Category Archives: Weekly Updates

Trump invades Minnesota as Buddhists walk for peace

Aside

Dear Friends,

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE PROGRAM

Minnesota attorney Zach Laskaris.

(01:53) US invades Minnesota – LISTEN
(25:57) Buddhist monks walk for peace – LISTEN
(42:05) Donald Trump vs the rule of law – LISTEN
(51:39) New food pyramid flips the triangle – LISTEN

So many New Year’s resolutions, so little time. Here’s one: I’ll try to include at least one good-news segment in each week’s radio show/podcast.

But before I get to that…

MINNEAPOLIS
There’s continued really bad news out of Minnesota. Much of what the Trump administration is doing is in blatant violation of the US Constitution.

Zach Laskaris joins me to share his on-the-ground perspective. Zach’s an attorney and lifelong resident of the Twin Cities. He’s been active with ICE Watch and has witnessed numerous ICE enforcement actions over the past month. Zach has also represented local residents who’ve been nabbed by ICE.

No doubt about it, what’s happening in Minneapolis right now is horrifying and unprecedented. Zach and I talk about the unified response from local officials opposed to ICE’s activity, the three members of Congress who were prevented from touring a detention facility, and the troves of video footage showing ICE agents acting irresponsibly and dangerously. And then there’s the community response, with neighbors standing up for their neighbors being targeted by ICE.

The invasion of “Democratic” cities by what many of us see as an illegitimate federal police force is probably going to get worse before it gets better.

MONKS MARCH FOR PEACE
The pilgrimage of Buddhist monks walking from Texas to Washington, DC, continues to inspire thousands of people to turn out to hear their message. The Walk for Peace is a spiritual practice, not a protest. The monks hope to spread peace, compassion, and kindness through silent footsteps. They’re walking an average of 20 miles a day, sometimes as much as 30.

All kinds of stories are emerging about the positive impact the monks are having. Audrie Pearce drove four hours to meet them and said, “There’s something traumatic and heart-wrenching happening in our country every day. I looked into [the monks’] eyes and I saw peace. They’re putting their bodies through such physical torture and yet they radiate peace.”

A United Methodist pastor, Patrick Hitchman-Craig, in Opelika, Alabama, hosted the monks on Christmas night. He was shocked that around 1,000 people showed up to greet the monks, and said, “Anyone who is working for peace in the world in a way that is public and sacrificial is standing close to the heart of Jesus, whether or not they share our tradition. I was blown away by the number of people and the diversity of who showed up.”

There has been some opposition to the monks along the way, which they have handled with grace and dignity. I’ll be interested to see if President Trump has anything to say about the monks, or what kind of reception they receive when they arrive in Washington.

TRUMP VS THE COURTS
Federal officials are detaining immigrants and even US citizens caught up in the deportation dragnet despite rulings from the courts that they must be released from county jails on bail. More than 300 federal judges, including appointees of every president since Ronald Reagan, have ruled against the Trump administration in over 1,600 such cases.

In response, many inmates are suing ICE and the local jail where they’re held. Beyond the injustice of being incarcerated despite the law disallowing indefinite detention while one’s immigration case proceeds, what is this practice costing taxpayers?

THE FOOD PYRAMID
Kathy and I discuss the new food pyramid … or food triangle, whatever it is. It’s not all bad, though it’s also a clear wet-kiss from the Trump administration to his biggest agricultural buddies.

If you guessed that meat is now top of the heap, you’d be correct. If you further guessed that beef is now the meat of choice, you’d be right again.

But beef tallow is the preferred fat? Bet you didn’t see that coming. Step aside, avocado. You too, butter.

Thanks for reading, listening, and taking action.

Ed Fallon

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Opposition attacks Sarah Trone Garriott on her strength

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Ah, Facebook. A reservoir of so many sweet family pics and cute pet vids — yet also a cesspool of caustic comments and divisive half truths.

In the latter category is a recent remark by Kimberley Strope-Boggus, a Democratic Party activist who wrote: “Well meaning folks don’t understand that politics today is a blood sport. Everything is on the table and it’s fair game. Don’t like it, stay on the porch.”

That’s just shameful, and wrong. Polls have shown that the vast majority of voters strongly disapprove of negative campaigning. Anecdotally, on my recent 220-mile Save America March, rural voters I spoke with frequently shared their disgust with the negative tone of many political campaigns. Continue Reading →

MTG abandons Trump; more Republicans will follow

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It’s happening, folks. Trump’s once-loyal followers are seeing the man behind the curtain. He’s not a wizard. Not a leader. Certainly not a Christian. They’re seeing an insecure, narcissistic hypocrite who knows he’s failing but has no capacity to admit it or to change.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is the most recent Republican leader to jump ship. She’ll resign from the US House next week, but she’s not going out quietly.

Greene’s recent 60 Minutes interview (which Charles and I discuss on the first segment of this week’s; program) was followed by an interview with Robert Draper in the New York Times, in which she admits, “After Charlie [Kirk] died, I realized that I’m part of this toxic culture. I really started looking at my faith. I wanted to be more like Christ.” Continue Reading →

The Winter Soup Pot

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It’s Christmas, so I get to share nice things people have said about my work, right? I’m sincerely grateful for the kind, encouraging remarks I received during the Save America March. You helped keep me going, and assured me of the undertaking’s importance.

Here’s a selection of comments from around the country:

Ed, Kathy, and Miriam I miss you all so much, I’ve been in Missouri three years and reading this was delightful. – Brenda, Missouri

You could write for comedy, as a side gig. – Gretchen, Iowa

This journey will make a great book when you’re done and recovered. We need, we desperately crave, positive interactions with our fellow homo sapiens. — Yvonne, New Mexico

Amazing accomplishment! And amazing that you got so much support and so little grief from people. Gives hope for the future. – Tom, New Hampshire Continue Reading →

PayPal is not your pal

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If you value independent media, please donate to the Fallon Forum. Our platform has run continuously for the past 16 years and includes:

— A radio show that airs on eight stations in six states
— A weekly podcast
— A weekly blog and Substack post
— “Extra curricular activities,” like the recent 220-mile Save America March, and …
— Promoting candidates who embrace “prairie populism,” and …
— Working with local elected officials to promote greater food security.

So please, pitch in. It’s important. We couldn’t do this work without the support we receive from (1) local business sponsors, (2) non-profit supporters, and (3) individual monthly pledgers. Continue Reading →

Former Des Moines mayor, Frank Cownie, discusses UN climate summits

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ACTION ON CLIMATE … OR NOT
COP veteran and former Des Moines mayor Frank Cownie joins me for a hard look at UN climate summits, past and present. Overall, this year’s COP was disappointing. That’s probably no surprise, given that there were more than 1,600 fossil-fuel reps in attendance, and petro-states continue to wield inordinate influence.

With more and more local governments refusing to wait on national and international action, Frank’s idea of decentralizing the COP process is promising. Some cities and counties are already launching initiatives.

Two recent actions in Des Moines exemplify this strategy. Last month, working with Kathy, me, and local non-profits, the City coordinated planting 36 fruit trees in a public orchard at Drake Park. This isn’t a one-and-out. City staff are researching other good locations for urban orchards.

Also, this month the City Council voted to establish the Food Sustainability Advisory Committee. This permanent body is an encouraging outgrowth of the Food Security Task Force that Kathy and I led the way to bring to fruition several years ago. Continue Reading →

The new leader of the Trump resistance

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Over the past ten months, President Trump has moved with alarming speed toward solidifying his complete control over the federal government.

Yet millions of Americans continue to speak up, act out, and refuse to be silenced, even as some big institutions (media, universities, law firms, corporations) have buckled.

No institution has buckled more completely than Congress, with Republicans conceding to the President their Constitutional role as an independent and equal branch of government.

But back in the summer, that started changing. Just a little. But enough to be noticed. And the primary agent of change?

Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. Continue Reading →

Catching up

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It’s been a rough first half of November. After a long battle with liver cancer, my mom passed away on October 28. Then I landed a sinus infection, which I’m still recovering from.

So, I’ve had little time to write, record a program, or wrap up the final details of the Save America March. Things should be back to normal next week.

As Kathy and I catch up on the remaining fall harvest tasks, I’ll leave you with a selection of Birds & Bees Urban Farm photos I took this morning as a reminder that:

— Life persists, despite setbacks.

— The Earth is generous, almost beyond conception.

— Growing food is a year-round undertaking, accompanied by year-round rewards. Continue Reading →