Commentary

My favorite quote about writing — or anything else, for that matter — comes from George Orwell’s essay, “Politics and the English Language”: “The great enemy of clear language is insincerity.” Orwell’s insight was that politicians and institutions use meaningless phrases when they’re trying to obscure the truth, or when they don’t really know what they’re trying to say in the first place. I can only imagine what Orwell would have made of the nonsensical language of social justice education.

We’ve seen this before: An elected official responsible for public safety goes to Annapolis to implore state legislators to stiffen the penalties for people who commit crimes with guns. Numerous police chiefs and prosecutors have made the trip, and this week’s lead witness was Ivan Bates, the new Baltimore State’s Attorney. He wants judges to have the power to sentence to five years in prison anyone 21 or older caught with an illegal gun. The present maximum is three years, and Bates, a criminal defense attorney before taking office, knows well that most defendants consider a three-year penalty a joke.

In an effort to diversify the presidential primary process, the Democratic National Committee earlier this month overhauled the calendar, voting to no longer begin the nomination effort in largely white Iowa. Instead, South Carolina will kick things off, and Iowa will be pushed out of the early decision process entirely. Nevada, with its large Latino population; and Michigan, a swing state, will be moved forward in the primary schedule, along with Georgia.

Over the last year, I’ve heard hundreds of stories about the former greatness of Edmondson Village Shopping Center (EVSC). Developed by Jacob and Joseph Meyerhoff in 1947, the center was described by The Baltimore Sun as “a suburban shopping center of harmonious design, said to be unique in American city planning.” It was also innovative in giving design control to surrounding tenants and property owners. Sadly, many more residents report that they no longer shop there and prefer to spend their money at other retailers in Baltimore County. Social media influencers have shared posts and videos that joke about EVSC and warn their followers not to stop at a nearby gas station because it’s dangerous.

In a tremendous win for the Chesapeake Bay watermen, and downstream residents, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit recently issued a ruling vacating the issuance by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) of a 50-year license to Constellation Energy (formerly Exelon) to continue operating the Conowingo Dam hydroelectric power facility.

Upon hearing news that Maryland’s highest court had disbarred him, Joe Cassilly said, “Oh, whatever.” I remember exactly what I was doing when I read that soaring bit of rhetoric from the former Harford County State’s Attorney: sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and a copy of The Baltimore Sun on a Saturday morning in October 2021. To the allegation that he had intentionally withheld evidence that would have been favorable to the defense of a man convicted of murder in the 1980s — and lied about it for years — Cassilly said: “Oh whatever. I’m retired anyway.” To the court’s conclusion that he had violated both the defendant’s rights and the rules of professional conduct for attorneys, Cassilly made himself the victim.

Residents from across the state will make their way to Annapolis on Feb. 16 for Alzheimer’s Association’s Maryland Advocacy Day. Their mission is to let their legislators know how Alzheimer’s disease impacts their lives and to ask for support for three legislative priorities: community support for dementia caregivers, full funding of Maryland’s State Alzheimer’s Plan and expansion of existing services for seniors to age in place. These requests are personal. More than 110,000 Marylanders live with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia.