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News :: Miscellaneous |
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Boycott of Cincinnati Continues Despite Lawsuit |
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by The Coalition for a Just Cincinnati
Email: cincyboycottmedia (nospam) fuse.net (unverified!) |
27 Mar 2002
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The Coalition for a Just Cincinnati will not call off the boycott on Cincinnati despite a pending lawsuit. The Cincinnati Arts Association, (CAA) which manages local government-owned venues, has filed a lawsuit in the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas against individuals active in the Coalition for a Just Cincinnati, alleging tortious interference with a contract. The suit comes in the wake of a string of national performers canceling their scheduled appearances in Cincinnati. The lawsuit asks for $88,850 in damages due to cancellations, and $500,000 in punitive damages. |
THE COALITION FOR A JUST CINCINNATI
P.O. Box 14954
Cincinnati, Ohio 45250-0954
WWW.CINCYBOYCOTT.ORG
CINCYBOYCOTT (at) YAHOO.COM
PRESS CONTACTS FOR THIS RELEASE:
Rev. Stephen Scott
Amanda E. Mayes
(513) 921-4140
(513) 961-3818
AmandaEMayes (at) hotmail.com
PRESS RELEASE
-- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
-- March 26, 2002
Boycott of Cincinnati Continues Despite Lawsuit
The Coalition for a Just Cincinnati will not call off the boycott on Cincinnati despite a pending lawsuit. The Cincinnati Arts Association, (CAA) which manages local government-owned venues, has filed a lawsuit in the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas against individuals active in the Coalition for a Just Cincinnati, alleging tortious interference with a contract. The suit comes in the wake of a string of national performers canceling their scheduled appearances in Cincinnati. The lawsuit asks for $88,850 in damages due to cancellations, and $500,000 in punitive damages.
On February 28, the Coalition received a letter from the CAA, threatening to sue the organization and the individuals who have led a boycott of Cincinnati. On March 15, 2002, in United States District Court, the Coalition for a Just Cincinnati filed an action for declaratory relief pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2201. This action seeks a declaration that the letter of 2/28/02, from the Cincinnati Arts Association, constitutes an impermissible restraint of our First Amendment rights. On March 18, 2002, the CAA followed through with its threat of suit.
In April of last year, citizens of Cincinnati rose up following the killing of Timothy Thomas, an unarmed 19-year-old African American man, by a white police officer in Over-the-Rhine. Thomas was the 15th African-American man killed by the police in the last five years, a fact that highlights the lack of civilian control of the City's police force, and a 'battle-zone' approach to policing the City's inner-city neighborhoods. Conditions of extreme poverty exist in nine Cincinnati neighborhoods designated by HUD as "economic disaster areas." Basic human rights are denied citizens of Cincinnati, with an ordinance written into the City Charter that denies equal protection in housing and employment on the basis of sexual orientation. The boycott was enacted after calls to address these severe problems in our city continued to fall on deaf ears.
The boycott calls for sanctions on tourism and conventions throughout Cincinnati, and urges people living in and near Cincinnati to avoid spending money in the downtown business district. In addition, in January of this year, the Coalition for a Just Cincinnati began the "Artists of Conscience" campaign, which calls for all Artists of Conscience to honor the boycott and to refuse to perform in Cincinnati. In recent weeks several artists including Bill Cosby, Whoopi Goldberg, Smokey Robinson, Wynton Marsalis and others have canceled their scheduled performances.
The Coalition for a Just Cincinnati will stay its course until real change begins in Cincinnati. Solutions would include real advancement in the areas of economic equality, education and a local government responsive to the needs of the inner city. After fulfilling our civic duty of petitioning, voicing our opinions in city council meetings, and filing grievances, a boycott became necessary. It is our only viable, non-violent means of getting the city government's attention. Despite these efforts, local leaders seem to be digging in their heels, not only refusing to meet and negotiate with us but calling us "economic terrorists".
Our position remains unchanged. The boycott will continue until City and County leaders sit down with us to address our collective basic rights. |
See also:
http://www.cincyboycott.org
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