Harper Inspired By Cosby

Council candidate Andre Harper has started what he says will be bi-weekly "Harper Speaks" features on his Web site, http://www.andreharper.com/.

In the first, he writes about Bill Cosby's comments in 2004 about black students not graduating and black people being in prison. He says the comedian was unfairly criticized as attacking poor people.

Here's an excerpt:

"Perhaps Cosby is a traitor because he refuses to dismiss the poor or disenfranchised as people destined to live their lives as victims. He shunned those that profit from their misfortune, and so do I.

Cosby’s call to action is at the root of my decision to run for Cincinnati City Council. Despite the situations in which we were born, people like Cosby, Oprah and I are all successful because we have embraced education and self empowerment.

My campaign is centered on empowering Cincinnatians to control their own destinies.

Unfortunately, many of current community leader’s don’t embrace this philosophy. I have heard countless area leaders’ brag about how much funding they appropriated for projects or how much they fought issues, acting is if the community would perish without their leadership.

The last time I checked, appropriations came from public budgets and not politicians’ pockets! This narcissistic leadership has led our community into the depths of despair."