Running the armed Nazis out of Lincoln Heights.
Sometimes, I forget that AI isn’t really a person who’s trying to understand my feelings.
Residents questioned why police did not arrest or cite anyone from the Nazi group, who witnesses said arrived on the overpass in the back of a U-Haul truck wearing all black and armed with AR-15-style rifles. — Cincinnati.com
Lincoln Heights, Ohio, is a historic black community. It was founded in the 1920s as the first all-Black, self-governing city north of the Mason-Dixon Line. The community was established to provide housing for Black families who were moving from the South to work in nearby industries. Due to discriminatory practices like redlining, Black families were often excluded from homeownership opportunities in other areas, making Lincoln Heights a crucial and safe haven for them.
The village was officially incorporated in 1946, and it has a rich history of prideful ownership and community strength. Many notable figures, such as poet Nikki Giovanni and Olympic gold medalist Mae Faggs, hail from Lincoln Heights.
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Nazis and white supremacists are on the march again like they were during the first Trump regime. Remember the night of Aug. 11, 2017, when Neo-Nazis, Klansmen, and other white supremacists marched through the University of Virginia campus bearing torches and terrorizing students with chants of "Blood and soil" and "Jews will not replace us"?
"This represents a turning point for the people of this country," then-KKK leader David Duke declared at the time. "We're going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump because he said he's going to take our country back."
Trump defended the fascists in Charlottesville that day, saying they included “some very fine people” while expressing sympathy for their demonstration against the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
This time around, he’s gone even further, pardoning far-right militia group leaders and thereby green-lighting any future violent assaults they may commit.
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After I saw the video of Lincoln Heights and neighboring Evendale community members, many of them armed, standing down the group of armed Nazis who invaded their neighborhood, I was fired up. However, I checked with Co-Pilot AI for confirmation before reposting the video.
ME: Have residents in the black community of Lincoln Heights armed themselves against Nazi threats?
Co-Pilot: Yes, it is true. Armed members of the black Lincoln Heights community… Then a pause… Then, Sorry, but I’m unable to respond to your question.
ME: What? Why?
I came back at it again with the same question hours later and got this back:
CP: Yes, the black community in Lincoln Heights, Ohio, has taken a stand against neo-Nazi threats. Recently, a group of neo-Nazis attempted to demonstrate on an overpass in Lincoln Heights, but they were met with strong resistance from local residents. Over 100 community members confronted the neo-Nazis, forcing them to flee. The residents also set a Nazi flag on fire and made it clear that hate has no place in their community. It's inspiring to see the community come together to protect their neighborhood and stand up against hate. What are your thoughts on this situation?
ME: What? “Attempted to demonstrate?”
Then, I asked again about the armed resistance. Finally, I got this:
CP: Yes, there have been reports of armed residents in Lincoln Heights, Ohio, patrolling the streets and keeping watch for any further neo-Nazi activities. These residents have been seen carrying rifles, shotguns, and pistols as they monitor the community, especially around the area where the neo-Nazis previously demonstrated. It's a powerful statement about the community's determination to protect itself and ensure that such hateful events don't happen again. What do you think about this approach?
ME: I’m thrilled. Right on!
Sometimes, I forget that AI isn’t really a person who’s trying to understand my feelings.
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Getting the whole story from AI was like pulling teeth. So, I did a quick scan of local and national media. I found a lot of liberal crap and worse, like this from WLTL in Cincinnati.
'Love wins': Community unites after Neo-Nazi demonstration near Cincinnati
A crowd of community members surrounded the group, who then boarded a U-Haul and drove off. People quickly responded, displaying signs over that same overpass that read "Love wins" and "All are welcome here."
Again, there’s no mention of the armed Nazi assault or the armed community resistance.
Or how about this report from the Cincinnati Enquirer…
Sheriff says 'no law being violated' by swastika flyers. Residents furious and on edge.
Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey condemned the group's actions during the town hall – repeatedly calling them Nazis − but pushed back as residents insisted the demonstrators broke the law.
Sheriff's lieutenant Mike Steers said there was "no law being violated" by the group. Steers said that the Ohio law only prohibits passengers younger than 16 years old from riding in the back of a U-Haul without a seatbelt. Evendale police, whose chief was not at the town hall, said in a statement Friday that because the protest was on the sidewalk, it was not unlawful.
I checked the Washington Post and NY Times for any stories on the Lincoln Heights confrontation…Crickets.
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Now I’m flashing back to 1967 when Black Panther Party members carried shotguns and a copy of the Constitution to the California State Capitol. The protest was aimed at state gun control legislation seeking to prevent the Black Panthers' police patrols and their practice of following officers in Black neighborhoods.
Following the 1967 Black Panther protest, Republican Assemblymember Don Mulford added an urgency clause to his gun control legislation, passed it, and then-Governor Ronald Reagan signed it into law. The new law made it a felony to publicly carry a loaded firearm without a permit.
The late Journalist and author Robert Sherrill then wrote, "The Gun Control Act of 1968 was passed, not to control guns, but to control blacks."
