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Potomac Confidential
With Marc Fisher
Post Metro Columnist
Thursday, April 25, 2002; Noon EDT
Potomac Confidential fills the midday lull with discussion of the latest news and a rigorous slicing and dicing of the issues that define who we are and where we live.
In his weekly show, Washington Post Metro columnist Marc Fisher veers wildly from serious probing to silly prattle, and is open to topics local, national, personal and more.
Submit your questions and comments before or during today's discussion.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Marc Fisher: Thanks for staying inside on this wet, wet day. Today's column reaches from a street fight in Northwest Washington to the netherworld of the Middle East. Tuesday's column was a visit with seminarians and Catholic clergy to hear their dismay over the sullying of their reputations as the church mishandled its sexual abuse cases.
There's also lots of politics in the air, with the tiff over Mayor Williams' appearance on behalf of GOP Rep. Connie Morella, some intimations that the mayor might actually get an opponent in his reelection bid, and continued uncertainly in the Maryland governor's race, as we wait to hear whether Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley throws his hat into the ring.
But let's hear what's on your minds....
Washington, D.C.:
Look at me! I'm a protestor! I support the endangered sea turtle, recycling, banning land mines, and gay rights! I am against corporations, globalization, all Republicans, and pollution. I'm wearing Nike shoes, smoking a Marlboro, carrying a JanSport bakcpack, drinking a Mountain Dew, and I didn't vote in the last election. I'm carrying a sign I made myself from non-recycled paper and a Magic Marker (tm). Look at me! I'm accomplishing nothing by being out here yelling "Whose streets? Our streets!" The people I aim to influence are out of session, I'm not changing any minds because people think I am a trust fund baby with nothing better to do, and I'm ticking off half the city because I'm blocking traffic.
Really, Marc -- these protestors are only satisfying their own egos, so they can think they are actually helping their cause. Protesting in this day and age, in our advanced, developed society is inherently stupid!
Marc Fisher: True enough, the anti-globalization crowd is easy to parody because they seem to have little or no interest in reaching out beyond their own ranks, and their protests make no effort to educate the rest of us on the merits of their cause. I keep hearing from office workers and city residents who actually approached protesters seeking a discussion on their issues, but found themselves rebuffed by insolent kids who just wanted to get back to making mischief.
But the fact is that, as Police Chief Charles Ramsey very eloquently said in yesterday's excellent profile by our Petula Dvorak, without protests, we do not see the kind and pace of change that any society needs to remain fresh and responsive. Protests are a grand and important element in our history, whether for women's suffrage or civil rights, for the right to vote or the right to be left alone.
Takoma Park, Md.:
Why are you always so hostile towards the act of protesting? How can we be sure we have a healthy democracy if people don't exercise thier constitutional rights to practice free speech and petition the government, etc, etc. May I remind you that were it not for mass protests, African Americans could still be living under the aparthied conditions of 1950's America? What about Woman's right to vote? To reproductive freedom? The Vietnam War? Protests are a large part of what changes things in our society, not to mention the rest of the world. Yet somehow, in your cynical view, young people protesting the IMF/World Bank are not legitimate. Besides getting paid to express your opinion, what have you ever done personally to better society I wonder. Your blanket dismissal of protestors and thier issues just tells me you are derelict in your duties as a journalist.
Marc Fisher: I'm sorry you take my criticism of a couple of demonstrations as a blanket dismissal of protests. There are a few issues on which I have blanket, inflexible views, and one of those is the right to protest. I may think these particular protesters are misguided or unthinking, but I think protests are essential to our system.
New York Building Collapse:
Hey Mark,
Have you heard about the "explosion and collapse" of an eight story building in NYC? I can't find any info on the Web other than the breaking news trailers. washingtonpost.com:
AP Bulletin. TV news is reporting an explosion at the Apex Technical School in the Chelsea section of New York.
Marc Fisher: This is just coming in now.
From the latest AP bulletin: Unofficially fire department people on the scene said it may have been an
industrial accident.
Arlington, Va.:
I was really hoping it would be cold and rainy last weekend so all those protestors would get pneumonia.
Marc Fisher: Oh, come now, let's not be cruel.
Alexandria, Va.:
Excellent column today, with one caveat: you mischaracterized the Kitty Genovese case when you said that the 38 witnesses "watched" her murder. Actually, it was determined during the investigation that all of those people could have heard her screams during some part of the lengthy attack. Their failure to get involved or call the police when they heard a woman's screams was appalling and irresponsible, but someone unfamiliar with the case might think that the witnesses stood around gawking at her murder like the Chipotle crowd did at that fight, and that's not what happened.
Marc Fisher: Correct, and thanks for the details. Most of the "witnesses" in the Genovese case were aural witnesses, but the point is that they heard enough to know that something was terribly wrong, and still did nothing. I'm not sure we've progressed much since those days, despite the crowing of the cell phone industry about how we're now all reporting misdeeds as soon as we hear or see them.
Colorado Springs, Colo.:
Hi Marc:
Powerful column today. So what would YOU do if you were the president? Also, do you feel guilty for staying inside the restaurant? I think we Americans tend to feel quilty but don't know what to do about it much of the time.
Marc Fisher: Thanks. There's no denying that the situation is extremely difficult and that there is little upside for any president who invests political capital in seeking a solution. But I think we've seen quite frighteningly in recent months just how volatile that region is and just how enormous an impact it can have on the rest of the world.
The administration needs to get beyond the split among the president's advisers and assert itself in the Middle East. That means making it clear that we will support Israel's right to defend itself, but insisting that the expansion of settlements cease; and it means making it clear to the so-called moderate Arab states that their pro-terrorism rhetoric and support for suicide bombers must cease. And it likely also means a role for American soldiers, along with those of other nations, in physically separating the parties. That will be politically difficult and very dangerous, but in the end, there is no alternative.
As for staying inside the restaurant, by the time I noticed what was happening, others had intervened on the street and firefighters from across the avenue were on the scene even before police arrived.
Beltsville, Md.:
Marc, I disagree with your assertion today. I'm not entertained or disinterested in what's going on in the Middle East. In fact, I fear it's going to have larger consequences in the Western world than anyone can see right now.
My problem -- like most Americans -- is that I am unaware of the details of the conflict. I don't know the history of the region. I try to read what I can about it in the Post, but articles seem to be very short-term focused. I can read about what's happened in the last few weeks but, before Americans can take a side or advocate a position, we need to know the greater context of the fight.
It's ironic that you wrote this column today because I was going to ask if you knew of a recommended source for me/us to find that "greater context" information. I truly do want to know more about it, but I'm not going to learn anything from either side of screaming protesters.
Marc Fisher: A lot of readers keep asking for that kind of primer on the conflict, and I hope we can deliver that soon. In the meantime, check out this page--http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/world/issues/mideastpeace/--where you'll find links not only to the Mitchell Commission report on the Mideast conflict, but also to some smart and provocative pieces that have appeared in our Outlook section recently.
Sterling, Va.:
Marc, although The Post has been covering the Israeli raid into Jenin and other Palestinian areas, I feel that there is a sense of complacency, or bias, in the reporting. Look at other leading international and U.S. newspapers and you will see greater details of the atrocities that were committed by Israel. Why is The Post scantily covering these war crimes? Are these non-issues? I enjoy reading The Post but am increasingly getting frustrated over the lack of coverage of human rights violations in Palestine.
Marc Fisher: There's probably no other issue on which we get more outraged cries of bias from readers, but if it's any solace, I can tell you that we get it equally vociferously from both sides. In fact, most of the criticism I see makes the opposite argument, that our reporting is too weighted toward detailing the suffering of the Palestinians and not enough toward describing the impact of terrorism on the Israelis.
E-Guy:
We're not letting you off the hook that easily, Marky Marc. Suppose you HAD noticed the fight before others had intervened. What, truthfully, do you think you would have done?
Marc Fisher: Fair question. I certainly would have called police. I doubt, given the size of those bruisers and my own less than burly physique, that I would have waded into the fisticuffs.
Bethesda, Md.:
So, speaking of road rage, how about that guy with the Uzi? I mean, firing automatic weapons from a moving vehicle is bad enough, but the fact that it was the driver who was shooting kind of made me pause for reflection.
Marc Fisher: I think we can all agree that firing an Uzi from your car is bad form. If I were a diplomat, I would deplore the act. Since I'm not, I will merely fulminate in outrage that fools like that can get hold of Uzis.
Mitchellville, Md.:
Regarding your final line in this morning's paper, some may like to watch -- but our government is doing much more than watching with regards to the Israeli/Palestine issue, and we as citizens are in part responsible for the choices our government makes. And I definitely don't like what I am seeing our government support financially and with tacit approval of the military activities of the Israeli army.
Marc Fisher: That's certainly your right, but what would you have the Israelis do as suicide bombers enter their country and blow up their people with abandon?
To person looking for context re: Mideast:
This is a great book, and not too long or academic:
"War and Peace in the Middle East: A Concise History" by Avi Shlaim
I know very little about the centuries of conflict there and the region's history, and this book really helped.
Also check out the reader reviews on Amazon for some interesting commentary.
Marc Fisher: Thanks for the suggestion. I don't know the book, but I'll take a look. Other suggestions are also welcome, of course.
Alexandria, Va.:
I learned about the Kitty Genevese case in college as a study in social psychology. What I also learned was to help another women in distress, if I could. Several years ago, I heard a woman screaming across the street from the apartment I lived in. It was in the middle of the night. I looked out my window and saw some teenagers hanging out in a parking lot. Not seeing, but still hearing this woman, I opened my window and yelled out "LEAVE HER ALONE!" Then I called the police, who arrived and found this young woman (who had been hit by one of the young men in this group). I saw her return to the apartment under escort.
It was one of the most heart-pounding experiences I had, but I'm glad I did it.
Marc Fisher: Good for you. See today's excellent Richard Cohen column on our op ed page for another empowering experience in setting people straight.
Washington, D.C.:
As the last of the weekend's protesters leave, I think everyone is breathing a sigh of relief that things went as well as could be expected. One thing irks me, though. Why do the First Ammendment rights of protesters overshadow all other rights of D.C. residents and commuters? Closing Connecticut Avenue (along with Dupont Circle and several blocks surrounding the circle) during rush hour created a mess adding more than an extra hour to thousands of commutes home. What would have been so horrible about letting them protest on side streets? It irritates me that people who live and pay taxes in D.C. were treated as afterthoughts.
Marc Fisher: Good point. But there is an important tension there. No protester, whatever the cause, would want to be shunted off to some out of the way location where their point would be lost. Part of the purpose of protests is to disrupt, to break through our daily routines and get us to confront some issue.
The job of the police is not only to keep order, but to negotiate with protesters about just how much disruption will be permitted. I thought Ramsey handled this one about right; most of the protests took place outside of rush hour, and a couple were smack in the middle of the rush.
Re: Middle East background:
Read Tom Friedman's "From Beirut to Jerusalem."
Marc Fisher: Excellent suggestion.
Washington, D.C.:
Did I miss a big story? What guy with an Uzi shooting from a car?
Marc Fisher: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38106-2002Apr24.html
It happened Monday night. Ortez K. Marshman, 23, of the 6600 block of West Forest Road in Lanham, fired 21 rounds from a TEC-9 semiautomatic assault pistol and a .40-caliber handgun during four shootings in Landover.
Maryland:
Protests have had their time and place in American society, and have indeed shifted policy. I just think they're past their prime, so to speak. I am not trying to say the people shouldn't have the right to protest if they think injustices have been done, I'm just saying that they are kidding themselves if they think their protests actually get anything done, besides foster ridicule.
Marc Fisher: I don't know if it's the causes that are less compelling or the means of expression that is outdated, but you're right that protests don't seem to have the same power to move the populace that they had a generation ago.
I think it's probably the causes, because just a decade ago, I was privileged to witness some of the most moving and effective protests ever launched, as I watched East Germans and Czechs rise up against their communist regimes in peaceful, often silent protest that broke through the fears of their neighbors and attracted the middle class, middle aged people who are nowhere to be seen in our protests here this weekend.
The Last Colony:
So, did any of the protesters coming here to draw attention to inequities around the globe mention D.C. voting rights, as they blocked our streets?
Marc Fisher: Surely you jest. They probably didn't have the slightest idea that they were in a disenfranchised city. That would involve caring about where they were.
The old PEPCO building!?!?:
Have you found out anything about this? Last night was accosted by a homeless couple there looking for food. Its a little unnerving at 1130 at night. Still reeks like a toilet over there and it looks like the city is making no attempt at cleaning it up. Might make a good column topic.
Marc Fisher: Anyone know anything?
Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.:
What's the likelihood of a military coup ousting Anthony Williams as mayor? In my country, we have coups all the time and they are very good for the people.
Marc Fisher: Our tradition here, a bit less bloody than yours, is for people who don't like a mayor to support his opponent. In this case, there is no opponent. Yet, anyway.
If any of you might like to run, the field's open.
Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C.:
Hi Marc,
I'm a big supporter of our Mayor, but what was he thinking by fundraising for Connie Morella? Sure, she's a liberal Republican and has treated the District fairly well, but when push comes to shove, the Democrats are the only ones that would ever seriously consider granting voting rights to D.C. Chances of that happending would be much better with Mark Schriver, or whoever the Democratic candidate is, representing Montgomery County. What are your thoughts on this angle?
Marc Fisher: In theory, you're right, the District should get a better shake from a Democrat than from the GOP. After all, there's no more solidly Democratic jurisdiction in the country than the District. But in fact, that has proven to give the Dems the freedom to pay lip service to D.C. rights, while ignoring us every bit as much as the Repos do.
Would Mark Shriver be any more likely to support D.C. voting rights than Connie Morella? Hardly. Would he be more likely to support a commuter tax on the very people who put him in office? Not a chance.
The mayor played this badly, as he often does on things political. But the bottom line is that he still has no opponent, and people like you who consider themselves big supporters of Williams are not likely to change their minds over his appearance at a fundraiser.
Clifton, Va.:
Marc,
I am heading eastbound on Route 66 this morning from the Fairfax County Parkway. Midway between Route 123 and Route 243 a state trooper passes me in the HOV lanes. I noticed his interior lights were on and he had a magazine propped up on the steering wheel. He was reading it and turning the pages as he cruised down Route 66 at 70 mph in the rain this morning. Another fine example set by law enforcement. Failure to pay full time and attention and Reckless driving work for me!
Marc Fisher: Yes, but what was he reading? And isn't it nice to know that our troopers have taken to heart all those pro-reading campaigns?
Washington, D.C.:
Fire Ronnie Few! Fire him! This is ridiculous!
Marc Fisher: Yes, fire him. Or else, as Gary Imhoff wrote in themail, a D.C. email newsletter about city politics, we should all add Rhodes Scholarships and other such goodies to our resumes. After all, the city doesn't seem to care about such lies.
Silver Spring, Md.:
Since Mayor Williams has decided that he should help Constance Morella be reelected in the district where I live (and he doesn't), I'd like to contribute to whoever will run against him. Your prediction?
Marc Fisher: It's hard to imagine that Chris Van Hollen, despite an impressive legislative record, can overtake Shriver--a Kennedy who really looks like a Kennedy, and who also has a good legislative record--especially since there are a couple of other wild cards in the Democratic primary, who almost certainly will take votes from Van Hollen, not from Shriver.
Kickin' on the Mall:
With softball/kickball season starting soon, does the Park Service have any plans to open the parking areas in the Ellipse?
Marc Fisher: Got me. Anyone?
Wheaton, Md.:
On the Kitty Genovese case, one of those people who did nothing was my aunt's 95-year-old grandmother. Would I have called the police -- I hope so. Should she have -- I can understand why she didn't. It is not always as easy a call as it may seem.
Marc Fisher: It's easy to understand an individual fearing for his safety and choosing not to intercede one on one. It is not easy to understand why people would not pick up a phone and summon help. And it is also not acceptable that people would not band together in such an instance and, if possible, overwhelm an attacker, or chase him away with noise, light or some other such means.
18th and K, Washington, D.C.:
Hey Washington D.C. anti-protester. You just thought about it, and spent you time to write to a global Washington Post chat. Protest = Get issues out. Mission accomplished.
Marc Fisher: Quite true.
Rockville, Md.:
If Mark Shriver is elected, will he get his brother-in-law Arnold Schwarzenegger to make a movie in Montgomery County? I'd vote for him if he did that.
Marc Fisher: Given the amount of money that's going to be spent in that district and the likely closeness of a Shriver-Morella race, I bet he'd have his Austrian relation come to your house to give you a Tyrolean backrub if you wish.
Washington, D.C.:
What's the latest news on the Takoma Park Fire Station controversy?
Marc Fisher: No major developments. I've heard from various people on all sides of the issue since the column appeared (this is the case of Montgomery County planning to take the homes of an elderly couple and a single mother and her kids to make room for a parking lot for a new firehouse.) The city council seems quite open to considering alternative ideas, but the county, which will ultimately decide what happens with firehouses, is more wedded to its plan. And Takoma Park City Administrator Rick Finn, who was accused by one of the affected residents of having threatened her, tells me that he never visited the woman's house and never made any threats against her. Finn had not returned my calls before the column appeared.
Wheaton, Md.:
Look, I don't understand all the silly uproar regarding the mayor's fundraiser with Connie Morella. This partisan, political bickering is exactly what we need to do away with. People want responsible leaders who will work together to address real issues and problems -- exactly what those two politicians do. Regardless of a silly letter after their name.
Marc Fisher: That's exactly the attitude both Williams and Morella are hoping is quite widespread, and given the popularity of both of those politicians, I'd have to conclude that you're right.
For Kickin:
No, best hopes are the Washington Monument lot or street parking after rush hour.
Marc Fisher: Thanks for the quick response.
Arlington, Va.:
Yes, fire the Few!
I happen to have earned a Ph.D. legitimately at what is considered to be a fairly prestigious university. A woman I know who works for a government HR office says she almost never pays attention to advanced degrees because so many people pad their credentials on their applications.
Marc Fisher: I dunno--most of the institutions I'm familiar with go to some lengths to spot check resume claims. Especially given the well-publicized scandals around resume puffery in recent years.
Beltsville, Md.:
So is O'Malley running or not?
It would be nice for the Democrats to at least have the option of not being forced into having a Kennedy opponent.
Marc Fisher: Sounds like he is running, but I don't think we'll know for sure for another few weeks.
Dupont West, Washington, D.C.:
I have no problem with Mayor Williams supporting a Republican, but not Connie Morella. She voted with the freshmen Repubs and Newt to shut down the Federal government. It was ironic because she attended the 25th anniversary party for the company I worked for in Montgomery Co., and then did nothing to help when the contractors who worked during the shut down were not paid. She is a hippocrite.
Marc Fisher: Painting Morella as just another Republican will be the heart of the Democratic campaign this fall. She's certainly made party-loyal votes a plenty to back up that plank of the Democratic campaign. But she's also done enough on key issues of importance to Montgomery voters to make a case for being independent of party when local issues demand it. That said, the fact that a sleazeball nearly beat her last time heartens Dems. We shall see.
Woodley Park, Washington, D.C.:
Hi Marc,
Here's the latest from the NIMBY activists in Cleveland Park: a new restaurant, Bombay Bistro, has leased space in the newly renovated building at 3512 Connecticut Ave. The local ANC and other activists are trying to block the restaurant from opening, claiming there are already too many restaurants in the area and don't want Cleveland Park turning into "another Adams Morgan" (the horror!).
Believe it or not, city zoning commissioners are listening to them and are leaning toward revoking their already issued permits. It's ridiculous, of course Cleveland Park is a restaurant/entertainment zone, not a suburban cluster of mom and pop stores as it was in the 1940s. The most popular movie theater in the area, the Uptown, is located there, and there are already several popular restaurants and bars. We could use an Indian restaurant in the neighborhood, actually -- as well as a good diner, ice cream shop, etc. What's wrong with these so-called activists? Are they the same crowd that wants to label the Giant store on Newark and Wisconsin a historic landmark? Makes me want to move to a neighborhood like Columbia Heights that would welcome ANY retail or restaurants who wanted to locate there.
Marc Fisher: Yes, they're precisely the same crowd, and they are forever fighting yesterday's battles. In this case, they are still angry--and rightfully so--that Starwood developers were permitted to take over that entire block of Connecticut and oust a host of splendid little shops--ice cream shop, guitar store, a slew of unusual retailers. But restaurants would be vastly better than the sort of mall chain stores that Starwood really wanted to put in there (but couldn't get). The antipathy toward restaurants is largely a desire to keep people of lesser income and class out of that ritzy location, and the so-called preservationists leading that battle should be ashamed of themselves.
Washington, D.C.:
Painting Connie as just another GOP'er has been the Dem strategy for every single election against her, rather it was ultra-Liberal Ralph Neas or any of the other people. It never works and is a poor strategy.
Marc Fisher: It hasn't worked to date, but there hasn't been a Kennedy in the race before. And remember that the district is not what it was--it's been rejiggered to include lots of Democrats who have no loyalty to Morella. This one will be close.
Lexington Park, Md.:
Hi Marc, has there been any protest or anything stemming from your column a little while ago about the Arab schools in the area teaching hatred for Jews? Or are they still operating like nothing is wrong with their style?
Marc Fisher: I haven't been back to the school because after initially calling the column accurate and fair, they decided that it was an attack on their school and that I was no longer welcome there. I have heard from parents who are upset by the political content of the curriculum that nothing has changed and that kids are still being taught to hate.
Washington, D.C.:
How come the pro-Palestinian protesters got so much positive press? I went down, and do you know what I saw: lots and lots of Swatzikas andspeeches praising Castro, Saddam Huseein, North Korea, and cp killer like Mumia (of course) and H. Rap Brown, who killed a black cop and was convicted by a black jury (so much for conspiracy).
Marc Fisher: Good rule of thumb: Any demo that links with the pro-Mumia, pro-cop killing crowd is one worth dismissing.
Clifton, Va.:
Uzi are legal for sale as long as they are semi automatic. Don't remember if the gun had been converted to full auto. Marc you can buy an Uzi, too! However I recommend a nice Remington shotgun with a sawed off barrel. Better chance of hitting you target and your target staying down then an Uzi. The shotgun makes a better home defense weapon then the Uzi or a pistol.
No collateral damage since the slugs will not go through every wall in the house.
Marc Fisher: Such lovely advice we get around here. Thanks, I guess.
Downtown Worker:
Can you explain something to me?
I drive in an extra 60-90 minutes early to get street parking on the rare occassions that Metro won't fit my after-work activities.
I diligently pay the meter, getting down there before time expires so that the city will be rightly paid for the time my car is occupying street space.
So why do I get a ticket for being a space too long? It seems to me that if I pay them $.75 an hour -- dilligently from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. -- they should be grateful for the guaranteed revenue.
Marc Fisher: That's meter feeding, and while I too do it, I understand the theory behind the law against it. Street spaces are supposed to be for people with quick missions--a doctor's visit, popping into a store. Not for folks working downtown all day. That said, I always carry rolls of quarters to do as you do.
Well, we're over time, so that's it for this week, gang. Lots of good questions and comments, including many I couldn't get to. Back next week for more. See you then.
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