Archive for the ‘Baltimore City Politics’ Category

TGR: MD Poli10: S.A. Candidates’ Forum at UB Sums It Up

Posted by dglover on Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

The final Baltimore State's Attorney forum was held yesterday (9.7.10) at UB

(BALTIMORE – September 8, 2010) – For me, yesterday’s candidates’ forum at the University of Baltimore pretty much summed up the fight between Baltimore City State’s Attorney Pat Jessamy and attorney Gregg Bernstein. A third candidate, Sheryl Lansey, was also present and shared great insight as to why Baltimore is so violent.

The moderator was Prof. Byron Warnken.

There was a packed audience, and I’m quite sure one can find their opinions online. However, as for me, I couldn’t take another minute of Bernstein’s approach.

If the only way he can look good is to attack and tear down Jessamy’s office, he has truly robbed himself.

While I was not feeling Bernstein before the forum, I did go with an open mind to hear for myself – in person – what solutions this candidate might offer. Yet, when the opportunity to demonstrate his leadership potential appeared, each time he swung and missed.   

Instead, if you let Bernstein tell it, State’s Attorney Jessamy and her office have done nothing right and is solely responsible for Baltimore’s violent nature.

One thing that repeatedly has crossed my mind – even as this forum was happening – is how 44% of America’s prison population (in the most incarcerating nation on the planet) is black and male – like me.

And so, as I’m listening to Bernstein, and as I reflected on how so many people I grew up with are locked up, all I can see in this man is a desire to lock up more people.

Veering off of this race a bit, the solution for Baltimore’s violence is very simple. Jobs! And schools!

But, no! Baltimore gets two new prisons, instead.

Really and truly, I understand why Baltimore is so violent. Not at all making excuses, but in order to understand the violence, one must understand the conditions out of which the violence emanates: Fractured, if not broken families; single mothers trying to raise sons; absent fathers and selfish step-fathers.

Add empty pockets on top of that in a world so tuned-in to the mass media’s commercial onslaughts, and what do you get: Frustration!

In any event, it’s as if Bernstein shoots himself in the foot every time he speaks. Personally, I need to hear more about solutions and less tearing down of the major opponent – even if she hasn’t done the best possible job.

Often, Bernstein was obnoxious with his attacks, and seemed more focused on what Jessamy did wrong than on providing tangible solutions so as to help make Baltimore a safer place to live, work, and play!

Posted in Baltimore City Politics, Black politics, MD's 2010 Statewide election, State's Attorney, political economy | No Comments »

Big-Ups to the City: Part 2 of Plowing the Great Blizzard

Posted by dglover on Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Baltimore city gets it right: Plowing in the worst of conditions

Baltimore city gets it right: Plowing in the worst of conditions

I believe in always giving credit where credit is due, especially if I am among the critics when something was done wrong or if something was not done at all - whatever the case.

The City botched part 1 of the Great Blizzard of 2010. But damn if they didn’t get it right on part 2.

I know. I came. I saw it for myself.

Congratulations to the people in charge of the city, ie the new mayor, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and her team. Somebody listened to our WOLB radio show on Tuesday morning at 10 am as Darren Muhammad, David Brown and myself offered up some critical analysis of how the City had fumbled last weekend. More importantly, we offered up some solutions.

It’s easy to talk about someone when they are wrong. It’s easy to turn a deaf ear to whatever it is they have to say – simply based on past performance.

I am reminded of the many, many mistakes I have made. I am reminded of the mistakes I continue to make.

The real question becomes – for me and many of you – what are we going to do about it? Are we going to go into our introverted shells and innoculate ourselves from the glaring truth? Or, are we going to take a minute, breath, take in sound logic, and then implement these thoughts into a plan of action.

It would be all too easy for me to point a finger and keep pointing one, because there is a karma in the universe that reminds me that every time I point one at you, there are three points coming right back at me.

At the end of the day, the blizzard was not about race, or class, or religion. It was about people. In the final analysis, the question is what are we going to do about it?

During the Great Blizzard, I had the opportunity to watch the Michael Oher Story. I had heard something about the Raven superstar in the past, but it had not really captured my attention like watching the movie did.

According to a USA Today article,

 
Michael Oher says he doesn’t hold grudges against anyone for the misfortune he encountered as a child. “I don’t dwell on anything,” Oher says. “I’m not going to feel sorry for myself because I didn’t have a place to stay a lot of time. It is what it is. We’ve got to go through some things in life. Take it and run with it.”

 

A very compelling story and movie, Michael’s (who is black) legal guardian mom (who is white) showed an unconditional love for someone else’s child simply because she saw the need. That’s it!

Unless I missed some conspiracy theory/white paternalistic or maternalistic/anti-self empowerment theme at work (you guys know I can be radical), it was one of the greatest examples of unconditional love I have ever seen in my life.

As comedian Katt Williams suggests (and I love Katt’s work), white people better get some black friends; and black people better get some white friends.

My late daddy put it this way, “With a closed hand, nothing gets it and nothing gets out. However, with an open hand, there are endless possibilities.”

The moral to the story is help somebody.

Just like Michael Oher said, we can either choose to be a victim … or a victor. We never know what life will throw us. We simply have to be willing to take those cards and do the best we can.

Mayor Blake could have chosen to turn a blind eye to the criticism put at her feet, or she could rise like the Phoenix from the ashes, step to the plate, and smack that sucker out the park like Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron.

The City did well on part 2 of the Great Blizzard of 2010, and what a compelling lesson for us all. We might lose the first round in life, but it is not how many times we are knocked down. It is how many times we get back up.

Kudos, Baltimore City. Kudos, Mayor Blake. And kudos to Michael Oher. And special thanks to the many people who worked while we were sleeping to make life a little better for us. See the video of the plowing of Part 2 of the great Baltimore Blizzard of 2010 on BMORENEWS by clicking here: http://www.bmorenews.com/video/baltimore-gets-plowed-21010.shtml.

Other than that, let’s get to the digging out. And remember to help the less fortunate while we are at it.

Posted in Baltimore City Politics, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake | 5 Comments »