Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

My Irish heritage is real, but rather far removed. The Griffins came to America at least 150 years ago, and I think earlier than that. Other sides of the family that are Irish also go back that far, so I know of no relatives in Dublin.

I encourage everyone to have a beer. The only side effect might be a green tongue, if you have cheap green beer.

Theocrats by Name

According to the 2002 Tax return for the Citizens for Community Values (CCV) the following people are either board members or principals of the non-profit company.

Phil Burress; President
C. Michael Ellison; Board Member
Sally Alspaugh; Board Member
James Tarkington; Chairman
Thomas Grossman; Board Member
Jason McSwain; Board Member
Clyde Miller; Board Member
Joseph L. Truath, Jr; Board Member
Don Lambert; Vice-Chairman
Terry H. Schroeder; Treasurer
Erick Vail; Secretary
Ronald Meeks; Board Member
David Miller; Vice President

Also, Phil Heimlich was paid $55,000 for "consulting services" during 2002. What the hell can Phil do for 55K? What advice could they possibly need? How to oppress homosexuals without breaking a sweat? How to outlaw porn while hoarding your own supply in the church basement?

There are two paid principals: Burress made 91,331 and David Miller made 57,768 both for 2002.

The CCV took in $821,810 in 2002. Who gave them this money? If Burress and his band of merry fascists want to do something about getting rid of the title "fascist," why don't they publish a listing of donors on their website. That will not by itself shed their image, but it might show the public who they really are, whose money is paying Burress's paycheck.

I know someone will say they don't have to, legally, and that there are plenty of liberal groups don't do that either. Both true, but I don't really care right now about who funds the ACLU, they don't want to establish a theocratic state.

Who also currently is on their "Advisory Board?" Past members have included Carl Linder, Anthony Munoz, Jim Breech, and Sam Wyche.

Rehash

This report might serve to rehash the Nathaniel Jones incident.

Abuse of Power

From Pandagon: Time Magazine reports that DHS sources have stated the WH wants the Department of Homeland Security to try to find a photo op on Homeland Security for the President every month:

Administration sources tell TIME that employees at the Department of Homeland Security have been asked to keep their eyes open for opportunities to pose the President in settings that might highlight the Administration's efforts to make the nation safer. The goal, they are being told, is to provide Bush with one homeland-security photo-op a month.

So our DHS has the time to waste on finding photo ops for the President, instead of using the time to fill in the gaps of like say, HOMELAND SECURITY? This is not get the attention Pandagon wants, but it should.

A Movement, A Struggle, A Jihad.

Peter Bronson's whining about not getting his Conservative Propaganda onto college campuses is just the latest in what is becoming his Christian Jihad. It is not good enough for him that Business schools PREACH capitalism to the exclusion of all other forms of economic structures, except to show them in negative light. Peter seeks to insert religious power on to public universities. I suggest he stick with spending private money on religious actions like holding prayer marches.

Peter can't get his religiously based dogma pushed on campus and he is pissed. Well, I also cringe when he mentions Miami. This time he focused on UC and Xavier, which I can say thanks for not making up a false image about Miami Peter. You instead have focuses your fangs on UC whose students are more "liberal" than Miami, as is the over all campus life. Next to going to a private college, Miami is as politically conservative as a public university can get.

What is most ironic is that Bronson want equal treatment for extreme conservative views on college campuses, but when it comes to equality for homosexuals, Peter instead seeks to have the state and the federal governments oppress them. What a county.

Big Tent, My ASS

The Colerain Township Republican Club voted to kick Colerain Township trustee Diana Rielage out of the Republican group. She dared support a GOP opponent. A GOP office holder made one choice and is not longer good enough for the Party. Wow. I mean, if she disagrees with them on the issues, I might ask her to leave, or better yet I would just not endorse her the next time she ran for office. This just makes the Colerain GOP look childish and vindictive, but if the dancing shoe fits, I guess they are.

Local News?

This story "Angry Spain ousts leaders" is listed in the "Local News" section of the Enquirer. I think someone made a small mistake.

UPDATE: This is a relevant local story on the Spain Train Bombings.

Guts

When you are running against Steve Chabot supporting Gay Marriage would seem like a political problem. Greg Harris, Democratic candidate running against Chabot,has "come out" with his support of Gay Marriage. Here in Cincinnati this takes big courage, especially in the heavily conservative Catholic Ohio 1st. The GOP will make huge hay out of this, painting Harris as the anti-Christ, devil, "liberal elitist" out to "force" his pro-gay views on the West side. It is amazing how fear is used in politics. Everyone does it, but when it is done with "hate," it takes on an increasingly bad flavor in my mouth. Chabot will win. He would have won with or without Gay Marriage, but now he will use this to march in step with the Burress's and Bronsons of the world.

Ohio, Ohio, Ohio Update

Ohio is still the focus of a political onslaught of activities. The Dayton Daily News reports on the GOP's efforts to use their Ohio delegation to push for Bush. Rob Portman is seen as key to rallying the GOP middle to get out and vote. Will Portman have any effect? Portman is not a polarizing congressman. He is not a Steve Chabot who puts himself in the middle of every hot button issue, Gay Marriage just being the latest.

If the GOP takes a Portman attitude it will be competitive in Ohio and could win with some room to spare. If Steve Chabot's methods are implored, then they can kiss off winning the state, outside of this area of course.

All of this speculation is moot if the job situation does not improve. If Ohio still has 6% unemployment come September-October, I think the GOP can kiss Ohio and the election goodbye. A simplistic analysis, but I think the main bottom line that will turn things either way. Ohio is becoming the key for the GOP. It is still not the “be all” for the Dems. Florida is the key for Kerry.

Axis of Evil

Would the title "A Call to Arms" or "United Against Heretics" sound better? Reading Peter Bronson's latest column, which calls for evangelical Catholics and evangelical Protestants to join forces, I could not help but hear the old hymn "Onward Christian Soldiers" in my head. Peter's column sounds like a beer hall appeal to a rival yet similar gang of thugs fight the same culture war. I was just amaze at how Bronson pushed the framing of the culture war:

Another speaker will be Richard John Neuhaus, one of the brightest Catholic commentators on culture and religion, and editor of First Things, a monthly that aims "to advance a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society.''

That mission is hotly contested in the cultural wars. And Neuhaus is in the front lines.

Take this statement that many people intuitively "know,'' but few dare to say: "Churchgoers are, or lean toward, the Republicans, while non-churchgoers, the nonreligious and the explicitly antireligious are overwhelmingly Democrats.''

Neuhaus also lists the issues that divide America like barbed wire: "abortion, faith-based initiatives, the impossibility of same-sex marriage, parental choice in education, and the belief that God intends the world to be free, toward which end the U.S. is morally obliged to play a part, even the leading part.''

Most of what you read there is not directly from the mind of Bronson, but I think he agrees with Neuhaus completely.

What I read in this column is Bronson asking the question: "Come on conservative Christians, lets get on the same team and stamp out everyone who does not submit to our culture, our way off life, and our God." Now, does Bronson come right out and say that? Of course not. I am using some hyperbole here. I have to ask all of the conservatives out there, how can you not read that column and not think that Bronson's goal with it is to gain allies in a culture war. This is a means to paper over religious differences to further the goal of establishing a religious cultural on the society. I think what will be debatable is the means Bronson or those he quote plan on using. What I see as the means are through the use of the government, and thus by "force." Imposition of religious doctrine through government is theocracy.

I am sure I will get grief from some of my conservative and/or evangelical readers for being paranoid or over use of hyperbole, but honestly can say that Bronson?s column provides evidence to support that there is a movement out there to clamp down on people?s rights to free expression and an effort to keep homosexuals and those who don?t prescribe to an evangelical religious litmus test.

My reasons for this stem in part for the group Bronson refers to, Promise Keepers. The rhetoric from their website about their 2004 road show is either really disturbing or really over the top hyperbole:

In UPRISING: The Revolution of a Man's Soul, Promise Keepers boldly invites you to join the revolution. Find your true purpose and destiny in the pursuit of the passion and character of God. Be a part of a revolution that changes a life of imitation and mediocrity into one of passion and character...a radical revolt that will forever change the world! Register today!

I think they chose poor language in describing things as an uprising. It has notions of violence and war, something that I thought Christianity was supposed to be against.

Is this a declaration of outright war? No, it is not. Is this something that makes me nervous? Hell yes. Why would it make me nervous? Well, when people of various religions get together to denounce people for not conforming to their religion and vowing to working towards codifying their religion into law, well, that makes me just a bit nervous, especially in this town where I am sure I would be one of the first heathens locked up if Phil Burress is made Hamilton County Führer.

UPDATE: This letter to the Enquirer makes me want to scream, but also seems to point towards yet another example of a quest for theocracy:

Church-birth control ruling is profanity

Regarding the article "Court to charity: Offer birth-control coverage" (March 2), the California Supreme Court ruling that Roman Catholic charities must pay for birth-control coverage insurance for employees is sinful violation of religious freedom. It is profanity.

To claim God and religion can be separated from education philosophy, civic life or from government is not only atheistic secularism, it is blasphemy. It violates both the First and Second Commandments, along with the First Amendment of our U.S. Constitution.

It would also be sinful for church officials to pay for such evil insurance.


Robert J. Conlon, Loveland

Violations of any commandments are something that I hope no government sponsored court ever worries about.

Why We Fight the Culture Wars

It has occurred to me that with all of the recent talk about religion in government, gay marriage, abortion, etc, that there has to be some kind of underlying cause or enabler of the culture wars. Why do people feel threatened? I think the reasons fall at what I would call the nationalization of American Culture. What that means is the changes over the last 50 years, post WWII mostly, where regional differences in everything has been shrinking and doing it fast, relatively speaking for a country's culture.

What I mean by culture really falls into what we consume. The biggest influence there is obviously what media we consume and even how we do it. The media has followed suit with almost all other industries into national corporate entities whose market reaches the entire country.

The nationwide reach of industries is what makes life everywhere more the same every day. Back when I was a kid you could go on vacation just a few states away and things were different. Different TV stations, different restaurants, different foods in the grocery stores, different actual grocery stores. Instead we now have the same things and I think the conservatives, more specifically the evangelical religious conservatives feel they are in regions of the country where the power structure of those corporations does not live. Their motivation then is to cut out the middleman and go for government control of certain aspects of their desired culture. That is where the theocracy comes to fruition. What it reminds me of is the communist movement. The problem with the communists is that they want their system of government/economics imposed on everyone. That is exactly what theocracy seeks to do. That is why this is a culture ?war,? but also something getting to look more like a civil war.

Ok, I am starting to sound apocalyptic, but maybe I am just prophetic instead. Maybe a power struggle is starting. It is not like I am the only person saying such things. We hear chicken-littles all the time talk about the Patriot Act and police states and my eyes roll. I see the Patriot Act as an infringement of our rights, but not an extreme one that is out to create a police state. When I add the Patriot Act with the ?Army? forming to serve in the Culture wars, then I start to think otherwise. Springer is getting the boot all of the sudden from WLWT. Howard Stern, WEBN, and Bubba the Love Sponge all getting grief. Are we headed to something worse than just a war of words?

Artspike in Trouble

Arie Vandenberg at ArtSpike Magazine has issued an email talking about the magazine and issuing a response to a CityBeat article from Steve Ramos where some less than flattering comments were made regarding Arie. Ramos article publicized the news that ArtSpike has ceased publication. Vandenberg states on his site as well as in the email that he hopes Artspike will be back:

Dear ArtSpike readers & supporters,

As you may or may not know, ArtSpike Magazine is now looking for investment partners and an equity business partner who is strong in sales and marketing in order to continue publication of the magazine. If you're in the position to invest or partner with me to help continue the progress we've made, you can move on to the bullet points I've outlined about our background and business potential. I look forward to hearing from you.

And this week Steve Ramos of CityBeat, after hearing that we might be in trouble, decided to write a short article on us. But after reading it, one which he prepared by interviewing me two separate times for about 30 minutes a piece, as well as 1 more follow up call, I have to wonder what he was smoking besides American Spirit cigarettes when he wrote it. I do understand why he wrote it. Controversy moves papers, and CB knows that if people are talking about it then they are exactly where they want to be - in the public mind. But at what price to its subjects?

To friends who know me, Steve's assertions that I'm a "playboy publisher" don't even pass the laugh test. Comments like, "knows every young female waitress in town... but that doesn't stop him from being a player... Vandenberg's life as the playboy publisher... past glories of wine, women and a pocket of notoriety" are bizarre and cheap. It's like telling a guy who rents an efficiency apartment in Clifton that, "It must be nice living in Indian Hill." Fact is, I'm more likely to be at home programming till 3am than out partying at a local club.

This is certainly not the first time CB has written what amounts to an editorial slap-in-the-face about the local scene, where they inevitably pump their subject(s) for advertising dollars with one hand and sucker punch them with the other. This has been an unfortunate trend of CB but maybe that's what happens when you're the "only" big alt paper for too many years.

It's a shame that out of everything we discussed about the business, so many of the 685 words were wasted. So in the interest of our readers, supporters and detractors, I'm going outline some of the facts that Steve must have deemed unfit for print:

• First issue of ArtSpike came out in June of 2002. Until March of 2003, we haven't missed 1 issue since the paper started. 


• I published the first issue of ArtSpike within 6 weeks of its inception as an arts media entity. 


• As a founder will where many "hats" in a business, my main responsibility was as CFO, General Manager, Webmaster and computer tech. 


• Melissa Huelsman came on board as Editor in Chief in Sept. 2003, and has done a fantastic job assembling a great writing staff and managing stories.


• ArtSpike will *not* be receiving the Empowerment Zone loan. The amount slated for request was 60k, which was to be used to increase circulation and hire a full time sales associate to build our client base to where it needs to be. These two areas are critical to its success. 


• I have extremely detailed financial forecasts that point out where we've been and where we could go as a company if it's supported properly. 


• I've invested 40k+ of my own money to start up the company. Taking the aforementioned loan into account, my *personal* dept burden would have simply been too high to be manageable. 


• Since we started, we have never had a competent Marketing & Sales manger on board. This is unfortunate but resulted in poor sales and us being in the position we are in today. 


• Throughout the last year, we have trained several sales teams to sell advertising, but they were not effective because of lack of experience and expertise in the field. 


• Despite this hurtle, we were starting to pickup advertising at a steady pace throughout 2003 until our part time sales associate left. Ad retention took a downward slope from there and unfortunately never recovered. 


• We have developed a great following and readership, and it's a disappointment to everyone involved that ArtSpike may have seen its last issue. 


• Of the many arts based institutions in Cincinnati, there are a few that stand out as supporting ArtSpike with their advertising dollar. The Playhouse in the Park, The Cincinnati Ballet, The Cincinnati Opera. It's sad I can't mention more that that, but there you have it for "major" arts institutions supporting alternative arts media. 


• We also had a growing roster of commercial ad clients which were pleased with our ads and level of service. To all of our advertising clients: Thank you for supporting alternative arts media! 


• It's no secret that we did have a relatively low circulation rate. We printed between 8000-9000 papers per run, which in newspaper "circulation" terms works out to be about 25,000. For a small paper, that's still pretty impressive. 


• If ArtSpike is to survive, we are going to need a board of investors who 1) believe in the paper as a potent forum for arts and culture and 2) its potential as a sound business investment. 


• Another thing ArtSpike needs is a professional sales manager to do nothing but sell for
  ArtSpike. 


• We have a great foundation to build upon, including the whole staff who worked to produce the paper.

You know that old saying: It's better to try and fail than to not try at all. I had a vision that Cincinnati could have a great arts based newspaper and I went for it! In many ways, I don't believe I failed. I, along with a many people involved in ArtSpike, did our best to build a great magazine literally from scratch. I hope that even if ArtSpike becomes history, that someone will learn from what we did right and what we did wrong, and launch an arts magazine that has long term success.

If you are an investor or arts patron and would like to discuss being either an equity business partner or an investor, please contact me at arie@artspike.org, 513-751-9729 (office) or 513-***-**** (home). I would love to discuss the possibilities of taking ArtSpike to the next level.

The future of the website is unknown. Since costs are much lower to maintain the site, it is likely it will continue.

CityBeat has written before on Arie and ArtSpike: 2002 and 2000.

XRay Magazine also provides coverage.

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.

White powder found at courthouse

Could it have been Cocaine, maybe? I am just throwing out ideas.

Mother Miami Nags Again

When will the prudes stop the temperance movement?

Mountie First Class Smitherman in Action

Councilman Chris Smitherman is claiming that a company he hired confirms a cop used the "N" word five years ago.

Smitherman said he sought the outside analysis because he felt the city had dropped the ball on the investigation. He said he gave a copy of Sebring's transcript to City Manager Valerie Lemmie.

How Butler used the word, he says, shows a philosophy of policing some communities differently, Smitherman said.

Not everything's about racism, he said. "But this is."

Fangman denies it was the "N" word as does the former officer, but well, of course they would deny it.

I still would like to know from Councilman Smitherman, why they hell is he making this an issue? I can respect you for your single-minded persistence in this, though laugh at it as well, but I don't see the value. Guess what I know. There are bigots and racists on the police force. There are bigots and racists on the staff of 1230 the Buzz too. What exactly are you going to changed by making an issue out of someone saying a word or not 5 years ago? Dudley Doright always gets his man.

Have You No Shame?

The GOP is trying to link John Kerry to North Korea. Yes, I said the GOP. The link about is the website for the Republican National Committee, the good old RNC, THE national party.

How can anyone take this bunch of quacks seriously with a "why do you beat your wife" type headline of "JOHN KERRY: INTERNATIONAL
MAN OF MYSTERY III Communist North Korea Is Only Government On Record Supporting John Kerry." Damn it, there are eight months to do; this is really an even election right now. Anyone can win, and you would think the GOP would want to do it on their ideas, not this kind of National Enquirer ploy that I don't even think Matt Drudge would print.

[Via TPM]

The Chief's Enemies List

Dick Nixon would be proud of the treatment the Chief of Cincinnati Police gave one local newspaper reporter. City Beat's Stephanie Dunlap was barred Saturday from a police briefing regarding a 17 year-old suspect who allegedly shot a bystander while handcuffed in police custody just after being arrested on robbery charges.

How stupid can the police chief be? Ok, don't answer that, but seriously consider the ego it takes to value punishing a newspaper for writing a story questioning the practices of the police over the negative media attention that punishment will make big all by itself. I applaud the Post for writing this story. I wonder if the Enquirer will have the balls to write the story. I hope this at least makes Korte's column next week, if not tomorrow.

According to what Stephanie overheard from the Public Information Officer just after she took back the sticker ID needed to enter the briefing, this was the Chief's idea of "meeting challenges, critics head on." It sounds like he would rather keep some of the media outlets from reporting the news, especially news where police officers likely really screwed up and almost killed an innocent civilian. It might have been nice for City Beat to get the chance to report on the incident with the same briefing as the rest of the local media outlets. They would surely have been more critical of the police, and the chief can?t handle that. The truth hurts, and this appears to be a pain-adverse police department.

Oh and what will likely make the Chief really feel the pain, LaTonya Springs, chief of staff for Vice Mayor Alicia Reece, was denied entrance to the briefing. Tomorrow's city council meeting should be interesting if he is going to testify.

I will also be very offended if I am not included on the police Chief?s Enemies list.

Glass Houses

Bush is attacking Kerry on Intelligence. Now, is it wise for Bush to bring up intelligence funding when he MANAGED THE INTELLIGENCE ON THE TWO WORST INTELLIGENCE FAILURES IN AMERICAN HISTORY? It is kind of moot if we lowered the intelligence budget when you don't manager what you have correctly. If Bush was to claim that Kerry would be bad for run the intelligence, then I have to wonder how much worse could anyone be that what happened under Bush's watch. He led us into war on intelligence he knew was not complete.

That is the rub folks. That is the lie. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield, the masters of Intelligence in the government today, all said they knew we had WMD and Rummy actual said we Knew where they were in Iraq. Guess what, he did not know, and it is laughable to say that he was simply mistaken. He and Bush, and everyone else who was fully briefed, knew that they did not have concrete proof on WMD in Iraq. All they had was unreliable Iraqi defectors spun by the Iraqi Diaspora and the unresolved accounting problems from the UN. If you can't account for something, that does not mean they ever existed to begin with. It is now clear that the UN inspections cleared out all of the WMD Iraq had. Everything else was bull. Now we seem to want to Blame Clinton for not knowing, but Bush invades the country and the GOP screams in glee to finally quell their blood lust for a Muslim hide to sink their teeth into.

Ugh. I can't wait to read the responses. Clinton red herrings are not going to do it fellas.

Anti-War Protest

On the 20th all of the local anti-war groups are planning a Fountain Square Rally. I may go. I don't like protests, but I like watching who goes, what they say, and how many fringe groups try and use this an opportunity to either make trouble or promote their unrelated issues.

This time I wonder what kind of counter protest will occur. I want to gauge how angry the counter folks are. It is an indicator of the local mood as to how angry the pro-war folks are about a protest against the rally. If the Talk radio folks get wind of this, it could get ugly.

Fascists on the March

Having received his marching orders from Phil Burress, Peter Bronson has begun his campaign against WEBN. I have to wonder if we will hear ANYTHING from the WLW folks about this, or will they keep mum.

It is great to know that Bronson finds talking about sex horrible. Let me add a few terms surely to get him riled:

Penis, Penis Penis....VAGINA! Anal sex, girl on girl action, Hummer.

There, I have said about as bad a stuff as WEBN says. They don't swear on the air, or at least they don't say shit or fuck. I have to ask what is Bronson scared about WEBN doing? Giving teenage boys hard-ons by hearing a striper talk with a breathy voice is a bad thing? Hey Pete, get that stick out of your ass! Oh, wait, you like it there? What ever makes you feel good, just let the rest of us enjoy what we like too.

Faux News

FOX News has this story on its website saying 'Vets Slam Kerry for Vietnam Atrocity Claims.' Now, I would have expected that some general Vietnam Vets group or at least a conservative Vets group's spokesman was speaking out on Kerry's statements from over 30 years ago. All you get is a comment from Carlton Sherwood. We don't even get details as to who Sherwood is or who he represents, besides himself. I assume that this Carlton Sherwood might be this man, an award winning journalist. His opinion might be note worthy, but his opinions are not representative of anyone. He also is a security consultant who has worked for the Reagan Administration as well as for Tom Ridge while he was director of homeland security (pre-DHS).

Sherwood is only person quoted. Where is the “number” claimed in the article? I guess they mean only one known critic.

Bush's 'Ideal' Justice of the SCOTUS

Well, the SCOTUS nomination process, when ever it next happens, will be a hard affair. If you read about Scalia and his methods and opinions, then you should see why it will be horrible if Bush gets the chance to name the next justice. If Bush finds one who favors making homosexuality a crime (or at least a 'moral crime'), as his model for a SC Justice, then we will have a government shut down if he gets the chance to nominate the next judgeship for the top court. This is the real battleground in American political society and the social conservatives are out for blood on the SCOTUS. I find Scalia's views on social freedoms to be down right scary, and his views on religion are nothing short of outright theocracy. No matter who is President, we will have a Senate battle like no other in modern history.

[Link via Wes Flinn]

Chief Meet Jane

Well yes, its a puff piece. Nothing new. Nothing of substance, not already on the record. I want to know who the guy is dating. I mean we got the rest of his personal life. WHO is he dating? (I am fishing here folks, cut me some slack.)

Flawed Rankings?

It might have been wise to have placed this quote higher in the story:

"National Journal's rankings aren't based on anyone deciding what's a conservative or liberal position. Instead, a computer tracks groups of votes, using a complicated statistical model that, well, may not have worked."

Motivation and Purpose

Why does Rep. Keith Faber, Republican from Celina, want to put the State and Federal mottos in every classroom, auditorium, and cafeteria? To see the controversy you have know what those mottos are: "With God, All Things are Possible" and "In God we Trust." Both of these mottos are currently considered "legal" under federal rulings. I consider them both unconstitutional, but that is another topic.

What I want to know is (why do I always seem to want to know something?) what is the purpose of Faber's actions? Well, I can only come up with two reasons. One is that he wants to push his religion using those mottos, the other is that he wants to use this a political issue to try and define himself and Republicans as "god-fearing" and the Democrats as the heathens. For most people who care about such things, I think they know that the Democrats are open to all people, and the Republicans, especially the ones for Texas, require Christianity of some form as a requirement for endorsement.

Yes, that was hyperbole, for those keeping score at home. The GOP and Christianity crack was an exaggeration used to get a rise out of the conservatives. You have now been warned that is what I meant; so don't get your fatigues in a bunch over it.

Michael at Rantophilia also comments.

Delusional Columnist

I know conservative like George Bush. That is fine. Like who you want, but you have to be some what honest about who the man is. In a column Kathleen Parker, a moderate conservative, wrote:

Kerry, whose "soul" quotient makes George Bush look like James Brown, made the remark Tuesday following his anointing as the Democratic presidential nominee: "President Clinton was often known as the first black president. I wouldn't be upset if I could earn the right to be the second."

Now, it might be stupid to try and claim to be the first or second "black president," but to think Bush has more soul than Kerry is delusional. Bush is "whiteness" personified. Now, I think "whiteness" is a myth as much as "blackness" is a myth, but Bush is as much like James Brown as saltine crackers are like filet mignon.

More Liberal Bias

You know, I thought all of those horrible liberals had gotten their anti-Christian rhetoric out of their systems, then comes Charles Krauthammer. Krauthammer comes down hard on Gibson's movie and calls it a "Blood Libel."


Hold on.....you say that Charles Krauthammer is not a liberal. He is a Conservative, who is a Bush backer to the hilt.

Oh, Nevermind.

Bush's Flip Flops

Daily Kos has started a list of Bush's many flip-flops, which compare those he claims Kerry has made. So far there are 19. I like the nation building one, but the budget deficit flip flop goes for more than just George.

Double Standards

This guy should be fired for his racist comments. That goes without saying. I only wonder how they know it was him. I assume it is voice identification, which should be good enough.

What I want to know is, if this guy can get fired, then why does Kabaka Oba still have a job with SORTA? Oba has made racist and bigoted statements on the radio, 1230 the Buzz, countless times. He has been forced out of city council chambers for his conduct several times and multiple times made racist and bigot comments directly to council members during council meetings. Why does he still have a job with a government agency?

Blasphemous Hypocrisy

Is this column from Bronson Blasphemy? Granted it only is if you believe in Christianity as Bronson does. I don't, so it is no skin off my ass, but what puts sand in my sandals is Bronson's hypocrisy. "The Last Temptation of Christ" was one person's interpretation of the biblical story with some extrapolations. What was Mel Gibson doing? The same thing; one person's interpretation of the biblical story with some extrapolations. Why did people like Bronson protest Martin Scorsese for not portraying what they believed was the "right" story, and now Gibson's movie is getting similar (all be it less pious) criticism, but is being praised as the "greatest movie ever made."

I have not seen the movie. I have no plans to see it. I don't care if anyone does or does not, but what I would like would be for bible thumping columnists to try and be consistent on treatment of art. Peter, when you hit Corpus Christi for not being "truth," I hope you don't mind that I point out "The Passion of the Christ" is not "truth" either.

UPDATE: Greg Mann comments on Bronson's column as well.

Theoretically Sound

Ok, so the Ohio Board of Education is expected to allow into school curriculum "a critical look at the theory of evolution." I have to wonder, will they include "a critical look at" the Germ Theory of Disease? There very well might be criticism of the germ theory out there, and it might even be taught in high schools, but if you are going to open up science to criticism, then you better do it to everything, not just those topic which conflict with certain religious fundamentalists.

The Enquirer has guest columns from the Anti-Evolution crowd, and the Pro-Science crowd. As well as letters. Thursday's Editorial was just peachy too with its "lets appease the fundamentalists" attitude. I really have to laugh at those who want "debate" in education. Where is the debate on the theory of gravity?

Just a reminder, ID (Intelligent Design) is nothing but a philosophical argument, not a scientific argument.

Calpundit: Blair and Bush

Kevin Drum at Calpundit referenced a recent speech from Tony Blair on the Iraq War and terrorism in general. Drum makes the observation that Bush would never say what Blair said. Blair basically made a " I understand that reasonable people can differ on this, but...." argument, which is not new, but something Bush couldn't or wouldn't pull off. His with us or against us type of rhetoric is why the world dislikes him so, and emblematic as to why don't like him.

Ohio, Ohio, Ohio Continued

BushCo has opened their Ohio campaign headquarters up in Columbus with a plan for 12,000 volunteers with plans for the number to grow to 50,000. Now, those are campaign numbers, so when they say volunteers they are including the guy who puts a sign in his yard.

The numbers indicate to me that it is going to be an in your face race here in Ohio. I have seen Bush's commercials already aired on Cincinnati TV stations, which simply may be the case for all media markets this size.

Michael over at Rantophilia disagreed with my concerns about potential violence in the Presidential Race this year. He seems to be dismissing it outright, calling it "silly." Well, blood in the streets is silly; I am not talking about a full civil war or anything here. What I am talking about is a 19th Century style of strong-arm politics with a touch of European Fascism. I predict that in Columbus, for example, it is likely that counter protestors at a rally for one of candidates will go over the edge and start a pushing and shoving match, which if tempers are not in check could end up cracking a few skulls.

I normally would say that those who follow politics are generally pussies, when it comes to actual fisticuffs. We use big words because we generally don?t have the footwork to back up our verbal jabs. This year I see something different. I see more people actually paying attention. I see growth in frothing at the mouth on rally goers. I am very fearful that some idiot will cause a media circus akin to the über-hyped Janet Jackson boob fiasco, thus making people angry that one side started a fight, and then the beatings would really begin. I see American politics as a powder keg, damp, but drying out quickly.

Downs on Politics

Good! Maggie has a column about politics. I hope to read more columns on political and current events issues from Maggie. The Enquirer has no other non-paleoconservative columnists in the Metro section, or at least those that do far more reporting than commenting (like Korte).

Chabot Plays the Shill

Rep. Steve Chabot is leading the charge against Gay Marriage in the House. I wish he would look beyond the end of his nose:

'The people and their elected representatives - and not a handful of rogue judges and officials - should have the right to make decisions regarding marriage policy,' he said.

Now, hmm, Rep. Chabot is concerned about the right of some of the people to tell other people what they can and can't do, but when individuals want to do something that is no threat to him or anyone else, he holds hearings. Almost ironic, if it were not so typical of a politician.

Doug White, State Senator, supports it, but I am perplexed by this:

In Ohio, Senate President Doug White, R-Manchester, said he would help ratify an amendment if Congress acts. He said he would support it for the same reasons he supported the Defense of Marriage Act that passed in January. Gov. Bob Taft signed that bill, making Ohio the 38th state to pass such a law in recent years.

We'll see if Washington acts," White said. "And then we'll see what the will of our citizens are when it gets out here."

Ok, what were the reasons White supported the Ohio law? Why, Why, Why does he and the rest of the law's supporters think homosexual marriage will harm anyone? I have been asking this constantly and it is a bit of baiting question, so I don't really expect an answer. The only answer given is hollow: "Marriage is defined as the union of a man and a woman." That is about all you will hear a politician say.

Well, Steve Chabot, Rob Portman, Mike DeWine, et al: Why do you support this (if you do)? Please be specific. Don't make the reporters answer follow-up questions. If you are going to keep homosexuals as second-class citizens, please have the "courtesy" of being fully honest as to why.

Ad Bitz

Get used to the phrase I am {Insert Candidate's Name Here} and I endorse this message. Ohio will be the dumping ground for every political advertisement possible in the Presidential race. We are in for wall to wall TV commercials that will really start to wear on you. I would get used to it for while. Your only hope is that the polls swing to one candidate's favor over 15%, so the other candidate might give up on us.

City Worker's Racial Slurs

Well, I hope they fire this idiot. This guy sounds like a Klansman. What I hope people understand happened is this:

The suspect even made some of the comments after he was verbally confronted by fire and police personnel who were monitoring the radios.

"Why don't you be a man and identify yourself?" one of them asked.

Now, I hope this is not played up into some wide conspiracy of KKK infiltration of city government. I hope the boycotters don't go McCarthy on us.

Springer Back in Town

Jerry is moving back to Cincinnati, or so says his aides. Maybe Jerry is going to run for Mayor in 2005.

Cranley and Ghiz?

Korte is reporting, well mentions in passing that Leslie Ghiz used to date John Cranley. This is not the first I heard of this, but I thought someone was just kidding around. Damn, the political class in this city sure moves around in small circles.

In the same article Korte writes in what I can assume was Steven Reece corning him and forcing him to listen to him go on and on about the plans he has for his daughter. Statewide office or Mayor? Does she need to learn to walk before she can fly?

Bronson and Amos Clarification

Yesterday I wrote about Bronson's column and need to clarify my comments about Denise Smith-Amos. She sent me an email and mentioned the her Jan 12 Q&A did include a section on the topic Bronson covered. She also mentioned that her Q&A is not an opinion piece, therefore she does not express her views, as I suggested she should have.

My intent in mentioning her was to more point out that Bronson was the wrong person to be making the points he made in his column, and my asking why she did not cover it in her Q&A failed to mention the linked article above. I did not mean to suggest that she failed in reporting this issue. What I intended to ask is why the Enquirer Editors did not have her tackle that subject, and then I brought up that she might not share Bronson opinions, which is of course understandable.

If I offended her, I apologize.

Primaries

Kerry won BIG. He will be the Democratic Nominee. Ohio I think is officially in play.

DeWine is winning big.

Monzel is losing. That means it will be Grossman vs. Portune.

Museum Levy is passing big.

Voter turnout in the county was about 28%. Not horrible for just a primary.

The biggest joke of the primary is that Kabaka Oba got 14,110 votes. We have over 14 thousand people who voted for a racist. I would love to see the breakdown as to where these voters came from. Did Kabaka win any precincts? Or even any wards in the City? I can't imagine that Oba got the Burb vote. I am ashamed that an open racist was able to get that kind of support. The "so called" black militant wants to break away from the United States and form a separate "black dominated" country. So lets all give big cheer to the fools who voted for someone who made his name making religious and racial slurs at City Council meetings. Oh, happy days.

So Long Sweety

Marge Scott has died. I was not a fan, but not a huge detractor. She had many problems that were common to those of her generation, but she was an owner with World Series Win under her belt.

Queen City Forum

The folks over at QCF takle both Gay Marriage and Article XII.

Maybe Peter will read Steve Fritsch's piece where Steve, a conservative, supports Civil Unions. I may not agree this is the ideal, but I am happy to see there are many conservatives who see this as an issue of freedom and equality and are willing to find some reasonable middle ground. I might want to pull Steve to closer to the Gay Marriage position, but compromise show that people are coming at this from a non-emotional and non-religiously obsessed mindset and are willing to be fair.

Question to Bronson

Bronson: Why do you fear homosexuals?

I know you are against gay marriage and against equal rights for homosexuals, but I want to know why. Why do you think homosexuals impose on your rights? How do two men getting married affect you? If it is about money, then why are you not opposed to making remarriage after divorce illegal, thus reducing "costs" across the board.

What I also have to ask also is why is it a problem for a HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, to support a movement for the equal rights of humans?

Also, Peter, do you really believe a poll by the CCV? I mean, that is like believing a poll by the Tobacco lobby saying most people like eating in the smoking section of a restaurant.

Peter, the bigoted Article XII was passed mostly because your side misled the public into thinking it gave special rights, which you guys still are doing. It gives no more special rights than those who are protected from discrimination based on religion. Are you opposed to that Peter?

I didn't think so.

Ohio, Ohio, Ohio

On Meet the Press yesterday Tim Russert had out his marker board with the words Ohio Ohio Ohio on written much like he did in election day in 2000 but with Florida written three times. Speculation is now growing that Ohio will be the battle ground for President and that we could be the next Florida.

Well, there are several problems with this concept. Ohio will not be super close. We might be within a percentage point, but nothing like Florida. We will be targeted as the swing state of all swing states, but with a catch. The Democrats don't need Ohio to win. It would make it easy to win the White House if they did, but they don't need Ohio. The GOP must win Ohio or they will loose. Ohio is the bell weather for middle America, and the GOP can only win if they carry the Midwest big.

At this point Bush can likely forget about winning Michigan and Pennsylvania. It think the issues will hurt him there and many of those same issues spill into much of Ohio. That is where he is in danger. Ohio is much more GOP than either Michigan or PA, but the social issues don't carry the state. Jobs and Security will carry Ohio. Bible thumping might get you Adams County, but that is about it, and Bush had them at hello.

I am worried about campaign in Ohio. We are seen as a target and will likely be the place that sees the candidates a dozen times come the fall. That means we will be ripe for conflict. Local party people could start getting nasty. I could see things in Columbus get out of hand. I mean, they rioted when they won a football game, so I would think some hot bloodied college Republicans might get a few too many beers one day while watching the Buckeyes on TV and decide to go disrupt the Democratic VP's rally on OSU campus. Yes, it could happen the other way around, but I think this would were the GOP could be more desperate. Hold onto your hats kids, the Buckeye will be bucking.

Primary Predictions?

Anyone have any? I will bet Kerry takes Ohio, DeWine wins, and Brinkman. Other than that, I have no clue.

Bonson and Smith-Amos

Ok, Peter Bronson had a column yesterday about education in the inner city and the problem of anti-intellectualism or about being bullied for being "too white." I did not have a problem with the overall point of his column. I think that is a problem in some segments of the black community. My concern is the messenger. Peter's opinions will go on deaf ears in the black community. He is either hated or just not read by anyone who might actually gain something from the issues he raised. Why then didn't Denise Smith-Amos do a story on that issue? She does the education Q&A every week. Would it be because she disagrees with the premise? I hope she does not, because in this case Bronson is not making up a problem out of thin air. It exists. It is a problem, and it is ignored all to often.

Now, the only ironic thing about Bronson is his sudden defense of intellectualism. That is ironic from a conservative like Peter. He often attacks higher education, and education in general because it is not his brand of education. What do they lack? Well they lack the 4th "R". Yep, good old "religion." I am glad Peter kept that out of this, but I hope he will remember that historically "religion" has done more than any other element of society to hold back intellectualism and new thought. It did wonders to teach reading and basic education, but thinking for oneself, thinking that man is not mere chattel of a deity, that is just ‘heathenspeak.’ But I digress...

Priceless Mary

From CiN Weekly's review of Hamburger Mary's

"Mary's makes you feel like a queen, not a picky eater."

If the suburbanites only knew, they might run to the hills in terror!

'God' Hates Shrimp

Hilarity! I wonder what Phil Burress is doing about this bible verse, Leviticus 11:12?

Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

Red Lobster is sending us all to 'Hell'.

Speaking of Religion

Gina Daugherty of CinWeekly reports about Brendon Cull, press secretary for Mayor Charlie Luken becoming a "minister" in the Universal Life Church.

Brendon Cull, press secretary for Mayor Charlie Luken, became a minister through the Universal Life Church online earlier this year so he can officiate at his sister's wedding this fall.

But Rev. Cull didn't just opt for the freebie ordination - he spent a few bucks to get the certificate, laminated card, sticker for his window and - drum roll - a parking pass with "Minister" on it.

"That's my favorite," Rev. Cull says. "And it's fun in social occasions to whip out my minister card - it's come out on more than a few occasions. But it's not worked as a pick-up line yet."

Does Brendon's religion allow Gay Marriages?

If it is this "easy" to become someone who can officiate a wedding, then I have to ask, what really is the big deal about Gay Marriage? Why are we letting the right wing theocrats push their religion on every one else?

Gun Nut on Stephen Hill

Ok, the Conceal and Carry law has passed here in Ohio, something I disagree with. At this point, the law is the law. For some reason someone, ID of "cbaus", at www.ohioccw.org, is beating on reporters and citing Stephen Hill. I have to ask, what the hell does Stephen Hill have to do with gun laws? Why is this guy attacking reporters? I know conservatives bitch about the "liberal media," but this guy is going nuts, all in the cause of privacy. He does not want gun owners to have to face a background check for guns. He is pissed the media can investigate who is applying for a C&C permit. What I have to ask, "Can we trust Truck Drivers with Guns?" I mean when an out of work truck driver breaks into a Truck company and kills people, that "shows" that we can't trust truck drivers. What an ass. Give your freaking gun obsession a rest. You "won." Take your victory lap and shut the hell up. If you want to attack the media, then do it with a little class. Cite some examples of reporters doing something that conflicts with your gun rights positions, and then link to it. That is all it takes. Exploiting a child abuse case to further your need to quell your fears is disgusting.

The Rambler

Drop over and say hello to The Rambler, a new local Cincinnati blogger.

UPDATE: I also added a couple of conservative bloggers to the blogroll, Rob Bernard and the Naughty Pundit. I don't agree with there opinions, which I am sure they know, but I like having local people to link to on the other side of spectrum who are not oblivious to Cincinnati Area culture.

I also added a link to the Queen City Forum. I recently met both the Publisher Steve Fritsch
and Editor-in-Chief Michael D. Altman. Both nice guys with a strong commitment to opening the eyes of the city to ideas they are not getting while watching local TV news.

WCPO TV News Reporter Arrested on 'Sex Charges'

Stephen Hill a reporter with WCPO has been arrested on charges of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Hill faces 8 counts of unlawful sexual conduct with boys whose ages have not been disclosed. As police tried to arrest him, Hill reportedly attempted to commit suicide by slashing his wrists.

This is what can best be described as a local bombshell news story. When news like this hits home to the media, they take it hard. What will be interesting is the amount of coverage it gets nationally. It was headline news on WLW radio this morning, but was not really a topic of conversation for callers. I chalk that up to it being Saturday morning.

The man deserves his day in court, but his behavior does not bode well for innocence. I would hope his past is being investigated to determine if he has had contact with other children locally and in cities where he worked previously.

If one of children abused was any of the kids he has cared for as a foster parent, then I hope local government officials will investigate how he was screened and let into the program.

The age of the children should be a factor that I hope is made public. All to often this is called Pedophilia no mater how old the victim is. Pedophilia specifically refers to the sexual attraction of children aged 13 and younger. Those who want the 14-17 year olds fall into what is called Hebephilia. For more information on this definitions check out www.religioustolerance.org which lists some definitions and terms used. Neither of these types of behaviors are tolerable, but one is worse than the other. If Hill was abusing a 15 year old, that is one crime, while a 5 year old is a whole different crime, or rather it should be. Lumping both crimes into one umbrella is ultimately unfair. I am sure this sounds like I am trying to defend Hill, something I don't wish to do, but passing comments on WLW referred to this a pedophilia, which is not a valid term. Hills added "crime" is that these people trust Hill to help mentor their children. That makes his actions just seem more heinous, much akin to the Priest sex scandals.

WCPO issued an on air comment on the issue, which is online here.

Additional coverage: WCPO, WLWT, The Post.

UPDATE: WLW is reporting that the children's ages were between 13 and 17. The also saying he is being charged with "child molestation" which goes to the point that no, this would not necessarily be the case.

UPDATE#2: I hate to link to this, but Nate (Rhymes with Hate) is claiming Hill was set up by Keith Fangman. Here is one of his many pseudonym's full post:

Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2004 3:28 am Post subject: Channel 9's Steven Hill Arrested.

I can't believe this shit! The cops are trying to ruin another black man in this city. Steven Hill has been one of the few decent reporters in this town who wasn't afraid to tell the truth about the police department. You might remember Keith Fangman went on a crusade against Mr. Hill a few years ago and now they tell us that Mr. Hill was having sex with children. Give me a fucking break. I don't believe a word of this bullshit. This is the same type of shit they tried to pull with Ovie Mitchell.

These white boys are a bunch of devils. Fangman is a dirty dog just like Pat Dewine. They both hang around with the family values crowd and they both left their wives. Everybody knows that Pepper is a fag. The cops couldn't get Mr. Hill on anything REAL so they made some shit up. When is the Black community gonna wake up and realize that these white motherfuckers ain't worth a damn and stop letting them pick off Black people one by one.
_________________
Posted by The REAL Blog
This is protected by the 1st Amendment aaaannd the RED, the BLACK, and the GREEN !!!

Now I can't wait to see how Nate responds to my post by showing his racism and frankly his paranoia. This was post late last night, so he may not have been thinking clearly, or did not know about the attempted suicide by Hill, but the guy must really be living in a dream world, or just likes baiting people. If he's trying to bait people, I guess he hooked me, but exposing this type of comment I hope instills all of the liberals/progressives and journalists in town, and I especially hope the LOCAL AP REPORTERS, that Nate is a racist and bigot. Please see him for that and do not consider him or his organization as legitimate or worthwhile to include in any community discussion or effort. Also, for those reading this on his message board be sure to read the original at cincinnati.blogspot.com.

Thought Police: Just the Facts Ma’am

Ok, where are all of the conservatives who get pissed off every time a leftist wants them to stop using "Redskins" or "Indians" to describe a sports team going to take a full bore stand against the out right theocratic fascism (yet I said it again) of Phil Burress and the CCV?

Now, everyone knows that Clear Channel has nothing to fear from the current FCC commissioner or the current President, after all Rush Limbaugh is a Clear Channel man. It is interesting that we have not heard much about this on WLW, but I guess they want it to just go away.

On the other hand, this situation sounds like it was taken right from the plot of the 1987 version of Dragnet, where an anti-porn preacher conspired with a pornographer to push each other's causes by orchestrating a theft and a controversy. Now, I don?t see any theft, other than of my freedom, but controversy, yes that is what we have.

What strikes me as funny though, is that Burress is not mounting a campaign against Howard Stern. I have heard WEBN and its morning show and I have heard Stern's morning show, both show compete locally. Stern is 100 times "worse" than the Dawn Patrol. So, Clear Channel dumps on Stern, and then the next day CCV attack WEBN. The target market for WEBN would find Phil Burress to be a nutty prude (some might even call him a fascist as well). It is laying out like a passion play.

Side note: I have to raise one problem with Rick Bird's article. Rick failed to mention in the article that he used to work for WEBN and specifically was part of the Dawn Patrol. Rick should have made that admission in the story. I don't think the story is totally tainted, it says the facts as I think they are, but it does give fuel to the CCV to claim that this story is "biased" because of Bird's relationship to the story. CCV, in a rare case, may have a point. The Post should have given this story to someone else, or at least added a co-writer who could have gotten more of the CCV viewpoint. After all, nothing makes the CCV sound worse then when they keep talking about their bigotry and theocratic movement to bring about Christian Fascism.

Sex and the Cincy

Maggie Downs brings up the finale of Sex and the City. Having not had HBO since I left for college in 1990, I have only watched the show once will visiting a relative. I have to admit that it was entertaining, but I never though it was really that great. It was a story about women, and believe it or not, I am a guy, so I can see why I just did not "get it." I much prefer a West Wing or an ER.

1 Year From Now

If you look forward to the 2005 Oscar season, what do you see? I see a bunch of fanatics bitching and moaning as to why Mel Gibson film did not either get nominated or win an Oscar for every category. I think they will be really pissed if they don't get the Oscar for best adapted screenplay.

Also, as soon as the Passion comes out on DVD I will be looking for news reports of some fool pissed off because public schools will not let him show the movie in the school. I expect that locally too.

Marriage Amendment Dead

Calpundit is pointing to a tally that indicates that 40 senators are against the anti-gay marriage amendment. Bush got his day in the theocratic sun, but nothing to show for it. Will this piss off the right wing? Will he still lose the centrist votes that one would guess such a swing right would eliminate?

Preaching to the Choir

Based on this article, the Gibson Movie seemed to just bring out the religious people, this really did nothing but reshuffle the deck. A few Catholics or Protestants might swap sects, but no one new is really taking up the mantle of Christianity. Now, I am sure evangelicals will tout some stats about who is joining their flock, but what I think they miss is that most people they gain, someone else's church is losing.

Gift Horse?

When it is Peter Bronson who writes a column about you and your book, do you take the media attention and smile, or do you distance yourself from his conservative stench? Well, if you are Kathy Y. Wilson, what do you do? Since Kathy writes for a paper with much smaller circulation I would just take it, and hopefully smile at the increase in book sales.

Pot - Kettle

Howard Stern Show Taken Off Clear Channel Stations

'Liberal Media'

Wow! This person is a copy editor. Amazing how the religious hate speech can just roll of the keyboard like that. I wonder if Peter Bronson is taking notes.

[Via Atrios]

Gibson's Film: Crucifixation

"Crucifixation" was from the Daily Show, which tonight hit the film's marketing machine hard. I do not think I will go see Mel Gibson's Passion. I don't like going to movies that get this kind of Hype. I have never seen Titanic, nor the Matrix movies.

What I have read about the film though, I really am taken aback by. I, as most readers should know, am an atheistic agnostic, so I don't share the religious beliefs of Mel Gibson or other various types of Christians. I was raised as a middle of the road Christian, Methodist to be specific, so I very familiar with the religious doctrine. I am repulsed by the violence and the worship of the violence the Jesus character is put through in the movie. To me the value of Christianity was to act like Jesus, the old golden rule element of the religion. Believing Jesus was the "son of God" seems so trivial. The point of the religion always seemed to be about how you treated other people, not about stroking the ego of a deity. This film to me glorifies that image, not of the caring person. It seems more about worshiping "Jesus" because he did this for you, instead of worshiping Jesus through your actions by helping people. This is an underlying difference in Christian sects, so I am sure many Christians would disagree, but hopefully they can see the differences.

Enquirer's review of the Film, and the Post's local PR piece on it.

Gay Marriage, Again

One thing that has been bothering me are the claims that Bush's statement yesterday should be construed to mean that he does not want to ban state's rights to create civil unions. There are two problems with that contention. One is that he did not put forth any language to suggest that he would not support the most popular amendment up for consideration, the Musgrave Amendment. That amendment clearly has language, as I previously posted, indicates that civil unions would illegal if the amendment was adopted. If Bush was against such a thing, why did he not make it clear that he does not support the Musgrave Amendment as written?

Secondly, it is clear that Bush is against Civil Unions.

MR. McCLELLAN: [...] The President has made it very clear that he would not have supported it for the state of Texas.

Q Civil union?

MR. McCLELLAN: Right.

So, Bush is all about state's rights, I guess, except when it comes to marriage. States can relegate homosexuals to second class citizens, but they can't allow them to be full citizens with equal rights. Hmmm, sounds like a bigot to me.

I will give a shout out to Rob Bernard for getting a traffic surge from the 800-pound gorilla, but a commenter on Rob’s site referred to me as an "unknown blogger." Now, I am a nobody in the Blogosphere, but what kind of ego trip does it take to slam me for having an opinion, voicing it, but not having a reputation big enough to fit that commenter’s sense of self importance?

Just so we are clear, Bush is a bigot. Bush opposes allowing homosexuals the rights given to married couples. If he even wanted to help homosexual with some rights, like hospital visitation, I have not heard him once voice support for it either at the federal or state level. Now, to say that he is merely doing this for political reasons begs the question, if he is willing to work against gays, why would he not also wage a war for political reasons?

Cheney

Are the vultures starting to circle?

Broken Record: Bush is a Bigot Without a Doubt

I couldn't disappoint anyone by not once again pointing out that Bush is a bigot, so there ya go. I guess his fence sitting State of the Union quasi-support for the Gay Marriage Ban Amendment was not playing well in the bible belt, so he had to go full tilt.

Well, I have said why I think Bush is a bigot enough, so I will instead deal with why Bush is flat out wrong on what the proposed FMA will do. He seems to think that states will be able to create "Civil Unions." Claims otherwise are being refuted by many legal scholars. Eugene Volokh gives a conservo-libertarian view on why the FMA does ban civil unions as currently written.

Kevin Drum has excellent Analysis and Atrios has comments as well.

The most surprising posts and comments are coming from Andrew Sullivan. Sullivan is a conservo-libertarian Bush supporter who is also a firm Gay Marriage supporter. A large portion of his readers seem to be pissed at Bush?s stance on Gay Marriage, which appears to be the last straw holding up their support of Bush. I can't see how there can be any homosexual Bush supporters after today. I mean, the man came out and gave no rationale why any can't marry a person of the same sex. I mean, Bush did not even have the guts to say why Gay Marriage is bad. How will it affect Heterosexual Marriage? It is freaky how Bush sounds like he is defending an anti-miscegenation laws:

Marriage cannot be severed from its cultural, religious and natural roots without weakening the good influence of society. Government, by recognizing and protecting marriage, serves the interests of all. Today I call upon the Congress to promptly pass, and to send to the states for ratification, an amendment to our Constitution defining and protecting marriage as a union of man and woman as husband and wife.

That makes me want to vomit. WHY can't marriage be severed from the past as it was when anti-miscegenation laws were repealed? HOW do two men or two women getting married weakening society? HOW does making homosexuals serve "us all?" Bigoty does not serve me. I guess oppressing homosexuals serves Bush's political aims buy getting the bible thumpers all good and frothy.

Locally Covington Jim comments, as does Wes Flinn.

Lynch Steps Down as CBUF President

Damon Lynch has stepped down as the President of the Cincinnati Black United Front. His reason appears to be to focus on a 2005 Council Run. Politically this is a great move for Lynch. Stepping away from the boycott was the one thing he needed to make council. He has done that and should walk easily onto council.

What is troublesome, yet inevitable, is that Dwight Patton would take over as President. Dwight's reputation has a racial reconciler is laughable. Dwight is a confrontationalist who pushed CBUF into racist positions and stances. It is with those type actions that make it odd that Dwight's biggest enemy is Nate Livingston.

Why I Give a Damn

Have some of you folks out there, my few yet brilliant readers, wondered why I tend to throw around terms like "theocratic fascist around? Well look no further than the scary congressmen behind the movement to strip power from the Supreme Court, and in the name of religion. It appears that Sen. Zell Miller (D) of Georgia seems to have joined Congressmen ADERHOLT and PENCE in pushing for a theocratic state, where freedom of religion is only for the 'majority', not the individual.

Read the Christian Coalition's list of issues and you wonder why I oppose them and those who work with them.

[Via Atrios and Wes Flinn]

Portman for Vice President?

Well, WCPO reported the rumor, which they call "speculation" and had this teaser in their article "Rob Portman will speak with 9News this morning and we'll have an update as soon as it is available." WLWT seemed to have the same story.

WCPO's website has nothing new reported on Portman, in fact the story was buried. This kind of speculation is very interesting, but highly dubious. Someone from Portman's camp is floating the idea out there to see if any remnants of a ground swell can be built for ousting Dick Cheney from the GOP Ticket. Cheney is nothing but a drag on Bush. Now, I of course have no problem if President Bush sees fit to stick to loyalty. I see no problem with that at all.

In all seriousness, Bush will keep Cheney on unless he needs new blood to pull in more votes in a race he could be losing. Think of dumping Cheney as a reserve. When Bush's polls are running low, he will tap into a new VP to inject a new heart to GOP ticket. That would at least be the pragmatist’s play. Is Bush really a pragmatist?

Ohio the Heart of it All

Will Ohio be the battle ground state for 2004? Edwards was here. Bush's Approval rating here in Ohio (pdf) is below 50%. That should be scaring the crap out of Republicans. Bush must win Ohio. If Bush loses Ohio, the Democrat will win.

Edwards has to at least win Ohio, New York, or California if he really plans on winning the Democratic nomination.

Dumb Headline

"Most at festival avoid arrest." What did the Enquirer expect, a majority of festival goers to be arrested? Stupid headline writer.

Holy Shit!

I just watched Dowlin's anti-DeWine commercial on WKRC where he says DeWine left his wife and kids for a "Convergys lobbyist." Wow, I had not seen it live, and that is one of the most low brow political commercials I have ever seen. This year is going to be the bloodiest political season in 36 years.

Bush Still a Bigot

Rob Bernard is on me for calling Bush and using "bigot" a lot. Sorry, that I have to use the word so often, but there are no synonyms that capture the meaning I am after.

Now Rob's attempting to play the game that not everyone against Gay Marriage is a bigot, and then points to Kerry and Edwards. Well, I don't like their positions, but they come out for equal rights for Gays. Bush and his horde are against gay rights. Rob even tried to float the idea from radio talk show host, a real "authority," that heterosexual men have no more rights to marry men they gay men do. I hope he is just trying to be funny, because that is laughable as a reason. I guess he would say that if a black man could not marry a white woman, that is not discrimination as long as a white man could not marry a black woman.

The really issue in his post is that Bush is not a bigot. I say why? Bush wants to both ban homosexual marriage and civil unions. Greg Mann comments on why the Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment does both.

If civil unions was something Bush supported he would be doing the logically thing, including an establishment of civil unions in the Marriage ‘Defense’ Amendment. Why will that not happen? Those pushing the Amendment do not want to provide equal rights or any level of rights to gays or lesbians on issues they can't claim otherwise. That is bigotry, and Bush is supporting it.

I have still not heard any conservative against gay marriage state why it would be a bad thing for homosexuals to get marriage licenses. Now, I mean details reason why, not rhetorical generalities like “it will harm the institution.” I want to know how they think that will happen and more specifically how heterosexual marriages would be affected by homosexual marriages.

How To Come Across as a Right Wing Crusader

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger gave a speech with in the last couple of days were he called for the Mayor of San Francisco to comply with the law and stop issuing marriage licenses to homosexual couples. I have no problem with Arnold doing this. It is after all the law and it is his duty to enforce the laws of the State of California. The problem is with how he is doing it. He could have given a solemn speech where he either pushed for civil unions, something he supports, or just made it a dry enforcement of the law. Instead, Arnold made it a political speech where a crowd cheered him for saying he was going to come down hard on San Francisco for what it is doing:

Schwarzenegger told a cheering crowd at the state GOP convention that "in San Francisco, the courts are dropping the ball."

"It's time for the city to stop traveling down this dangerous path of ignoring the rule of law. That's my message to San Francisco," he said Friday night.

Arnold chose the GOP State Convention to rally the troops against Gay Marriage like it was his new crusade against those horrible gays that he would prefer to do his hair, but not try and get married or anything. He can't have "them" be like everyone else, now can he?

Arnold should have given a speech from the State Capital and made it as the Governor enforcing the law. Instead he gave to a bunch of Republicans who CHEERED him for doing this. Now, I am sure some will now say, "but they should cheer him for doing his duty!" Sorry, no, they should not, unless of course they like keeping homosexuals as second class citizens, which those who cheered I think like. When a police officer arrests a man for murdering the person who caused the death of the man's child, no one cheers the officer. The officer is doing his duty. The only ones who might cheer are the family of the person who caused the child's death. Why would they feel the need to cheer? Why would they cheer a cop doing something most would wish he did not have to do, but the law is the law.

Arnold could have used a little less glee in his enforcement of shutting out gays from marriage. The cheers make those Republicans sound like bigots, which I would bet they are. Yep, I called someone else a bigot! Better start complaining that I called a duck a duck.

Flowers from the Midwest

There are simple things that people can do to make people feel human. One such thing is happening in San Francisco, where gay and lesbian couples getting married are being given anonymous bouquets of flowers from total strangers in the Midwest and other places not normally thought of as gay friendly.

There are notes with each bouquet saying things like ?To The Happy Couple,? which is a small gesture, but make the couples feel like people care. People want to wish them happiness just like any other newlyweds. That is all they want, to be like everyone else. Homosexual couples want to share their lives and form a loving home and stable life. Random gifts and messages wishing these couples good luck is a totally simple thing to do, but something I think that can give warmth to two people that will last the rest of their lives.

If you are feeling good and want to do something great for people, send some flowers tomorrow to the newlyweds.

UPDATE: Flowers for Al and Don has a way to donate money for flowers fairly easily.

Nader's Windmills

Nader's announcement to run for President as an Independent is getting plenty of coverage. What I want to know is why he is not running on the Green Party Ticket? Did he drop them, or did they drop him? The press is not answering that question. One report I found indicates that the Greens said no to him. The reasons for why are not specific.

Trackback

Via Atrios: Haloscan as added a Trackback feature. I have installed it and invite other trackback users to please use this function if possible. Thanks!

Springer or Nick Lachey?

Who would make a worse Mayor of Cincinnati? Jerry has already been mayor of course and beyond paying for a hooker by check, his term in office was not considered bad. Springer also, well, was a reasonably qualified politician. According to his bio Nick was going to Miami (damn it, why did have to be Miami?) when he joined in on 98 Degrees. I assume he did not finish college. Based on Nick's age I would guess he was there while I was going to Miami. Odd.

A Bully Brooklynite's Head in the Sand

Ken Wohlrob, Publisher and Editor of Bully Magazine, has put out Bully's "Ten Worst American Cities To Live In" List. This magazine is new to me, I had never heard of it before reading about this list on the Cincymusic.com boards. I therefore am not placing much credence in its finds, but I still have few bones to pick with it. Here’s the list:

10. Seattle
9. Toledo
8. Los Angeles
7. Salt Lake City
6. Cincinnati
5. St. Louis
4. Atlanta
3. Miami
2. Phoenix
1. Cleveland

Now, I don’t mind that Cincinnati made the list, but I really have to wonder how this list was complied and if actual residents of the cities were interviewed. What was written about Cincinnati is just plain wrong:

If you took Chicago, sucked out every last ounce of culture including its thriving music scenes and quality restaurants and bars, leaving a graying hulk of skyscrapers and a complete lack of night life, then you would have Cincinnati. To some Cincinnati is the greatest city in the U.S. - usually these folks are old, white, Christian fundamentalists, confined to wheelchairs, and are very scared of "coloreds." If you are not this type of person and you live in Cincinnati and like it, you have mental problems and should seek professional help.

Now, Cincinnati has a shit load of conservatives who don’t know a Dali from Dogs Playing Poker or Gershwin from Jessica Simpson, but Cincinnati has as good a culture as any City its size if not better. The CSO, Cincinnati Pops, Ballet, Opera, CAM, CAC, Taft, just to name a few of the MAJOR cultural institutions that this city has to offer that are as good as any in the country, except for New York and other mega cities. We don't have places that would get the girls on "Sex and the City" wet, but for a Midwestern city of nearly 2 million people we have plenty to do and plenty of good places and cultural events to go. In fact with the conformist and stale society in this city I would argue the artistic and cultural groups here have more courage, are more cutting edge than New York. Throwing horseshit on a painting or laying in the street nude is rather innocuous in the Big Apple. Here in Cincinnati, dying your hair pink still gets you looked at funny. We have far more people per capita here willing to be "truly" unique, than say NY or LA. Uniqueness is of course relative to the situation, but the variation is still part of the equation. We here in Cincinnati don't have to go to the extremes to gain attention from the blue hairs. Other places they have to damn near blow their brains out to cause a ruckus.

Has Mr. Wohlrob ever even been to Cincinnati? I am guessing he has, mainly because three Ohio cities were on the list, Cleveland being #1. I would guess that is where Mr. Wohlrob was beaten up for dressing up like member of the Cure back in the 1980’s. Now, while I don’t like Bullies either, it just strikes me as funny that he would call his magazine Bully and then proceed to condemn 10 cities basically because they are not New York. Well, they are not Brooklyn. That is the high land of culture where Mr. Wohlrob’s is based. We all know the fabulous cultural wonders that make Brooklyn the vibrant hub of American culture.

I really have to wonder why cities like Buffalo, Jacksonville, Tampa, Houston, Dallas, Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, St. Paul, Detroit, Portland, San Diego, Lexington, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Eire, Richmond Va., or anywhere in the State of New Jersey.

Cincinnati does not deserve to be on this list. The city is made a laughing stock by the mainstream media who live on the coasts and think the midwest is where they escaped from after college. Life is not dull here. It is vibrant. We are not New York or Chicago or San Francisco. We are, however, not a bad place to live.

Pontus Pilate

5th/3rd Bank has announced that it is putting the decision to its shareholders whether or not to include sexual orientation in its nondiscrimination policy.

Gee, how nice of them. I guess it is a real "ballsy" thing to do. (Cough, Cough)

This is not only horrid; it reeks of fear of offending someone with a big bank balance. What company the size of 5th/3rd does not have such a nondiscrimination policy? This should be a no brainer. 5th/3rd lists its policy:

"Fifth Third offers equal employment opportunities, regardless of race, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability or veteran status."

Now, if they were to say put religion up to a vote and allow discrimination against lets say Roman Catholics or Mormons, who would be screaming about it? Yes, that is right, the Conservative Christians would be. Those same Conservative Christians, like Phil Burress, who are against equal rights for Homosexuals, demand “special rights” for the religious.

What don’t understand is the need for the vote. Why doesn’t the CEO just add in sexual orientation to the list above, and forget about pretending that shareholders votes are somehow democratic. Why would they not want to adopt this policy and try and shield themselves from lawsuits? It is poor company management to not have such a policy.

Fundamentalists Protect Child Abusers?

Why are Fundamentalists Christian Churches against a law requiring members of the clergy to report child abuse? The mainline churches, including the Roman Catholics, support this law. What gives?