NAACP, pick us, not Vegas

It should be a no-brainer for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to hold its 2008 national convention here in the Queen City.

Cincinnati is reportedly a finalist for the convention along with Las Vegas. We need you more than Vegas needs you. What you do in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but if you gamble on us, the payoff will be long-lasting and much more meaningful.

See, we have so much more to prove, and our stakes are so much higher.

Yes, we will appreciate what 5,000 people will bring to our city.

But there are many obvious reasons to hold the conference here, not the least of which is the location. Cincinnati is about a half-day's drive from most of the country's population, and we certainly have substantial accommodations with the newly renovated convention center and ample hotel space.

What's more, 2008 will be a presidential election year. As in 2004, Ohio will play a critical role in national elections. The NAACP needs to be here, and it needs to invite presidential candidates here. And wouldn't it be great for the group to sponsor a national debate at, say, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center?

The NAACP needs to be here to help Greater Cincinnati and the nation to continue discussions on important topics like social justice, political independence, the new economy, computer literacy, education, crime, the drug trade, criminal justice and race relations.

The NAACP needs to be here to show the United States how far Cincinnati has come, not just since the unrest a few years back, but since the time before the unrest.

The NAACP needs to be here to help us reveal where we lack awareness and how we must move forward.

This weekend, the city and the local NAACP are playing host to more than 30 national officers. On Friday, the local NAACP holds its annual Freedom Fund banquet downtown, which is the group's largest fundraiser.

This is an opportunity for the city to put its best foot forward. We have important company in town.