Summer Vacation
Dear Vacationists:
At least for me.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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It is that time of year when those ugly political signs start
appearing by the thousands on every inch of public space. I’ve never
understood why the folks putting these signs think that it is effective
to put up ten identical signs on each block. Yep, I know it is illegal,
but is there ever enforcement? So far this year, Kevin Chavous takes the
visual eyesore award, not only with the usual ten-per-block signs, but
also with his huge billboard-sized signs on Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. So
far, I’ve spotted two, one is at the SE corner of Branch and
Pennsylvania, and the other at the NE corner of Pennsylvania and
Alabama. I think that both signs are in public space. These signs are
not informative, they are not free speech, they are just plain big and
ugly.
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Fire Inspections and Building Inspections
Clyde E. Howard, Jr., ceohoward@hotmail.com
Most home owners of this city are not aware that fire inspections are
no longer performed by the fire department. Fire inspections are now the
responsibility of the building inspectors. Councilmember Brazil’s
Government Reform Bill removed fire inspection responsibility from the
fire department and placed it in the hands of the building inspectors.
Can you believe that?
The fire department has been made responsible only for fireworks
inspections, while your home is dependent on the inexperience of a
building inspector. Fire inspections have been the responsibility of the
fire department ever since there was a fire department. These building
inspectors can hardly do a good job on inspecting buildings, let alone
inspecting for fire code violations. Four houses in the NW section have
either collapsed or been near collapse this year, and we have to trust
the protection of our homes to these same inspectors to make sure that
construction meets fire codes or building codes, for that matter. Let
the fire department perform its duties, which include preventing
potential fire hazards and insuring that new construction does not pose
a fire hazard. What will it take for us, the people, to realize that we
must stay abreast of the machinations of elected leaders where the very
safety of the population is threatened?
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Today, June 18, I took the Metro from Capitol South to Brookland on
the red line. The first problem was that the trains were running on a
single track, but the main problem was that the Metro spokesmen didn’t
know what they were talking about. It took us half an hour to get to
Metro Center from Capital South. At Metro Center, there were two hundred
of us stuck waiting for the red line to Silver Spring. We waited there
an hour without any trains coming. Finally an announcer told us to cross
the tracks and take the train to Shady Grove for a special train that
would take us toward Silver Spring. Everybody crossed over to the other
platform and dutifully boarded the train when it arrived. They’re
probably still wandering the system up in northwest DC somewhere.
I waited alone on the Silver Spring side of the platform. The trains
were at least fifteen or twenty minutes apart. A train finally came. The
driver told me that his train was only going as far as Rhode Island
Avenue but the next one would go as far as Brookland. I asked him when
the next train was due. He said four minutes. I waited another half
hour. Eventually the train arrived. I got to Brookland two hours after I
first boarded the train. Has anyone else experienced this?
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Who Do You Serve?
Ed Dixon, Georgetown Reservoir, jedxn@erols.com
In spite of our editors efforts to better define Ebonics, my
impression is that the word as used in the most recent discussion has
had a derogatory tone to it. And much of that tone is seated in
historically generated racial animosity. Who does this animosity serve?
As Americans if it isn’t inbred, its taught. It exists. It is
perpetuated. Everyone knows it’s there in the center of the table.
From the supermarket to the Council chambers. Many of us would like it
to leave. But it won’t. So who does the animosity serve? What function
does it serve? It makes most of us feel bad, even sick. It divides us as
humans. It promotes injustice. We all, regardless of race, bleed and all
of our children, regardless of race, cry. But when it comes to
supporting or honoring each other, we are speechless. Censorship will
not solve the problem. As “children in a classroom,” we must explore
our ideas. But as adults, we should step back and decide how our battles
serve others.
[Ed is right that “Ebonics” has been strongly criticized, but I
believe that he is wrong that it has been criticized because of racial
animosity. It rests on an unsupported and insupportable linguistic
theory — that the contemporary lower-class black urban way of speaking
is not an English dialect, but an African-derived separate language. And
it recommends a dysfunctional teaching method that discourages learning
standard English. Someone motivated by anti-Black racism would welcome
Ebonics — there’s no better way to isolate lower-class, urban
African-Americans and keep them in poverty. — Gary Imhoff]
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Here are some suggestions for maintaining constructive communication
about this very touchy issue: 1) remember that while “playing the race
card” will not resolve differences, it won’t stop until the whole
deck is destroyed. Only the house that owns the cards and invented the
game can initiate this process.
2) Listen, try to hear and believe that what people say about their
feelings is usually genuine, even if you don’t agree on “the
facts.” 3) If someone is offended by something you say or do, an
apology (say it like you mean it, even if you have doubts) is far more
constructive than a defense or justification of your position; sometimes
we have to choose between harmony and hubris. 4) Drop the “white”
thing. It’s a mythology of race that was invented some by European
settlers to separate and differentiate themselves from their
"red" neighbors. The corresponding concepts of “white
supremacy” and a “white American majority” spawned some of our
nation’s most heinous social problems. If we stop using “white” to
define certain groups (not all of European descent, by the way) in our
language and our census (one of only four in the world who use the
term), all other “colors” become instantly irrelevant. 5) Don’t
mistake “blacklash” — a self-defensive reaction to real or
perceived discrimination — for “reverse racism,” which implies
that victims have the same power as perpetrators; they don’t. 6) Next
time a form asks for your “race,” try writing “human” and see
what happens. If our language changes, eventually our consciousness will
catch up. Enlightenment requires little more than a genuine desire to
open a closed mind and a stingy heart.
Ongoing, purposeful discussion with readers interested in actively
pursuing "racial" understanding and harmony solutions in DC,
and ultimately as a model for America, is long overdue. It’s time to
heal old wounds and build a more reasonable future together. If anyone
else is interested in formalizing this dialogue outside of themail so it
doesn’t dominate themail, I’d be interested in collaborating. Feel
free to E-mail me directly.
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OK, I’m quibbling over one word, but the subject [“Don’t Blame
It on Your Dog,” themail, June 16] isn’t just “your” dog. I’m
paraphrasing from an article from Slate [Jon Katz, “Good Dog, Better
Man: How Your Pet Can Improve Your Morals,” http://www.slate.com/id/2101939/]
saying that the main cause of death for dogs and many other pets is
behavior problems — because they end up at the pound. Let me add that
the library has some terrific books on dogs: my favorite is the Other
End of the Leash and I’m looking forward to reading The
Difficulty of Being a Dog.
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Ward 3 Democrats Meet on Utility Price Shock,
June 22
Ann Loikow, aloikow@verizon.net
The Washington Post reported on May 7 that a utility price
shock is coming to Maryland in August and will follow in DC when
electric price caps expire on February 8, 2005. When Maryland’s price
caps expire on July 1, 2004, Maryland’s electric consumers will face
increases of some 30 percent to 50 percent. It is estimated that the
price shock for DC will be at least the same or worse. On Tuesday, June
22, at 7:30 p.m., the Ward Three Democratic Committee will hold a public
forum in the Great Hall of St. Columba’s Church, 4201 Albemarle
Street, NW, on the utility price shock coming to DC. Invited to discuss
this topic with the Ward 3 Democrats are: Elizabeth Noel, People’s
Counsel of the District of Columbia; DC Council Member Phil Mendelson,
Chairman, DC Council’s Subcommittee on Public Interest; the DC Public
Service Commission; Potomac Electric Power Company; the Metropolitan
Washington Apartment and Office Building Association; the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1900; and the DC Consumer
Utility Board. Please come and educate yourself on this issue, as
deregulation of electric rates is something that affects all of us.
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Summer of the Cicada, June 23
Erica Bersin, eyzarblu@aol.com
Urban Artists Coalition presents Summer of the Cicada on Wednesday,
June 23, at the Arts Club of Washington, 2017 I Street, NW. $25 in
advance, $35 night of event. Includes silent art auction and hip jazz
musicians. For tickets and additional information, contact 265-8994 or
to pay via the Internet at http://www.urbanartistscoalition.org/events.htm.
Proceeds go towards funding art programs for underserved children in DC.
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DC Public Library Events, June 23, 26
Debra Truhart, debra.truhart@dc.gov
Wednesday, June 23, 12:00 p.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial
Library, 901 G Street, NW, Main Lobby. A program on smart investing,
presented by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, will provide
information on investor protection and awareness. Public contact:
727-1171.
Sunday, June 26, 6:00 p.m., Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library,
3660 Alabama Avenue, SE. Fifth annual concert of Jazz Comes to
Hillcrest. Relax and enjoy the soothing sounds of a live jazz concert
with the Friends of the Francis A. Gregory Library. Public contact:
645-4297.
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Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness,
June 30
Sarah B. Rubin, sarahb@dcjcc.org
Join NIJL for a discussion with top area officials about the state of
local preparedness, the role of nonprofits and volunteers in emergency
preparedness and response, and the role of Israel in helping US
Emergency Responders respond to terrorism. Wednesday, June 30, 7:00
p.m., Washington DC Jewish Community Center, Kay Community Hall. $4
members, $6 non-members. RSVP to Sarah at sarahb@dcjcc.org
or 777-3215. Guest speakers: Barbara Childs-Pair, Director, DC Emergency
Management Agency; Charles Blake, Senior Director, Emergency and
International Services, American Red Cross of the National Capital Area;
Jim Colbert, Communications Dir., JINSA, the Jewish Institute for
National Security Affairs. Moderator: Elliot Harkavy, CEO, EGH &
Associates, consultant in emergency planning and preparedness.
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CLASSIFIEDS — HOUSING
Couple Seeking 1- or 2-Bedroom Rental
Sid Booth, Sid Booth one at ay oh ell
A cousin is moving to Washington and has asked for help in finding a
rental. He and his wife, a professional couple, are looking for nine to
twelve month rental starting anytime in August. They want a two bedroom
or large one bedroom apartment within one mile of Metro. Quiet street
with trees preferred. She is a professor commuting back to Boston, he
has begun working for renewable energy policy organization and also
travels. Spotless credit record, no pets. Contact Mike Jacobs: mike_windpower@yahoo.com.
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