Friday, September 06, 2002

Lemmie refuses to delay Twitty discipline hearings
It is nice to see a good summary article from City Council. I wish there was a summary article after every Council meeting.

Lemmie’s refusal will presumably end after this afternoon’s news.
Ohio to be short two congressmen this fall
Ohio will be greatly under represented this fall in the creation of the Homeland Security Department and with the likely Iraq War Resolution that will most likely happen after the November Election. Now, I am sure conservatives are looking to say that it everyone else’s fault, but it is clearly one person's fault. That person is Governor Bob Taft. Taft refused to hold special elections, and a foolish judge agreed.
BRONSON: Abstinence works
This is the Peter Bronson I grown to loath. I was starting to feel really troubled having to agree with many of his column on the boycott and related issues. I am feeling much more at home see him be the fundamentalist prude out to indoctrinate everyone's kids with his brand of religion. I wish Peter and his conservative brethren applied their love for abstinence from sex to that of guns. Why not fight to keep guns out the hands kids, as well as keeping their "pee-pee" and "woohoo?" I would instead use the conservative's dogma back against them. Sex doesn't kill, people do!
Evendale hears new protest
This little village has no reason to be going through this nonsense. It would appear that the "protestors" are lacking in something constructive to do, and need to show their inner-city friends that they are just as much with the "movement," despite their generally higher level of success. The TV highlights of the meeting are almost like watching the clown posse of City Access Cable fame.

Thursday, September 05, 2002

Vice Mayor Calls For City Official's Resignation In Wake Of Twitty Indictment
Who is Alicia Reese trying to fool? Fagel may be a jerk, he may be snobbish bore, but why blame this man and undercut the process with baseless implications? Well, that answer is simple: she wants votes! She wants to gain votes in the black community. She has a bit of a PR problem in the black community. Calling for someone else to resign takes big balls in her case. There is more reason for her to resign for the allegations made against her, than there is for this man. The Vice Mayor looks like a cheap politician. That just might be all she is, and ever will be.
My Response to the Comments from Greg Flannery of CityBeat
I will start off by giving an apology to Doug Trapp. As Greg stated, Doug originally used the term "riot" in place of "uprising" and "rebellion", but Greg changed them. Greg then should at least be in my Media Dog House; the Hall of Shame was a bit harsh. I really do not think Greg's reasoning as to why he felt those words were better than "riot" holds up. If the intention was to illustrate the motivations of specific members of Stonewall, then I believe the way those words were used fails at that intention. The words were used in a manner that indicated a fact to the reader, not as the motivator of the people referenced. Here is the paragraph in question from the original article:

More so than the other new board members, Ford, McCleese and Bruins were energized by the social movement that followed the April 2001 uprising in Over-the-Rhine. From the rebellion emerged two new groups -- the Coalition for a Just Cincinnati and Citizens Concerned for Justice -- that joined the Black United Front in a boycott of downtown businesses.

What I found to be the problem is that the article declares that the "events" as Greg called them in his email, were not what motivated them, it was the aftermath of the events. Those events cannot honestly be called an uprising or rebellion. They were riots. I stated in my article that calling them a civil disturbance or unrest was not ideal, but they are politically positive terms for the black activist community that became generally acceptable by most of the media. They became reasonable. They were still not accurate, but they were within reason. By changing these words you spun the story to support the propaganda of boycotters.

As to Greg’s overall comments on the April 2001 riots I can only read it as revisionism. They only day with nonviolent protests was the Saturday after the Funeral of Timothy Thomas. Those were not technically illegal protests, but they were nonviolent. On the nights of rioting there was no nonviolent protests on the streets, at least none to speak of. Claiming that the riots were justified is not only wrong, it is sad. There is no justification to run around town breaking windows, throwing bricks and bottles at white motorists, looting stores, and shooting at police.

Luken's term “terrorist” was correctly used for hate groups like the "Black Fist" and the "New Black Panther Party." Those types of groups, whose members are wrapped up in with the boycott groups, are a few steps from becoming a "PLO" or "Islamic Jihad" type group. At this point the CBUF and the CJC have even been tainted by allegations of the use of threats and intimidation as stated by former Judge Nathaniel Jones. The boycott is extortion, so “terrorist” really is not a bad comparison. I can see where the timing of when Luken used it as a problem, since it was not to long after the 9/11 attacks.

What I find terrible about the entire situation, not so much of an issue with CityBeat, is that several of the boycott demands are things that I would agree with. What I cannot agree with is the means the boycotters seek to gain those demands. Instead of organizing a political campaign, they are trying to force a brand of progressive-populism on the populace with a neo-Leninist style to it. As a liberal I can find it difficult to draw a line with groups that under different circumstance I might find common causes. Instead I am pushed away and blamed for history based on the color of my skin. That is sad.

Boycott supporters vow to intensify efforts
This is yet another advertisement for the racist/bigoted boycott groups. I hope that the Black United Front boycotts all corporations in Cincinnati. I don’t know where they would then eat or buy food, clothes, medicine, or shelter. Will this boycott include not eating at Damon Lynch's restaurant? Why does the Post give these bigots a platform? Why does most of the media either cheer them on, or sit on their hands? Ask some questions Cincinnati media!. No one in any of the boycott groups would ever answer questions from someone like me. I don't care about ratings or votes. I am not afraid of being called a racist. I have already been called that, so I can look their bigotry and their racism in the eye and laugh and feel pity. I really don't know what they will do when their attention whoring no longer attracts the Johns (TV and Newspapers)? It will be a big shock. They will have to stage bigger and more outlandish incidents. This is where they will not be able to hold back the violence that bubbles in many of their supporters. That will not be pleasant to watch, but I will be watching from the comfort of my middle class chair, which they will not be able to knock me off. Their goal of revenge and separatism will not succeed. I wish they would instead get on board the mainstream, or cut out a niche that can fit into the melting pot.
Six charged in attack on bus
A handful of kids act out and it is a riot, but 150+ kids act out and it is a "wilding" or a "melee?" It would appear that race might have played a role in this incident, at least on the surface. Deerpark is a mostly white school district, while Mt. Healthy is close to mostly black. That information was missing from the story.
Prosecutors defend Twitty grand juror
" The jurors themselves picked Mr. Fagel as their foreman, the person who informs prosecutors of the jury's decision and signs the indictment." This not what the law states. (read my last post)

The real joke was Fagel's "laugh" to Luken. Fagel appears to be an arrogant ass. Luken is an ass for making that public knowledge. Why did the mayor mention anything about his conversation with the man? That sounds like something Todd Portune would do, not a form U.S. Congressman.
Rules offer insights on grand jury
Enquirer Watch:
"Q: How did Mr. Fagel become jury foreman, and what is the foreman's job?

A: The jurors select a foreman by voting. The foreman is technically the leader of the jury, but he has no more voting power than any other juror. "

Ok, this would be the case for a petit jury, but based one the Ohio Revised Code Section 2939.02 Selection of grand jury which states that "The judge of the court of common pleas may select any person who satisfies the qualifications of a juror and whose name is not included in the annual jury list or on a ballot deposited in the jury wheel or automation data processing storage drawer, or whose name is not contained in an automated data processing information storage device, to preside as foreman of the grand jury, in which event the grand jury shall consist of the foreman so selected and fourteen additional grand jurors selected from the jury wheel or by use of the automation data processing equipment and procedures in the manner provided in this section."
Today on WLW several callers who claimed to have been on grand juries support the fact that the foreperson was selected by the judge, not by the vote of the other jury members. Some of the callers were sure of this, other described a very informal process where "someone" asked who wanted to be foreperson, and only one guy raised his hand. That guy was made foreman, and that "someone" was most surely the judge.

One of many demagogues of the Buzz, Jay Love, praised this article for describing how Grand Jury selection works. I would agree, except for the section I mentioned above. Now, since the perception that this one part of the article is a little bit invalid, I am sure Jay would have to agree that this brings everything else in the article under complete suspicion. He must agree that the reporter, editor, and publisher put the fix in to mislead all of Cincinnati! Jay must now be calling for that reporter and editor to be fired!!!! The oppressors must be vanquished. We must raise ourselves, and our children. We must not let the racists force us to read newspapers!!! Reporter Brutality must be stopped! NO JUSTICE, NO PEA...........well you know.
Relpy from City Beat on My Post regarding an Article by Doug Trapp
Subj:
Date: 09/05/2002 1:37:46 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: gflannery@citybeat.com
To: CincyBlog@aol.com
CC: dtrapp@citybeat.com

Dear Brian,

I am writing to correct your statements about Doug Trapp's article on Stonewall Cincinnati.

If the use of the terms "uprising" and "rebellion" qualify a person for your journalism hall of shame, it is I, not Mr. Trapp, who deserve the nomination. Fact is, Doug used the term "riot"; in editing the article, I changed the word to "uprising" and "rebellion."

Mr. Trapp's article describes the reaction of some Stonewall activists to what happened in April 2001, saying they were "energized" by the events following the police shooting of Timothy Thomas. I think it safe to say that what the activists found "energizing" was not property damage or physical assault, but rather the spontaneous expressions of moral outrage that filled the streets. In the context of the article, "uprising" and "rebellion" are more informative and more accurate than "riot."

But perhaps more to the point, the actual violence in April 2001 was a relatively small part of what happened in the streets; far more people participated in nonviolent, albeit noisy, street protests than in any kind of activity that would qualify as "rioting." Use of the term "riot" unfairly denigrates the legitimate anger prompted by police brutality, just as Charlie Luken's use of the term "terrorists" to describe the civil-rights boycott of Cincinnati unfairly characterized their movement.

Thank you for allowing me to respond to your commentary.

Sincerely,

Greg Flannery
News editor
CityBeat


I will have a response later on tonight.
Defense upset that city lawyer headed grand jury
The defense is not upset; the defense is out tainting the jury pool. I think Sharon Zealey will be looking to get as many black people on the jury as possible. It appears she is going for a nullification defense. She will scream about a conspiracy, show no evidence of one, defame many people, and hope for a hung jury. This will end up being a mini-OJ trial, and I would not be surprised to see some of it on Court TV.

Wednesday, September 04, 2002

Queen City Soapbox: Grand Jury Follies
Chris has summed up the fracas over Stephen Fagel better than I did or could. I have just been amazed at talk radio host Jay Love's demagoguery on this entire issue. You would think Twitty has been lynched on Fountain Square. I am not sure, but I think the "Black Fist's" racist propaganda might actually be starting to sink in.
CityBeat: Stonewall Decides
This "news" article is horrible biased. I know City Beat is a progressive-populist publication, but their revisionism on recent history is not even close to objective journalism. This section of the article demonstrates this quite clearly: "McCleese and Bruins were energized by the social movement that followed the April 2001 uprising in Over-the-Rhine. From the rebellion emerged two new groups -- the Coalition for a Just Cincinnati and Citizens Concerned for Justice -- that joined the Black United Front in a boycott of downtown businesses. "

If Doug Trapp instead used "Civil Disturbance" or maybe "unrest" in place of "uprising" and "rebellion,” I would not be chastising him. Calling the April 2001 riots an “uprising” and a “rebellion” is nothing short of revisionist propaganda right from the playbook of the boycott groups. I would understand not using “riot.” I would disagree with not using it, but it is in the realm of reasonable journalism. Doug has moved away from journalism. He is nothing more than a propagandist. Doug’s story is otherwise reasonable, but placing those terms as a matter of “fact” is horrid journalism. Doing such is a form of imposing a false “truth” on his readers. Any honest reporter would shun him in a NY minute. He has made my Media Hall of Shame.
CityBeat: Your Negro Tour Guide "Can You Hear Me Now?"
I can hear, but this literary representation of a spoken word hip-hoppy poem just lost me. It might work in a coffee house, but I am not impressed with in on paper.
Action Agency to go against boycott
This was a big blow to the boycotters. It is unfortunate that this story broke the day after the Twitty Indictments. I can't emphasize enough Judge Nathaniel Jones report that the CAA board members where threatened and being intimidated by boycotters. I wish these statements were made to the police, but I don't know to level the actions reached. The next test will be the AFL-CIO dinner, followed by the Boss's concert.
SMITH AMOS: Opening lines
She brings up a good point. An indictment does not a conviction make. If Mike Allen does not have proof that Twitty's account is false, he will have to fight through a racially charged jury. One black jurist could utilize jury nullification on behalf of his/her "oppressed people" and that would send this to overtime, and conflict galore.
The Cincinnati Post Editorial: The presumption of innocence The Post gets it right except for this part: "Twitty, for his part, has maintained his innocence" Lt. Col. Twitty has never said he was innocent. His lawyer has stated such, or nearly such. That piece of this case makes me emotionally loose trust in his story. The facts make me lose most of my trust, but Twitty not having the guts to say anything himself, knocks him down a few more pegs in stature.
BRONSON: Lt. Col. Twitty
Unfortunately, Peter is correct. I must now take a shower, I feel dirty!
City official headed panel
Well this is going to be the battle cry for Twitty backers. Jay Love apparently is going to make this the topic for his show this afternoon. This is a jury-tainting tactic from Twitty's lawyer. I would like to know how this information was determined. Who made it public? Is the identity of grand jury members’ public record or secret?

This story will breed ignorant conspiracy theories that will run wild on the Buzz all day and the rest of the week. Will this be a ratings boost? I am sure they are trying to make it one.