June 2007 www.cincinnatibeacon.

com FREE

David Pepper on Where Clowning with

Campaign Divergent the Charter
Finance (p. 6) Views Collide Party (p. 8)

The Cincinnati Beacon

Black Males
Under Arrest!
by Michael Earl Patton,
Senior Analyst
Get Published? Ever since Cincinnati en-
What rubbish! acted its anti-marijuana
ordinance, thousands of
When The Cincinnati people have been ar-
Enquirer decided to infil- rested, earning perma-
trate the blogosphere -- nent marks on their crimi-
feeling intimidated by nal records.
the threat posed by
blogs and the “new me- But how do these arrests
dia” -- they unveiled look from the perspective
over 30 blogs of their of race?
own and an interactive
feature called “Get Pub- From the law's inception
lished.” That way, they through May 10 of this
could get free content year, 577 whites have
from unpaid citizen writ- been arrested.  For that
same time period 3,644
ers.
blacks have been
arrested.   20   people of
But this was not “citizen
unidentified race have
journalism” in a grass-
also been arrested
roots sense. It was a
along with 2 Asians.  7 grams.   Analysis by
corporate attempt to
monopolize the democ-
racy of blogs. This means that about   6
blacks have been ar-
But who needs The En- rested under the ordi-
nance for every 1 white.  criminal under Cincinnati
quirer’s “Get Published!”
feature, when you can Ye t s u r v e y s s h o w
simply publish yourself!
that   marijuana
usage between
the races is ap-
proximately the
same. And
census data
shows the City
is 53% white.
Many people
who speak out
against the new
j a i l p e n a l t i-
es   under the This man is more likely to go to jail than white people.
Cincinnati mari-
juana ordinance   express have been arrested since It is interesting to note the
concerns about African the ordinance was enact- neighborhoods where
Americans suffering pref- ed for possession of small whites were arrested. 
erential enforcement. amounts of marijuana --
not for drug dealing.  The   following numbers
Penalties may include 30 reflect the arrests just for
days in jail for a first of- The average amount of the calendar year 2006
fense and 6 months for a marijuana confiscated and do not include Janu-
second offense. during these arrests was ary through May 10 of this
year. 
Under the   Ohio Revised race of the arrests since
Code, possession of less The largest number -- 90,
the law was enacted
than 100 grams is not a in fact -- were arrested in
show that overwhelmingly
criminal offense, but it is Over-the-Rhine.
the ones arrested are
black. 
ordinance.   Thousands (con’t on p. 2)

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cincinnatibeacon.com.
Another 98º Star in a What’s Inside?
Then click the button
labeled “Rubbish.” New Reality Show The Labor
Report ....... p. 4
by Jason A. Haap, MA The gimmick
Notes ‘n Dotes The Dean of Cincinnati should seem
obvious at first A Closer
→ Did Jeff Berding, Nick Lachey became a household name -- using the Look .......... p. 6
Chris Bortz, and Leslie when the Cincinnati native and member genre of reality
Ghiz get drunk off wine of pop band 98 Degrees starred on a programming
during the City’s budget reality show. Now, another member of to make boy Lifestyle .... p. 8
negotiations? If you 98 Degrees, Jeff Timmons, is starring on band members
a new reality show for VH-1 to be re- look ridiculous.
have any evidence, let
leased this fall. Recently, Timmons gave
Jeff Timmons Soapbox .... p. 10
us know!
The Cincinnati Beacon an exclusive "The intent at first might have been to
→ Have you seen this sneak peek at the upcoming program. make people look foolish," explained “The List” –
man? Timmons. "The writers would put us in Cincinnati’s
The premise of the new show (which has situations that made us less than com-
not yet been named) was to take guys fortable, but we were used to doing Big Money
from different boy bands to see how they things that make us look that way." Contributors
would make music together -- so VH-1 .... p. 12
contracted Jeff Timmons, Chris Kirpatrick "We were all in 'boy bands,'" continued
(from InSync), Brian Abrams (Color Me
Badd), and Rich Cronin (LFO). The Big Beacon
(con’t on p. 2)
Party! .... p. 12

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