I read your commentary on the impending birth of Mayor Scott’s beloved child. I agree with you that every baby is a gift. I also see the opportunity for Mayor Scott to be a great role model after his child arrives.
What I don’t agree with is your attitude about other people’s opinions. Why pull yourself down into the dirt when your points are so valid? It doesn’t educate them. It just turns them off to the point where they would say, “Screw this paper. I’m not renewing my virtually free six-month subscription.”
I’m not a hater and I refuse to use that extreme word to describe anyone’s feelings, especially if I don’t know their story. I really like The Banner and I really want you all to be successful. I just think you need a broader view of why “haters” are who they are.
After all, you want them to be subscribers, too.
Kim Wagner, Bel Air
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Thank you for your column on the responses to Baltimore Mayor Scott’s baby announcement. While I am so disappointed to hear about the crude responses, I am, unfortunately, not surprised. I probably share demographics with many of the people who posted those terrible things — I’m white and I live in a suburb just outside the city. I’m also a military veteran. I have some college but have not completed a degree, though I’m still working on it at age 49.
I have a view and attitudes that differ from some of my peers. Maybe it’s the balance of my experiences — living around the country and the world, with wonderfully loving parents who emphasized education and kindness. This makes me sad to see such ignorance in so many people around me. More than sad, I’m infuriated. I see this kind of reaction all the time.
Charles Starkey, Halethorpe
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Thanks for writing such a direct opinion post in The Banner. You are spot on. I am a 71-year-old white woman who moved here from New York about 40 years ago. It was a shock to me to discover that Maryland was “The South.” Not that the North has no racism, we surely do. It’s just sneakier.
Baltimore grew on me, and I decided to stay. I’ve raised two kids here who are both determined to help Baltimore grow. I was a Brandon Scott fan from his City Council days, impressed with his energy, his dedication to his home and his wisdom for one so young. I wish his administration was suffering less upheaval, but all things worth having require hard work. I was delighted to learn he has a personal life.
Congratulations to him and his partner, Ms. Pugh. Life in politics is tough on a family. I hope they are ready. Marriage is an antiquated notion that matters more for division of property than love and fidelity. Maybe it’s time we stopped judging everyone for their decision to marry or not.
Ruth Roberts, Baltimore
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I’m at home in the city right now with my three children (2, 4 and 6). I just read a column which suggests that I’m dumb and probably racist. It really bothers me to get this from The Banner, which I’ve been championing since before it was founded.
I have no ill will toward Brandon Scott. I’m not religious. I’m not a Republican. I’m not sure why I feel like I have to say that. I do, however, feel fortunate to be a part of a family with two married parents. I have nuanced views on the subject but do feel like having married parents is a tremendous benefit for children. Is this a sensible view to hold? Is it OK if this view informs my opinion of our mayor? It sure doesn’t feel like it this morning.
Reading Ms. Streeter’s article, I’m wondering: Is this where The Banner thinks this conversation is or where it should be? This article does not acknowledge that there might be any substance to the other side of the issue from Ms. Streeter’s.
If we are going to discuss family structure, let’s at least be civil. This piece is vitriolic and presents no charity toward people who believe that two-parent households are something valuable and worth aspiring to — and modeling.
James Wolf, Baltimore
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If I knew how to add a “mic drop” emoji into this email, I would. But as a 71-year-old retired woman living in semi-rural New Freedom, Pennsylvania, my copy-and-paste skills are not what they need to be.
Your commentary was spot on with every point you made, and I enjoyed your writing style.
Keep up the good work, and while I can usually come up with zingers on my own, I’ll get props from my grandkids if I quote Taylor Swift: “Haters gonna hate.”
Maria Shaffer, New Freedom, Pennsylvania
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Thank you for your great commentary regarding Mayor Scott and his family announcement.
What has amazed me is that ever since Trump got a stage, people believe they have a right to hate and threaten everything and everybody without any regard for life and love.
I am personally very proud of the job and daily struggles that Mayor Scott has dealt with and his care for the city and its citizens.
I lived in Baltimore for over 65 years and moved to Rosedale a little more than five years ago. Baltimore will always have my heart.
I am extremely happy for Mayor Scott and his new “happy and fulfilling” adventure.
Joan Perzinski, Rosedale
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Thank you for writing such an awesome piece. I’m happy to see someone use their platform to address the foolishness and check those ignorant thoughts. I know Hana personally and have been defending them since the news became public. It can be exhausting.
I am in complete disgust that people really think as they do. And social media has allowed cowards to think they are doing something, hiding behind a keyboard so that they can say anything, knowing they wouldn’t let such words roll off their lips to the two of them in person.
Kirston M. Thomas, Rosedale
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I am grateful to you for calling out the hate and the haters. Thank you for naming the offensive language and diving into its loaded history. I am also disgusted that anyone had this reaction and decided that it needed to see daylight.
We see you and appreciate you and hope you are getting loads of support at work and through the negativity and pain associated with having to rehash this toxic racist nastiness.
I am deeply grateful for the Banner and bold writers like you.
Lesly Scott, Baltimore
