The irony of the situation is not lost on the Rev. Damon Lynch III.

        Weeks after downtown Cincinnati restaurants closed during last year's Ujima Cinci-Bration, the pastor of New Prospect Baptist Church in Over-the-Rhine stood with dozens of others, cited racial disparity and called for an economic boycott of Cincinnati's downtown.

        On the eve of the 2001 Ujima — several lawsuits, a riot, a citywide curfew, a committee appointment and an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice investigation later — he again is standing with dozens of others, citing racial disparity, and calling for an economic boycott of Cincinnati.

        This time, though, they're not just talking to local residents. They're talking to people outside Cincinnati. Outside Ohio. And outside the United States.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Tell us what you think of the boycott.

        In an interview with the Enquirer Sunday, the Rev. Mr. Lynch discussed Saturday's call for economic sanctions and reiterated the African-American community's longstanding frustration with Cincinnati and Hamilton County bureaucracy.

        Question: What is the goal? Who is being encouraged to boycott Cincinnati?

        Answer: The focus is on those who would be coming to Cincinnati. Our overall goal is to spark the fundamental change that needs to take place in Cincinnati. The idea is not to hurt anybody, not local businesses, not anyone.

        The political will has to exist to make changes in Cincinnati and the quicker those changes are made the quicker we can be about rebuilding Cincinnati. Everyone stands to gain from this.

        Q: Do you think calling for the release of convicted felons will help validate your cause?

        A: People were arrested (during the riots) under a selectively enforced curfew and I think that for these people amnesty is warranted. For others who were committing criminal acts, impartial justice will have to decide those cases.

        Justice needs to be meted out fairly, and when (Hamilton County Prosecutor) Mike Allen takes a stance that he will not plea bargain with people in the unrest, when plea bargains are made with murderers and rapists, it says that justice is not meted our fairly. He is clearly posturing.

        Q: How significant is the timing of this announcement?

        A: I don't think it has anything to do with (the Coors Light Jazz Festival or Ujima Cinci-Bration, which kicks off Thursday downtown). We believe this is just the next step in a process and it just happened to fall at this time.

        Q: How do you reconcile your positions as leader of the Cincinnati Black United Front and co-chair of the mayor's CinciCAN commission?

        A: I don't separate my roles. They are one in the same — to speak to the issues of injustice and to also be instrumental in addressing those issues.

        Q: Why another boycott when the boycott of the Taste of Cincinnati didn't go well?

        A: Until there is a real commitment for change by city leaders ... these sanctions must continue. It became clear during the Taste of Cincinnati that Cincinnati is more interested in getting back to normal and the status quo. That's fine if the status quo is comfortable for you.

        But for people who find themselves in despair and disenfranchisement in the status quo — they are not willing to go back. We do this regardless of the outcome. The complacency of far too many people here is the reason we're taking our message outside Cincinnati.

        Q: City leaders call the boycott an economic “shakedown” and “destructive nonsense.” You say?

        A: When the city is held hostage by corporations it gives in, but when African-Americans come for investment dollars to benefit their communities and Greater Cincinnati as a whole we are turned away ...

        The African-American community doesn't have the same leverage. We don't have the ability to say, "Fund this or we're leaving,' because we have nowhere to go. And, if we did say that, many would say: "Bye.'

        We can't rebuild Cincinnati on the same foundation of privilege. There has to be a recognition of the diversity of this community and the need to invest in all of its citizens' lives.

Sunday stories:
Groups call for boycott of city until demands met
Boycotts have long, mixed history
Demands sweep across city, county policies
Names behind the boycott

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