Better to have a few rats than to be one
By BALTIMORE SUN EDITORIAL BOARD
BALTIMORE SUN | JUL 27, 2019 | 6:36 PM
In case anyone missed it, the president of the United States had some choice words to describe Maryland’s 7th congressional district on Saturday morning. Here are the key phrases: “no human being would want to live there,” it is a “very dangerous & filthy place,” “Worst in the USA” and, our personal favorite: It is a “rat and rodent infested mess.” He wasn’t really speaking of the 7th as a whole. He failed to mention Ellicott City, for example, or Baldwin or Monkton or Prettyboy, all of which are contained in the sprawling yet oddly-shaped district that runs from western Howard County to southern Harford County. No, Donald Trump’s wrath was directed at Baltimore and specifically at Rep. Elijah Cummings, the 68-year-old son of a former South Carolina sharecropper who has represented the district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1996.
Via twitter:
"Rep, Elijah Cummings has been a brutal bully, shouting and screaming at the great men & women of Border Patrol about conditions at the Southern Border, when actually his Baltimore district is FAR WORSE and more dangerous. His district is considered the Worst in the USA.....As proven last week during a Congressional tour, the Border is clean, efficient & well run, just very crowded. Cumming district is a disgusting, rat & rodent infested mess. If he spent more time in Baltimore, maybe he could help clean up this very dangerous and filthy place."It’s not hard to see what’s going on here. The congressman has been a thorn in this president’s side, and Mr. Trump sees attacking African American members of Congress as good politics, as it both warms the cockles of the white supremacists who love him and causes so many of the thoughtful people who don’t to scream. President Trump bad-mouthed Baltimore in order to make a point that the border camps are “clean, efficient & well run," which, of course, they are not — unless you are fine with all the overcrowding, squalor, cages and deprivation to be found in what the Department of Homeland Security’s own inspector-general recently called “a ticking time bomb."
In pointing to the 7th, the president wasn’t hoping his supporters would recognize landmarks like Johns Hopkins Hospital, perhaps the nation’s leading medical center. He wasn’t conjuring images of the U.S. Social Security Administration, where they write the checks that so many retired and disabled Americans depend upon. It wasn’t about the beauty of the Inner Harbor or the proud history of Fort McHenry. And it surely wasn’t about the economic standing of a district where the median income is actually above the national average. No, he was returning to an old standby of attacking an African American lawmaker from a majority black district on the most emotional and bigoted of arguments. It was only surprising that there wasn’t room for a few classic phrases like “you people” or “welfare queens” or “crime-ridden ghettos” or a suggestion that the congressman “go back” to where he came from.
This is a president who will happily debase himself at the slightest provocation. And given Mr. Cummings’ criticisms of U.S. border policy, the various investigations he has launched as chairman of the House Oversight Committee, his willingness to call Mr. Trump a racist for his recent attacks on the freshmen congresswomen, and the fact that “Fox & Friends” had recently aired a segment critical of the city, slamming Baltimore must have been irresistible in a Pavlovian way. Fox News rang the bell, the president salivated and his thumbs moved across his cell phone into action.
As heartening as it has been to witness public figures rise to Charm City’s defense on Saturday, from native daughter House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young, we would above all remind Mr. Trump that the 7th District, Baltimore included, is part of the United States that he is supposedly governing. The White House has far more power to effect change in this city, for good or ill, than any single member of Congress including Mr. Cummings. If there are problems here, rodents included, they are as much his responsibility as anyone’s, perhaps more because he holds the most powerful office in the land.
Finally, while we would not sink to name-calling in the Trumpian manner — or ruefully point out that he failed to spell the congressman’s name correctly (it’s Cummings, not Cumming) — we would tell the most dishonest man to ever occupy the Oval Office, the mocker of war heroes, the gleeful grabber of women’s private parts, the serial bankrupter of businesses, the useful idiot of Vladimir Putin and the guy who insisted there are “good people” among murderous neo-Nazis that he’s still not fooling most Americans into believing he’s even slightly competent in his current post. Or that he possesses a scintilla of integrity. Better to have some vermin living in your neighborhood than to be one.
Well, at least Heinrich Himmler Jr. Here has stepped up and endorsed the masters words!!!..........Peace..........joe
Top aide says Trump's criticism of black lawmaker not racist
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/28/mulvaney-trump-cummings-not-racist-1438210
[Edited on 7/28/2019 by crazyjoe]
Trumpism is White Nationalism, grown organically. This is plainly evident.
The President is so concerned about Baltimore and the rest of America that this morning he went to one of his golf clubs for the 212th time since becoming President.
The division is deepening and all who pay attention are more than willing to choose a tribe to attack and defend at all costs.
Trumpism has conservatives mocking the government for not doing more to help poor people in blighted areas. Cue the Twilight Zone theme. Will Baltimore be the first in a long line of the poorest areas of America being improved by government assistance, with Trump and the Republicans leading the way?
Since the Sun published his editorial, The President has called Cummings a racist who is dividing the country. Apparently, projection really is a thing.
Every single member of this "administration" has the facial expression like the butt plug they are wearing is one size too big for em or something???.........Peace........joe
If you are Republican and you complain about Obama or you are Democrat and you complain about W you need a good smack upside your head. For the love of God in a nation of 320 million we have to be able to do better than this!
Unfortunately the people who support this administration do not seem to understand that the world they are creating today will come after them and theirs. At what point do you think that it will be something about you or your kids or future grandkids/great grandkids that won't fall into the net of who "deserves" to be considered an American. The president of the USA and his minions can now decide who is human and who is not. Today I might get caught in the net of the new republican dogma but trust me it will eventually drag in some of yours!
[Edited on 7/29/2019 by PattyG]
Criticizing a person of color is not racism. it is criticism. Hating a person of color BECAUSE they are a person of color IS racism. Under your rules no person of color could EVER be criticized by a caucasion. Democrats have overplayed the use of the word racism to the point that it is meaningless.
And BTW those babies you all are in favor of discarding at 5 months, 6 months, 7 even 8 months. They are human as well. What color do you think the majority of them are? Who is racist?
Criticizing a person of color is not racism. it is criticism. Hating a person of color BECAUSE they are a person of color IS racism. Under your rules no person of color could EVER be criticized by a caucasion. Democrats have overplayed the use of the word racism to the point that it is meaningless.
And BTW those babies you all are in favor of discarding at 5 months, 6 months, 7 even 8 months. They are human as well. What color do you think the majority of them are? Who is racist?
When the President talks about infestations, he ain’t talking about rats and mice.
Would you ever consider living in West Baltimore? And are you a racist if you say no?
the criticism isn’t what we think is racist. It’s the action of criticizing a group for something, while turning a blind eye to another group that’s doing the same thing. For example, it’s ok to admire Trump, but then you can’t complain about Omar or AOC for being unprofessional, because we know you don’t care about professionalism. If you can’t explain your difference in reaction, then you are making your own bed.
Are you drunk? It is not racist to criticize a person of color. It is racist to hate them because of their color. It is really simple but yet it keeps coming up. Omar says, “I would say our country should be more fearful of white men across our country..." Now see that generalization seems to have racial ovetones to it. FREE PASS. Why? You know darn well why.
Would you ever consider living in West Baltimore? And are you a racist if you say no?
Only if I could have at least some acreage around me for gardening. Or at least some acreage where I can plant apple trees, pecan trees, Fig trees, muscadines, kiwi, have a few deer, raccoons, opossums, foxes, squirrels, rabbits, I guess it would be too cold for armadillos, BUT, I don't think that's available in West Baltimore.
I didn't see any large tracts of land in any area of Baltimore last time i was there. (Except around Constitution Hall and the Liberty Bell.)
the criticism isn’t what we think is racist. It’s the action of criticizing a group for something, while turning a blind eye to another group that’s doing the same thing. For example, it’s ok to admire Trump, but then you can’t complain about Omar or AOC for being unprofessional, because we know you don’t care about professionalism. If you can’t explain your difference in reaction, then you are making your own bed.
Are you drunk? It is not racist to criticize a person of color. It is racist to hate them because of their color. It is really simple but yet it keeps coming up. Omar says, “I would say our country should be more fearful of white men across our country..." Now see that generalization seems to have racial ovetones to it. FREE PASS. Why? You know darn well why.
Considering the profile of most of the mass shooters in the past ten years, she's right on the money.
Facts are hard for trumpsters.
Considering the profile of most of the mass shooters in the past ten years
What, that the majority are MINORS?
Trump didn't call out Cummings because Trump cares about Baltimore. Plenty of towns and cities across the country have bad sections, and Trump will never mention them.
Cummings has dared to criticize our thin-skinned POTUS, and Trump always flips out and has a Twitter tantrum anytime anyone dares to challenge him.
This is yet another time our Tweeter-in-Chief wastes his time on the Internet stirring the pot rather than actually accomplishing anything. His base is delighted any time he picks a fight with a person of color, but he's only trying to defend himself from further questioning or investigation.
In the meantime, Jon Stewart is the guy who raised national outrage about the 9/11 responders while Republicans like Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul tried to stall it. Trump eventually turned it into a photo op for himself, but anyone who can read has been able to see that Jon Stewart cares more about Americans than Trump. Trump won't do anything for Baltimore.
Cumming district is a disgusting, rat & rodent infested mess. If he spent more time in Baltimore, maybe he could help clean up this very dangerous and filthy place."
Timing!
This is yet another time our Tweeter-in-Chief wastes his time on the Internet stirring the pot rather than actually accomplishing anything. His base is delighted any time he picks a fight with a person of color, but he's only trying to defend himself from further questioning or investigation.
Why must the left ALWAYS make it about color? He criticized Ellija Cummings. The only reason to point out he is black is so they can make it about race, particularly when the criticism is accurate.
Here are the key phrases: “no human being would want to live there,” it is a “very dangerous & filthy place,” “Worst in the USA” and, our personal favorite: It is a “rat and rodent infested mess.”
It is though
Considering the profile of most of the mass shooters in the past ten years, she's right on the money.
True on mass shooters which account for a very small percentage of murders each year. Who murders the most African Americans?
Facts can indeed be pesky.
[Edited on 7/31/2019 by KCJimmy]
Nice deflection - right on cue....... lol
True on mass shooters which account for a very small percentage of murders each year. Who murders the most African Americans?
Facts can indeed be pesky.
it's the consistent target of minorities while turning a blind eye to the plights of the meth and opiate-riddled trailer park communities across all the red states. All of these communities should be viewed with compassion for having to live on the bottom rung that is created by free capitalism. why kick them while they are down? how brave to pick on the weakest segments, such tough guys! directing all your focus on the bottom rung while turning a blind eye to the priviliged folks who had every advantage, is as cowardly as it gets. please continue.
So, are you for further taxation?...Or do you contribute your own hard earned $$?
It is quite the tightrope walk to be so very concerned about how the monstrous Ihan Omar has offended Jewish people while explaining why nobody ever should be offended by what Trump does and says, even when he took days to half-heartedly say that he didn't agree with people with torches chanting, "Jews will not replace us."
It is quite the tightrope walk to be so very concerned about how the monstrous Ihan Omar has offended Jewish people while explaining why nobody ever should be offended by what Trump does and says, even when he took days to half-heartedly say that he didn't agree with people with torches chanting, "Jews will not replace us."
They can not both be correct.
Considering the profile of most of the mass shooters in the past ten years
What, that the majority are MINORS?
The majority are white males.
Quite a few, including the most recent, have racist, anti-semitic ideas.
Next deflection???
It is quite the tightrope walk to be so very concerned about how the monstrous Ihan Omar has offended Jewish people while explaining why nobody ever should be offended by what Trump does and says, even when he took days to half-heartedly say that he didn't agree with people with torches chanting, "Jews will not replace us."
They can not both be correct.
Are you agreeing that the "Omar=Bad, Trump=Good" argument holds no water?
It is quite the tightrope walk to be so very concerned about how the monstrous Ihan Omar has offended Jewish people while explaining why nobody ever should be offended by what Trump does and says, even when he took days to half-heartedly say that he didn't agree with people with torches chanting, "Jews will not replace us."
They can not both be correct.
Are you agreeing that the "Omar=Bad, Trump=Good" argument holds no water?
Or: Omar=Good, Trump=Bad, holds just as little...
Considering the profile of most of the mass shooters in the past ten years
What, that the majority are MINORS?
The majority are white males.
Proving my point so easily, leave it to a Liberal to bring up color.
The majority are Minors, still.
When the President talks about infestations, he ain’t talking about rats and mice.
Funny.... Here it is straight from the Congressman's own mouth, talking about "Infestation"..20 years ago, but guess what?...They still vote for him...
It is quite the tightrope walk to be so very concerned about how the monstrous Ihan Omar has offended Jewish people while explaining why nobody ever should be offended by what Trump does and says, even when he took days to half-heartedly say that he didn't agree with people with torches chanting, "Jews will not replace us."
They can not both be correct.
Are you agreeing that the "Omar=Bad, Trump=Good" argument holds no water?
Or: Omar=Good, Trump=Bad, holds just as little...
I agree with what you are saying as it pertains to problematic racist comments.
Here is the thing, she is 1/435 of the House (.0023%) and 1/535 of Congress overall (.0019%), while he is the president. Which is a bigger problem for our country?
The Trump camp is obviously not that bothered by Anti-Semitism (Omar's problem) as seen in Trump's fear of alienating the "Jews will not replace us" crowd. However, the conservative media "outrage machine" has its followers acting like she is the worst thing that ever happened to our country.
How does that work? She complains about Isreal and lobbyists while Trump says that Americans in Baltimore are basically subhuman. But for millions of people, she is bad and he is perfectly okay.
Sure, he has an "R" after his name while she has a "D", so maybe that is why they feel like this false outrage is justifiable. But it can't be denied that he is white and she is not. I know that I am bringing race into it (just like you would predict), but this is literally a question of millions of people saying that a black woman is a racist while the white man is "the least racist person who ever lived". Race was kind of the main point of the outrage from both sides.
The point I am trying to make is that if people wanted to make it unacceptable for someone who gets too close to anti-semitism like Ihan Omar to operate in our political system, they would have a lot better argument if they were able to call Trumps's racism what it is.
. . .this is literally a question of millions of people saying that a black woman is a racist while the white man is "the least racist person who ever lived"
I believe the correct phrase is "least racist person in the world."
Don't you know it is racist to call a racist a racist? Racism is part of their culture.
I understand racists, have even been friends with them. Had them over for dinner. Talk to them online. They are people too, just like you and me. I certainly wouldn't want my daughter to marry one though. Some cultural traits will only disappear by dying off.
[Edited on 8/1/2019 by BrerRabbit]
