Big Ben Off to the NFL

Ben Roethlisberger made it official after last night's win in the GMAC Bowl that he is leaving Miami for the NFL. Ben is a junior in football eligibility, but is an academic senior. He will be missed by Miami fans, but he will find success in the pros.

Reasons for War

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MIAMI 49, Louisville 28

Love and honor to Miami,
Our college old and grand,
Proudly we shall ever hail thee,
Over all the land.

Alma mater now we praise thee,
Sing joyfully this lay,
Love and honor to Miami,
Forever and a day.

Great Win, Great Season, Great Team!

I wish Ben all the luck in the world. I think he has played his last game as a Redhawk.

Letter From a Fool

Here is a letter to the editor from today's Enquirer

Those against Bush hurting our nation

President Bush couldn't have made it any clearer at the get-go. "Either you're with us, or you're against us." What part of that don't you understand?

To the writer of the letter "Bush a divider, not a unifier" (Dec. 14): People that think like you are also the kind of people that caused this great country to lose the war in Vietnam. back in the '60s and '70s. You just feed the enemy.

I don't like to argue with anyone about war because it is true - no one really wins after you consider all the lives lost. But if you don't contribute to it, you have no right to profit from it.

By the way, I believe in the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy and even Santa Claus. If this makes me a compassionate conservative, so be it.

Ed Gruener, Colerain Township

Was Ed trying to be funny or is he just showing that he has the mind of child? I added the bold above, but it stands out all by itself. I don't think you are compassionate Mr. Gruener, I think you are a fool. You are a fool if you believe in fairy tales, and you are a fool if you believe in the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, and Santa Claus. Oh, the fairy tale I think you believe in is the validity of this War and your "love it or leave it" attitude. I think your mindset is what is straight out of the 1960's. I think your stubborn mindset, also held by military leadership, is what lost the war in Vietnam. I really find it horrid that you think anyone should "profit" from a war.

I really hope you were trying to be a satire on conservatives who are ignorant (not all of the them are - cough, cough), but I fear that your letter was bona fide, grade A real. If this is who makes up a die-hard Bush supporter, I really don't get how people with half a mind flock to him like lemmings.

Media Still Missing the Boat on WMD

It takes Diane Sawyer, queen of the celebrity interview, to actually push Bush on not finding any WMD in Iraq? To no one’s surprise this fact gets little play in the news. The fate of Saddam is the hot news. Bush dodging the questions and not answering the basic facts that his Administration said Iraq possessed WMD (the actual weapons), but none have been found, this is not getting much attention. That would seem to be news to me. That would seem to be huge news of either bad intelligence (which is their fall back spin) or just purely misleading the country on why we went to war.

I seriously hope that which ever Democrat faces Bush in a debate next fall beats that issue into the ground and refuses to let his spin go by. I can see Dean doing that easy. I don't know yet if Dean is the best Democrat to be President or not. I am glad I am not part of a political party. I don't want to have to pick from the 9.

City Council Shuffling

The Post is reporting that if John Cranley ran against John Dowlin for Hamilton County Commissioner, he would win. The Post story strongly indicates that Cranley could announce a run soon. Pat DeWine is also thinking about running. Who then steps up to take seats on Council?

In the GOP one might think Monzel would get the nod as a previous councilman, but he is also considering running for County Commission. I would bet Leslie Ghiz should get to fill out DeWine's seat if he were to leave for Commission. She got the next most votes for office of any Republican.

On the Dems side I have no idea. Bond and Britton were the other two people on the ballot this year, but they had no fire in their bellies. I see no one else on the bench for the Dems with any public record of accomplishment to rest on. Would they consider trying to recruit Damon Lynch? I don't think they would, but one never knows.

WHY?

So Bush now would back a constitutional ban on same sex marriage. I want to know why. I don't want his canned answer, "marriage is between a man and a woman." That reminds me of an answer a parent would give a child to the question why is the sky blue. There is full and complete answer as to why the sky is blue. There is a full and complete answer as to why Bush is against homosexual marriage, and why he does not support Civil Unions. I believe the answer is simple, but one he can't say without losing support. Bush will tolerate homosexuals, but he (along with a lot of other bigots) fears gay men. That would be homophobia by definition. There ignorance is based on religion and misconceptions perpetuated by bigots.

Gays exist. Bush needs to get over that fact. Then he needs to state why he is against providing equal rights and benefits to all people. Why does he favor special rights for heterosexuals? Hmmmm?

I would bet Bush would not care much about lesbians being married. I would posit that most homophobic men are not fearful of lesbians.

I still don't hear why people are against gay marriage and civil unions. All I hear are "code" words. Bigoted "code" words that I think make it clear to those who wish to keep homosexuals second-class citizens that they are on their side. Freedom from religious piety will never be achieved with an atmosphere where fear rules intellectual expression, as well as emotional expression.