Nick Spencer Threatens White Flight From OTR
Nick and his boys.
Every now and then I wonder if people are too critical of [two-time failed Cincinnati City Council candidate] Nick Spencer? If we don't stop applying pressure on him, will me be responsible for him breaking down and weeping in public, again? That's exactly what I was doing after reading the discussion sparked by our friend the Dean of Cincinnati over at the Cincinnati Beacon after the Dean wrote, "Nick Spencer’s Festival: Death at the Hands of a Black Man?" I was feeling sorry for Nick. I was thinking he was getting harsher treatment than he deserves.
Then I visited Nick's blog and read this.
Good News, Bad News on Main
First, the good news: check out this article on tomorrow night's Exile on Main. What a great event, and we're very proud to be a part of it at alchemize.
Bad news: two different sources have confirmed that the Jump Cafe' space on Main may be leased out to the owners of The Ritz in Roselawn. I'm not kidding-- just when you thought thing couldn't get any worse. The neighborhood is going to have to mobilize in a big way to prevent this from happening. The Ritz's record of violence speaks for itself. I don't have any hesitation in saying this: if they move in, we go. Holding on in OTR is hard enough... The Ritz will make The Next Level seem like Jean-Robert's. We need everybody to get out in front of this and fight it: the district's entire future may be on the line with this one.
posted by Nick @ 12:41 PM
Nick's made it onto my list of people who must be stopped! He is right behind Tim Burke and Jeff Cramerding. I want everything there is to know about Nick Spencer. I want copies of every complaint ever filed against Alchemize. Has the Liquor Control Board ever cited this bar? How many runs have the cops made to this place? For what? During the campaign someone suggested Nick may be allowing underaged drinking in his club? Is this true? Get me the information. I'm declaring war on Nick Spencer and Alchemize (co-owners Kevin Carlisle, Puck Dunaway, and Taylor Fox too) because I can't, in good conscience, look the other way anymore. This boy Nick is a danger to Black people in this city. He has declared war on us. This latest announcement is more evidence to support what should be obvious to everyone: Nick either wants to kick Over The Rhine's Black residents out or rule over them. But now, Nick has escalated the war on Black people beyond residents, and is targeting Black business owners.
I'm tired of hearing the "urban pioneers" talk about how much they want people and businesses to move into OTR without saying that they want white people and white-owned businesses. (At least John Elkton was honest when he said he won't rent to Chinese restaurants and implied that he didn't want Chinese business owners located on Main Street. See, OTR Consultant: No Chinese Allowed)(Coincidentally, Elton and Nicky both want to see the Mary Magdalen House kicked out of OTR. Imagine that.)
Who owns The Ritz? Andrew Williams and Dwight Williams. Their race? African American. Why doesn't Nick -- who in the past has claimed he supports diversity among OTR business owners -- want these Black business owners on Main Street? Racism. That's it.
What about Nick's claim that "The Ritz's record of violence speaks for itself?" Isn't violence, not racism, the issue? Please!!! Not only do Black people own The Ritz, Andrew owns a successful clothing store, Rag's Men's & Women's Fashions, in downtown. I don't shop there because it's located downtown, but before the Cincinnati Boycott was enacted, I shopped at Rag's whenever I could. The Williams Brothers run safe businesses. Their record is not what Nicky portrays it to be.
Not only is this about Nick's fear of Black residents and Black business owners, it's also about Nick's fear of crowds of Black people. Andrew brings hip hop acts (Black entertainers) from all over the country to The Ritz. Those acts draw large crowds of Black people. Nick doesn't want Black crowds in OTR. Why? Because the boy is a racist.
I've actually gone too long on this blog entry and I've gotta run, but I've got a lot more to say. This kind of stuff really burns me up. I don't even patronize The Ritz (haven't been in at least 5 years) but these white "Johnny-come-lately" loudmouths who want to tell Black people that they aren't welcome in OTR (and in the West End with CityLink) are pushing the limit (and testing my patience in the process). Something needs to be made perfectly clear to the wannabe conquering invaders: you can't have our neighborhoods without a fight!
33 comments:
Nate:
If its all about race, why did I promote Dream's opening, which is owned by African Americans and caters to a mostly African American crowd?
Or, why do we have "large crowds of African Americans" at my bar on a regular basis? We've hosted major events from J&J/Lymelight, The Enterpise Network, and Dime, all of which were heavily targeting African Americans.
Couldn't it just be that I have a problem with crime, not black people?
Oh, and enjoy digging up dirt. ZERO complaints on our liquor license, all taxes paid, all permits in order. Probably the biggest waste of your time yet.
This is about keeping out a bar that's been the site of numerous violent incidents, shootings, and homicides. I could give a damn what color skin the owner has.
Nick
"Oh, and enjoy digging up dirt. ZERO complaints on our liquor license, all taxes paid, all permits in order. Probably the biggest waste of your time yet."
We shall see.
Nick
"If its all about race, why did I promote Dream's opening, which is owned by African Americans and caters to a mostly African American crowd?
Or, why do we have "large crowds of African Americans" at my bar on a regular basis? We've hosted major events from J&J/Lymelight, The Enterpise Network, and Dime, all of which were heavily targeting African Americans."
Motherfucker, please! Save that bullshit for somebody who doesn't know better. White racism has always been about economics and control of the dollars. Will you take Black people's money? You bet! But when it comes to Black people owning a club on Main Street, you've shown your true colors.
And on top of that...
Hmm.. we have a new black owned athletic apparel shop on Main-- didn't oppose that.
Or what about when Addicted 2 Luxury opened where Cafecito was on North Main? I seem to remember posting nice things about that on my site...
Or JT's on North Main? Or the biggest example, Dream? Or all the predominantly African American crowd many of OUR OWN EVENTS cater to?
Are you gonna any of that? Couldit just be that I have a problem with crime, not black people? Is that even remotely possible?
You and Jason are having a race to see who can get to Crazy Town fastest today... glad to be the fixation of your psychosis again.
Huh? How do I make money off Dream? Or Addicted 2 Luxury? or J.T.'s? All of which I've written plenty of nice things about. Hell, Dream's competition, and I still like them.
But you said I was afraid of "large black crowds"... how does that work? I have large black crowds at my bar, but I'm afraid of them?
And what ABOUT Dream? I'd be all for them moving into the Jump space.
Oh, and I almost forgot: there's black ownership at the Exchange, too, I believe. Why no complaints there?
Nate, take a step back here. I can promise you, if a "white" bar that I thought were going to hurt the neighborhood were coming in, I'd fight that too. Hell, you linked to me doing JUST THAT. I'd fight chain bars (in those instances owned by white people) because they would hurt the area in the long run.
This is not a black/white thing. We have a black-owned business right across the street from us-- Stroud's Dojo. We get along GREAT, I love having them there. I would love to see more diversity in the district-- but the Ritz has a record of violence pretty much unparelled in the nightlife scene. That's my concern here.
Nate, you are overreacting big time. The gun violence at Club Ritz over the past few years has been unreal. This article from last summer's shooting of 3 men outside the club might jog your memory:
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050628/NEWS01/506280358/1056
Why would anyone - black or white - want one of the city's most violent nightclubs locating in their neighborhood?
I'm afraid, Nate, that you're turning into the shepherd who cried wolf. Scream racism often enough, and nobody will believe you when it really does occur.
Believe it or not, but not everything in the world is about race. I know that this really rocks your boat and perception of how things are, but here's the truth: Plenty of white folks really couldn't give a damn about skin color. I'm one of 'em.
If you choose to look into complaints against Nick's bar, I'd suggest you check out the crime history at the Ritz, too, lest you become the discriminatory bigot you so often admonish. (i.e., "Well, I'm only going to select those facts that validate my own opinion, but forget to check out the facts that might support Nick's case because he's white." See what I mean?)
Truly, though, I'd suggest you see a psychiatrist, Nate. Your rants about how Whitey's out to get you seem like the slight delusions of someone suffering mild paranoia. I'm not trying to diminish your points, but for someone who finds racism in as many places as you, a psychological evaluation may be in order. I could run around all day screaming about how the male-dominated world's out to get me because I'm a woman, but I don't -- I've got a balanced perspective on life. Just something to consider...Best regards.
"you can't have our neighborhoods without a fight!"
Northside? I thought this was an OTR issue.
I, too, believe you are overracting to this, Nate. Like Nick said, there are black-owned businesses on Main that he has supported so there goes your racism theory.
Nick would oppose the Ritz just as vehemently if the owners were white. This is not about race, it's about crime.
But I'm sure your mind is made up that he hates black people because he is white. You are an intelligent man but you have a one-track mind. To you, everything is about race.
Has anyone any figures on clubs the size of the Ritz? Everyone should have the facts.
In any case, on security, who pays for the detail on main? What are the crime figures in the past, now and projected?
If this is such a issue I expect to see everyone on Sat at Summit.
Nick is just waiting for the PR system to come back because we ALL know he will SO be elected under that system...lol....uh huh....keep saying that Nick! lol
Nate:
Why do you support the owners of the Ritz setting up shop in OTR, when you have opposed liquor establishments in OTR?
Is it because you only oppose white-owned liquor establishments, but black-owned are okay?
And why protest Nick's so-called "white-flight" threat when that is exactly what you want..
Anonymous
"Why do you support the owners of the Ritz setting up shop in OTR, when you have opposed liquor establishments in OTR?
Is it because you only oppose white-owned liquor establishments, but black-owned are okay?"
Don't put words in my mouth. Where do I write that I support the owners of The Ritz setting up shop in OTR?
Why don't you try rereading the blog entry and my comments above, this time paying attention.
"And why protest Nick's so-called "white-flight" threat when that is exactly what you want.. "
Again, don't put words in my mouth. What I want for OTR, the West End, and every other Cincinnati neighborhood is a level of respect. White, self-described "urban pioneers" like Nick don't comprehend this.
Cincinnati Change
I have no intention of wasting my Saturday at the summit. What good have the previous summits done? And even if I were to attend, what does attending the summit have to do with this topic?
I've allowed you to use this blog to promote this Cincinnati Change and make promises of things to come, but, to be honest, I haven't seen any changes as a result of your organization. All I've seen is one guy who keeps talking about all these things that are going to happen. Where are the results?
Nazi
My first reaction was to ignore your comments. But then I thought I might use them, and my response, to educate the readers of the Cincinnati Black Blog.
"I, too, believe you are overracting to this, Nate. Like Nick said, there are black-owned businesses on Main that he has supported so there goes your racism theory."
Wrong. Nick says he has supported Black-owned businesses on Main Street. There's been no proof of that. You want to believe Nick because you don't want to believe that he is a white supremacist. Additionally, even if he has supported Black-owned businesses in the past, that still doesn't mean he isn't opposing the owners of The Ritz because of their race and the race of their patrons.
"Nick would oppose the Ritz just as vehemently if the owners were white. This is not about race, it's about crime."
How do you know? There are plenty of white-owned clubs on Main Street with crime problems. Which ones did Nick oppose?
"But I'm sure your mind is made up that he hates black people because he is white. You are an intelligent man but you have a one-track mind. To you, everything is about race."
You've done a lot of speculating and assuming, with absolutely no facts to back up your views. For the record, I don't think Nick hates Black people because he is white. I'm not even sure if he hates Black people in general. What I believe, and have supported, is that Nick believes he is superior to Blacks. He is a white supremacist. And because of these beliefs he is incapable of advocating positions that place Black people, including business owners, on equal ground.
The problems at the Ritz is not the owners themselves. None of the incidents at the The Ritz has ever happened inside the club, except the first one that sparked his downward decline of upscale patrons. Before the security guard was shot and killed on New Years Eve in the late 90's, Drew's club was always packed, and there were never any incidents in the club. Because that shooting occurred, the upscale people stopped going, and he was forced to open it up to the 18 & over crowd to keep the club going. The upscale people turned their backs on him, and either started going to hole in the wall bars like Brandy's, or stayed home. Now with most of the problems happening out in the parking lot, that's the off duty cops' area to patrol, which they aren't doing very well. But nobody talks about that. Plus the cops have sat down with Drew on a number of occasions to gameplan for him some ways to curtail the violence. Then they go behind his back to try and get his dancehall license revoked, while they are not doing what they were hired to do. It's interesting you equate the violence with the owner of the club, but not with a bunch of overpaid off duty police officers who sometimes get a case of "Blue Flu" if it's not their regular shift. They are the ones not earning the money they are paid to serve and protect the outside of the club. As far as the Alchemize is concerned, I don't have any knowledge of law violations, but I do know they have some questionable events at the club, to include functions sponsored by The Know Theatre Tribe. The club is like a local "Brokeback Mountain", if you know what I mean.
No proof? Please.
From my blog, May 10, 2005:
"Finally, some great news for Main Street. A new club is opening in Jail Alley, formerly the home of Cellblock and the Warehouse. Its called 'Dream', and it seems to be urban-oriented, with Mike Martin handling promotions. Not sure of an opening date yet, thought it should be pretty soon. The club should offer something new for the District, and the space itself is beautiful."
What white owned bar down here has a problem with violence? I don't mean a drunken fist fight a couple time a year, I mean ARMED VIOLENCE. You always throw those accusations out there, but I've never seen it personally.
Huh? I'm incapable of placing black people equal to or above me? You've got no idea what you're talking about. There are plenty of black people who are better at this business than I am-- I don't think I'm superior to anybody.
All I try to do is make the neighborhood I live in safe. By safe, I don't mean white-- I mean less shootings, drug deals, and prostitution.
I've said this a million times, but it doesn't seem to get through to Nate: I'm anti-crime, not anti-black. I call the cops on white people ALL the time down here. There are tons of white people down here breaking the law. Everybody remebers the Steven Forehan assault/stalking thing-- well, that guy was white, and he'd been arrested plenty of times on drug and assault charges.
Sometimes, its not about race...
Trying to convince Nate is useless and pointless. Nate and his followers have been the first to say they have no power and no say, well we need to argue this point to someone who does, the responsible white and black leaders in our community who want to stop the violence in our community. Nate is not this person, he is not responsible, he is not a leader, and he is not even in the OTR community.
Lets take our concerns to the residents of OTR, they will listen, they will understand. If Nate wants to sit on his blog and argue race to the 4 people who read it, let him.
Michael Redmond
Nick
So let me make sure I've got this straight. Your idea of support for a Black business is a statement on your blog. Your opposition against a Black business is evident in your organizational efforts.
I'll try to make this clear. Talk is cheap! When it comes to your opposition against the owners of The Ritz, you've stated your intent to organize a white lynch mob against them. If that fails, you've stated your determination to leave OTR.
For whatever reason, you've yet to show evidence of any similar opposition to a white-owned bar coming to OTR. Is that because you've never done it? And please don't insult me or my readers by pointing to the Hard Rock Cafe or ESPN Zone because you didn't organize to stop them from moving in. They didn't have an agreement to lease property on Main Street. Your lightweight opposition to them is not the same as your opposition to the owners of The Ritz.
"What white owned bar down here has a problem with violence? I don't mean a drunken fist fight a couple time a year, I mean ARMED VIOLENCE. You always throw those accusations out there, but I've never seen it personally."
Have you personally seen ARMED VIOLENCE at The Ritz? When?
Questionable events?
Nice to see homophobia run rampant on this blog once again...
As for The Ritz, you point out a big part of the problem. Right now, if a shooting happens in the Ritz parking lot at 4am, the Ritz is held responsible. Stick that bar on Main, and that's not possible. They'll just blame the other bars or the neighborhood, even though we don't have any shootings down in the district right now-- the only one I can recall is when the owner of Moose was shot after kicking someone out, and that was over two years ago. They'll be able to pass the buck, which I think is what they're looking for.
I have always hated the way the owners try to act like the parking lot isn't their problem. Bullshit. I'm just as responsible for the alley next to my bar and the sidewalk around it as I am for the inside. What a cop-out.
Michael Redmond
"Trying to convince Nate is useless and pointless."
You've got that right! You can't convince me that up is down and down is up. You can't piss on my head and convince me it's rain. And you can't convince me that the white "urban pioneers" attempts to gentrify OTR and the West End are good for Black people or this city.
"Nate and his followers have been the first to say they have no power and no say..."
More lies. I've never said or suggested such a thing. But I expect people like you to lie out of desperation.
"Nate and his followers have been the first to say they have no power and no say, well we need to argue this point to someone who does, the responsible white and black leaders in our community who want to stop the violence in our community. Nate is not this person, he is not responsible, he is not a leader, and he is not even in the OTR community."
You aren't in the OTR community either, you dumb motherfucker! And I've while I've never claimed to be a leader of OTR, you aren't either. What I am is a leader in this city as evidenced by the thousands of people who voted for me. Now, let me see. How many votes have you ever gotten? That's what I thought, none! And you are a leader because of what? That's also what I thought, you aren't a leader.
"Lets take our concerns to the residents of OTR, they will listen, they will understand. If Nate wants to sit on his blog and argue race to the 4 people who read it, let him."
Ah, insult my blog and the readers of it. Well, if there are only 4 people reading this blog, you are one of them. You can't stop reading and posting comments on it. Why? Because deep down inside you is a little good fighting against the evil and greed inside you. That good part of you knows I'm right. The good in you realizes that somebody needs to fight against your efforts to mistreat Black people and poor people. A little part of you want me to fight and you want me to win. Have no fear, God is on my side (or actually I'm on God's side) and we will win!
Why don't you take your concerns to the residents of OTR! They'll tell you the same thing they told me when I lived there, which is the same thing I'm telling you: Black people and poor people aren't about to lay down and let white people like you move into our neighborhood and either kick us out or rule over us.
The fact that, by your own admission above, you have yet to talk to the people of OTR, yet you claim to live there, says an awful lot about you.
What?!! I didn't organize against Hard Rock or ESPN? Are you nuts?!! I went all out on that, and you know it. When he made that ethnic joke, I was the one who got it to the press. I sat in meeting after meeting with members of our Chinese American community. I spoke up at the OTR Chamber meeting. You are so completely full of it. Sorry, I didn't grab a bullhorn and march, but you seem to have the market cornered on infantile, meaningless protest manuevers.
Was I supposed to organize to support Dream or something? I talked the place up, I've had plenty of drinks there... is there something I'm missing? If they were in danger of closing, I'd push people to get in there, but they seem to be doing fine. Apparently I was supposed to chain myself to the door and scream at people to go in or something?
The Main Street Entertainment Group, which I'm a part of, has purchased two pieces of signage for them to help them get the word out. We've shared drink specials and split covers...
You have absolutely no clue what you're talking about here.
And have I SEEN violence at the Ritz? Oh, right... its all a big white media/police conspiracy...
You're insane.
Nick
You are a smart boy, which probably explains why you keep trying to dance around my points.
1. ARMED VIOLENCE - You started this line of argument by asking what white owned bar in OTR has a problem with ARMED VIOLENCE? You made it clear that you didn't mean a drunken fist fight a couple time a year, you meant ARMED VIOLENCE. So I called you on this point and asked you: "Have you personally seen ARMED VIOLENCE at The Ritz? When?" Instead of answering my question about ARMED VIOLENCE you wrote that you've seen violence at the club. So I ask you again, Nick. HAVE YOU PERSONALLY SEEN ARMED VIOLENCE AT THE RITZ? WHEN?
2. MAKING EXCUSES FOR WHITE BAR OWNERS - First you asked me what white owned bar in OTR has has a problem with ARMED VIOLENCE? You turned around and didn't deny that there is ARMED VIOLENCE in OTR, including on Main Street, but excused the behavior by saying that you hadn't seen it personally. What difference does it make if you've seen it personally or not? Are you telling me that you have no knowledge of ARMED VIOLENCE at or near white-owned bars in OTR, including those on Main Street? I'm not asking what you've personally observed, I'm asking about what has happened? You know full well that there are problems but like the weasel you are think you can come on this blog and split hairs to deceive my readers. You've got the wrong blog. Take that bullshit to one of the white blogs!
3. HELPING WHITES PASS THE BUCK - Not only do you know there is a problem with ARMED VIOLENCE at white-owned bars in OTR, you know how they get away with accepting responsibility for the conduct of their patrons. You don't want the owners of The Ritz to have a club on Main because they can do the same thing that the white-owned club owners are doing now, namely, as you so accurately pointed out: "As for The Ritz, you point out a big part of the problem. Right now, if a shooting happens in the Ritz parking lot at 4am, the Ritz is held responsible. Stick that bar on Main, and that's not possible. They'll just blame the other bars or the neighborhood, even though we don't have any shootings down in the district right now-- the only one I can recall is when the owner of Moose was shot after kicking someone out, and that was over two years ago. They'll be able to pass the buck, which I think is what they're looking for."
I have no further time for this right now, but I'll address your supposed opposition to Hard Rock and the other issues you've raised later on.
Huh? I am not aware of any ARMED VIOLENCE IN OR DIRECTLY OUTSIDE ANY BAR IN THE MAIN STREET DISTRICT. I have never seen it, nor have I read or viewed any press on it.
I have not seen armed violence at the Ritz, but it has been widely reported. I haven't personally seen anybody get shot ANYWHERE, I'm pretty sure that doesn't mean it never happened.
I would love for the owners of Simone's or The Greenwich to come down to Main and start a club. This is, ONCE AGAIN, not a race thing. Its about CRIME. If any white-owned bar has armed violence, you better believe I'll be going nuts about it. Its bad for my neighborhood, and bad for my business. I could give a damn about skin color.
Where you from, Nick?
Cause it seems to me that you don't really give a crap about the OTR community... You only start to whine when you're worried about your little business. I don't know you, but from what i've read you seem like all the rest of these so-called businessmen who come in from outside the city every day to get their money and then crap on the rest of the city while driving back home to the nice, safe, white suburbs.
this club is supposed to be another Drem & Bella-ish "grown & sexy" spot, according to barbershop scuttlebutt.
This is Price Hill Citizen - been a while since I posted, and I forgot my password, so i can't log in...
At any rate, one think I admire about you Nate is how you never back down from a battle - even when you're hopelessly outpointed. I mean, this one is laughable, but you're still digging in your heels and refusing to concede that you may have misread the situation.
Most white folks in this city share the same types of viewpoints as Nick - we're not anti-black, we're anti CRIME - regardless of color. I would hope to assume that most black folks feel the same way - at least the overwhelming majority I've come in contact with.
There's of whole Google's worth of studies equating violent crime and low-income populations, both white and black. It's not my opinion - it's a FACT within our society.
Nick has stated at least 4 times in his posts that he has no problem with a black clientele on Main Street - his concern is that the owners of the Ritz do little to stop violence from occuring in or around their club. Makes sense that he wouldn't want these same owners to have a club near his, since violence at any club on Main Street is detrimental to the financial health of all the clubs on Main.
The white folks who patronize Alchemize and Jefferson Hall aren't going to come downtown if there are shootings across the street, plain and simple. The Ritz owners either A) attract a crowd that is prone to violence, or B) do not take the necessary steps that most bar owners do to prevent violence before it starts. Their track record speaks for itself. Ask any clubber in Cincinnati what they think of the Ritz, and they'll tell you the same.
Perhaps some type of agreement could be worked out though. Maybe meetings could be set up before hand with the Ritz owners and the other Main Street bar owners, and a plan could be worked out regarding certain proactive measures to NOT let this new club be a repeat of the Ritz. Sometimes, when white folks and black folks work together in business, the different perspectives allow for a dialoge (much like this site does, and has the potential to do), and everyone comes out a winner...
On a totally separate note, what do you have against Cecil Thomas Nate? You've been slamming him for months now, and he seems like a straight up guy who has everyones best interests at heart.
"Where you from, Nick?"
"Cause it seems to me that you don't really give a crap about the OTR community... You only start to whine when you're worried about your little business. I don't know you, but from what i've read you seem like all the rest of these so-called businessmen who come in from outside the city every day to get their money and then crap on the rest of the city while driving back home to the nice, safe, white suburbs."
Wow, jackass, way to miscall that one. I live in Over-the-Rhine. I'm trying to make the neighborhood I live in, and own a business in, safer.
This entire discussion is irrelevant due to the fact that the initial "CONFIRMED" information is 100% FALSE. Please allow me to correct this huge and costly mistake. No one from the RITZ has any involvement with the reopening of the Jump location. I am in business with the organization that is reopening the bar and I can assure you they are in no way connected with the RITZ Nightclub. This forum has done nothing but project negative publicity onto an upcoming business venture based on INCORRECT INFORMATION. I understand both of your concerns but the entire debate is of no relevance because the owners of the RITZ are not in any way involved. If you all would like to talk privately about this matter please feel free to contact me. I just found out about this blog and I'm here to put an end to the rumors. I would love to sit down and meet with both of you or whatever it takes to clear this matter up
I thought to myself, “I’d like to pitch in my two cents, here. I have an opinion on this.” Then, I read:
'What I believe, and have supported, is that Nick believes he is superior to Blacks. He is a white supremacist.'
And now my head hurts. But, since I’m a masochist:
'Who owns The Ritz? Andrew Williams and Dwight Williams. Their race? African American.'
Well, that’s super. And, as Nick said, he’s concerned about the record of violence at The Ritz. And that is all Nick said. Nate, you made a leap in logic that looks something like this:
1. Nick Spencer doesn’t want Jump Café’s space leased to the owners of the Ritz.
2. The owners of the Ritz are black.
3. Nick Spencer must hate black people.
And you know what? That’s fine; but you’d have to allow a similar line of reasoning:
1. The Ritz is owned by African Americans.
2. The Ritz has a documented history of violence.
3. This Ritz has a history of violence because its owners are black.
There’s no logical jump between this, is there? Unless you want there to be one, of course. Now, I don’t personally know Nick Spencer, but your attack on him is, well, fucking stupid. I understand we can’t "piss on your head and tell you it’s raining." But if it’s actually raining, and we tell you it’s raining…shit, I don’t have the energy for this.
The point is, you're wasting an awful lot of effort on being concerned with Nick Spencer: Concern yourself with Andrew Williams and Dwight Williams. Why the violence at the Ritz? If the leased the Jump space, why should we not expect to see the same there? Nick's establishment is in fine order, and he wants to see more of the same in the neighborhood. There's nothing racist about that. You can suggest otherwise, but you know, you can't "piss on my head and tell it's raining."
... and I was starting to think Nick Spencer would never win a debate. Nate got fucking owned on this one.
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