Open Thread

Chime in on stuff.

CT is in Covington tonight, come on out!

Letters from Europe

I wonder if the right wing is screaming about letters from a British Newspaper to the people of Ohio trying to influence the election. When our military influenced local elections in Iraq and we surely influenced the election in Afghanistan, I am sure the right wing said nothing or rather they cheered on the military for doing it.

Sarah Jessica Parker at Alchemize

Nick Spencer had announced that Sarah Jessica Parker will attend a alchemize Tomorrow for an event coordinated by Ohio Women for Kerry.

It will at a special time of 12:30 PM at 1122 Walnut in OTR.

Shuttlesworth Shame

In a letter to the editor:

Supporting Article XII lessens Shuttlesworth

Nothing will ever change the fact that the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth has done our nation great service with his courageous stands for the rights of African-Americans ('Gay-rights sides target black vote,' Oct. 14).

But has the reverend no sense of irony? As he stands in opposition to the repeal of Article XII, he aligns himself with direct-line descendants of the right wing, clergy-backed groups who fought so hatefully and bitterly against his cause in the '60s.

These right-wingers - fronted in Cincinnati today by Citizens for Community Values - have not changed their stripes. And in joining CCV to encourage continued discrimination against gays, the once-great reverend looks sadly small.

John C. Brennan
Clifton

Freedom knows no sexual orientation. Freedom is not exclusive to one sect of religion. Freedom and equality are for all humans. Vote YES on Issue 3.

Dodgeball!

I would have thought Maggie Downs would have been all over this story. Is this life imitating art?

Misleading Article, Lazy Journalism

This news story starts out with two paragraphs about the headline based on no direct quotes from an official of the BOE. The rest of the article is just press releases from the party officials, prompted by the GOP attacks on new voters. This is part of the GOP suppress the vote campaign. Don't let it work.

Rosey Glasses

Paul Szydlowski of West Chester seems to live in an alternative world where everything is just coming up roses. I guess living in West Chester means your cup staff half full all the time, or rather full all the time.

Lost in the Shuffle

The Cincinnati Post reports that Jeb Bush stated he will not run for President in 2008. That opens up the floodgates for the GOP. No matter who wins this November, it will be a bloody battle royal for what I think will be a fractured GOP in 2008.

Bronson: Torn?

I got a request to comment on Bronson, so I shall meet that request.

After reading his column yesterday I was torn on what to think about it. On the surface I was impressed with Bronson's approach to the issue of gay rights by meeting with several homosexual couples. I was impressed with his half-assed agreement that the Article XII repeal is not bad. I was still dismayed by Bronson’s overall anti-homosexual stance.

I am still flabbergasted by his bigotry and his unfounded views on homosexuality. He has gall, but no shame. I don't expect bigots to feel shame for being bigots, that would mean they had a conscious on the issue. From the column:

I argued that gay marriage would destabilize society, by undermining families. The unintended consequences could be devastating - especially for women and children - if marriage is remodeled to add a new bedroom for gays and anyone else who wants to move in.

Once again, as Bush does, Bronson chimes out his claims as to what Gay Marriage will do. He can't seem to describe how his claims would occur. Some empirical examples might just go farther than trite myth. What is missing is fact. We know hard right Christians are anti-homosexual based solely on a few passages in the Bible. From that they build a whole panic and fear about an issue that, well, was not even important enough to make the Top Ten Laws of their religion.

What are threats that homosexual marriage poses on heterosexuals? Will Bronson suddenly divorce his wife after reading a gay marriage announcement in the Enquirer? Will Gays try to stage a revival of the Newly Wed show? Will children of divorced parents seek out married homosexual households because they are more stable than single parent households?

What Peter showed most was his homophobia. He did it when he mentioned "especially for women and children." This is the sign that I think most male homophobes give away. Men like Bronson fear gay MEN, not women.

They fear either being raped, or being hit on and somehow they could be "turned gay." Laugh if you must at what I agree is a bit a hyperbole, but for what other reason would Bronson claim that women will be hurt by gay marriage, but not men? What about lesbians? Will they not hurt heterosexual marriage as much as two gay men being married? I guess Peter does not mind Lesbians. I will admit that the thought of two women going at it is something that most men have been culturally trained to find appealing. Gay men are what anti-homosexual men fear. They fear other men being stronger than they are and forcing them to be gay. These same men don't fear women, so the same fears are not there. As for anti-homosexual women? Well, I can’t figure out women when it comes to romance, so I don’t think I will have much luck here. I would surmise it would be similar to what motives Bronson’s bigotry, but from a perspective I can’t speak on with the same insight.

Mostly this column being written at all struck me as strange. I guess I don't like it when the Enquirer has a theme day. I like the coverage of gay rights issues, but I don't like it when columnists are assigned topics. Let Bronson and Downs write what they want. I don’t need 10 articles on one issue jammed into a single issue or week. I would like to read about these issues on a regular basis, not just as titillation.

'What would you do if your child were gay?'

Well, if you are they VP and your child were gay, then you would use your child as a prop in your campaign and then whine (faux anger) about one of your opponent mentioning that your child was gay. You would do this after not getting pissed when your opponent’s running mate said nearly the same thing.

I hate bring up this topic, mostly because it is one of the biggest non-issues ever to exist in a campaign. I wonder why Bush did not get all hacked off about Kerry quoting his father to him in the debate? I mean, I thought families were all off limits and all?

Is the Fix In?

Would you trust an election run by this BOE?

UPDATE: The AP has the story.

Dubya's 700 Club

Dr. John S. Hutton lays it on hard to George Bush who is sounding more like Jim Baker than James Baker. Ron Suskind would agree.

Grossmann on the Fringe of the Right-Wing

David Grossmann is running for County Commissioner. How the media not seen fit to mention his support for Creation Museum in Northern Kentucky? He gave his support to build it. He is a Creation Museum reference board member.

Now what does this matter do you ask? Well, his religious beliefs do not matter. He has very little power to push a Christian Crusade from the County Commission. What his beliefs in the Creation Museum show are in my opinion a sense of bad judgment bordering on delusions. Yes, he was a judge too. I wonder how much he agrees with Roy Moore of Alabama. Now, don't get all in huff for me calling him delusional for his beliefs. I am not harping on his brand of extreme Christianity. I am harping on people who based on a delusion believe the Earth is only about 6,000 years old. I am harping on people who believe evolution is racism. I am harping on nut cases like Ken Ham who are not living in a reality that sane humans can comprehend.

Grossmann provided support for Ken Ham's fringe group. That may not mean he fully buys into all of his beliefs. One really odd thing is that Grossmann's church has a website with password protected members section. What are they keeping private?

How could people consciously vote for this guy? Why would they support the fringe of the GOP? Well, unless you are on the fringe of the GOP.

Cincinnati is Bigoted Towards Gays

When reading the results of SurveyUSA poll there is no other conclusion to draw other than Cincinnati is bigoted towards gays. When 57% think homosexuals should not be raising children, then yes we have a bigoted town. What is so sad, is that people don't see this to be wrong. Those 57% think they are doing something "right." This is why people fight for gay rights. This is why I believe that homosexuals are being discriminated against. They are allowed to exists. They are not allowed to be full citizens of the city or the state or the country. A large majority of Republicans and way too many Democrats are guilty of supporting anti-homosexual laws like Article XII. Phil Burress is not an aberration. He has a following of theocratic bigots that are trying to vote in their religious belief into law. We have a long way to go to make homosexuals equal under the law and in the eyes of this community. With this level of bigotry, I fear it will be a long time before homosexuals can move beyond just existing and living full lives like everyone else.

Back Up and Strong

Sign Repaired Less than 12 hours later

Last night as I was driving to the Rock the Vote after party at Neon’s I was glad to see the sign back up and looking good. It still a bit damaged, but it gets the job done. Now, I will bet that this sign goes down again before Nov. 2nd. If it does I will personally repair it.

Oddest thing about Neon's after party: the news crew there was from WSTR. I think the reporter got several questions about her employer. I left her alone. I am not one for conflict, especially when it is very indirectly related.

GOP Pulls Strings: Rock the Vote Out Kicked Out of Library

Deliaan A. Gettler GOP party member and delegate to the GOP National Convention got a bee in her bonnet and got the Library to pull out at the last minute from a Rock the Vote Event they were hosting.

Deliann Gettler is a GOP Contributor of over $5,000 to various GOP Candidates and the various levels of the Party.

It amazes me that one person can pull strings and do this. What a spineless Library we have, or either one with a bunch of Republican. Well, a majority of them have given to GOP candidates.

I am rather pissed at the library. I was sent a press release just a week ago Friday directly from Phyllis Hegner Assistant Manager, Public Relations of the CPL asking me to promote this event. I did so gladly with a full understanding that this group was a non-partisan group, which it is.

From now on I shall make sure that I check up on any all groups who hold events at the public library. Anyone that even has the appearance of being partisan, should be banned from using the libraries facility.

I wonder what people like Deliaan A. Gettler would do if she found a partisan book in the library. Where there's smoke, there's often fire.

more from WLWT, Miami Hearld, and WCPO.

GOP Jack Booted Thuggery in Cincinnati

A Kerry Sign damaged a Second Time on Beechmont Avenue

This type of thing is happening everywhere in the county. Both sides are doing it. I just have to ask the GOP jerks who did this: are you proud of yourselves? I would ask secondly did anyone in the party ask you to do it, like maybe a friend of your parents who also happens to be a local party hack? I am assuming this was done by high schoolers. It might have been college kids, but we are not in a big college area, so I narrowed my guess a bit.

What I wonder most though about Republicans who have seen this sign as they drive home to Anderson Township everyday. What will they be thinking the first time they notice the sign was knocked down? Will they smile, maybe laugh a little? Some might, but some might feel ashamed. Some might want to even say it was done by the Democrats just for attention. Most will not like it if you ask them publicly, but not care enough to do anything about it.

What makes me sick about this one in particular is that it happened near to where I live, so I take it personally. Also, this sign was replaced because the first one was also damaged. It was about the same size but made of a poster like material, not extremely sturdy. The replacement was a solid wood sign with metal posts holding it up. This was not damaged by someone just running by and knocking it down. The thugs stopped and literally stomped this sign down under their boots.

People will chime on here and presumably say this was no big deal or just some dumb kids. Well, that might be true, but it brandishes the stereotype of the GOP that I hold out as my perception that has now anecdotally been made reality right in my face.

CLAU to Close?

The Cincinnati Post, the Enquirer, and WCPO all are reporting that Club Clau will close it doors on January 1st.

Rick Bird reports on speculation that this is a PR stunt.

One longtime Main Street club owner, who did not want to be identified, questioned whether the announcement was sincere, suggesting the owners may just want to attract attention to the exclusive club with the intention of relaunching in January.

Club Clau owners and business managers insisted that is not the case, that they want to pursue other marketing and advertising ventures with a possible eye toward opening a new club somewhere in the area next year. Hueser said any new venture would not be in the Sycamore Street location.

This sounds like a big PR stunt to me, but with what purpose? What this likely comes down to is money. When does their lease expire? Are they facing a big rate hike? If they are, then it is understandable why they are closing. Image to this type of business is everything, and if you are perceived to be weak, you lose the image you need.

This way they can reopen at a new location, maybe even expand, and then start with a new model.

This could prove to be a boon to Alchemize and Crush, both places have a different market, but could inherit the buzz as the place to be seen.

UPDATE: Nick Spencer has more.

WB64 Feeling the Heat

The outrage over Sinclair Broadcasting making what I would call an in-kind campaign contribution to Bush is starting to be felt by WSTR - Channel 64. National Blogger Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo posted directly about WSTR and put out links to WSTR's major advertisers. I myself sent an email to the sales manager voicing my hope that Sinclair will change its mind.

I feel bad for Sinclair's local station staffers. They did not make this decision, but they are the ones feeling the direct pinch from their customers and viewers.

If you have not done so, make your voice heard. Hypothetically Speaking as the list of WSTR advertisers.

Blackwell is Rebuked

Ken Blackwell's efforts to suppress new voters has taken a hit from a Federal Judge. The Judge ruled that any provisional ballot cast in the correct county but incorrect precinct should be counted. Blackwell ruled that the provisional ballot must be cast in the correct precinct to be counted. Blackwell's ruling was a farce and a direct attempt to limit the rights of voters who are new to voting and did not correctly get notification where their precinct is located.

Blackwell is going to appeal. This issue could help to make Ohio into another Florida. A Bumpy ride is awaiting us.