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Read more: The Few Prejudiced MCPS Teachers and Their Herd Immunity
The Few Prejudiced MCPS Teachers and Their Herd Immunity
We, the veterans and survivors of COVID, learned quite clearly the meaning of “herd immunity.” Enough people are vaccinated against a disease, so the few who actually contract the disease do not infect everyone else. It’s a strategy that has served us well since the 1930s. After seeing a few MCPS teachers get busted, and…
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Read more: Jawando’s Seven Black Fathers: Conclusion—Who JW is and who he could be
Jawando’s Seven Black Fathers: Conclusion—Who JW is and who he could be
The date is December 3, 2018. The inauguration ceremony for the new County Council and County Executive is under way. Among the honorees is new council member Will Jawando wearing a West African boubou and kufi. People snickered. I snickered. “This is grandstanding. This is demographic baiting.” How wrong I was; how wrong we all…
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Read more: Stop More Housing N.O.W. / ZTA 25-02!! – It Doesn’t Do What it Promises to Do
Stop More Housing N.O.W. / ZTA 25-02!! – It Doesn’t Do What it Promises to Do
A growing number of County residents and community groups are speaking out against the “More Housing N.O.W.” legislation, specifically Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 25-02 scheduled to be taken up by the County Council in July. Some Council Members are promoting the bill as a step toward increasing affordable housing options for teachers, firefighters, nurses, and…
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Read more: Jawando’s Seven Black Fathers: Part 6—Identity and Race
Jawando’s Seven Black Fathers: Part 6—Identity and Race
Of the seven installments in this series, this one is the most difficult to write (and hopefully the most difficult to read). Before continuing, I’d like to propose a difference between “identity” and “race.” Many people emphasize one aspect or another of their physical and emotional makeup as an identity. Some people identify as conservative,…
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Read more: MoCo’s store owner with the most infectious smile—Interview with Nick Gardner of Choice Wine and Beer
MoCo’s store owner with the most infectious smile—Interview with Nick Gardner of Choice Wine and Beer
Choice Wine and Beer is on the second floor of the Wheaton Mall, adjacent to Costco. Co-owner Nick Gardner arguably has the most enchanting smile in all of Montgomery County. He sat down with me for 40 minutes giving an extremely positive view of his store and the county’s wine and beer industry. What’s the…
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Read more: No Kings (or Queens) in MoCo
No Kings (or Queens) in MoCo
Ladies, did you realize you were the victims of gender-based exclusion on June 14? That was the day of several “No Kings” rallies throughout Montgomery County. For a county that takes pride in its progressive values, a No Kings rally is outright gender bias. We should be holding No Kings and No Queens rallies, because…
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Read more: Tick tick tick: Our risks of life-sapping Lyme disease multiply because of MNCPPC’s multi-year mismanagement and neglect of Rock Creek Park
Tick tick tick: Our risks of life-sapping Lyme disease multiply because of MNCPPC’s multi-year mismanagement and neglect of Rock Creek Park
Ticks and the illnesses they spread are on the rise because Rock Creek Park is being allowed and seemingly encouraged to return to a primitive wilderness thicket instead of being a parkland for people to enjoy. MNCPPC seems to want more deer and other animals to multiply, infect people, and run into traffic instead of…
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Read more: Jawando’s Seven Black Fathers: Part 5—Law Enforcement and SROs
Jawando’s Seven Black Fathers: Part 5—Law Enforcement and SROs
Law enforcement does not have a prominent place in My Seven Black Fathers, certainly not to the extent of race and education, but the picture Will Jawando paints for us is very discouraging (p. 114–115): In 2001, the year of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when my love of country had never been stronger, and while…
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Read more: Who will win the race for county executive? Nobody.
Who will win the race for county executive? Nobody.
As of this writing, there are five candidates chasing the Democratic primary win for county executive: Will Jawando, Evan Glass, Andrew Friedson, Celeste Iroha, and Mithun Banerjee. This guarantees that nobody will win a majority vote. Let’s get into the details. The “winner” of our local primary elections is the one who accumulates the most…
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Read more: Jawando’s Seven Black Fathers: Part 4—Catholic University vs. NAACP
Jawando’s Seven Black Fathers: Part 4—Catholic University vs. NAACP
In chapter 6 of My Seven Black Fathers, Will Jawando describes his struggle to improve the lot of service workers at Catholic University. He noticed how terribly the service workers were treated—by students, managers, and administration. He sought to open a chapter of the NAACP that would represent those workers. A social-justice sociology professor, Dean…