Cincinnati Race for Mayor

Avondale the Forgotten Territory

“This week, Wenstrup's campaign blanketed Cincinnati with two mailings - one that goes after Mallory for his many trips around the country and the world and another that challenges Mallory's assertion that Cincinnati is a safer city than it was when he took office nearly four years ago. “

Blanketed Cincinnati with two mailings....Really?!

I live in Cincinnati...I wasn't blanketed....Okay maybe my mail person took one day off...it happens...

Or maybe the “blanket” came on the day the mail guy who is afraid of my dogs and won't deliver when he hears them bark from inside my house, was working....He apparently thinks my dogs can unbolt two locks, as well as unchain the screen door to get to him on the porch...

that would explain missing one of the “blanket mailings.”

However...I don't think the mail person took both days off...and I missed BOTH mailings...I know the Post Office is cutting back.

But missing two mailings.....Hmmmmmmmmmmm....Don't think so...

You know what....it's me....My bad...

I keep forgetting.....I live in Avondale....and many, many people down at City Hall, as well as many of those who want to be at City Hall...

Refuse to acknowledge that Avondale is a part of Cincinnati...

Oh, they remember us when talking about crime in the city. And how dangerous it is to live in Cincinnati despite national statistics to the contrary.....or when they need to prove to the Feds that there are Black people living in Cincinnati...we're good at bolstering their Census cred...

And we have plenty of baby mamas to draw all the federal funds they need to fill their coffers on Plum Street.

But asking us to vote them into office...coming onto our turf to find out what we Avondale residents may be thinking....nah!

You'd think a trip down Reading Road, over Gilbert Avenue or up Victory Parkway, was like traversing a dangerous foreign country....like Over the Rhine...or the West End....

The last time I saw a politician on my door step was a Black guy asking me to vote for Steve Chabot..

I know a lot of political mailing is going on....I get stuff from Qualls...I get stuff from Winburn...I get stuff from Harris...and Mallory.....and Crowley....and even Ted Strickland.....

But Brad Wenstrup.....If I hadn't taken a bus trip through Pleasant Ridge a few days ago and seen the yard signs....I would not have known that Mallory was being challenged for his seat..

But seriously Dr. Wenstrup...If you're running for mayor...you need to understand that you will represent all of us if elected...not just the westside and some of the neighborhoods on the east side....like Hyde Park, East Walnut Hills, or Mt. Adams...

Cincinnati is a very diverse city and really not as dangerous as you would believe...or have the rest of the world believe....

You would know that...if you really had the courage to campaign as a man who really, really wants to represent all of us residents of the Queen City...

C-ya on election day!

Cincinnati Street Car Facts...We Need This!

Take two minutes and watch....

Dysfunctional NAACP A National Problem

Cincinnati Chapter mirrors Nationwide disconnect.

Let's start with the good news first, National Board Chairman, Julian Bond has endorsed the upcoming National Equality March scheduled to take place on October 11^th in Washington. Bond has been a friend of the LGBT community for a while now. However his stance is contrary to that of the NAACP's president Ben Jealous, who has refused to take a stand on equal treatment for all.

The very popular Jack and Jill Blog has called them on it, actually doing a post entitled “The NAACP hates black people.” You can read about the controversy here.

As I've said repeatedly in my own posting, that Black civil rights organizations are ineffective and out of touch with today's struggles. They seem stuck in the 1950's and 1960's, choosing to ignore the problems which are killing our community today.

What hurts us today is a lack of education, black on black violence, the refusal to recognize the Black LGBT community, HIV/AIDS infecting straight Black women, the government marginalizing of the Black community in favor of the Hispanic community.

Minority communities in this country should be about presenting a united front, because the institutionalized racism in this country affects all of us equally.

Yet, the National NAACP refuses to take any stances on anything in recent memory and especially since Ben Jealous took over as president.

The Cincinnati Chapter has been hijacked by the likes of Christopher Smitherman and his young band of less reknown, and has become a tool of a local white and right wing organization called COAST. COAST stands for Citizens Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes. It has long been the most conservative anti everything in Cincinnati.

COAST has been "helping" the NAACP in its shortsighted fight against the much needed streetcar and light rail system proposed by Mayor Mark Mallory.

A gay man who happens to work for both COAST and the NAACP since the election of Smitherman, is routinely shown off by Smitherman as his token gay, in an attempt to demonstrate his “enlightenment” on the subject.

This same gay man is the one who actually wrote the abominable anti gay ordinance that was repealed a few years ago. He wasn't in the NAACP at the time.

Until the NAACP, both locally and nationally, begins to address the problems of today's community, it will continue its slide into irrelevance and certain oblivion, making it the perfect fool and front for bigger, more insidious organizations with agendas designed to hurt minority communities.

Cincinnati Pride Sunday-Part 1

Veggin' out at the gay pride parade in Bowdie Park on Ludlow.

Pride Sunday, no matter where you are, meaning in what city you happen to reside, is a feel good day. For years, I have begun this Sunday, no matter where I lived, at brunch with friends, some easy conversation and good food before spending some time partying at the parade.


Since the parades, all over the country , are on Sunday, it's also a good time to see who went home with whom from the bar, on Saturday night... But I digress..


I intended to write a feel good piece about the parade because I do feel great from the camaraderie. For a change I wanted to not include politics on a feel good day, because politics feels like work to me and sometimes that's not good..

However, I can't do that today...I have to jump into politics for a little bit before I get to the feel good...so here goes...

I don't intend to vote for any person running for City Council who did not shake my hand in the Pride Parade today.

Greg Harris, Tony Fischer, and Laurie Quinlivan were there and shook my hand, coming out of the parade to meet and greet voters. They smiled, they looked me in the eye and they shook hands.

Now I can't say for a fact that they will support every issue that I think is important, but being strong enough to attend and march in the parade says a lot to me.

I will vote for Jennifer Brunner ...she wasn't there, but after that letter of support she wrote on marriage equality...can't say no to the lady, and she has to cover the whole state...

However...

These three asked for my vote....and you know what...I intend to give it to them....

I have a long personal and professional history with city council (going back to when my uncle was Vice mayor of this city) as well as many local, state and national Ohio politicians.

Some of them read my blog and tell me so....When we meet....

Some of my “friends and acquaintances” had people in the parade today...they weren't there themselves...but they had people in the parade....

And to them....I say this....It is not enough to have your token gay or lesbian staff member put on a shirt with your name on it and walk in my parade...and expect me to support you...

If you can't show up personally for an hour or so and look me in the eye and ask for my vote..

Then I got no use for you...

You are wasting my time....

Even if you are kinda sorta my cousin by marriage....


Having your token gay or dyke friend or the kid of your token, walk down Ludlow waving a rainbow flag or carrying a rainbow balloon is lazy and cowardly campaigning.....

It is completely arrogant to assume, that I am going to continue to support you when you don't give a damn about me....

I hope that maybe if enough LGBT community members read this and see some truth in what I write...maybe they will join me in a quiet protest.....

No visible support....no vote...simple....

And if you think you can get elected without the LGBT vote.....Think again...Go for it....

Mayor Mallory
Roxanne Qualls,
Laketa Cole,
Cecil Thomas
David Crowley.

To name a few.....


To be continued............................................