TBSH Word of the day: SELF-SERVING

SELF-SERVING

1.
preoccupied with one's own interests, often disregarding the truth or the interests, well-being, etc., of others.
2.
serving to further one's own selfish interests.
[Origin: 1900–05]

The New Ward 8? How about a NEW neighborhood?

One thing that constantly baffles me when I see Barry's green and white campaign signs is his campaign slogan for a "new Ward 8". It would seem to me that that slogan would be better suited for lets say...a NEW candidate. In my opinion (and bear with me I am just a lowly constituent) if Barry is anything he is NOT not new. his own campaign slogan is direct slap to his previous terms as Ward 8 Council member.

When I think of a NEW candidate with NEW blood and NEW ideas MB doesn't exactly come directly to mind.

Perfect example. If anyone has every taken a ride out to MB's current digs on Orange Street you can see the markings of what was once a really great neighborhood at some point. Large single family homes with plenty of yard space. Homes that had been in families for years. Tall large beautiful trees. The type of neighborhood that you could imagine living as a child. Then there is the neglect. The several eyesores that are not only a slap in the face of a once really great neighborhood but which are threatening to breed more eyesores...more neglect.

Barry's modest single family home sits on the corner of Orange Street SE and 4th Street SE directly in front of a bus stop. From his front porch he would have a direct view to the River Hill apartments - a very well maintained apartment complex. Very suburban looking in nature but directly to the left of the River Hill complex comes the rental properties that time (and landlords) forgot. There they are 4 sad little multi family matchbox rentals in a row. 3 vacant (one due to a long ago fire) and one occupied but from the looks of how it is maintained is but a moment from being condemned. Sad little properties with broken windows, dilapidated fences, unkempt grass awash in a sea of litter. Each with it's emerald green "Marion Barr for Ward 8 Council" campaign sign. No better commentary than the sight of a campaign sign in the yard neglected home in a neglected ward.

Anyone who lives in this neighborhood is familiar with the blight, drugs and generally unrest that is that side of Orange Street SE. You have dealers and their customers walking up and down Orange Street across to the 500 b/o Oakwood and back. Drug trafficking is one of the worst kept secrets in the entire neighborhood. It's its own soap opera and drama played out on city streets there is the villain, the sidekicks, the innocent bystander but where o' where is our hero?

A walk down Orange St is an illustration of what could be and what has become. On one side of Orange Street (the MB) you have these lovely single family homes with well kept yards and potted plants , the hallmark of homeowners who still take pride in maintaining their homes...their community. Then on the other side of the street you have the typical matchbox "4 in one" rental units that are what comes to mind when one thinks of Ward 8. Transient, dirty, unkempt. The byproducts of two many people and too few jobs. The type of neglect that flourishes when t here is no accountability, of landlords who reside in the suburbs - their properties allowed to rot and become an eyesore and health hazard to the residents that remain. The community has petitioned DCRA, ANC 8C and Barry's office for some time for some assistance with these properties as well as the several known drug houses in that neighborhood (all within a 1 or 2 block radius of Councilman Barry's home) with NO luck. On the one occasion a resident was able to reach someone in Barry's office in regards to getting litter cans installed on Mellon street (FYI - MB has one right in front of his house) the staffer chose to ignore the litter can request and instead thanked the resident for "experiencing firsthand the fine works of Councilman Barry" (what?) and invited the resident to participate in MB's "campaign for a new Ward 8". Where is this new ward 8 and where can I find it?

On Barry's own street on the corner of Orange Street and 5th Street SE there is a "Deaf Pedestrian" sign that has been lying on the sidewalk for the better part of 8 months. Calls to 311 or DPW for service go unanswered much like the calls to Barry's office. The residents in his community have all but resigned themselves to the fact that the once great MB is either no longer as great or as involved (at least in a non election year). When one mentions MB in regards to neighborhood issues it is not to look to him for assistance but as merely a landmark to that current issue (ex. the vacant building closest to his house) or as a testament how Ward 8 constantly gets the short end of the stick - even from their own leaders.

Take a trip over to the 500 b/o Oakwood Street and on one side of the street you see progress. Homeowners (some new) who actually live in their homes, who raise their families and who go to work every day and then on the other side of the street you have a collection of properties that residents call "disharmony lane". Here you have several single family homes which are well known in the community as being known drug houses most if not all section 8 properties. It is not unheard of to hear fights or loud music coming from their properties weather it is 3pm or 3am. Despite the constant stream of dealers and their customers in and out they are still in business - less than 2 blocks away from the Ward 8 Council member...the "champion" of the people. Residents have seen MPD's Assistant Chief Groomes on the block more than MB and he lives there. When one asks when was the last time MB attended an ANC 8C meeting there is always a long pause followed by an even longer pause while one tries to recall.

There is a running joke in the neighborhood that the traffickers are MB lobbyists and they have more money and clout than a hard working, law abiding resident and until that changes hardworking residents who seek change are own their own.

MB if you are truly serious about a NEW Ward 8 why not start in your own backyard? There is PLENTY to do.

From The WashPo: Barry Tested Positive for Cocaine Use In The Fall. Drug Check Ordered After TAx Case Plea - Jan 11, 2006

Below is an excerpt from this article. To read the entire article click HERE.

Barry Tested Positive for Cocaine Use In the FallDrug Check Ordered After Tax Case Plea
By Yolanda Woodlee and Carol D. LeonnigWashington Post Staff WritersWednesday, January 11, 2006; A01
D.C. Council member Marion Barry tested positive for cocaine use in the fall in a drug test ordered by a court after he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor tax charges, according to two sources familiar with Barry's case.
Barry, who served four terms as mayor and was elected to the Ward 8 council seat in 2004, has since begun treatment for drug use, the sources said, but Barry's failure to pass the mandatory drug test puts him in legal jeopardy.
Because he violated the terms of his release, Barry, 69, faces an increased risk of serving the maximum 18 months behind bars -- rather than probation -- for his failure to file tax returns for six years. He is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 8, but a federal judge could jail him or sanction him at any time.
Barry, interviewed last night in his Howard University Hospital room, where he's being treated for hypertension, said he did not deny accounts of his drug test and treatment but declined to discuss his case. "Write what you want to write," he told a Washington Post reporter. "That's my official quote. No more, no less."
Barry pleaded guilty Oct. 28 to the misdemeanor tax charges, and as a condition of being released on his own recognizance, he was required to undergo drug testing soon after, court records show. But, according to two sources close to Barry and an official familiar with his case, the court's probation office notified U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah A. Robinson and prosecutors in or around November that Barry's test result was positive for drug use. Two of the three sources said the drug was cocaine. The sources asked not to be identified because a court case is pending.

From the Washington City Paper: Marion Barry is Fascinating

Marion Barry is Fascinating!
Posted by Arthur Delaney on Feb. 3, 2008, at 3:53 pm
In today’s Washington Post, Metro columnist Marc Fisher PWNS D.C. Councilmember Marion Barry for pulling a huge flip-flop on Mayor Adrian Fenty’s proposal to close 23 schools. Barry was grandstanding for TV cameras on Thursday, calling schools chancellor Michelle Rhee “bullheaded” and railing against the proposed closings. Less than 24 hours later, he’s shaking the Mayor’s hand and calling the plan a “victory for our children.”
Fisher asked Rhee what she thought of Barry’s flip. She said: “I thought that was fascinating.”
This entry was posted on Sunday, February 3rd, 2008 at 3:53 pm and is filed under Education, Marion Barry, Washington Post. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
One Response to “Marion Barry is Fascinating!”
Dennis Moore DCICC Says: February 4th, 2008 at 12:03 am
Councilmember Marion Barry can appear to grandstand and “flip-flop” all he wants for news media cameras. However, as a member of the Coalition to Save Our Neighborhood Schools, I can affirm Mr. Barry is nothing more than background activity as our coalition of parents, teachers, students and activist organize, command, control and spearhead the effort to raise educational excellence in D.C.
If councilmember Barry happens to motivate other members of the D.C. Council to support and empower our cause, that’s just fine. Throughout this effort and in the end, each coalition member clearly recognizes that any supporting public official is an employee of District citizens. We affirm and remind them that they are never entitled to their job, with or without their support for our mission. They also know we will remember in November.
Mr. Barry’s photo-ops are for us just a sideshow. The main event is the focused efforts behind the continuous growth, formidable activism and eventual success of this grassroots citizens coalition. Again, we will remember in November.
Dennis Moore, MemberCoalition to Save Our Neighborhood Schoolshttp://www.saveourneighborhoodschools.org/

Washington City Paper: "He's Still Marion Barry"

To read the entire article click HERE.

EXCERPT

"Barry’s overwhelming 2004 election victory was fueled by the familiar lofty rhetoric that keeps the faithful believing, even when the candidate made few appearances on the campaign trail. In trouncing incumbent Ward 8 Councilmember Sandy Allen, Barry promised to be a fighter for the community and a constant irritant to Mayor Anthony A. Williams on issues like gentrification, job creation, and the proposed baseball stadium.
He dusted off the old speeches, demanding that every child in the city have a summer job and reminding the grown-ups that, as mayor, he’d done the same for them.
The celebration that spilled into Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE on Sept. 14, 2004, after his primary victory was an explosion of pent-up frustration felt by residents of the city’s poorest ward. Barry was called a savior who promised a new day in Ward 8.
When Barry arrived at the council in 2005, many of his colleagues say they made a special effort to reach out to him. They publicly portrayed him as a valuable asset with great knowledge of how government works. Some made hopeful statements that the frail-looking Barry was really a wily old fox who would be a valuable ally in John A. Wilson Building dustups.
Barry had a familiar way of responding to overtures from colleagues welcoming him onboard. Two councilmembers recall lunch appointments for which Barry arrived more than an hour late.
His lack of interest in council business is explained away by more man-of-the-people rhetoric. Barry claims his most important work takes place in the community, not behind a desk at his Wilson Building office."

WashPo Editorial: OUT OF ORDER

To view the entire letter click HERE.

"Out of OrderMarion Barry is wrong to delay important repairs to D.C. schools.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008; A16

UNUSABLE BATHROOMS and outdated fire sprinklers and alarms may greet some D.C. students when they return to school in a few weeks. Angry parents can blame D.C. Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8). A few weeks ago, in reference to the city's efforts to complete unfinished repairs before the start of the school year, Mr. Barry told reporters, "Thank God we've got a change coming. Things are even worse than I thought." Now Mr. Barry is delaying essential repairs to District schools -- including many in his ward.
Mr. Barry has introduced a "disapproval resolution," a parliamentary maneuver that is delaying distribution of $8.9 million worth of funding for school repairs. The money would help bring D.C. schools into compliance with safety and health-code requirements, including the installation of exit signs and the replacement of expired fire extinguishers. It would also help fund the District's summer "blitz" to repair roofs, bathrooms and floors at some 38 schools. Schools will still open if those repairs aren't made, but they will be difficult to complete while school is in session. Mr. Barry has until the end of the week to withdraw his resolution opposing the funding. Otherwise, city officials say there won't be time to make the repairs.
City officials said that Mr. Barry told them he is holding up the funds in retaliation for the city's shuttering a youth summer enrichment program in his district. Mr. Barry told us that's not his motivation; he said he introduced the resolution because Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) tried to steamroll the school repair budget through the council without even a hearing being held. That may be a legitimate grievance, but punishing students is the wrong way to make the point."

READER COMMENTS:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/community/mypost/index.html?newspaperUserId=scorbett1976@hotmail.com&plckUserId=scorbett1976@hotmail.com wrote:
Seriously, as a District resident - one without children who could be affected by this, mind you - I will rejoice, and I'm sure many others will as well, when Barry finally parts ways with this earthly existence. In fact, we may need a parade.
8/6/2008 10:13:25 AM
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OrphanRed1 wrote:
As long as the parents of childern in DC keep electing Barry to office, they will continue to get the type of representation and government they deserve.
8/6/2008 8:59:17 AM
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From The WashPo: Metro Chief Cuts Barry A Break, Then a Check

Excerpt from the June 16th 2008 article. To read the full article click HERE.

From the Washington Post

"About a month later, Barry filed a claim against Metro. Metro tracked down the bus operator, who denied hitting any vehicle. There was also no damage to the Metrobus. Unable to confirm Barry's account, a mid-level Metro manager advised against paying the claim.
But this was not just any claimant. This was Barry, 72, the Democrat known affectionately by his supporters as "Mayor for Life," a former four-term mayor who won election to the D.C. Council in 1992 after serving six months in prison for a misdemeanor drug conviction. For three years, he has served on the Metro board, which sets policy for the agency, the region's largest transit provider.
So when his accident claim was brought to the attention of Metro General Manager John B. Catoe Jr. last year, Catoe decided to make an exception.
"We couldn't prove it one way or the other," Catoe said in a recent interview. "The reality is, he's a member of the board of directors.
"In my judgment, I did not feel that he would have lied about such a small claim," Catoe said. "I believed he was truthful, and I made the decision to pay him."
On Aug. 17, Metro cut Barry a check for $3,227.40, according to Metro records provided to The Washington Post in response to a public information request."

Without a doubt the best part of this article has to be the reader comments. Here are just a few of the best ones.

82AllAmericans wrote:
Man, this is too damn funny, so I’m sorry if someone has already pointed this out, but how can you be stopped in the “curb lane” and get “sideswiped” on the passenger side of your car unless the bus was on the sidewalk, OH, and I may be wrong, but I don’t believe that neither MLK, Chicago or W St are one way at this point so why would a bus pass you on the right hand side? Not picking on the homeless, but any five guys you see sleeping in the park can run METRO and this city better than those in charge now.
6/16/2008 11:03:30 AM

8-man wrote:
We should be thanking Metro for not buying him a new car stocked full of crack.
6/17/2008 5:11:38 PM

donmac1 wrote:
Typical? I wonder how many of us peasents could file a claim with no evidence a month later and get paid? Marion " I forgot to pay my taxes" Barry is sooooooo honest. Get real! For years he made DC the laughing stock of the entire country and continues to play the bufoons in DC like a violin! Given his history he should have called the police immediatly and been drug tested before cutting a check! It's called hit and run and is a serious crime. Catoe is obviosly one of Barry homies and should be fired! Anyone who is denied a claim by metro past or future needs to cite this precident and get paid!
6/17/2008 7:45:14 AM

scottweible wrote:
One is compelled to wonder why the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia does not --- with such obvious implications of graft --- immediately conduct an investigation not only of the entire Metro Administration, but of the Fenty Administration as well. Regardless of whether Mr. Barry is lying or not, this sets a precedent whereby everyone will now have to be taken 'at their word', regardless of whether there are no supporting facts to confirm their claims. This is an unbelievable abuse of power, crass political cronyism and the kind of moral bankruptcy that gives our children the idea that as long as they have 'friends in high places', they don't have to follow the rules. Mr. Catoe should be fired summarily.
6/16/2008 6:27:46 AM

tdiaz wrote:
Oh, wait! I just remembered that Metrobus that totaled my Bentley five years ago and gave me amnesia and PTSD. I'll just file a claim for $110,000. 'Cause, you know, I wouldn't lie. I'm almost as honest as a "recovered" crackhead.
6/16/2008 6:03:02 AM

dlockwood15 wrote:
You have got to be kididng me.. Does this guy have any credibility left?? He didn't call police??? Maybe he was engaged in a crack deal.... no witnesses.. whatever.
6/16/2008 12:49:34 AM

nomayo wrote:
Maybe that "b!tch who set him up" was driving the bus.
6/16/2008 9:36:18 AM

sonoma21209 wrote:
Metro General Counsel or Audit ought to at least get back the profit that Barry made on this. He got it fixed for $2200 and was refunded $3200. He owes Metro $1000 at the very least. My colleagues above have addressed other issues of the wholesale corruption that would allow this sad man in a very sad jurisdiction to continue to pump more cash into his pockets. By the way, who is watching Metro? Arent those our taxpayer dollars that we are just deciding to give away? Perhaps we ought to see what that manager had to hide as well. He is a crook, too.
6/16/2008 9:06:13 AM

Barry-isms

Found this on the net at , http://www.skeptictank.org/barry.htm. Someone needs to put these on a t-shirt!!!!

These are actual quotes taken from Mayor Marion Barry, of Washington, D.C.

"The contagious people of Washington have stood firm against diversity during this long period of increment weather." -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC

"I promise you a police car on every sidewalk." -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC

"If you take out the killings, Washington actually has a very very low crime rate." -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC

"First, it was not a strip bar, it was an erotic club. And second, what can I say? I'm a night owl." -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC

"Bitch set me up." -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC

"I am clearly more popular than Reagan. I am in my third term. Where's Reagan? Gone after two! Defeated by George Bush and Michael Dukakis no less." -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC

"The laws in this city are clearly racist. All laws are racist. The law of gravity is racist." -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC

"I am making this trip to Africa because Washington is an international city, just like Tokyo, Nigeria or Israel. As mayor, I am an international symbol. Can you deny that to Africa?" -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC

"People have criticized me because my security detail is larger than the president's. But you must ask yourself: are there more people who want to kill me than who want to kill the president? I can assure you there are." -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC

"The brave men who died in Vietnam, more than 100% of which were black, were the ultimate sacrifice." -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC

"I read a funny story about how the Republicans freed the slaves. The Republicans are the ones who created slavery by law in the 1600's. Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves and he was not a Republican." -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC

"What right does Congress have to go around making laws just because they deem it necessary?" -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC

"People blame me because these water mains break, but I ask you, if the water mains didn't break, would it be my responsibility to fix them then? WOULD IT!?!" -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC

"I am a great mayor; I am an upstanding Christian man; I am an intelligent man; I am a deeply educated man; I am a humble man." -- M. Barry, Mayor of Washington, DC

Why Now?

You either love him or hate him.

No one is more polarizing in DC (or National) politics than the self proclaimed "Mayor For Life", Marion "The bitch set me up" Barry.

In the best of circumstances the mere mention of his name will illicit chuckles generally followed by a "that's Marion Barry for you". The only thing shocking about the life and times of Marion Barry is the life and times of Marion Barry. With every new scandal...every lack in ethical judgement he trumps the scandal before and tests the true faith of his few (but die hard) believers and attest to the ineffectiveness of his detractors.

At some point Ward 8 probably even DC benefited from Marion Barry, he was touted as an advocate of the poor and disadvantaged, a man to get the job done but as Janet Jackson so eloquently said "what have you done for me lately?" Judging by the harsh criticism of posters on other Internet blogs and newspaper articles the resounding answer is - nothing to write home to mom about.

To that end it has been high time someone dedicated a little piece of digital space to the wonder that is the one and the only...

Marion Barry.