The ugliness of it all.
There is this increasing underlying feeling of the upcoming primaries that has me saddened on two fronts.
The first is the second district County Council race where the big “elephant” in the room is whether or not a Jew should represent the heavily Jewish district in the meeting rooms of Towson.
In Baltimore City we watch as arguably the most important contest in the region, the race for City State’s Attorney is most probably going to be decided by skin pigmentation instead of old fashioned listening and voting with intelligence and information.
One of our local African-American oriented radio stations uses the slogan, “where knowledge is power.”
I wish this were the case in the State’s Attorney Race where incumbent Patricia C. Jessamy is getting a challenge from Gregg Bernstein. Again, the big elephant in the room is that one candidate is a black woman in a majority black city, running against a white man who also happens to be Jewish. In the second district County, the question is whether a non-Jew should lead the district or is the demographic territory and entitlement to any Jewish candidate.
But neither the second district County Council race nor the City State’s Attorney’s race should be racial nor should it be religious. It should be about the best person for the job. If that person is Jewish, fine. If that person is not, fine.
The economic situation facing Baltimore County, and the trickle down to its residents suggests that the region needs a good leader. Race, faith, culture is secondary. My daughter told me of a friend whose parents just lost their house because of unemployment that led to foreclosure. The bank didn’t care about pigmentation or worship when all of this happened. The family is Jewish. We need leaders who stop wasting our time, seemingly selling their souls to the lowest common denominator just to get elected.
I have a friend who looks into the refrigerator each morning and cries inside because he isn’t sure how he’s going to feed his family that night. Think about that. Can you? Have you ever faced such a difficult quandary by opening up the refrigerator?
You want my vote, save my friend. Or show me how you’re going to do it.
I still haven’t gotten over the brutal killing of a young man in the Charles Village neighborhood.
You want my vote, contact the young man’s family and tell them how sorry you are that this happened.
Stop the stupidity.
I don’t care if you are Jewish. I don’t care if you are Christian. I don’t care if you are black or if you are white.
Sunday, the governor ate three pieces of kosher pizza at Tov Pizza.
I’m so happy for him. But I had an employable friend who shifted in and out of depression because he couldn’t get a job. You could walk to his home from the pizza shop. I wish the Governor had taken him out to lunch instead. We get star struck when a political celebrity comes to our venues. Don’t be star struck. Demand results. Ask for accountability.
God, we need a hero.
Represent me because we are people of equal stature.
Renew us, give us hope. Get the work done.
If you had purple skin and believed in the tooth fairy, but got results, I’d believe in you more than were you Jewish or black or whatever.
Enough pandering.
Produce.
The arguments, the focus is all wrong.

Just got this sent. I heard this going around and to be honest it is horrible. Vote for the best person.

Nice work Phil.  About time.

Thank you Phil Jacobs.  It’s about time someone stepped up.  And forget the innuendo.  Billy Chase and Mel Mintz are running around saying we are traitors to our faith if we don’t vote for someone who is jewish.  If someone said that about us, can you imagine the outrage?  Apparently, Ben Cardin has no right to be a U.S. Senator since our state is not a jewish state.  And I happen to think Ben Cardin is fantastic.  Shame, shame, shame.  Any candidate who subscribes to this should be ashamed.  Thank you Phil Jacobs.

Phil,
    Your editorial is right on the mark.  The campaign going on in the 2nd by one of the candidates is simply ridiculous.  I have actually heard Ms. Becker telling people not to vote for certain candidates simply because they are not jewish.  It is truly disgusting.
    Our people have been on the front lines of the civil rights movement and have fought against discrimination everywhere.  Are we really going to allow someone to represent us who rejects the notion that we should vote for someone based on the content of their character and not on the color of their skin, their religion, or anything else of no importance in this process.
    I am not sure who I will be voting for in the coming election.  It certainly will not be for Sherrie Becker.  Her campaign has been truly disgusting and should be rejected by us all.  She has shown that she is not worthy of holding elected office.
    I appreciate the comments of Phil Jacobs.  The Jewish Times as a magazine should take a stand against this type of behavior.

Hey Phil,

Why don’t you do some real reporting.  Like disclose who is contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars to the 11th distict team and therby to Vicki Almond so they can control her for their development purposes.

Secondly I know you were all up in arms about Schmoke’s campaign for re election as Mayor by strictly appealing to african american voters.

Why don’t you report about the property at Reisterstown Rd and Mt Wilosn Lane in a space of about 300 linear feet there are NIME SIGNS WITH VICKY ALMOND ON THEM?

If you knew anythng about county government you would know that there is little a councilman can do to help the people out you so valiantly pointed out.

If you were to do these things maybe then you could be the “hero” you seek.