More Belafonte Coverage
From WLWT and WCPO.

Councilman David Pepper Kidnapped and Released by Gunmen
Two Black allegedly kidnapped and robbed David Pepper tonight. He was forced to drive, or was driven, around town for about and hour and a half and then released in front of the Scripps Howard Building. Police are still investigating. There is no word if this was a random crime or if Pepper was targeted. David Pepper is the son of the former head of Procter & Gamble.

Belafonte's Folly
From Tuesday's Larry King:

BELAFONTE: First of all, let me hasten to say, Larry, that this was never meant to be a personal attack on Colin Powell's character.

What it was meant, however, to be was an attack on policy, and the reference and the metaphor used about slavery -- it is my personal feeling that plantations exist all over America. If you walk into South Central Los Angeles, into Watts, or you walk into Over-the-Rhine in Cincinnati, you'll find people who live lives that are as degrading as anything that slavery had ever produced. They live in economic oppression, they live in a disenfranchised way. In the hearts and minds of those people, and millions of others, you're always looking for hope, and whenever somebody within our tribe, within our group, emerges that has the position of authority and power to make a difference in the way business is done, our expectations run high. Many times, those expectations are not fulfilled. But when such an individual is in the service of those who not only perpetuate the oppression, but sometimes design the way in which it is applied, it then becomes very, very, very, very critical that we raise our voices and be heard. And...

Is Harry just Damon Lynch III in Caribbean garb? Mr. Belafonte has clearly never been to OTR to compare it to Watts. The inclusion of Cincinnati into his diatribe of racially based communistic dogma can only be seen as a favor to someone or some group here in Cincy. The only other explanation I can conceive is some kind of playing card/gambling/river Freudian slip. Of all of the claims of boycotters the “economic oppression” has been the most outlandish. They are protesting the fact that there are poor people in a capitalist society. That is like being made that there is cheese on a pizza. Poor people exist. Poor people can only get “unpoor” by working their Asses off. They already get handouts in countless ways. I am in favor of providing the poor a safety net to help them survive. That is what I consider part of the government’s role, and since I’m a Liberal you shouldn’t be surprised. However, being a liberal does not mean I don’t embrace capitalism. Harry and the boycotters answer, at least on the surface, is communism for “their people” supported by the rest of us. In other words it is reverse slavery. “We” must atone for what happened to their ancestors by paying for “their people” now to get rich without lifting a finger.

Harry should listen to Colin Powel at the Alfred E. Smith Dinner. His assessment of Powel can only be chopped up to blindly pushing his extreme political agenda under the guise of civil rights. Communism by any other name still smells like shit to me.

Museum: Belafonte's comments not our view
I used to have a tremendous amount of respect for Mr. Belafonte. I do not any longer. I did not see the Larry King Show on CNN, but here is the transcript.

I have only read the comments regarding Cincinnati, which were as ignorant as one can get. I will read more this evening and post more comments later. I will have many many things to say about Mr. Belafonte. I would hope that the public see him for what he is, a communist.

Taft vs. Hagen Debate I
I missed the debate, but it sounds like it was interesting. Here are reports from across the state:
Enquirer, Cincinnati Post, DDN, Akron Beacon Journal, Plain Dealer, Toledo Blade, ONN

I think Jay Love and the entire caller base at 1230 the Buzz should take heed of Chris Anderson's comments.

Four People Indicted In Covington Civil Rights Case
Based on the charges these people appear to be total scumbags. I am not clear as to what the charge of "conspiracy to violate civil rights" entails. Which civil rights did these people violate? I did not know that private citizens could deny other private citizens their civil rights. I thought only the government or agents of the government could do that. The other charges sound clearly reasonable.

UPDATE: The news story on air is not what I would call an unbiased story. It paints an image of bad white people beyond the accused, and then the victimized black people. However, the news story does also include more of the details of the actions of these morons. The accused appear to be skinheads or neo-Nazis of some type. They are surely scumbags, but there are allegations they may have been "provoked" to some degree. If they claim such at trial, it will not go far. The harassment might get some slack if provoked, but adding in the actions like Nazi chants of "white power" is clearly racist crap. The victims may not have been perfect neighbors, but they surely do not deserve that kind of hate filled intimidation. This has all of the earmarks of a classic "hate crime."

Charlie Luken's Issue 7 stance is taken to task by Chris Anderson. Luken seems to be trying to play the West Side against the East Side. I thought the Mayor is supposed to unify the city, not try and create cross-town animosity. One could make a claim the Luken was drumming up a little class warfare, but I won't. (cough, cough)

Little pleads guilty to assault
A plea bargain that gets no attention from Talk Radio. Why isn't Jay Love of 1230 the Buzz complaining to this action by Mike Allen's Office? He railed on the Pleas Bargains for Officer Robert Litman and Specialist Michael Mercer, but when a well known basketball player cops a plea to a lesser charge the outrage is absent. Is there a double standard? Of course there is. The question now is the sentence. Will Little get of light or will he serve some time. I bet he gets off light. Sports stars get a pass in this town.
Additional stories from WLWT, WCPO, The Post, WKRC, The Sporting News, The Boston Globe, SFGate, and CBS Sports.

Cincinnati Post Editorial: "For Common Pleas Court"
Interesting split: The Post endorses Bruce Whitman, while the Enquirer endorses Fred Nelson.

Televised Council Meetings Cause Local Controversy
Legal scholars could spend years on this type of case. If a lawsuit is filed it would be one I would expect to see make a law journal. My own opinion is far from clear. I can see where I would lean towards the Mayor's position, but it would depend on the way the cameraman/candidate put emphasis on the person showing the T-shirt advertisements.

Group cites union-led violence
This headline does not relate the point of the article correctly. The article validly reports the "group" mentioned as a shill for Richard Mellon Scaife's conservative agenda. I am not a big supporter of the tactics of Unions, but I really hate corporations who try and outlaw unions.

Graham daughter may hold revival here
What is the attraction to a religious bigot? What causes people to want to listen to a theocratic fascist? Ms. Graham Lotz comments on NBC Nightly News last year, referenced in this Dallas Morning News Article, clearly demonstrates her religious bigotry. Her comments just days after 9/11, on the CBS Morning Show, illustrates her disgusting opinion that because the United States has taken "god" out of our government that we have lost this "god's" favor, thus allowing the WTC attacks. The people who are planning on welcoming her back to Cincinnati to hold another “revival” need to rethink their strategy. Promoting bigots breeds more bigotry. Talk radio could gain respectability if they avoided the same trap.

City releases report on Owensby's death
If several, if not all, of these officers are not fired, I would not be shocked another mini riot would occur.

Traficant team thinks he can be elected from jail
Traficant's staff must all be on crack.

Bali is Wounded
This message board will appear familiar to those who saw the many posted signs and pictures of the missing from the 9/11 attacks.

Air the Speech -- Hear the Case!
Don's partisanship is showing, just a little. He is way off on the responsibility of TV networks and is avoiding the manipulation of the Bush Administration of the issue.

Those complaining about Bush’s speech not being carried the big three TV networks should first look at the event. Bush’s speech was in front of homer crowd, and had a clear political undertone. It was a Republican crowd and Bush got a Republican, read partisan, welcome. The TV networks are not required and should not give free TV time to the GOP without giving the opportunity for a Democratic response. There was nothing substantially new in the speech, and Bush officials made that clear to the networks beforehand. If Bush wants to prepare the public for war, then do so like every other TV president has done, from a subdued speech from the White House. No crowds cheering, no standing ovations, and no need for a Presidential motorcade. There was plenty of coverage for Bush’s pep rally, and all of the complaints since are beyond petty. They are a juvenile attempt to add to the myth of a liberal political bias in the media.

Unprecedented Opposition to War Still Ignored By Administration, Power-Elite
Matt at Machination seems to be playing the protest number games. Quote as many numbers as you can and you can confuse the issue. I can't find the NPR report he refers to claiming 7,000 demonstrators, nor can I find the Democracy Now report either. This is not even close to the 4,500 the organizers of the protest claimed. The 4,000+ number was reported in one local progressive media outlet, Xray Cincinnati, while the other major progressive news source, CityBeat, stuck with a number between 2,000 and 3,000.

I still like the police estimate of 1,000, but 2,000 is not out of the question. The protesters self determined number is clearly a biased figure that is so unlike the religious groups many of the organizers represent.

Coach eases back to court
There is nothing critical in this article at all against Huggins going back to work full speed. I hope his doctors are watching him like hawks. I think people will see a different Huggins during the season, if he even remains the coach.

KIESEWETTER: Television
Last light Tina Fey was wearing odd shoes. Weekend update was ok, but the rest of the show lacked "balls." Chris Parnell is the new George Bush. His rendition was fair, but will hopefully get better. Reports were made that Darrel Hammond tried a skit as Bush on the season opener's dress rehearsal, which failed miserably and was cut. Instead Parnell turns up opening the next episode of SNL as Bush. I hope Chris Parnell can grow into the role the way Hammond did with his imitation of Bill Clinton after taking over for Phil Hartman. The show is really going to miss Will Ferrell, who left the show at the end of last season. Will was the Phil Hartman of their group. They are now missing someone who can carry a show with a bad guest host. John McCain, hosting next week, would be just such a host, but if SNL had courage they could do some great skits. McCain and Bush debating again, or McCain back in the Hanoi Hilton, or even McCain on the Senate floor with renditions of the more colorful Senators. I have the feeling next week’s show will suck as much as this weeks did. The roller coaster ride that is SNL will go on.