Cornell McCleary, Former 610 - WTVN Radio Bad Boy

Public officials and legislators will not engage domestic terrorist because most of the victims are black or poor

Ohio's white legislators avoid the issue of urban crime

I have been dealing, head on, for the past 25 years with the issue of domestic terrorist (street criminals).  Unfortunately, every prediction to date regarding the expansion of Urban crime throughout the state and especially in Central Ohio has come true.  I have even went so far as to draft legislation that would help Ohioans stand a better chance in the battle and, even got the personal support of former Speaker of the House Larry Householder, State Senator Steve Stivers and State Representative Jim Hughes.  But, at the end of the day they did not do a damn thing because not enough of the victims of domestic terrorism are white.

A article published August 7, 2006 in the Columbus Dispatch written by Associated Press Reporter Darlene Superville "Justice Department Report: Current conviction isn't the first for most urban felons" was a real eye opener, if you gave a damn.

According to the Justice Department Report, more than half (56 percent) of those convicted of violent felonies in large urban areas between 1990 and 2002 also had earlier convictions.  The study examined crime figures from the nation's 75 most populous counties.

Nearly all violent felons, 91 percent, were males; 41 percent were black.  Most of the robbers and murders were younger than 25 - 56 percent 50 percent respectively.  A total of 180,298 crimes were committed between 1990 and 2002.  More than 69,000 drug crimes were reported.  And, most violent felons, 88 percent, were convicted through a guilty plea rather than at trial.  Most, 81 percent, were incarcerated.

Now, let me tell you what the article or the Justice Department's Report does not tell you and, the reason that Ohioans should be outraged, the overwhelming majority of these violent crimes are committed on what would legally be viewed as private property.  Because it is private property, in most cases, the law enforcement community can't do anything in terms of prevention.  Unless a crime is committed or about to be committed, on private property, even if they are that the suspect is a known criminal, with few exceptions, police hands are legally tied but, here is the kicker, citizens do not have to be potential victims because in Ohio there are "Private Police" but the politicians and many in the law enforcement community don't want you to know that.  If you are not angry yet keep reading.

Ohio Revise Code 2921.51 Section (2) Specifically states that "Private police officer" means any security guard, special police officer, private detective, or other person who is privately employed is a police capacity."

Public law enforcement officers or peace officers are trained and certified in Ohio by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission.  The formal name of the program is the "Peace Officer Basic Training Program".

Professional private security officers or private police, are trained and certified by this same state agency (Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission).  The formal name of this program is "Private Security Basic Training Program.  The Private Security Basic Training Programs entails 132 hours of academic classroom training and 20 hours of firearms training.  Also, regulated by the Ohio Department of Homeland Security, individuals working in private security must maintain the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission's Firearms Certification and re-certify every year.

Many victims of violent crimes, if not for political and racial factors, would have been victims if the public-at-large knew that there existed a legal option that they could utilize to enhance their safety on private property.

Make no mistake about it, if the politicos did not have media cover for their respective inactions the powers that be would have acted and effectively informed the public of these options by now.  The only question that goes unanswered is how many white people or what white person has to be murdered or assaulted before all Ohioans get the opportunity to be safer in their respective homes or communities?   

Religious -left does not have the key to political gates

1960s civil rights and anti-war movements will remain the good old days for the left-leaning religious leaders and religious institutions.

Columbus Dispatch reporters Catherine Candisky and Alan Johnson in Sunday, August 13, 2006 Columbus Dispatch, did a good job in their article "Religious liberals join forces for political comeback: Left-leaning churches push own faith-inspired agenda".

First, I must confess that personally, I don't have much use for most liberals.  My personal political, professional, civic and social experiences and observations strongly suggest that most conservatives are generally insensitive and most liberals are generally fake unless their actions in regards to their so-called social concerns reward or benefit them personally or their respective organization or institution.

Having made such a profound indictment, let me site at least one example regarding the two-faces of liberals.  The City of Columbus has one of the most progressive civil rights laws in America.  It is a criminal offense to discriminate in housing, employment or public accommodations based upon race, sex, religion, etc. and sexual orientation.  Criminal charges are important because once probable cause has been established it is the responsibility of the city attorney to prosecute.  The victim does not need to hire a private attorney for a chance at justice.  Who opposed the implementation of this law?  The liberal black democratic leadership and the liberal Jewish leadership because, from the civil rights movement perspective, as attorneys and other advocates, they make their money from civil suites.  The law passed but was later watered down until it is almost useless.

Anyway, back at the ranch, the Dispatch article suggest that there is an emerging battle between the religious right and the religious left.  I'm here to tell you that the religious Lefts political movement does not hold water.  But, before I get into the political reasons why, I think that it would be a good idea to help you understand the key differences between the intentions of the leadership of these groups.

There is a DVD out titled "Kingdom of Heaven" directed by Ridley Scott, the Director of the movies "Gladiator" and "Black Hawk Down".  The movie, "Kingdom of Heaven" is about the Crusades.  In the movie is stated some profound and powerful dialog: God is in a man's head and in a man's heart.  Each day, one gets to choose to be either a good man or not.  The key difference between the leadership of the religious left and the religious right is that, the leaders of the right, even though they sometimes make mistakes, are trying to teach people how to be a good man every day.  They would do a better job if they would just learn how not to judge but, just the same, their movement is powerful because God is the center of their movement regardless of the strength, weakness of inexperience of its leaders.

On the other hand, the leadership of the religious left is about power and harboring public resources.  If you send your son to school a little boy and he comes home a little girl, thats OK with the leadership of the liberals.  If you send your little girl to school and she comes home a little boy, that OK too.

Minorities, those people that liberals claim that they love to love, are today, as groups and individuals, are more prosperous and empowered then they have ever been in America's history.  At the same time, federal, state and local governments are larger than they have been in America's history.  If this governmental growth, expansion and spending patterns continue, who will be the first and the most negatively impacted by this?  Minorities.  Yet, liberals almost every solution to almost every problem is government growth and government spending for government programs that, for the most part historically have proven, time-and-time again to be ineffective.

The religious left is doomed to failure because we are in a global economy, many of the people that they want to help are not motivated enough to help themselves and government across the board is running out of money.  But, the single greatest reason why the left is doomed is because many of the very people that they claim that they want to help sits out elections.

Its not that the intentions of the left are bad its just that too often the individual or group agendas cloud the goodness of their intentions which is not as powerful or effective as the works of a good man.

Ohio's race for Governor - Avoilding race issue, Ken Blackwell shifts race to Ted Strickland

Publicly, Blackwell shows more pride in being a Republican than being an African-American.

Ken Blackwell recently hired Alexandria Johnson-Boone as his Ohio African-American Outreach Coordinator.  For a black man who has held public office for so long and, a man who has been very effective at what he does, in hiring Johnson-Boone, Blackwell has publicly displayed a fatal flaw in his character that I believe can, and most likely will, cost him the Governor's race.  Blackwell has an identity problem.

Ken Blackwell, to Ted Strickland's advantage, has come face-to-face with a successful person of minority status worse nightmare.  One has to publicly acknowledge not only who they are and what they have become and, what they are (Black, Hispanic, Jewish etc.) but, with a balance perspective.

Blackwell's recent comments that appeared in the Columbus Dispatch Sunday, August 6, 2006 "How many voters see a black-white contest?" did not reflect a balance perspective and Blackwell may not be able to recover from this mistake.

In the article, Blackwell is quoted as stating "I will tell you, and I will underscore it: It would be a mistake for anybody to vote for me just because of the color of my skin.  It would be a mistake for anybody to vote against me just because of the color of my skin..."  Blackwell's comments will be viewed by many blacks and some whites who are moderates and who have not yet made up their minds regarding Blackwell, as a warning.  Why?

The facts are that this is still America and race does matter, good, bad or indifferent.  The racist institutions of America, in many ways, have retreated and surrended to many of strong character and the will of many good people of all races and political perspectives.

These people of good will, in considering the race or sex of a political candidate in part, is not a consideration of malice but an act for change.  In some instances, as in the case of Ohio's Governor's race, the consideration is of such significance that the consideration is not just that of the candidate but a defining moment of who and what we are as citizens of Ohio.  Should Blackwell get the nod because he is blacK?  The answer is no.  Should the fact that Blackwell, a black man, has done all the things that he has done include the consideration that he is a black man? Absolutely.  Without this consideration, in truth, what Blackwell has accomplished personally and politically does not shine very brightly at all.

Blackwell's presence on the ballot as a black man is a positive commentary for both America and Ohio.  Blackwell's political and personal accomplishments as a black man is a source of pride for both blacks and whites.  Blackwell's successes in life are not just a result of his personal character and abilities but, also a reflection of the great strides that America in general has made in regards to race, especially in the screwed up Republican Party.

Blackwell, by any objective standards is an awesome person.  His political and professional career clearly reflects genius.  However, it is time that Ken Blackwell publicly acknowledge the truth, he is a black man and many of the opportunities that he has had in his life that propelled him to greatness and the current public stature that he enjoys were generated in part because he is a black man.

It is not a bad thing to reach out to others who are like you or like-minded to lead them to a greater place for the greater good.  It is not a bad thing to say I am, I did and because of you, I could.  Thank you.