u/coleincolumbus

What happened in Columbus and Bartholomew County this month?

Here are the highlights.

Check out my latest op-ed in The Columbus Republic.

Check out more on my Substack.

Happy belated Pride Month! Ope, I mean Nuclear Family Month – sorry Braun!

June 28th, 2026 marked 57 years since the Stonewall Riots in New York City, which ignited the gay rights movement. What followed has been 57 years of Pride Month protests and celebrations, including here in Columbus since 2018. While I’d like to get to a time where Pride Month is not necessary, it’s leaders in our state such as Mike Braun and Micah Beckwith that remind us why it still is. The prudes and closeted keyboard warriors filled with self-hatred are still out there, just waiting to rain on our parade. But after every rainstorm is a rainbow.

There’s a lot for us gays to celebrate, despite the national depression we find ourselves in. We still have Obergefell and the Respect for Marriage Act (2022), which basically codified that decision. Overshadowing this year’s Pride Month, though, was the US Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Colorado’s conversion therapy ban in Chiles v. Salazar. To make matters worse, the decision came down 8-1 – ouch! Shoutout to Ketanji Brown Jackson for being the lone dissenter, because, why wouldn’t you dissent? Let me explain.

The majority based their decision not on the therapy’s efficacy (which conversion therapy harbors absolutely no efficacy), but on the therapist’s speech protected by the First Amendment. The majority also argued that physical interventions, such as electric shock, could still be banned under the umbrella of conduct.

The majority got this mostly wrong. As a psychiatric nurse, I don’t view therapy as speech – it’s conduct. I cannot tell a suicidal patient “Yeah, life sucks, go ahead and end it!” I would rightly lose my job because that would obviously be immoral and deeply unethical. The same could apply if I recommended a donut a day to prevent diabetes: it’s not advice backed up by science. Professional conduct should be expected across the entire healthcare workforce.

For those who need reminding: Being gay is not a choice. You can’t “Pray the gay away.” Trust me, I’ve tried. Trying to convince someone otherwise during moments of vulnerability in spaces such as therapy is cruel. “Successful” cases of conversion play out predictably: the conversion therapy “graduates” force themselves into marriages and parenthood, only to cause disruption and pain in the lives of their spouses and children later when they’re forced to come out.

Yes, yes, God says being gay is an abomination, “Just look to Leviticus 20:13,” you’ll hear folks say. But so is gluttony, and nearly 1 in 3 Americans struggle with that. There’s plenty in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, that would make even the most devout uncomfortable (how about those 200 foreskins?). I’m a Christian because Christ’s teachings are simple: love one another, the least will have the most, and forgive often. We all make asterisks to religious texts in our spiritual journeys. What’s yours?

Check out more of my work on Substack.

I’ve seen very little commentary on these ballot measures we’ll be voting on this November.

On bail, the populist in me wants to keep folks that (allegedly) commit serious crimes behind bars before they’re able to commit more. Any alternative views?

I find the residency requirement for judges to be sensible, although I wish our county judicial officers were appointed and not elected.

Thoughts?

It's budget szn!

Here's a quick breakdown of local government happenings this month:

• Columbus City Council flipped its Nexus Park funding vote to 8–1 in support.
• The proposed 2027 city budget is $44.6M for the general fund, up $2.4M from 2026.
• An 80-acre northeast-side residential development was approved for annexation and rezoning.
• The county's proposed 2027 budget has a projected $1.3M gap.
• BCSC is targeting $6M in budget reductions by 2028.
• BCSC officials are rallying support for the November referendum.
• Toyota's new Walesboro facility is expected to bring 140 new jobs.

For more, check out my Substack here.

Check out my latest op-ed in The Columbus Republic this week. 📰

If you’ve been following the debate over data centers, let me know what you think!

Check out my latest op-ed in The Columbus Republic this week. 📰

If you’ve been following the debate over data centers, let me know what you think!

Read more on my Substack:

https://colebennettin.substack.com/p/what-do-data-centers-and-solar-farms?r=4ayi8d&utm\_medium=ios

I've been thinking about how similar the debates around both projects have become. In my latest Substack, I argue that Columbus risks making opposition to development its default response instead of addressing legitimate concerns.

Check out my Substack here.

🏛️ Here's a quick rundown of the biggest decisions made in Bartholomew County this month.

Which vote or policy stood out to you the most?

Grace Kestler launched her campaign 16 months before Election Day. Will Columbus stick with Mayor Mary Ferdon’s vision, or choose something different?

Read my analysis on my Substack:

https://open.substack.com/pub/colebennettin/p/grace-kestler-starts-2027-early?r=4ayi8d&utm\_medium=ios

Indiana voters faced a key question in this month’s primary: Are local politics still local? For six Republican state senators, the answer was a resounding no. President Trump still dominates the Republican Party, and his endorsements in Indiana proved it. Trump’s show of power will have lasting consequences for our state.

First, Bartholomew County: what are we doing? Less than 20% turnout for an election that garnered national attention is embarrassing. Democracy only works when people show up. Three of Bartholomew County’s four Statehouse representatives will now have leaders that demonstrated they are willing to cave to outside pressure. We can do better.

The current makeup of Indiana’s Senate has acted as a brake on increasingly partisan (and often dumb) legislation. That may now change. I suspect the Senate’s first move will be to replace the President Pro Tem, making it easier to pass more partisan bills. Senator Rodric Bray was early to push back against mid-decade redistricting because he knew the Senate didn’t have the votes (and it was dumb). And when he called a vote because of mounting pressure… the Senate didn’t have the votes (again, dumb). In turn, the legislative calendar was shortened, leaving more important issues unaddressed.

Now, expect another push to redraw Indiana’s congressional maps ahead of 2028 in favor of Republicans. Never mind the Congress does literally nothing, regardless of which party is in power. They’ve given up all powers to the executive: student loans, tariffs, etc. Perhaps the most recent egregious abdication of power has been the war in Iran. The Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais earlier this month has renewed calls for Indiana to act. I agree that race should not determine representation, but we also have rules and norms: maps are drawn once a decade, after the census. That was the whole reason most Indiana senators opposed redistricting. Ironically, forcing Democrats into Republican districts could backfire and flip those seats blue. 

Next, expect efforts to close Indiana’s primaries. Right now, voters do not register by party to participate. There have already been calls to restrict primaries only to registered party members to prevent “meddling.” This argument would have more merit if taxpayers weren’t funding both elections. If parties want private elections, they should pay for them. Until then, let people vote. Plus, over 2,000 voters participated in the Democratic nomination for Indiana Senate District 41… which was unopposed. Partisanship begets partisanship, I guess.

Here’s the bottom line: Senator Greg Walker’s loss will be devastating for our community. If Michelle Davis is willing to break rules and norms for the sake of superfluous partisan power, what else will she cave on?

Our country continues on the path of decline, state by state. Classical liberalism and federalism are failing in favor of postliberalism and populism. Our Founders would be ashamed. The Republican Party, the party of Lincoln and Reagan, can do so much better. God is testing Indiana. Are you listening? This month’s election results tell me no.

For more, check out my Substack.