Commentary

When you consider the monsoon of violent images that flood young brains — on television, in video games, movies and social media — it’s difficult to see how one 60-second, anti-violence video could effectively counter all that gun-infested conditioning. It’s even harder to imagine a short video causing a young man in Baltimore, a felon on probation, to throw away his handgun and break from the perilous life that caused him to carry it.

Only 3 in 10 leaders at mid-size businesses nationally are upbeat about the national economy. But they feel good about their own industries and companies, according to the JPMorgan Chase Midyear Business Leaders Outlook survey. I hear all the time about Charm City becoming a great place for business, and based on recent local events and milestones, the future is looking bright.

Delusions, paranoia, poor judgment, grandiose thinking — all are symptoms of what behavioral experts define as thought disorders. It does not take a psychiatrist to make a diagnosis on Capitol Hill, where, fresh from their extended reckless behavior over leadership, the House GOP finds itself scrambling to find some way to keep the federal government open past the end of this week.

Last month, a man shot a Maryland judge callously and coldly in the judge’s driveway before apparently shooting himself, according to law enforcement; the man’s body was found a week later. The Washington County circuit judge, Andrew Wilkinson, had presided over divorce proceedings involving the suspect, Pedro Argote, mere hours before the shooting, and awarded custody of Argote’s children to his ex-wife.

We are Jewish organizers and activists who have worked closely with CASA for years in its efforts to support Maryland’s immigrant communities. We have always found CASA to be an organization that acts with respect, solidarity, and love for people of all backgrounds. We are outraged that elected officials are weaponizing Jewish pain in the wake of the recent atrocities by Hamas to attack and undermine CASA in response to its tweets criticizing Israel and calling for a ceasefire. To be clear: As Jews, there was nothing in CASA’s statements that we found to be antisemitic or hateful.

If Baltimore had only one homicide per year, that would be too many. Each life is precious, and no family should have to endure the heart-wrenching loss of a loved one due to violence. I start with this reminder of the sanctity of human life, because media discussions of homicide data and crime stats are often devoid of context and divorced from a deep concern for the victims, grieving families and communities experiencing trauma.

Nobody asked me, but if Mayor Brandon Scott can pull off even half of what he proposes for downtown Baltimore in the sweeping “action plan” he revealed on Thursday, it would give the city, and his reelection chances, a huge boost. Glad to see, in the plans for a spruce-up, an attack on graffiti. It is depressingly out of control.