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)