Cornell McCleary, Former 610 - WTVN Radio Bad Boy

Every day that 6 year old went to school death was waiting on him

Scottwood Elementary School student did not stand a long-term chance, it was just a matter of time before he got hit by a school bus

On Friday, January 5, 2007, the Columbus Dispatch published a front page headline story that scared the hell out of me.  The story was wrote by reporters Theodore Decker and Bill Bush about a 6 year old boy killed by a school bus while trying to cross street while his grandmother watched from her warm and cozy seat in the car. If I sound pissed its because I am.  My 5 year old son goes to that school and, the picture of 6 year old Asa Mayle in the Dispatch article, too close for comfort, looks like that of the face of my 5 year old son.

Every morning that I drop my son off at school, looking at the traffic pattern on Scottwood Road, with mostly everyone in the auto-pilot mode, with some parents in a too-big-of-a-hurry mode and, the ambush crosswalk that was waiting on little Asa or someone like him, my head and my heart fills with dread as I issue a stern warning to my son each and every day since he started to going to Scottwood Elementary School as he gets out of the car and, I am right there beside him, with his hand in my hand "Look both ways for cars before you cross the street OK?"

When I heard news reports of the little Asa incident, I was filled with rage and fear, mostly rage because I felt that little boy did not have to die.  When I read the Dispatch article I really hit the ceiling.  In the article, police said the investigation could take months.  I found that incredible.  So I'm writing this article in the interest of justice and the memory of little Asa, and I'm going to let the sticks fall where they may.

First, Grandma McCarey, you should have got your butt out of the car every morning and walked little Asa to his bus stop.  Even a damn fool could see that Scottwood Road is very dangerous in the morning.

The flashing warning light compelling people to slow down to 20 miles per hour that was on the day after little Asa's death at the time of his death, should be on all day until the last kid leaves the school and the last kids that are going to arrive in the area have come and gone.  Its called traffic calming.

Here is the biggie and this should help the police get their investigation completed faster.  Scottwood Elementary and Columbus Public Schools, stop letting school buses pick up children in front of a crosswalk.  When a bus driver takes off they are accelerating and looking for other cars, and changing lanes and not looking for children who will be trying to do what they were trained to do.  Cross at the crosswalk.

Little Asa is dead in part because the bus driver was trying to stay on schedule, navigate down a narrow, 2-way street with parking allowed on both sides of the street, change lanes and accelerating with her starting point just a few feet from the crosswalk which was in her direction of travel.  Little Asa did not stand a chance.

With TEL, Ken Blackwell sinks his own ship

Petro could not do it, Montgomery could not do it, Blackwell kicks his own ass.

One of my favorite African parables is "The Leopard is the king of the ground. The Raven is the king of the air. Should the Raven offer the Leopard wings, could it be to make him a victim?" Blackwell's moonwalk away from the original Tax and Expenditure Limitation (TEL) November ballot issue may have doomed his campaign for governor.  Blackwell, in an obvious attempt to please the status quo has become a victim of his peace-making efforts and, in many ways, a traitor to many people who believed in him as a true reformer.

The Saturday, May 20, 2006, article in the Columbus Dispatch "TEL plans not that alike" is a must read for anyone who has serious concerns regarding this TEL issue. The Dispatch did a great job in laying out the facts, the world would not have ended if TEL became law, the current GOP proposed legislative TEL effort is mostly B.S. and, Ken Blackwell does not mean what he says.

The Ohio Legislative Services Commission concluded that if Blackwell's abandoned proposed TEL amendment, if it had been in force, spending from 1994 to 2002 would have resulted in $34.1 billion less in state and local government spending. The GOP's legislative TEL proposal would have resulted in only $11.8 billion in reduced spending over the same period with, most of the difference being because the GOP's legislative proposed spending cap would not limit local government spending.

Blackwell's turn-about has Ted Strickland and the Democrats dancing a jig. The weakening of Blackwell as the GOP's candidate will has a significant negative impact on all of the GOP's statewide candidates in November. The best thing going for the GOP right now is that Ted Strickland still does not have a message. He, Strickland may be dumb enough to think that he can make it to the Governor's Office campaigning on what Blackwell is not. If he does, Blackwell and the GOP are still strong enough to put up one hell of a fight. The GOP and Blackwell's biggest problem right now is the media. The media is not going to let the public forget that Blackwell can not be trusted to stand by what he claims to stand for or stand by. Personally, I'm disappointed. Blackwell went from a champion to just being another fighter. Oh well, remember the good old days. Ali! Ali! Ali!

Michael Coleman Versus Jennette Bradley - The Perfect Storm

State Treasurer, former lieutenant governor, former Columbus City Council member Jennette Bradley would bring an end to Michael Colman's tenure as Mayor.

Bradley's recent failed bid for re-election as State Treasurer should have Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman and his political advisers frequently going to the restroom for something.  Bradley was defeated by Ashtabula County Treasurer Sandra O'Brien as a logical direct result of Ken Blackwell's GOP Primary victory fueled by the conservative religious right "Values Voters" going to the polls.

Many were surprised by Bradley's defeat but I was not one of them.  For me, the hand writing was on the wall that the GOP was in trouble.  For years while I was a talk show host on 610 - WTVN radio I tried to warn the GOP state and county leadership that a storm was coming.  Now, the Franklin County GOP has the opportunity to turn this storm into a "Perfect Storm".

As usual, I'm sure some of my readers and former radio listeners are saying "What the hell is Cornell talking about?"  The future is so clear to me.  Bradley and Coleman have more in common then they have differences.  Both have given a lot to the public at-large but neither has given their all.  Both have been extremely blessed, gifted and talented, called and chosen.  But, Coleman has blood on his hands and on his feet.  Bradley only has blood on her hands.  To those that much is given, much is required.

Before you people think that I have totally lost it again let me put things in perspective.  When you become a public or community leader by choice, election, appointment, volunteer, anointed or by what ever means, you, become responsible for the lives of all who are affected by both your actions or in actions, directly or indirectly.  Your intentions don't mean squat.  Your logical sphere of influence becomes the boundaries and the basis that defines your sphere and depth of personal accountability.  We all are judged in life not only by the things that we do or don't do but, also, by the things that we had the opportunity to do and did not.  Coleman as a 2-term Mayor has had many opportunities to do much but did not.  Therefore, blood is on both his hands and feet.  Bradley has had the opportunity to influence but not originate therefore, blood is only on her hands.

The feet can take one from the past to the future, from failure to success, from shaky ground to solid ground, move one from the position of a witness to a position of participation and, from being an advocate of justice and fair play to being a champion of justice and fair play.

In the Sunday, May 7, 2006 Columbus Dispatch, a powerful article "...under God, divisible" was written.  The context of the article can be readily viewed as negative but, the powerful truth contained therein is unmistakable.  The issues that made Bradley a challenge to support for State Treasurer by the "values voters" (Support of abortion rights and Gay marriages) will not be issues in a show down between Coleman and Bradley in a mayoral contest.  In fact, Bradley is moderate enough that the fact that she is a Republican may become a non-issue in a contest between the two.  The situation gets worse for Coleman.  The Dispatch unknowingly did Michael Coleman a great dis-service they, the Dispatch, made it both obvious and perfectly clear that a majority of blacks and white conservative "values voters" are on the same page.  For you visual learners, if Bradley was a problem for the "values voters" then, Michael Coleman is a nightmare for them.  Bradley would cut into Coleman's key political base (blacks) deeper than Coleman could cut into Bradley's key political base (Republicans both black and white).

In a word, if Bradley decides to take Coleman on to be Mayor of Columbus, Coleman's days as Mayor are numbered.

Ohio Governor's Race A Multi-Level Political Chess Game

Strickland, Petro and Blackwell are just the faces of the election:  Power player developers, church leaders and major business interest are the real forces directing or should I say, potentially redirecting the race for Governor

Recently, the Columbus Dispatch endorsed Republican Jim Petro and Democrat Ted Strickland for their respective primary races.  But, the Dispatcher's anti-endorsement and true agenda is stopping J. Kenneth Blacwell'sTax and Expenditure Limitation (TEL) initiative.

The proposed TEL Ohio constitutional amendment if approved by the people in November would limit annual state and local spending increases to 3.5 percent or the sum of the rates of inflation and population growth, whichever is higher.  The Dispatch, a developer and the Ohio Municipal League, which represents Ohio's cities and villages (the developers economic playground), super opposes TEL.  Duh!

The so-called "value voter" crusaders sees the governor's race as the grand opportunity to shut down the gay rights movement, put clothes back on strippers, stop people from gambling their money on themselves (put that money in church and gamble on Jesus with professional investment advice from the anointed ones).  Ken Blackwell knows Jesus, Jim Petro has found Jesus and Ted Stickland knows that Jesus is his friend.  Good, bad or indifferent, Jesus is on the November ballot.  You won't see his name but thou shall learn more about his ways.

Another factor driving this multi-level political chess game is exhibited to Dispatch reporter and senior editor's commentary headline Sunday, April 16, 2006, "All signs are pointing to a Nov. 7 catastrophe for Ohio Republicans".  The big dogs at this point really can not tell who is going to be Ohio's next governor and that is scary as hell for them.

The truth is, that the Republicans are fighting themselves, the Democrats are watching the fight, the "value voters" crusaders are organizing and mobilizing their ass off and the people are watching American Idol and still trying to decide if they are going to bother to vote in November or May at all.

My advice to folks is, that before you cast your vote, pray and pray again.  The truth is out there but it is not going to be easy to find.

Judge right to give Black Defendant 134 year jail term

Black community leadership tolerance of Black criminals unacceptable

Recently Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Julie M. Lynch sentenced a black defendant, Marquis Hairston, 24, to a maximum sentence of 134 years for a home invasion in affluent German Village located in Columbus, Ohio.  All of the victims were white.  The victims, while in their home, were forced to strip, were tied up and then robbed.

Leaders of the Columbus Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers allege that Hairston's race was a key factor in his sentencing because nobody was killed during the home invasion.

Knowing Judge Lynch personally I seriously doubt that Hairston's race was a factor at all but, a strong sense of outrage regarding the crime committed would in fact be within the scope of Judge Lynch's character.  For visual learners, I strongly believe that Judge Lynch rightfully saw Hairston after his confession and conviction as the SOB and social low-life that he is.

The other issue outside of the Courts purview and decision, the disproportionate number of blacks and other minorities involved in violent crimes has in fact, in many ways, brought the progress and gains of the civil rights movement almost to a halt.  The outrageous acts of a comparative few such as Hairston, unfairly and illogically stains the image of every black person.  When you have organizations like the NAACP aggressively running to the aid of the likes of Hairston and visibly missing in action during real important issues that negatively impact the community in general and the black community in particular, the message being sent to the broader community is that a majority of blacks are anti-American.  This is not true and, this type of political and public behavior is no longer acceptable from leaders representing the black community.

In all fairness, Noel Williams, President of the Columbus NAACP is a great person committed to her efforts to make this a better community for everyone.  But, this time Williams' passion for justice was blinded by the color of her skin.  Williams passion for justice should have been with the victims who this time, happened to be white who were terrorized in the most sacred of places, their home.

The true nature of the Patriot Act

Few legislators, federal or state, truly have a clue to what is really going on

A recent media revelation "Russians to make DaimlerChrysler car" (Associated Press, 04/15/06), again, more evidence that America is in deed trouble.  The Russians intend to buy DaimlerChrysler production lines in suburban Detroit, Michigan and move them to Russia.  The Russians are also planning to buy DaimlerChrysler-made engines produced in Mexico to be installed on Russian made passenger cars and commercial vehicles.  In regards to the purchase deal, the plan is for the Russians to produce 65,000 DaimlerChrysler cars annually.  The Michigan plant employs about 2,400 people.

I'm sure by now reader are going "What the hell does this have to do with the Patriot Act?"  A lot, global economics and, potential cover for organized crime.  Organized crime is a major problem for both the Russian government and the Mexican government.  The primary stated purpose of the Patriot Act is to allegedly, combat global terrorism.  The true nature of the Patriot Act is to combat domestic crimes and neighborhood terrorism in a global economic environment.  What?

At this point it is time for a session in World Building 101.  If one was to surface reflect on many of the actions of President George Bush it would be easy to jump to the conclusion that the man may be mentally unstable being motivated and driven by voices unknown.  However, that conclusion would be wrong.  If one was to objectively evaluate most of Bush's major moves, regardless of what Bush's stated intentions or objectives are, in almost every instance two variables are constant, globalization and economics.

The complication is two fold, the American Constitution or, more specifically, our Bill of Rights granting us powerful civil liberties to include the right to openly challenge our government at will, does not readily allow for America to formalize itself with so-called world governments.  Our criminal justice system is loved by the bad guys of the world because of our powerful civil liberties.  Now comes federal and state Patriot Acts which, more than anything else, lay waste to some of our most precious civil liberties, freedom of speech, freedom of assemble and the right to be secure in our person and homes.  The Patriot Acts for all intents and purposes make all people suspect criminals or terrorist until the government establishes that you are not.  Wow.

We are just getting warmed up.  The so-called illegal immigration issue, another Bush globalization/economic issue is also tied to the true nature of the Patriot Act.  A recent commentary by Victor Davis Hanson, a senior fellow at the Hoover Intuition on War, Revolution and Peace at Stanford University indicated that "Somewhere between 8 million and 15 million citizens from Mexico and Latin America are in the United States...There are about 30 million illegal and legal immigrants in the United States."  These other immigrants include crime-ridden cultures such as Somalis.

In regards to protecting America, the good guys in the U.S. military and America's law enforcement community are the most frustrated in the world.  America's business community and political leadership or, should I say lack thereof, by default and, more often than not, out of ignorance, has created a domestic crisis with no easy solutions.  The issues are civil rights versus organized crime, international and domestic.  The current policies and laws effected in these so-called Patriot Acts are not going to get the job done.  We don't have and never will have enough military or law enforcement resources to get the job done.

The one solution that does stand out that is most hated by most politicians and especially liberals, is that we the people need to stop depending on the government to personally protect us.  When people decide to be responsible for their own safety and security, there is no room for political side deals or exceptions.  To better understand this, the law enforcement community depends heavily upon informants.  In most instances, informants are active criminals themselves.  To keep the informant viable, it is a common practice in the law enforcement community to let the informant remain an active criminal.  When civic or community groups organize against neighborhood crime, identified criminals, informants or not, more often than not, are sent to jail.

What do you think?

Supreme Court delivers near death blow to public records laws

Ohio has the worse Supreme Court in America

In the Friday, April 14, 2006 issue of the Columbus Dispatch an article headlined "Justices say Taft can keep secrets: Executive privilege recognized for the Ohio governor's office" only tells half the story or should I say, only talks about half of the royal screwing of Ohio's citizens, compliments of Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer.

To fully appreciate how screwed Ohio's citizens are, one would have to review facts and matters relaying to another landmark public records case.  The Columbus Bar Association on their website under "Bar briefs Archive: 2001 - 2004" in a wonderful manner, lays out the general details of how the City of Columbus, Ohio created a secret database containing confidential information on all children using Columbus's recreation facilities.  This information was being utilized to track and, on occasion, to justify denying access to public facilities.  Also, this same personal and confidential information was being given to the police but not the parents of the children at the time of the filing of the law suit (1996) on behalf of the children by community activist Cornell McCleary.

Initially, McCleary sought the records to get the names and addresses of urban youth to recruit them for a Boy Scouts of America Urban Scouting program.  In an act of astonishment, the Ohio Supreme, reversing 200 years of public policy, established a devastating new ground-rule relating to public records, if the information does not shed light on any governmental functions, the Court (insanely) reasoned that the information is not a record within the meaning of the Public Records Act, even, if the records are being illegally being maintained by the government.

The Supreme Court's recent decision (following the leadership of Chief Justice Moyer) which sucks, to protect Gov. Bob Taft and the Republicans, will, in time, prove devastating to the public interest.  None of the major candidates for governor have taken issue or spoken out against the Court's decision.

At this stage of the game, only the Ohio General Assemble (state senators and state representatives) can change the current course of events.  What this means for visual learners, is that, if you have a legal issue or complaint with any government entity or representative, it is now hard as hell to get the evidence that you may need to prove your case, be an effective community activist or maybe, keep your butt out jail.

Go Bucks.  Go Bob.  Go Moyer.

What do you think? 

Letter To Columbus Dispatch Editor

Released 03/30/06

Columbus Dispatch

Letters To The Editor

First, I would like to thank Dispatch Reporter Tim Feran for his story "McCleary resigns from WTVN" printed March 22, 2006.  In Feran's article, a comment attributed to me: Eight years is enough of this.  I've seen changes coming, begs for an explanation.

I was just going to walk away from the situation but, numerous telephone calls and emails that I have received from former listeners makes me feel like I owe the public a full explanation for my sudden departure from 610-WTVN radio station.

Eight years ago I came to WTVN as a community activist and the station's first black talk show host.  Going against the advice of the former program director, Daryl Parks, I used my program to educate the community on political issues and, allowed my program to be utilized by the everyday citizen to air their respective concerns.  My punishment for doing this was that I would only be allowed to be on the air on Sunday nights.  A punishment that I accepted.  I told myself that I was going to make Sunday nights as hot as a volcano, which I did.

In an attempt to minimize my effectiveness as a talk show host, every new producer hired by the station for the last eight years was assigned to work my show.  To offset this programming disadvantage, I always completely produced my show before arriving at the station to minimize the negative impact of having an inexperienced producer.  The show continued to be a great success.

Along the way several opportunities presented itself for me to advance as a major talent with both WTVN and ClearChannel in general.  My talent was proven.  I had success fully worked every talent time slot at the station with, the exception of the Bob Connors show.  I was still, for no reasons ever sited by the program directors, given the opportunity to advance.  Yet, white males, good people, who's proven talents where not even close to matching mine, where promoted over me.  I accepted this too.

Then comes Bruce Collins, WTVN's current program director.  Collins' hires a Sunday school teacher as my producer and flat out lied about it.  Then, two weeks after I get the Sunday school teacher as a producer, after a show, calls me and states that he has received complaints regarding my language on the air.

Now, being the experienced activist and professional private investigator that I am, it did not take me long to figure out that WTVN was setting me up to take me out because they could no longer legally justify holding me back.  It did not help matters that I made the mistake of sharing with Bruce Collins my concerns regarding past discriminatory practices at the station.

In many ways WTVN was good to me.  I truly enjoyed working at the station and the great relationship that I had built with the community.  I sincerely apologize to my many loyal listeners for having to leave the way that I did but I had too.  It was the only to protect myself.  I always knew that the day would come that the station would shut me down because I was getting too strong and too independent.  And, I was also always prepared to say good-bye.  Good-bye.

Cornell McCleary