by this as we realize that the seeds of hate are all around us. This was not a single act by a deranged supremacist. There is an ugly underground perpetrated by a paranoid fear of others who belong to a culture unlike our own. It begins with sharing words of ridicule, comments and cartoons on the internet that demean minorities. It continues to grow as it enlists those seeking to salve their own misfortunes and shortcomings by blaming and eventually hating "those people". We urge adherents of all faiths to work harder to put our beliefs of peace and brotherhood into action to promote love and understanding among all religions. Working together may our love drive out fear and conquer violence.

Book Reviews: a culture of death

Rachael Maddow’s new book “Drift” is a well documented review of how America continues to succumb to the military industrial complex. A parallel article in a recent copy of the “Nation” describes how the multinational military organization, NATO exists for war. The argument goes like this: NATO must find a use for its military combat readiness or it will cease to exist. Similarly, Maddow describes the need for war to justify the huge expense of America’s military machinery.

Strange then that since an obvious by-product of military use is death, the subject of death is the most unpopular topic of conversation in our culture. War causes death in so many ways and not just on the battle field. The gross misuse of a nation’s resources on weaponry is documented by Maddow. The neglect of infrastructure, education and the hardening of our culture is also a result of the war machine.

Chris Hedges appeared more than once on a radio show I co-hosted in Maine. He has written a series of books based on his experience as a New York Times war correspondent. Hedges’s“War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning” could be a companion expansion of Maddow’s brilliant work that has a subtitle: “The Unmooring of American MILITARY Power.” Coincidentally, just yesterday I listened to a description of an arsenal of guns and ammunition owned by a neighbor in an otherwise quiet part of Akron. We were watching a 4th of July parade together. He was obviously very proud of his collection. “Anyone who breaks into my house is going to get it.” Since our culture has been so saturated with promoting weapons that have only one main purpose, namely death, it should not be so unusual to take a different look at it.

Hate Message

Hate Statement
The Akron Area Interfaith Council has requested a brief statement on “hate” for its forthcoming Forum on that topic.

An analysis of hate would necessarily include the topic of anger.

I do not hate anyone and certainly do not feel negatively about any faith group.  My commitment is to interfaith friendship and dialogue. As an example, working in Islamic countries on long assignments I have enjoyed overwhelmingly warm hospitality and positive interpersonal relations with Muslim friends and colleagues. This was also true while working in Hindu cultures. In those environments I have often found it easier to discus faith issues than in my own country.

As an ecumenical Christian I do confess feeling anger about what is to me the strange and inappropriate behavior of some evangelical or Christian fundamentalists. This is especially true when they force their claim of moral superiority in the public arena.

I do not like it when they pretend to speak for all Christians or people of faith from their narrow point of view.  That embarrasses me as a Christian. I really hope that my friends and colleagues of other faiths do not associate me or the congregation to which I belong with the words and actions of those people.

There seems to be a problem with religious exclusivists world-wide. Fortunately, I have not had personal negative encounters with any outside of the Christian faith.