Know When to Walk Away

For the third time in sixteen years, the people of Ohio have soundly rejected casino gambling. Despite a $20 million campaign camouflaging slot machines as a panacea for Ohio’s schools, economy, and workforce; the state’s mighty racetrack lobbyists failed to convince voters that gambling (yes, issue 3 supporters can finally say the words now) would be any more effective than the state lottery at improving life in the Midwest.

For the past month, it was impossible to live in Cleveland without experiencing the constant barrage of the “Learn and Earn” initiative. Massive signs in Tower City established its presence. Roaring buses spread its message across the region. Lawn signs and canvassers permeated the neighborhoods. And mailings and prerecorded phone calls from local celebrities smuggled it into our homes. But was it the answer? It has not been for Detroit, Atlantic City, or any other metropolitan area that has resorted to the craps tables to change their luck.

At this point though, there is little merit in debating the pros and cons of live gaming in Cleveland; since it has become apparent that the proposition, regardless of the advertising dollars spent, does not sit well with Ohio voters. The day after however, concerns remain that after such an arduous and emotional election season, where does the city turn to for hope now? Frank Jackson, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, and the Cuyahoga County Commissioners all campaigned heavily for issue 3, believing in its hefty promises and convincing their constituents that we would finally be saved. There was an undeniable buzz along the shores of Lake Erie. But no longer. After a considerable loss and a collective breath, it is time to shift gears again and look towards something else. Hopefully the Cleveland spirit can recover quickly from this, continue the fight, and find another way to actually serve our children with something more than promises. Because when gambling, the house always wins.

Pomp and Circumstances

On Saturday, May 20^th, Tower City opened its doors to a brand new tenant. Occupying the location once home to the Disney Store, Adoption Network Cleveland begins a one year lease in the shopping complex to lodge its Heart Gallery, a hub of information for potential parents and an artistic exhibit for portraits of area children impatiently waiting for love and protection.

Twenty feet past the glistening new gallery stands Victoria’s Secret.

On Detroit Avenue, just across the RTA station on West Boulevard, towered a large billboard encouraging daily commuters not to give up hope for the city’s lost children. 16 year-old Gina DeJesus has been missing since April of 2004. Amanda Berry was last seen in April of 2003 when she was 17. Up until a week ago, their images haunted the consciousness of Westside citizens, reminding them to never forget.

Now that same billboard space advertises for a popular brand of fruit-flavored alcoholic beverage.

On Friday, May 26^th, The Plain Dealer included a special three-piece, 24 page insert section, with the front cover brandishing a bright evening image of the city’s skyline and the text “We Believe in Cleveland” emblazoned across the top of the horizon. Inside ran a litany of Northeast Ohio success stories, tales of human interest, endorsements from local celebrities, and celebrations for the indomitable spirit that proves that the region is alive and well.

The first headline of the Metro section that morning read “Kids on school outing find boy shot”.

This is a city of juxtapositions, where the contradictions flow as thick as the river. And through all of the misdirection and deception found on these streets, it is often difficult to ever truly know whether life is coming or going. Are we represented by the man sleeping on the public bench, or by the gleaming skyscraper giving him shade from the afternoon sun?

Another graduation season storms the region again this spring, and the city’s most hopeful and least jaded dream about a future of success, security, adrenaline, and love. Many of them never envision that future here. Those surrounded by the loneliness, fear, and pain cannot see triumph in this place. Those force-fed promises of the sexy and invulnerable cannot see past the desire for an unattainable utopian promise elsewhere. Only in honesty can the class of 2006 know the evil and triumph that grew up here alongside them, know that this a very flawed home, and know that there are incredible obstacles to be cleared; and in that, have some sort of faith that maybe the good can overcome the negative, that we can win out over the adversity, and that there is a future somewhere here on the shores of Lake Erie. Either be honest, or everything is just a lie.

Welcome to Cleveland, students. Hope you’ve enjoyed your stay.

For the Love of the Game

I pay more attention to sports than any man should. It is the first section I turn to when opening the newspaper. At night, I check box scores for every game just so I can see who to drop from my fantasy team. And at this moment on my desk, a creepy statuette of a 7’3” Lithuanian man holding a basketball stares blankly at me. And I know that it doesn’t make much sense.

It all makes even less sense in this city. Because even though Lebron has created a buzz nobody here has ever seen before, the 35 year history of the Cavs franchise is full of close calls, bad management, Danny Ferry trades, and a fat Shawn Kemp. Michael Jordan’s last second jumper over Craig Ehlo in the ’89 playoffs has become part of MJ folklore and fodder for Gatorade commercials. One time team owner, Ted Stepien, was so inept at running the organization that the NBA was forced to change league rules in order to keep him from making stupid trades. And the greatest moment in an otherwise lusterless team history came in 1976 when the Cavaliers stunned Elvin Hayes’s Washington Bullets in the “Miracle of Richfield”, which boosted the team all the way into the Eastern Conference Finals, only so they could lose easily to the Celtics in six games. In order to get a player like Lebron James, a team must at one point be the absolute worst in basketball. The Cavs have been that team three times.

In even worse shape, the Cleveland Indians have not won a World Series since 1948; a fact made worse since fellow sufferers in the Red Sox and White Sox have both very recently ended their streaks of pain (and yet, Boston fans still won’t shut up for some reason). The ’54 team was one of the best in modern history, and was swept in four games by Willie Mayes and the Dodgers. After trading fan favorite, Rocky Colavito in 1959, the Indians spent the next 35 seasons in the American League cellar, during which time the most memorable moment came during 1974’s infamous 10-cent beer night (yes, it is even more memorable than Lenny Barker’s perfect game). Following a few close brushes with greatness in the 90s, the team was sold to a man who simply cannot afford to own a major league team. Meaning now that the Tribe can never hold on to talented players or sign expensive free agents, and the team’s fortunes depend solely upon luck and general manager Mark Shapiro’s guile. Oh, and the Indians also possess the most offensive mascot in all of sports this side of the Florida State Seminole.

The Browns meanwhile, are inexplicably Cleveland’s most beloved franchise. The summary of the team’s history is too long and too upsetting to recount fully, but the highlights include - Jim Brown retiring early to star in 60s blaxploitation films, firing Paul Brown, the Drive, the Fumble, cutting Bernie Kosar, watching the team flee to Baltimore, watching Art Modell win the Superbowl, watching Bill Belichick win three Superbowls, the bottle throwing incident against Jacksonville, drafting Kellen Winslow, and finally February 5^th, 2006.

The closest this city has come to winning in recent years, was 1998 when the now defunct Cleveland Rockers claimed the Eastern Conference Championship, while somehow managing to miss the WNBA Finals that year. That banner can now be seen hanging "proudly" and all alone from the rafters of Quicken Loans Arena.

Still, after all the pain, torture, and disappointment, Cleveland still devotes itself to its sports. We haven’t been able to claim a winner in over forty years. The teams have been terribly mismanaged. And no matter how hard our players play, we can never seem to get ahead.

Cleveland sport reflects Cleveland itself. And even through all of the heartache, we stick around in hopes that things just might take a turn for the better next season. That one of these days, Cleveland will win. There’s always hope at least. Sports are important to us. And maybe it doesn’t make so little sense after all.

(...I hate the Steelers.)

The Most Wonderful Time of Year

In all of the manufactured debate over terms such as 'Christmas', 'Holiday Season', and 'Wal-Mart'; a critical point is often forgotten - who cares? The debate is essentially one of little to no consequence. Christmas in America is a secular event that has very little to do with religion in this cultural landscape. Because of this, both those who support the imposing presence of Christmas in popular society and those who back the political correctness of the all encompassing holiday season must really stop making religious freedom the focal point of their conversation. Jesus Christ has not been anywhere near Christmas since Jimmy Stewart found his will to live again.

In no way is this meant to devalue Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, the Feast of Saturnalia (if you're into that kind of thing), or any other festival or holiday. Rather, it is in hopes that we re-evaluate the things that make this season so important to so many people. This time of year is cherished because of the good will, love, and peace that it invokes. In that spirit, the following are just some of the avenues in which Cleveland can truly promote the Christmas/Holiday season.

Bishop William M. Cosgrove Emergency Assistance Center
1736 Superior Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
(216)781-8262
-Formed by the combination of two downtown hunger centers, the Cosgrove Center works as a part of the Cleveland Catholic Charities network to feed breakfast and lunch to the hungry 5 days a week, offer clothing and showers, assist in job training and placement, and provide medical services, mental health counseling, and substance abuse support to those in need. Volunteers are needed to aid in preparing and serving hot meals to hundreds of hungry people each day, and the center is in great need of donations of personal care products and clothing, especially during the cold winter months.

2100 Lakeside
2100 Lakeside Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
(216)566-0047
-2100 Lakeside stands as Ohio's largest homeless shelter, providing services for 400 men each day, with an additional 200 beds at the former Aviation High School. In conjunction with the American Red Cross, the men's shelter houses the homeless for 90 day periods, assisting clients in finding stable, more permanent living situations. In its mission, 2100 is in need of donations, both monetary and materials such as bedding, kitchen appliances, and furniture. In past years, many issues and concerns have been raised regarding the unsuitable living conditions of the shelter, as well as the questionable quality of care and service that is provided at 2100. Because of this, quality assistance is in great need here. In January 2005, the Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry took upon administrative responsibilities at the agency and hopes to continue and improve its service to the community.

The West Side Catholic Center
3135 Lorain Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
(216)631-4741
-WSCC, located on Cleveland's near west side in Ohio City, includes both a shelter for women and their children and a Drop-In center. The shelter houses 32 individuals in transition, providing crisis intervention, job training, assistance in locating permanent housing, youth advocacy, and a two year aftercare program. The Drop-In center serves meals 6 days per week, distributes clothing, provides showers, phones, mailing addresses, health screening, and legal aid, and includes an outreach and advocacy program that helps clients to obtain bus tickets, identification, prescription drugs, as well as assists in filing applications for jobs and social security benefits. While the center normally has a very steady supply of clothing donations coming in, it requires a constant staff of volunteers to prepare and serve meals, sort and display clothing, play with children while their parents receive other services (so much fun), and to spend personal time with the people who walk through the door, conversing and playing checkers with those who often times lack consistent positive social contact.

Providence House
2037 West 32nd Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
(216)651-5982
-Down the street from the West Side Catholic Center, the Providence House is Ohio's first and only residential crisis nursery, offering around the clock care for babies and children 5 years and younger, who either have been victims of abuse and neglect, or are in imminent danger of such treatment. With 26 available beds, the Providence House provides a home-like setting for these children and serves as the first step in crisis intervention, prevention, and resolution. The house is licensed to care for these children for up to 60 consecutive days, in which time they sing, nap, snack, and finger-paint, while the agency provides aid for any traumatic experiences and developmental delays, as well as assistance for the family, preparing a healthy home for which the child to return. Qualified volunteers are needed at Providence House to keep the ratio of staff to children low, and offer the attention, love, and care these little ones need. Volunteers are also needed to provide clerical and inventory assistance. Also, 'I am loved' buttons provided by Helzberg Diamonds jewelry are currently on sale, with 100% of these proceeds going towards the Providence House. Leave a comment if you would like to make a donation and receive a button.

Historians do not know the exact date that the baby in Bethlehem was born. But this time of year can be used for good regardless of faith, tradition, or culture. The best way to defend the integrity of Christmas and any other day is to serve and love. Use this time to start.

HAPPY SATURNALIA!!!

It's Cold Out There

Snowflakes begin to fall from the sky, onto the awaiting city streets. It's a frail snow - the kind that takes its time drifting down at half-speed, carried by the wind, and evaporates right before your eyes as you exhale to see if your breath is visible in the crisp December air. He stands outside on the sidewalk, with his chin pressed down into his chest, and his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his long winter coat, digging for any bit of extra warmth that can be found hidden between the seams. Stationed underneath a walkway of scaffolding, he watches the world pass him by, as he asks downtown pedestrians, with a slight tinge of shame in his voice, if they have any change to spare.

His name is Richard. Standing at roughly 6'1" and carrying a slim frame, he is a middle-aged, African-American man, with lines crossing his face, and patches of white streaking through his bushy, unkempt mustache. His fingernails are a little grimy, and his pants are too short to cover his legs. He is also cold and hungry.

Richard's been in Cleveland for only a month. Before resettling here, he spent his entire life north of New York City in The Bronx. He speaks fondly of 42nd Street, going to the Apollo, and his cousin Ralph who played Michael Evans on "Good Times". But he says he likes it in Cleveland, where he spends his days surveying the streets and his nights at a local homeless shelter. He has 60 more days there before exceeding the shelter's time limit for extended stays, when he'll need to find new arrangements for himself, so that his cot can be freed up for another man in need of a place to sleep.

He doesn't plan on being at the shelter much longer though. He hopes to find a job soon working for the city in some capacity, maybe with the sanitation department. But first things first, he hopes to find girlfriend (a man does have priorities...). Richard speaks of his future clearly and with conviction. He interacts with others politely and with respect. And he prefers barbeque sauce on his chicken wings.

Often times while on the street, Richard wonders about what the rest of the world thinks about him. He questions how the people who pass him by, and even those who give him money, view this homeless man. As he stands there on the sidewalk and night begins to overtake the skyline, he ponders these things, even though in his head, he already knows the answers. What Richard doesn't know yet though, is how cold a Cleveland winter can really be.

Battlefield...

Every now and again, this forum receives feedback under the comments section that for all intents and purposes would be classified as hate mail. The following is a short sample of what these posts entail.

“We will destroy the PC whores and dance in the blood of the diseased pigs you call your children.”

“I will be so damn glad when this country collapses in a civil war - your type will be so many bones to bury.”

“This country will be cleansed from sensitive, inclusive, entitlement pigs.”

“Bring on the nukes and let the purging of the weak and helpless commence.”

These comments are deleted when spotted, not out of fear, but because the author never attaches a name to his/her thoughts. This forum is a rostrum for open opinion and free discussion, not dangerous commentary hidden behind the safety of anonymity (which coincidentally enough, is exactly what terrorists do).

Still, regardless of whether or not these beliefs are serious or satire, they are based upon a reality in our world that displays the divide amongst the individuals who inhabit it. A battle is being waged between Love and Hate, and we must decide now which side we as individuals will fight for. Be careful though, because too often we forget that standing on the side of Love, requires not only defending those who cannot defend themselves, but also forgiving and loving those who attack and berate us. Hate will not win this fight. Not as long as Love does not let it.

We are one people, and our walls must be destroyed before our children can live freely. So choose your sides carefully. Our future depends on it.

We must fight and win.

Pre-Gaming: Election Day '05 Preview

If last month's primaries were any indication, at least 17% of the city knows that election day is this Tuesday. There are a number of critical decisions to be made on the 8th, and if we learned nothing else from last November, it's that if you do not take part in the decision making process by voting, Diddy will kill you. With that, these choices lie in the hands of Cleveland voters. (warning: dangerous spin ahead.)

Issue 1 - This bond issue will decide whether Ohio will allocate $2 billion towards the advancements of infrastructure, technology, and research throughout the state. If passed, $1.35 billion will go to road repairs, $150 million for buisness-site preparation, and $500 million to promote high tech job growth. Critics don't like the idea of the state investing in private buisiness and others oppose government money going to support stem cell research. Those qualms are understandable, but it is important for Ohio to keep up with other areas to compete in the new economic landscape by emphasizing technology. Voters must also keep in mind that the majority of stem cell research in the state occurs in Cleveland, where only adult stem cells are used, avoiding the complications that come with embryo harvesting. Fuel cell research will also benefit from the funding.

Issues 2, 3, 4, & 5 - Voters in Ohio are upset about the way that elections are run, so here are four (yes, four) proposals designed to remedy these problems. Issue 2 eases up restrictions on absentee voting, allowing voters to send in their ballots up to 35 days before an election. Issue 3 reforms how much individuals can contribute to state and local campaigns. Issue 4, designed to end gerrymandering, will bring upon a new independent commission to redraw legislative and congressional districts. Currently, district boundaries are decided upon by the political party in power (GOP). Issue 5 takes responsibility of overseeing elections away from the Ohio Secretary of State, and will create a nine-member board to run election day.

Issue 6 - If passed, $1.2 million will be raised to improve Cuyahoga Community College, and keep tuition affordable. Tri-C serves all of northeast Ohio, and is key in educating the region's workforce. Cuyahoga County residents who own homes worth $100,000 will lose an additional $9 every year to pay for this proposal.

Issue 7 - This tax increase is slightly more significant, costing $100,000 home owners $23 over the course of a year. The $3.9 million raised will go towards the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, which is responsible for assisting roughly 8,300 children and adults with MR/DD around the county. The board is known as one of the most responsible at managing tax-money, and serves 25% more people than they did five years ago.

Mayor - This year's race for Cleveland's top job has been characterized by doubt. Both candidates have their flaws and questionable records. And in a time when the city is in desparate need of strong leadership with purpose and vision, in many ways we're more lost than we were in 2001 when the whole world thought it could be mayor of Cleveland. Four years ago, County Commissioner Jane Campbell defeated an inexperienced young lawyer in Raymond Pierce. Campbell won that election by exploiting her years of public service, and uniting the east and west sides, miraculously garnering 30% of the black vote to become the city's first female mayor in 205 years. The excitement of Campbell's first year however included remarkable ups and downs, and the confidence the city held in her experience was mired by an extended learning curve that saw the mayor requiring much on the job training.

To her credit, Cleveland has experienced many improvements under Campbell's stewardship. City Hall is finally in healthy order, the city's financial records have been cleaned up, and downtwon development is taking on a number of multi-million dollar improvement projects, including the Euclid Corridor, the Avenue District, and plans for a reinvigorated lakefront. Many of these projects however, have only gained momentum during the past year, the last twelve months of Jane's first term. Was Campbell finally getting the hang of the job, or was she just suddenly motivated by the proposition of losing the position of mayor after three years of being accused of lacking a vision or plan for the city? All of the progress that Campbell has recently made, including the terribly ill-advised casino push and Steelyard Commons proposal, no matter how energetic, reeked of political maneuvering to hang on to a job, when many, former supporters included, were doubting her (think Erick Dampier getting 12 ppg & 12 rpg in a contract year).

This says nothing of Campbell's defficiencies as mayor. Under her leadership, crime rates are up, the schools have gone into disarray, and the city was unable to cope with a nation-wide recession and spike in unemployment. Not all of these problems are strictly the mayor's fault, however, Jane Campbell has gone to extensive lengths to make sure people realize that it's everybody else's fault but hers. Never a strong supporter of Barbara Byrd Bennett, Campbell left the school CEO to burn at the pyre along with Cleveland's students. Trying to separate herself from political corruption in City Hall, she has indicted former Mayor Mike White and his 12-year administration, without directly saying his name. And while White had a publicly negative relationship with City Council, Campbell relied on her close cooperation with Council to win in 2001. Now her strongest oppenent is City Council President Frank Jackson, and everytime a legislative proposal does not succeed, Campbell is the first to point the finger at Council's 21 men and women. With this, Jackson has taken every opportunity to point out Campbell's inability to take responsibility and be accountable for her shortcomings.

But while he has spent much of his own campaign on the attack, Frank Jackson has not done much to explain what he will do differently as mayor. In fact, judging by both candidates' campaigns, Frank Jackson would do very little differently. Rather, the Ward 5 Councilman emphasizes integrity, honesty, and strength of leadership. While Jane Campbell is the superior politician and public speaker, this quiet, self-effacing man wants voters to know that he is everything that Campbell is not. He is a lifelong Clevelander, educated by Cleveland's schools, understands Cleveland, and is not a politician but rather a citizen serving his city. Unfortunately he is also stubborn, and has been known to delay or halt city projects when uncertain of the effects progress will have on his citizens (not an altogether bad trait, but it can be stifling at times).

In deciding who should be the next mayor of Cleveland, it is important to step back and observe the bigger picture of things in northeast Ohio. The region is at a point where cooperation is crucial, and leadership is at a premium. I'm afraid that Jane Campbell has exhausted all of the confidence that Clevelanders had invested in her four years ago, and now the divide between the east and west is more intense than it has been since Hough was burned to the ground. True, she has done a number of remarkable things for this city. Expansive projects and lobbying has been her strength since she served the area as County Commissioner. And because of it, Cleveland has the momentum of multimillion dollar public projects and developments underway. But that work has been done, and no matter who's mayor, in the next three to six years, downtown will be an altogether different, better place thanks to Jane Campbell's work.

But now it's time to shift our focus. At this juncture, it is imperative to concentrate on rebuilding our schools, neighborhoods, and public services. Jane Campbell has alienated the school board, making it difficult to cooperate on behalf of the students, and impeding the search for a new talented CEO. She has lost the support of the majority of City Council, including its president, making it difficult to cooperate and work together on improving the city's neighborhoods. And under her watch, Cleveland's police and fire departments have become embroiled in tense race relations that will not end well for citizens.

Frank Jackson's vision may not be revolutionary in comparison to the incumbent's, but his service and honesty have gained him respect and a confidence that can once again unite this city. A confidence in unity that was experienced when the winner of last month's primary was overwhelmingly 'anybody but Jane'. Jackson is a man that disenfranchised citizens can believe will act on their behalf. A man whose experience in public service can be trusted, but who's stayed out of the spotlight long enough to not have made many enemies and not have severed important relationships around the city.

We thank Jane Campbell for what she has accomplished, and her legacy will live on through shiny new construction in the year's to come. But Cleveland is still in dire trouble when it comes to the millions of little things that make up the region's big picture, and we can't afford to be led in different directions anymore. Frank Jackson needs to step in and provide the strong leadership that he's promised us, and Cleveland must move ahead, together, as one city.

Quick Recap & Endorsements:

Issue 1 - Yes, better infrastructure is always good, and Ohio must shake off the rust belt stigma by advancing the emphasis on technology.

Issues 2-5 - I honestly am confused by all this reforming. There are obvious issues with the way that elections are run in Ohio, but these proposals do not seem to be well thought out, and might only make things more difficult to fix later on. Either way, I am not confident enough with either side of the issue to vote, and will therefore abstain from doing so.

Issue 6 - Yes, a healthy Tri-C benefits the entire region, and the tax increase is minimal.

Issue 7 - Yes, we must support northeast Ohio's most vulnerable men, women, and children (vote no and you're a bad person).

Mayor - Not the most charismatic man in town, but Frank Jackson has a better chance at mending Cleveland's wounds that have been allowed to fester in the last four years.

Listen to me or not, just
REMEMBER TO VOTE!