I'm not a big fan of UC's basketball team, but the cutting down of a good coach and teacher grates on me ("Thuggish Basketball Program Bogs Down UC's Larger Mission," issue of May 18-24). His delayed downfall was predictable, however, because he never really "fit" what Cincinnati "leaders" and "wannabe leaders" like to see in the news about Cincinnati.
Huggins, according to the crowd who decides who gets to be the latest scapegoat, is a public sinner who deserves to be punished. His first great sin has been that he stands out above the Greater Cincinnati average crowd. Cincinnati loves to cut people like that down — they don't feel so small when they can cut someone down.
Huggins' second great sin is that he doesn't dress well and has an out-of-touch razor haircut. His third great sin is that he's consistently given Cincinnati winning teams, and I think Cincinnati actually prefers whining over winning. And it would definitely like to see more white kids on the team.
I recall that when Survivor became a huge TV hit no one could believe it was so popular in Cincinnati. Viewers of the show love to talk about its "contestants" and the competition as if it mattered and was in some sense real.
I know too many who watch the show, and I've seen that their pleasure is based on their feeling less small when they can cut someone else down.
Who or what's next? Some people will start to talk about Children's Hospital not being a "team player" with UC Medical Center because it's so good and has a national and international reputation while UC isn't.
And when UC is cut down to size, Cincinnatians can whine about not having a winning or great university, and they will be happy — sort of.
— Ned Hamson, [email protected]
Let's Have a Debate
We as the Bolivarian Circle of Cincinnati respect Leonardo Robleto's personal opinion expressed in his Letter to the Editor ("Chavez Isn't a Hero," issue of May 18-24). After all, this is a democracy and we are all in our right to disagree.
Yet personal attacks are beside the point, irrational and irrelevant. Robleto failed to bring any sort of evidence to support his view and ultimately showed the kind of hatred the rest of Venezuela's opposition seems to be fueled by.
The mission of the Bolivarian Circle, if you read the original article correctly ("Seeing Red," issue of May 11-17), is to promote democracy and freedom of speech as well as a different model of democracy based on socialism and equality. I am afraid Robleto has been poorly informed due to the private media blockage that desperately tries to keep people from learning the truth in Venezuela and the world.
We will be more than happy to answer his questions and concerns about the situation in Venezuela. All we ask of him is to keep his personal attacks and malicious intentions aside so he can have a more objective view toward the facts.
At this point we would like to invite Robleto to a public debate in which he can express his views and concerns in front of a live audience. We will take care of setting this up. Please let us know.
— Rixio Barrios, Bolivarian Circle of Venezuela
Circulo Bolivariano de Cincinnati
Jumping to Conclusions
I wonder if during his jovial Hamilton County Justice Center photo shoot did Councilman Sam Malone wonder whether being a Republican puppet in black face is really worth it. Or did he wonder whether his cult-like loyalty to the local Fraternal Order of Police warrants him a "hush pass" from a media-scrutinized arrest?
Should we now wait to form an opinion given the very troubling and compelling allegations of Malone's young son and his mother's family? After all, he has begged the public on bureaucracy's behalf to hold its formation of opinion where evidence was very disturbing and overwhelming in the past — i.e. the recent Tazer death of a mentally ill patient.
Prostituting one's integrity and critical thinking skills as a concubine to political interest just doesn't pay off. In the end, Malone will be left minstreling Bert Williams style wondering why his masters won't let him into their "special treatment" club.
— Joy R. Rolland,, South Cumminsville