Listening to the debate over the Gay Marriage Ban one hears full and total bigotry like none that has been present in American government since the anti-atheist strain of last few years and back in the 1950's and during period of segregation. Listing to the Senate is simply amazing, hearing the clear bigotry and theocratic positioning of government officials. It is disheartening to listen to Senators either take the religious tact of anti-gay dogma or some kind of wimpish Plessy v. Ferguson (Separate but Equal) stand to fend off any religious attack.
The fear of homosexuals is still a common element of America. That is a sad, sad fact that with the rise of a theocratic movement will not improve anytime soon.
UPDATE: Next we will see an amendment banning the sale of wedding dresses to anyone who can't or does not want to get married. Commenter "Funnel Cake" will surely be disappointed.
Friday, July 09, 2004
Thursday, July 08, 2004
15,000 in Dayton!!!
A great crowd for the Kerry- Edwards rally in Dayton. Who added the "hair" comment in the headline? I would be surprised if it was Howard Wilkinson, maybe a conservative editor or two?
White Guilt Free
I read Kathy Y. Wilson this week and hear her winning about the Enquirer's "Black Power" article from Sunday. In the column she refers to "White America" seven times and "Majority Culture" twice. When the Enquirer makes stereotypes she hates we read about it. Stereotypes are generalizations about a group or subgroup. Kathy retorts the Enquirer with what I think is a stereotype by lumping all white people together and stating they (we) all act a certain way or have specific attitudes towards blacks. Now, I know she is 'really' targeting the white people who are either conservative or don't suffer from a severe enough case of white guilt. Since I don't suffer from that affliction, I guess I am a target.
What am I to take away from her article? Kathy seems to not like it when white people (not 'people who are white') profile people who are black and successful in the business community here in Cincinnati. I guess I don't see what is wrong with people being successful. I guess I don't see what is wrong with the Enquirer pointing this fact out, including an indication that these people also are Black and yet with all of the racism in the world they still were able to succeed. Call it a "you've come a long way baby" type article, if you will. I guess the context is not to Kathy's liking. I guess she does not like it pointed out that if you want to succeed then you should or need to assimilate in to the "majority culture." That is not totally correct, but it is generally true that if you want to work in a community you must play by that community's standards and practices. What is wrong with this? 'Norms' do exist. Judging success is one of those 'norms.' Is that something that will change? No, no more than murder being wrong is a 'norm' in society. I still wonder what makes the Enquirer's article so terrible? If you want to live in a group that self-segregates based on race or culture, fine, but how can one expect to be accepted when you seek to exclude yourself from others. Is that not what segregation was? Does Kathy care so much about cultures remaining 'pure' that she will disparage people from having positive viewpoints? Viewpoints that promote norms that, to be frank, work: hard work, business, and organization. These norms are hardly exclusive to anyone and everyone uses them in their own way, but why should they offend Kathy?
I guess Kathy wants people to be able to succeed no matter how much they fit in. I also detected an anti-business tone in her message too, something not foreign to City Beat. What I don't grasp is how the hell she wants people to treated? Are they to be themselves? If so, then why does she imply that "white America" only accepts these people because they assimilate and that black people who somehow act differently?
What is so wrong with people assimilating? Culture is fluid. Race is not. Race is not culture. Culture should be the individual’s choice, including the individuals’s choice to value their own culture and want to spread it. With that "natural" element of humanity present, majority cultures will always rule success in a society. People have three choices, fit in, go against the grain, or make your own balance where you can function on your own.
Nick Spencer praises the column and hints at a little white guilt.
What am I to take away from her article? Kathy seems to not like it when white people (not 'people who are white') profile people who are black and successful in the business community here in Cincinnati. I guess I don't see what is wrong with people being successful. I guess I don't see what is wrong with the Enquirer pointing this fact out, including an indication that these people also are Black and yet with all of the racism in the world they still were able to succeed. Call it a "you've come a long way baby" type article, if you will. I guess the context is not to Kathy's liking. I guess she does not like it pointed out that if you want to succeed then you should or need to assimilate in to the "majority culture." That is not totally correct, but it is generally true that if you want to work in a community you must play by that community's standards and practices. What is wrong with this? 'Norms' do exist. Judging success is one of those 'norms.' Is that something that will change? No, no more than murder being wrong is a 'norm' in society. I still wonder what makes the Enquirer's article so terrible? If you want to live in a group that self-segregates based on race or culture, fine, but how can one expect to be accepted when you seek to exclude yourself from others. Is that not what segregation was? Does Kathy care so much about cultures remaining 'pure' that she will disparage people from having positive viewpoints? Viewpoints that promote norms that, to be frank, work: hard work, business, and organization. These norms are hardly exclusive to anyone and everyone uses them in their own way, but why should they offend Kathy?
I guess Kathy wants people to be able to succeed no matter how much they fit in. I also detected an anti-business tone in her message too, something not foreign to City Beat. What I don't grasp is how the hell she wants people to treated? Are they to be themselves? If so, then why does she imply that "white America" only accepts these people because they assimilate and that black people who somehow act differently?
What is so wrong with people assimilating? Culture is fluid. Race is not. Race is not culture. Culture should be the individual’s choice, including the individuals’s choice to value their own culture and want to spread it. With that "natural" element of humanity present, majority cultures will always rule success in a society. People have three choices, fit in, go against the grain, or make your own balance where you can function on your own.
Nick Spencer praises the column and hints at a little white guilt.
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
Semantics-a-Go-Go
Rob Bernard is playing a game of semantics. Bush not "lying" is seen as a victory, but the fact that he had to rely on bullshit evidence that his own people did not know or verify and still have not verified is to all other observers a sign that Bush was incompetent, and was grasping at straws to try and justify his war.
One of three possibilities exist: Bush lied, is and was an idiot, or was incompetent. He could be all three, but I will not go that far. At least not today.
One of three possibilities exist: Bush lied, is and was an idiot, or was incompetent. He could be all three, but I will not go that far. At least not today.
Talking Down the City
Catching up on old news brings us Single in Cincy Part Deux. Much of what we've heard about the Forbes article was found in last Saturday's Cincinnati Post. What I don't get is how one of guys quoted in the article actually makes a living:
We are a big city. That fact seems to be lost on a great many people. Take if from a guy who grew up in a city of less than 40,000, Cincinnati is a big town. No matte how much people try and think otherwise, they can't deny reality.
As the owner of Lava, a nightclub on Main Street, Chris Ongkiko makes his living on Cincinnati's singles scene. He agrees with the Forbes assessment -- times 10.How can anyone really blame city government for this? Government can help, but they can't make people come to downtown. If the people and city are a wasteland, then why is Chris Ongkiko trying to make a living here? My suggestion to Mr. Ongkiko is to pack his bags and take a hike to New York or LA. If he wants to live in a megacity, then get going. Cincinnati is not a megacity and guess what, it never will be.
"Cincinnati is a desolate wasteland socially, culturally, economically, spiritually -- in every aspect of life," he said. "It has nothing to do with the people. It's completely on the shoulders of City Council and the mayor."
He opened his business a few months before the riots in April 2001. Three years later, he said, the city is worse off than it was right after the riots.
"When you have a half dozen bars in three blocks close in a 10-month period, that's not a good sign. I'm talking about Jump, the Have a Nice Day Café, Bar Cincinnati, Caverns, the Warehouse and others -- .
We are a big city. That fact seems to be lost on a great many people. Take if from a guy who grew up in a city of less than 40,000, Cincinnati is a big town. No matte how much people try and think otherwise, they can't deny reality.
The News Record
New URL and website for the UC The News Record. I think the paper is off for the summer, but the new web layout is nice.
The Post's Challange
In a surprise the Cincinnati Post reports on the debut of the Sunday Challenger a new weekly NKY newspaper. I guess since it comes out Sundays it does not directly compete with the Post, but it has to hurt their ad sales.
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