Saying a Racial Slur Gets the Media into Frenzy

Ok, so there is a videotape and according to some sources Cincinnati police Sgt. Jeff Butler said the word "nigger" while being investigated by CPD internal affairs. I really wonder what the story here is? This happened in 1998, over 5 years ago. Beyond being the typical if it involves race then we can exploit it attitude of the media, I don't see the impact of this man's words.

Now, by saying the "n-word" he broke no law. You can think him to be a racist or bigot or idiot, but he broke no law. Plenty of other groups of people are insulted every day in the media alone, not to mention in the break rooms across the country. Why does this matter? What matters is whether this guy broke any laws, which is why he was being investigated. This got a skeptical play by WLWT, but Kathy Wilson seems to either have better hearing or has a problem with book covers. Leslie Blade lets opinion flow into her news story, but reports generally most of same facts out.

If WLWT or CityBeat wants to put on airs about hate speech, they should review the tapes from 1230 AM the Buzz and the number of incidents of hate speech would make your mind boggle.

What I have a problem with overall is the underlying theme on this issue: guilt by association. "If one guys says a word, then see, they are all racists." If this person had actually attacked or mistreated anyone because of their race, then this would be support for the contention that this man was a racist. Just because others around him don't correct him for saying a "bad" word does not mean much. If a religious person says they will pray for me, I don't like it. Sometimes they go out of their way to ask me "have you accepted Jesus Christ as your savior?" I don't say anything to say that offends me. I instead ignore them. If this police officer broke the law, then lock him up. If he said a racial slur, then call him an asshole and move on.

FOX Propaganda in Action

Chemical Weapons or Chemical Explosives? Somehow in an interview with Brit Hume, Fox News foreign affairs analyst Mansoor Ijaz "reported" that "chemical explosives" were smuggled into Northern Iraq from Iran. This little tidbit then gets extrapolated without any evidence:

Now, what alarmed me about this and the reason that I felt it was necessary to get this out as soon as possible, is because I have now heard three times in the last week, from separate sources that I have been talking to that something big is being planned for Baghdad. In which the idea that is being put forward is to kill as many as 3,000 to 5,000 people at one shot; something that would be similar to a World Trade Center (search) type of attack. In that part of the world, the only way you could get that done is if you launched a massive chemical or biological attack.

Now, someone this gets translated to the front page teaser as "Terror expert Mansoor Ijaz says chemical weapons came in from Iran." Ah, no he did not say that. Chemical explosives include things like, oh nitroglycerin or dynamite. I know FOX wants spins stuff for their boy Bush, but this is just ridiculous. Mansoor Ijaz is treated like a reporter but he is an open advocate for the War. I don't get how he could let this misconception go on when you read this from his FOX News bio:

Ijaz received his Bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in Physics from the University of Virginia and received his Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Damn, that's a big ass barrel of monkeys.

WMD Found? Nope!

After further review the mortar shells found in southern Iraq found by the Danish did not contain a blister agent. Sorry folks, someone jumped the gun once again. WMD's were not found. I bet it will take months for people to understand that we did not find them.

I found the announcement of finding these mortar shells just happened to occur a few days after a big report is released detailing how Iraq had not possessed WMD since the mid '90s. I wonder why someone jumped the gun? Hmmmm, very odd that a report would surface as an attempt to refute a news story. I wonder if a journalist would investigate who released that information, when the mortar shells were originally found, and how long had they been sitting on the information.

Chris Smitherman?

Something happened today with Chris Smitherman? I heard a fragment of the WLW news at 3PM, but I missed the whole story. Something about comments he was alleged to have made? Anyone???

Goth's invade Main Street

The Warehouse, Cincinnati's premier dance club for everyone who likes to be different for difference’s sake, is moving from Vine Street to the Main Street entertainment district. This is great for Main Street, but not great news for Vine Street.

Damon Lynch: Liar?

Greg Korte is reporting that on 2003 campaign reports Damon Lynch listed Timberland Drive in Woodlawn as his residence on his contribution of 1,000 to himself. Now, it is possible that this contribution was actually from Damon Lynch IV not the III. Lynch IV is now awaiting trial for theft. If his son gave him the money, then where did that money come from?

All unlikely speculation aside here, Damon Lynch should be investigated for perjury. He was under oath when he testified before the board of elections. I assume the board actually had him testify, and did not let his attorney speak for him, which would have been a brilliant move for Ken Lawson, Lynch's attorney, to make. If he "moved" back to Woodlawn during the campaign he would not have been a valid candidate.

I wonder if Mike Allen has the balls to go after Lynch. Don't hold your breath. I am sure Mike would love to put Damon Lynch on trial, but he has no intention of feeding Lynch's savior complex with tangible fodder. Allen will let this transgression pass. No one will care that Lynch was given special treatment because of who he is.

UPDATE: Greg Mann has analysis and thinks Korte and I are making to much out of mostly nothing.

Stop Wasting Money, Adams County

The pointless attempt of some in Adam's county to establish a theocracy will not happen in the U.S. Courts. The school district officials should be sued for misuse of public funds for pushing this the lawsuit to try and get the right to put Ten Commandment statues in front of public schools. One would think that the Roy Moore case in Alabama might make them give up. You don't get much deeper into the bible belt than Alabama, where atheists are more closeted than homosexuals.

Missing Kiesewetter

I for one am missing John Kiesewetter's TV & Radio column, killed by the Enquirer. I am the people of Butler country will like the extra coverage they are getting beyond the two daily newspaper's they already had covering their area. I am sure they need more and Cincinnati needs less. Damn the city and long the live the burbs?

Bronson Makes Sense?

Peter Bronson's column makes a little sense today, or rather he makes points that no one else is pointing out. In last week's council meeting Peter reports that the following council members made the following contradictions:

Newbie Chris Smitherman blasted the human relations budget, but director Cecil Thomas said nobody even called to ask any questions.

Laketa Cole insisted that slicing a quarter of the commission's budget was not a cut.

Sam Malone promised voters he would work to stop the violence - then voted to gut an agency that's actually trying.

Most surprising at all, Bronson criticized Sam Malone. I tip my hat to Peter for the across the board criticism.

Peter however made Vice Mayor Alicia Reece the focus of his scorn:

But the uncongeniality award went to Vice Mayor Alicia Reece, who introduced the sketchy idea to take $100,000 from the commission to fight black-on-black homicides. She insulted council members, then called for unity. She invited questions, then cut them cold. She shot down compromises, then complained council did nothing.

She insinuated rejection was a race thing. But white council members have thrown millions at programs to prove they are sensitive on race. They just haven't done much that works.

Her motion failed because it was a sloppy proposal presented like a ransom note. Reece is charming in person, but sometimes runs meetings like the bossy kid nobody wants to play with.

Well, in some many words Bronson's assessment agrees with mine that Alicia Reece is the Queen of political Grandstanding in the City of Cincinnati.

Chicken?

John Dowlin, according to the Enquirer, is refusing to debate Pat DeWine before the March GOP primary. Dowlin is trying to play down the importance of those supporting DeWine:

"I think we're not going to do that," Dowlin said. "It seems like an awful lot of time and effort for a small group of people."

So a few hours in a meeting hall will take you away from what, meeting for a few hours in a different meeting hall? The only difference between the two would be that the stage would not be so crowded?

Jay "Unabomber Jr." Love

I missed this today (had other things on my mind). I really don't see how or why Jay Love would read from the Una-bomber's manifesto. Ethan Hahn's comments focus on how the media reports on things they know nothing about, and it shows to us that are not quite as ignorant as Joe six-pack. Ethan use Rush Limbaugh as an example. Coincidence that today is Rush's birthday as well as mine. Hmmm????

Priceless Talking Points Memo Post

Number of days between Novak column outing Valerie Plame and announcement of investigation: 74 days.

Number of days between O'Neill 60 Minutes interview and announcement of investigation: 1 day.

Having the administration reveal itself as a gaggle of hypocritcal goons ... priceless.

-- Josh Marshall

Counterspin on Boondocks

Hesiod reports that only 300 people complained about the Enquirer canceling the Boondocks cartoon strip. He is calling for people to write in to the paper and try and have it re-instated.

Down Goes Frasier!

I just couldn't resist.

Something to get my mind of my troubles

What Classic Movie Are You?

Life Can Sometimes Really Suck

Well, I was having an OK, nothing grand mind you, birthday when our entire department was called into a meeting this morning. To make a long story short, we all got laid off. Needless to say that made for one really shitty birthday present. We have four more weeks and that is it.

Wow, we are in such a great economy now, aren’t we??????

I will be getting a severance package, but I also do have two internal job leads, which are not bad and will likely at least pay about the same as I am getting now. If I am lucky one of them might actually be an increase in salary.

If anyone knows of any job openings where a guy with a Finance/business background who can do wonders with Microsoft Access databases could be of use, please drop me a line.

I am going to have a beer now.

You Say It's Your Birthday?

Famous people born today:

1876 Jack London
1905 Tex Ritter
1926 Ray Price
1930 Glenn Yarborough
1944 Joe Frazier
1951 Rush Limbaugh (Yes, it is "ironical")
1954 Howard Stern
1955 Kirstie Alley
1964 Jeff Bezos
1966 Rob Zombie
1972 Brian Griffin

Peter Ignores the Truth

Mr. Bronson is missing something about why the Maisonette is having troubles, and I think he missed it on purpose. He mentioned convention business is not what it was. I wonder why, Peter! You don't suppose that the convention boycott started in reaction to Article XII, the anti-homosexual charter amendment? Peter, you don't suppose that gay friendly organizations that might come to Cincinnati for a convention might just be big customer for restaurants like the Maisonette?

I think Peter has more to do with the failure of the Maisonette then he would like to admit. His advocacy for groups like the CCV and their theocratic agenda helped Phil Burress get his anti-gay ballot issue passed. Also, Peter's regular laments on the crime rate in Cincinnati, and the fear mongering that follows, creating a myth that is followed by the ignorant suburbanite. Peter has done more than anyone to drive fear into the suburbs. Why would they want to be near the gays and blacks? "They" might actually talk to a Hummer Driver, and "we all" know that is just unacceptable. (Cough, Cough)

Ignorant Old Man

The Enquirer has a guest column from a WWII veteran who attacks the media for making a big deal out of the number of "causalities" in the Iraq war. Robert E. Johnson is correct when he says the number of dead pales in comparison to the people lost in WWII or the Civil War. What Mr. Johnson seems to be being missing is the media's play of "causalities." The media does report deaths in Iraq. Deaths of soldiers that is. Very little is reported on the non-fatal casualties. NPR did an excellent report, "Measuring Cost of Iraq War," on the number of casualties in the war on Iraq. I would suggest Mr. Johnson ponder for a minute the absence of the thousands of wounded men on the TV screen. We don't see the men without limbs, or men blinded. We do see a President walking around without a care in world.

For a running count of Military deaths and woundings, check out Lunaville.org. As of now 495 U.S. Military deaths (591 total) and 2,849 U.S. woundings.

Local Blog Round-Up

Notes from Ground Level: Greg Mann comments on today's Maggie Downs column. I did make some resolutions. I will try to write better, maintain my weight (lose 10 more lbs. if possible), and actually finish the outline to my novel this year. I know I will not keep these fully, but I picked things that I am constantly working on, so any effort means “success” towards these resolutions.

Rantophilia: Michael covers the up coming new space exploration initiative. I really would love to send men to Mars and back to the Moon. The Problem here is that 1) Bush knows this plan is dead in congress. There is no money for it. 2) Bush will likely make a big hoopla over it and then try to get the private sector to do it, which no private group will take on. This kind of big project will only work with government backing. No corporation can make their short-term profits (something they can’t live without) from this kind of long-term investment. I really wish I could support Bush's plan, but I see it as an election year ruse that he knows will not get off the ground, literally.

Queen City Soapbox: Ethan Hahn brings up the new immigration policy. I see this as Bush pulling a Clinton, again. He is using Dick Morris's triangulation trick. Get the far right wing pissed, but gain some of the centrist voters because you appear to be moderate. I am not sure if it will work. This act might keep some of rabid rightists at home; enough to offset any gains Bush might get from Latinos and Centrists gained from adopting this new policy.