This Could Get Ugly

[cincygreg]

Very Very ugly!

Neo Nazi Group Vows To Show Up Regardless
Last Update: Apr 10, 2007 10:42 PM

Some Cincinnati City Council members urge the City Manager to refuse to let a group of Neo-Nazis march in Over-the-Rhine on April 20th. They also signed a motion to tighten the city's permit process to try to prevent groups like the Nazi's from getting permits in the future.

They cite what's called the "fighting words doctrine" as a way to counter the group's first amendment rights. The Supreme Court says that speech is protected unless the expression is "likely to produce a clear and present danger of a serious intolerable evil that rises above mere inconvenience or annoyance."
Local 12's Rich Jaffe found regardless of the legalities, the Neo-Nazi's say they're coming to Cincinnati. The streets of Over-the-Rhine today are a far cry from the riots Toledo saw when the American National Socialist Workers Party staged a march there last year, and Cincinnati City Council members want to keep it that way. That's why today a group of council members signed a motion to tighten up the permit process, hoping to keep groups like the Socialist Nazi's from marching.

Laketa Cole, City Council Member: "So, we hope we are sending a message that the negativity will not be tolerated in the City of Cincinnati. Particularly to have a march in Over-the-Rhine where we've invested so much to turn our city around is something that we really need to be careful and stand up against, so I am standing, we are standing against this coming to the City of Cincinnati."

City officials are also trying to either alter or cancel the group's already issued permit, and the Socialists say they're going to sue, on the grounds that the city's violating their constitutional rights.

But Bill White, the head of the Socialist group, says regardless of ordinances, permits or anything else, he and his group are coming to Cincinnati on April 20th and they will be walking down this street if they can't march.

Bill White, American National Socialist Workers Party: "We're going to march on the 20th, they can't, there's no law prohibiting us from walking down the street, we're going to walk down the street, if they fail to protect us and there's a riot, we'll sue them for allowing a riot to occur."

You can bet the idea of swastika wearing Neo-Nazi's in Over-the-Rhine isn't sitting well with local residents.

Roy Little, Resident: "Let me tell you something, we been fighting for like 200 years, so come on with that little 90 day workout whatever you all do because you coming down here looking for trouble, we ain't going there bothering them so don't come here bothering us."

Charles Merriweather, Resident: "I think it's going to be a disaster because of the tension that's already here."

Rich Jaffe, Local 12.

Late this afternoon, the Socialist group announced that they hit a snag in their efforts to hire a prominent local law firm to represent them. They now tell us, they may use the ACLU to file their lawsuit against the city.

Right after they release new numbers showing a decrease in crime in over the rhine, this happens.

[Beachcomber]

I have a real problem with groups who try to prevent a group like this from peaceful assembly. Let them march, ignore them, don't give them the publicity they seek. The constitutional protection of freedom of expression is in place expressly to protect those who have unpopular views. Popular views that do not tend to offend most people do not need protecting. I may not agree with what they want to march about, but I sure as Hell do not agree with preventing them form doing so...

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 11, 2007 01:20 PM: Message edited by: Beachcomber ]</font>

[cincygreg]

They should hald a "unity" or "peace" rally elsewhere downtown or better yet, line the streets and turn their backs to them as they pass.

[jumper69]

Originally posted by Beachcomber:
I have a real problem with groups who try to prevent a group like this from peaceful assembly. Let them march, ignore them, don't give them the publicity they seek. The constitutional protection of freedom of expression is in place expressly to protect those who have unpopular views. Popular views that do not tend to offend most people do not need protecting. I may not agree with what they want to march about, but I sure as Hell do not agree with preventing them form doing so...

<font color="#a62a2a"><font size="1">[ April 11, 2007 01:20 PM: Message edited by: Beachcomber ]</font></font>

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I am off that day but subject to recall if necessary. I hope that this turns out to be much ado about nothing but I have a gut feeling that there will be some trouble.

It would be nice if everyone could ignore them. But you know GL, as well as I do, that that senario is impossible at best. Simple minds in OTR don't want to feel "disrespected" (whatever the fuck that means), and the local news wants sensational coverage. That combo alone will lead to confrontation.

As the law, I don't want to have to deal with this. I have many other things I could be doing that are more productive. But, hell.....I've been wanting to use my baton for quite sometime now....... [img]graemlins/devil.gif[/img]

PS: It's against the law to yell "fire" in a crowded room. There are certain kinds of speech that are not protected. I think the Nazi's are going there to purposely antagonize and incite to violence. That should NOT EVER be protected speech.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 11, 2007 11:00 PM: Message edited by: Law Dawg ]</font>

[cincygreg]

It does seem as if they are looking for trouble or to stir something up by picking that area to do this.

[Beachcomber]

Answer?

Problem I have is the term "fighting words". Depending on one's viewpoint, that could include nearly anything. Which again goes back to constitutional protection of freedom of expression.

[Gunslinger]

Originally posted by Beachcomber:
Answer?

Problem I have is the term "fighting words". Depending on one's viewpoint, that could include nearly anything. Which again goes back to constitutional protection of freedom of expression.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Here. This is what they are referring to when it comes to "fighting words".

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_words"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_words[/ame]

Fighting words are written or spoken words, generally expressed to incite hatred or violence and to place the targets of the words in danger of harm. Specific definitions, freedoms, and limitations of fighting words vary by jurisdiction.

In case you haven't figured it out, these morons are coming here with the specific intent to stir up trouble and cause a riot between them and the black community in OTR.

It's must be real easy to sit 1000 miles from the action and dictate what to do about it when it will have no effect on you either way.

[Beachcomber]

It's must be real easy to sit 1000 miles from the action and dictate what to do about it when it will have no effect on you either way.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">As opposed to your closer proximity giving you exclusive proprietary rights to having an opinion on the subject?

Proprietary: per dictionary.com:
being a proprietor; holding property: the proprietary class.

I guess you divide your time between Cincinnati and Washington DC these days, which was your reason for going there in your anti-protest trip?

[LanDroid]

This reminds me of the klanners and nazis who invaded the Cincinnati.com bulletin board after the riots. One of them had been high up in the KKK, but renounced those ways and wrote a book about his change of heart. One of the main reasons for his turn-around was the huge crowds that came out to count-protest his organization. When you're one of only 50 people up against 5000, it sinks in that your cause is lost...

[cincygreg]

Just hoping this doesnt spark some kind of major problem down there. I dont see this getting much support, and the march itself probably wont be in "massive numbers". All who do march have to realize that they will be seen all over the media as racists and they will be broadcast not just locally but probably nationwide, especially if there are any incidents. (let's hope there arent any)