Freedom To Be Like Me

Maggie Downs must have drugged all of the editors to get this story on the front page of the Enquirer about a local lesbian couple who went to San Francisco and became one of the last homosexuals couples to be married before the California Supreme Court ordered a stop to such marriage while they hear the case pending on Gay Marriage.

The Enquirer is not known to push "Gay issues," especially on the front page, so this is a bit of a coup. I am pleased to see that the Enquirer is starting up a panel of local homosexuals. In an email sent I got a copy of what the Enquirer is asking for:

The Enquirer is putting together a panel of local people who are gay or lesbian. We have several goals:

1. We want to hear from local gays and lesbians about issues affecting them here in Cincinnati, and how we might better cover those issues, and be sensitive in our stories, headlines, etc.

2. We hope that such a gathering would help gays and lesbians better understand the newspaper, and how its editors make decisions.

3. Ultimately, we would like to produce a story about what it's like to be gay and live in Cincinnati in 2004.

We're hoping to hear from "everyday" people, gays and lesbians who have jobs and families and go to church and movies and sporting events and dine out with friends just like anybody else in the city.

We hope to meet the first time at the Enquirer building downtown sometime the week of March 22. It likely would be an evening meeting, on a day that works best for those who participate. The meeting will last 90 minutes to two hours and we likely would convene again in April, but that will be decided later.

Members of the group must be willing to speak on the record, and have their photos taken. We hope to use this group as both a source of ideas, and as a sounding board for our coverage of issues affecting gays and lesbians.

This is a big change in approach for this old gray paper, especially in the face of increased anti-homosexual attitudes locally and through out the country. With the CCV, and the Enquirer’s own Peter Bronson, making a push against all things relating to liberal freedoms, I actually salute the efforts of the Enquirer. I will hate to see the fallout. I also fear the couple will be threatened. I hope if they are that incident also makes the front page of the paper.

Opps

The person who claimed that a 17-year-old robbed was "lying." The teenager then took shots a police and hit a bystander while handcuffed in police custody. The person claiming to have been robbed actually was alleged trying to buy drugs for the teenager, but got "fake" drugs, thus she claimed to have been robbed. She is now being charged.

What an idiot. What kind of moron calls the police when they get ripped off making an ILLEGAL purchase?

This is the same situation that caused City Beat reporter Stephanie Dunlap to be barred from a police briefing.

ClevelandCincinnati Rocks!

Number Seven!

Update: More from the Enqurier.

Stephen Hill Fired From WCPO

But you have to read about it on WLWT's website. All you get from WCPO is this statement.

If Bush Goes First

The GOP is demanding an apology from John Kerry for his offhand remarks that his Republican opponents are "...most crooked....lying group of people I've ever seen."

Ok, that is way over the top. When Bush apologizes for manipulating the country on the reason for war, or just apologize for claiming that WMD stock piles were in Iraq, then I might worry about what Kerry said that happened to be picked up on a live mic. Did Bush apologize for referring to a reporter as a "major league asshole?" I don't think he did, so this is just a political gambit the media is seizing on. Yes, the liberal media; CNN is pumping up a non-issue on Kerry. I am just shocked!!!!! Oh, wait, I am not. That happened all the time with Gore, so why should CNN change now.

Scapegoat

Is this part of the campaign to blame the CIA for no WMD's? I think Jim Bunning needs to read the Salon article Covington Jim blogged about. It sounds like "sexed up" WMD smoking gun and a glaring claim of incompetence in the DOD's Office of Special Plans, an intelligence PR group that filtered information for various Pentagon and WH officials, which according the article gave the running talking points on Iraq used by many in the Administration.

No City Beat Mention?

Korte did not cover the Police Chief barring City Beat's Stephanie Dunlap from a briefing. Maybe next week?

Meanwhile Stephanie has written her own story on the incident. It is a great column. My only criticism is that she is a reporter and this is a column, not a "news story." This situation however is really unique and the Post story provides the "objective" view of the situation well. Getting her side of the story is both valid and news worthy.