In this weekly feature, The Enquirer editorial board celebrates successes across our region and calls out those who stand in the way of progress.
Thumbs up
- To the University of Cincinnati for naming its newest residence hall after one of its most accomplished graduates – Cincinnati Civil Rights pioneer Marian Spencer. The editorial board is hard-pressed to find a more deserving honor for Spencer, whose work as a politician and change-agent is legendary. Marian Spencer Hall will open on the Campus Green in 2018, and the students who will call the dormitory home owe it to themselves to investigate their home’s namesake. They will find a treasure trove of information that should inspire them. They will see that she was the granddaughter of a slave and moved to Cincinnati with her twin sister, earning an English degree in 1942. They will read about her bravery in leading the integration of a popular amusement park in Cincinnati – using community organizing, law and a cunning strategy. They will see her becoming the first African-American City Council member in 1983, and later, vice mayor. And on and on. And it is hoped that they will feel proud of where they live.
- To all who make the Christmas holiday season special for those in need. It is tradition to give gifts to one another this time of year, and many find it especially important to help the neediest in our community. Over the coming days, you will encounter bell ringers at malls and retail stores, public servants collecting toys for kids, and a number of other non-profits doing the same. It’s OK that we don’t always see how our donations help those in need, but they make a huge difference in the lives of our most vulnerable citizens. The Enquirer/Cincinnati.com has published stories of those whose lives are touched by your generosity through its annual Wish List. For the 31st year, The Enquirer has partnered on the Wish List with the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, whose agencies provide assistance to the sick, poor, inform and the suffering. To donate online, please visit this website: www.uwgc.org/wishlist. And if you would like to donate time through volunteering, connect at the United Way’s Volunteer Connection at this link: www.uwgc.org/volunteer/ways-to-volunteer.
Thumbs down
- A bill passed by Ohio lawmakers that would penalize doctors who perform abortions after a fetal diagnosis of Down syndrome is an attempted end run around existing abortion statute in America, and Gov. John Kasich shouldn't sign it into law. Whether you agree with abortion or not, punishing or penalizing doctors who can legally offer abortions poses a constitutional problem. In the U.S., pregnant women have the right by law to choose what is best for them and their families. Punishing the doctors they rely on for consultation and the safe performance of procedures is a cheap way to circumvent Rowe v. Wade.
It must be said
- While one can appreciate Hamilton County Commission President Todd Portune trying to score a better deal for taxpayers with the Cincinnati Bengals, he needs to tread lightly. Portune has threatened to not sign a check for an additional $2.67 million the county owes the Bengals for gameday cleanup, security, utilities and maintenance. He maintains the provision in the contract that calls for the payment is illegal. But the Bengals dispute that claim, saying the county signed the contract which has been upheld by the courts. Portune might see this as a way to get the Bengals back to the negotiating table early for a contract extension that is more beneficial for the county, but it's a risky roll of the dice. The Bengals might not be eager to cut a new deal with a partner that has so readily expressed the willingness to breach their contract. The last thing county taxpayers need is to fork over more cash to the Bengals for legal fees for violating the stadium contract. Here's hoping the two sides can meet somewhere in the middle.
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