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Friday, September 29, 2006
From the Desk of Melva Gweyn…
Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati
The following excerpts are penned by Melva Gweyn herself, many distributed with City dollars as part of the Westwood Civic Association’s newsletter—of which she was president while writing these outrageous excerpts. Why make them available? Watch which politicians pander to the Westside vote by aligning themselves with Gweyn and associates. Her comments are despicable, racially divisive, and they should be shunned by anyone with common decency and decorum.
From “Westwords,” August, 2005, Volume 35, Issue 8:
Some readers made a point to say that my observations last month were “insensitive.” Political correctness is not my strong point; I’m one to call a spade a spade. Going forward, I will take more consideration of my views. If, however, I see an obvious condition that degrades our neighborhood, I will speak out. I may be blunt, direct, brutally honest, but sometimes the truth hurts.
I—and everyone else with a vested interest in the success of the neighborhood—expect courtesy, decency, and consideration from my neighbors. These traits form the basis of respect for each other. If your children carelessly toss litter into someone’s yard, freely curse at their friends within earshot of passersby, walk down the middle of the street instead of the sidewalk, and clearly flaunt other norms of polite society, then perhaps you need to take a stronger parental role and explain why these actions are not welcomed by Westwood residents…
From “Westwords,” July, 2005, Volume 35, Issue 7:
From a letter that seems to have been attached to the May, 2005 “Westwords” (Volume 35, Issue 5):
We watched before the riots and since as our police and neighborhood was held up to ridicule by some members on City Council and those they open encouraged spouting outrageous lies and practicing open hostile racism toward any reasonable person. This behavior went unchallenged. Never even questioned or examined because the color by the overwhelming majority of practicing assailants was “sensitive” therefore acceptable and protected. It is now the accepted standard. This is certainly not an example of the overwhelming majority of good people we have in our neighborhood…
The police were the only strong leadership in this city. That is why they became sacrificial lambs by the politically astute who demanded police hands be tied while Cincinnati became a magnet and an open house to criminals. This left attacking Council member free in the chaos to dole out city money to favorite mushrooming social service agencies, “non profits” and spend the rest of their time lusting after federal dollars…
From a fax dated June 22, 2005 on “Westwood Civic Association, Inc.” letterhead (in a letter asking for CMHA and CD to be combined):
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29 Sep 2006 at 03:15 pm | #
I read this 3 times and I’m still looking the for despicable, racially divisive part of it.
29 Sep 2006 at 04:04 pm | #
The second excerpt is indefensible. The rest, I am sure, will be defended (though I am sure the nature of these so-called “defenses” will teach us much about the defenders!).
29 Sep 2006 at 06:26 pm | #
While I’m not a fan of hers by any means, I think your making more out of her words than you should. There’s nothing overtly racist with what she said, though it wouldn’t be hard to imagine that she is.
She’s kind of irrelevant in an election season, hell any season. These sound like things you might hear from Bill Cosby.
I’m sure there are black idiots with baggy pants over there and white idiots with baggy pants too. Then you have older black and white idiots that fit a different profile. Gwen’s in a class by herself.
30 Sep 2006 at 07:48 am | #
Dean,
I will agree and disagree with you today.
I agree that Melva Gweyn (in my opinion) is batshit crazy and probably racist.
I disagree that these are the best example of her rantings. Sorry.
30 Sep 2006 at 09:16 am | #
I’m not following the racism here. Nor do I see any “despicable” words.
What I do see is a person putting themselves out there to be ridiculed and labeled a racist for standing up for their neighborhood.
Specifically, what do you believe is racist and despicable? Are you just making a blanket statement because you dislike her?
30 Sep 2006 at 09:19 am | #
Her comments are despicable, racially divisive, and they should be shunned by anyone with common decency and decorum.
BTW, you are a fan of Nikki X and Nate. The majority of their comments are precisely what you describe above. Is it ok because they perpetuate their hate and anti-white comments without using tax payers’ dollars?
30 Sep 2006 at 10:44 am | #
Yossarian, these are not the best examples. But I have documentation of these being distributed through the Westwood Civic Association, which (to my understanding) receives tax dollars.
Post script, I would absolutely object to some of the things Nikki X and Nate say being distributed with tax dollars. However, what Nate and Nikki X (and their alleged racially divisive comments) have to do with Melva Gweyn is beyond my understanding. Melva exists independently from those two.
30 Sep 2006 at 10:56 am | #
What has Nate and Nikki X said that is “racially divisive”?
30 Sep 2006 at 11:22 am | #
Dean, if you don’t have the goods on Melva saying racist things with our tax dollars then focus on bigger fish, like all the crooked politicians in town. Most would agree she is probably racist, but who gives a shit about Melva Gwen?
30 Sep 2006 at 11:42 am | #
MC: Let’s just assume they have. Give the complainers a point. They still have nothing to stand on. They don’t use tax dollars to say anything they say!
Move On: I think Melva’s comments do speak for themselves. I think she is not the kind of person who should be elevated to a leadership position. Role models should be more careful with what they say.
Crooked politicians? Go listen to Phil Heimlich at the Temple Shalom debate. Listen to how many times he talks about Section 8 and the Westside. That’s Phil pandering to Melva.
30 Sep 2006 at 02:01 pm | #
Melva is describing behaviors. It’s not her fault if the behaviors described are exhibited primarily by individuals of certain ethnographic or socioeconomic strata.
What IS her fault is that she criticizes exclusively these behaviors to the exclusion of absentee landlords (white), arsonists (white), white collar crime (white), political corruption (largely white), ad nauseum.
30 Sep 2006 at 03:46 pm | #
She sounds fine to me. Go Melva!
30 Sep 2006 at 06:09 pm | #
Thank you, Urbanist II.
However, I would add that she chooses to describe behaviors in unnecessary ways oftentimes. For example, in the July 2005 quote, she equates certain urban fashions with gang membership. I know plenty of people who dress that way without being involved in gang activity.
01 Oct 2006 at 02:56 pm | #
Just remember that Melva doesn’t speak for all westsiders.
She has done some good things, but at times she is crazy as hell.
01 Oct 2006 at 03:05 pm | #
I know she doesn’t speak for all westsiders. But I wish those opposed would speak up more!
02 Oct 2006 at 06:32 am | #
Dean Said
So if we engage in discussion regarding this post and we disagree with you what does that teach you about us? Are we racist if we disagree with your take on this? So much for thoughful discussion.
02 Oct 2006 at 08:19 am | #
Regarding the first paragraph, I honestly don’t see anything wrong with her statements. To me, that just seems like common sense. As a westsider, I applaud that particular opinion (not necessarily her opinion mind you). The second statement, yeah, I can see the rhetoric.
I think Urbanist II hit the nail on the head with the absentee landlord point. Too many landlords abuse the Section 8 program and the neighborhood suffers. The attitude ‘I don’t care what happens to the house, I’m still getting my rent’ is crippling these older neighborhoods. I believe that home owners/renters need to take personal responsiblity for their actions and behaviors. However, absentee landlords need to be held accountable as well. On the plus side, I used to live in Cheviot, and I could see City Council attempting to solve problems on both side of this coin.
02 Oct 2006 at 09:55 am | #
Is this the same Melva that lived in Northside in the 70’s and worked at Joe’s Bar downtown?
02 Oct 2006 at 12:41 pm | #
What is the CD she wants to combine with CMHA?