Menorah, cross kept off square
No mention of the ACLU involvement in the case. The City got a break for its annual holiday kickoff on Fountain Square tomorrow. The KKK is not going to be allowed to post a cross on the square this season. I wonder why they don't try it at any other time of the year? I would encourage as many people as possible tomorrow to dress up as Santa Claus or Mrs. Claus and head on down to the square for the party.
Thursday, November 28, 2002
Wednesday, November 27, 2002
Ruling Opens Door For Another Klan Christmas Cross
Greenwood won the case, and he gets the blame for any Klan cross that appears. This case has two odd parts. I agree with banning all religious displays on the square, but the "Christmas Tree" is in my opinion a secular symbol related to a religiously based holiday. The Christmas tree is based on a Pagan religious tradition and it is not part of any of the religious dogma of Christianity. The cross, on the other hand, is clearly a religious symbol along with the menorah.
I think another element of the case covered banning a man from dressing as Santa Claus and handing out information about a homeless shelter. This in my opinion is clearly a protected freedom of expression. WCPO's version of the story.
Follow-up: Dan Horn from the Enquirer responded to my inquiry regarding his article in my post below. He is not sure, nor I am, as to whether this lawsuit was supported and/or paid for by the ACLU. The impression Greenwood gave yesterday on WLW was that it the ACLU was at least supporting it. Since the local homeless group was added, I would imagine that the ACLU was on board with Greenwood’s actions.
UPDATE: The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals has issued a stay on the ruling in this case, keeping the City Ordinance in effect.
Greenwood won the case, and he gets the blame for any Klan cross that appears. This case has two odd parts. I agree with banning all religious displays on the square, but the "Christmas Tree" is in my opinion a secular symbol related to a religiously based holiday. The Christmas tree is based on a Pagan religious tradition and it is not part of any of the religious dogma of Christianity. The cross, on the other hand, is clearly a religious symbol along with the menorah.
I think another element of the case covered banning a man from dressing as Santa Claus and handing out information about a homeless shelter. This in my opinion is clearly a protected freedom of expression. WCPO's version of the story.
Follow-up: Dan Horn from the Enquirer responded to my inquiry regarding his article in my post below. He is not sure, nor I am, as to whether this lawsuit was supported and/or paid for by the ACLU. The impression Greenwood gave yesterday on WLW was that it the ACLU was at least supporting it. Since the local homeless group was added, I would imagine that the ACLU was on board with Greenwood’s actions.
UPDATE: The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals has issued a stay on the ruling in this case, keeping the City Ordinance in effect.
Tuesday, November 26, 2002
CityBeat: Political Irritants
The protestors should be pleased at this outcome. Most of the protestors at Bush's speech back in October were white, yet the Police still treated them with force, just like black protestors. Equal treatment is what protestors and boycotters both seek. Equal treatment is what the protestors received with the pepper spray. Progress is a good thing; take all progress you can get. I hope I don't hear any boycotters pissed about this. I bet they liked it. As long as it wasn't blacks being sprayed with chemicals the CJC, BUF, and the clown posse et al will not care what happens to a group of progressive populists. They might have even gotten a little chuckle out of it, in private of course.
The protestors should be pleased at this outcome. Most of the protestors at Bush's speech back in October were white, yet the Police still treated them with force, just like black protestors. Equal treatment is what protestors and boycotters both seek. Equal treatment is what the protestors received with the pepper spray. Progress is a good thing; take all progress you can get. I hope I don't hear any boycotters pissed about this. I bet they liked it. As long as it wasn't blacks being sprayed with chemicals the CJC, BUF, and the clown posse et al will not care what happens to a group of progressive populists. They might have even gotten a little chuckle out of it, in private of course.
CityBeat: Porkopolis "Turn the Mall Into an Anti-War Rally" (near bottom)
Greg Flannery writes about an anti-war protest slated for December 21, 2002 where "activists plan to invade shopping malls across the country to disallow business as usual and tell consumers, ‘Stop the buying! Stop the dying!’" Their goals include making some insane leap that the US over consumption leads to international violence. Under consumption could lead to just the same international violence. In reality international violence is going to happen no matter what the US does or does not do. This group is just another bunch of fringe anti-capitalist transnational progressives, or in other words, modern communists.
I call them modern communists because they use the same rhetoric as a Stalinist would use, but they seem to embrace small-scale capitalism. They like a small coffee shop, or vegan cafe, but they hate corporations of any type. City Beat gives these kids too much attention. City Beat is not void of capitalism, and if these kids were to understand anything about simple capitalism, they would not cry about it so much. I understand why they don't trust corporations and Bush's whoring for said corporations, but they are so far out of touch that they go off the deep end with their ideas and their rhetoric. Yes, the Iraq conflict is partially about Oil and economic interests. Every war is about that to some degree. WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Gulf War I, and even Kosovo had at least economic overtones to them. One of the National interests of the US is the economic interests of Americans. Money, wealth, and power matter to life. Giving up money, praying to Buddha, and becoming vegan will not stop bad things happening in the world. There will always be someone who is poor. Will it be their fault they are poor? Sometimes yes, sometimes partially yes, and sometimes no.
Greg Flannery writes about an anti-war protest slated for December 21, 2002 where "activists plan to invade shopping malls across the country to disallow business as usual and tell consumers, ‘Stop the buying! Stop the dying!’" Their goals include making some insane leap that the US over consumption leads to international violence. Under consumption could lead to just the same international violence. In reality international violence is going to happen no matter what the US does or does not do. This group is just another bunch of fringe anti-capitalist transnational progressives, or in other words, modern communists.
I call them modern communists because they use the same rhetoric as a Stalinist would use, but they seem to embrace small-scale capitalism. They like a small coffee shop, or vegan cafe, but they hate corporations of any type. City Beat gives these kids too much attention. City Beat is not void of capitalism, and if these kids were to understand anything about simple capitalism, they would not cry about it so much. I understand why they don't trust corporations and Bush's whoring for said corporations, but they are so far out of touch that they go off the deep end with their ideas and their rhetoric. Yes, the Iraq conflict is partially about Oil and economic interests. Every war is about that to some degree. WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Gulf War I, and even Kosovo had at least economic overtones to them. One of the National interests of the US is the economic interests of Americans. Money, wealth, and power matter to life. Giving up money, praying to Buddha, and becoming vegan will not stop bad things happening in the world. There will always be someone who is poor. Will it be their fault they are poor? Sometimes yes, sometimes partially yes, and sometimes no.
Fountain holiday displays on trial
Funny thing missing from this article: where isn't the ACLU mentioned? Scott Greenwood, the attorney representing the plaintiffs who are challenging the City ordinance is the lead local lawyer for the ACLU. The ACLU may not officially endorse this case, but I thought Greenwood generally only took cases that would be supported by the ACLU. Greenwood was on WLW today with Cunningham about the Adams county 10 commandments lawsuit. Willie's callers seem to be dumber than even Adams county dirt. It was like hearing a Green Stamp trading convention keynote speaker. Greenwood mentioned this lawsuit, so I assume it has the full support of the ACLU. The terms he spoke of regarding the merits of the Fountain Square lawsuit sounded like generally traditional ACLU stances. I am still perplexed as to why the ACLU involvement would not be mentioned in the Enquirer Article. I will email the reporter and ask.
UPDATE: WCPO's story on this issue does not tie Greenwood to his ACLU position, but mentions the KKK-Fountain Square case was made by the ACLU, which in fact was Greenwood's case.
Funny thing missing from this article: where isn't the ACLU mentioned? Scott Greenwood, the attorney representing the plaintiffs who are challenging the City ordinance is the lead local lawyer for the ACLU. The ACLU may not officially endorse this case, but I thought Greenwood generally only took cases that would be supported by the ACLU. Greenwood was on WLW today with Cunningham about the Adams county 10 commandments lawsuit. Willie's callers seem to be dumber than even Adams county dirt. It was like hearing a Green Stamp trading convention keynote speaker. Greenwood mentioned this lawsuit, so I assume it has the full support of the ACLU. The terms he spoke of regarding the merits of the Fountain Square lawsuit sounded like generally traditional ACLU stances. I am still perplexed as to why the ACLU involvement would not be mentioned in the Enquirer Article. I will email the reporter and ask.
UPDATE: WCPO's story on this issue does not tie Greenwood to his ACLU position, but mentions the KKK-Fountain Square case was made by the ACLU, which in fact was Greenwood's case.
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