News & Politics

the Georgetowner Editorial Board • January 16, 2015

Hundreds gathered inside and outside the Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue Jan. 7 to stand with those in France and elsewhere in protest of the massacre of 10 journalists and two police officers earlier in the day in Paris by Islamic terrorists — and to stand for the right of free expression for everyone everywhere.

Three gunmen burst into the editorial offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical news publication also known for its provocative cartoons, shooting editors, writers and artists, and then shot a wounded police officer as they fled.

At the Newseum, many held signs that read, “Je Suis Charlie” (I am Charlie) and “Nous Sommes Tous Charlie” (We are all Charlie), supporting the right of the humor magazine to express itself, whoever or whatever is insulted. (The Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo had been bombed in 2011 because of its depiction of the Prophet Mohammed, founder of Islam.) Other signs read “The pen is mightier than the sword” and “Liberte. Egalite. Fraternite.” The group stood in front of the sidewalk display around 7 p.m. in temperatures dipping into the teens.

On hand among the crowd, many of whom were French, was Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund, who echoed the sentiments of many lovers of democracy and free expression: “It’s an attack against the freedom of speech, and what it changes is that you have masses of people gathered here in Washington. You have masses of people who are standing up today to say freedom of press is critical.”

Lagarde also appeared at a silent march organized by the French Embassy on Jan. 11. The march progressed from the Newseum to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and was led by Gerard Araud, France’s ambassador to the U.S. The Washington Post estimated that 3,000 people marched with Araud.

On both occasions, the group chose the Newseum because the non-profit is a well-known museum of journalism with a mission “to champion the five freedoms of the First Amendment through exhibits, public programs and education.”

In the wake of the Jan. 7 terror attacks, the museum wrote: “The Newseum joins with journalists and all others who support freedom of expression to declare that such cowardly attempts to thwart free speech and a free press will not succeed, and that all people should be able to express themselves freely and without fear.”

Gary Tischler •

Are you ready for the 2024 Olympics?

Some powerful folks in the District of Columbia are hoping that the city will get a strong shot at hosting the Olympics that year.

That includes Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser, who’s now joined a delegation heading to San Francisco tomorrow to make a final pitch for the District as a candidate to host the 2024 Olympics. The delegation, which includes Bowser, D.C. 2024 chairman and Caps and Wizards owner Ted Leonsis, Russ Ramsey, former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and Montgomery County Olympic swimming superstar Katie Ledecky, will make the city’s final pitch in front of the U.S. Olympic Committee in the city by the bay.

Advocates of bringing the Olympics to the District argue that a number of factors make D.C. a great place to host the Olympics: the city is ready and able to handle large crowds with regard to transportation and security; it is located near other cities like Richmond, Annapolis and Baltimore, which could host some events; and has a number of areas that would benefit from Olympic-sized economic development.

According to reports in the City Paper, District Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, after hearing from Olympic bid advocates, moved the legislative portion of the committee meeting to Wednesday. That allowed the mayor-elect, who’s still a council member, to join the delegation in San Francisco to push for D.C.’s bid.

D.C. will face off against San Francisco, Boston and Los Angeles in front of the USOC. USOC can choose one city to present to the International Olympic Committee for further determination, or decline to endorse any U.S. city. The U.S. hasn’t hosted the summer Olympics since 1996.

Gary Tischler •

Only two days in and newly sworn-in District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser was already on “Meet the Press.”

What caused all this ruckus? No ruckus. It appears that Chuck Todd of NBC News, himself a newbie as “Meet the Press” moderator, happened to notice, if not a trend, an actual first as of Sunday.

While women make up at least half of the population, their representation is not near that percentile for representation in legislatures and public executive positions. The leadership of Washington, D.C., is a stand-out with a female triumvirate in power.

With the swearing-in of Bowser Jan. 2, Washington, D.C., becomes—yes—the only city among the country’s 50 top municipalities to have women in the three leading jobs of mayor, school chancellor and police chief.

Thus, in a heavily promoted Sunday morning segment, “The Women Who Run Washington,” Todd of “Meet the Press” interviewed Bowser, D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Cathy Lanier in full uniform.

Bowser happily announced, “We want the whole world to know we are a city on the move.”

Todd noted that “Meet the Press” was a show usually dominated by discussions of national and international events with interviews with such female leaders as Hillary Clinton. “Well, guess what, the city is already run by all women,” he said.

Todd twice pressed Bowser—who was upbeat throughout—whether she would sue Congress over its opposition and possible challenge to enactment of Proposition 71, the marijuana legalization proposal approved by voters. Bowser, didn’t exactly take the bait, saying only, “We’re going to explore every option” and “We want to work with our Congress, and we want the will of the residents of D.C. to be enforced.”

Henderson was also upbeat, saying more and more families were opting to send their children to D.C. public schools, although many of those are sending them to charter schools, which are a part of D.C. public schools.

Addressing the issue of protests in the streets—which have been largely peaceful in the District—in the wake of Ferguson and New York, Lanier said, “I think it’s really about building those strong relationships with the community and you really have to do it every single day.”

The discussion did not include comments about recent incidents in which one man was shot and killed by police who said he fired on them, and another was wounded.

Talking about transportation in another conversation over the weekend with NBC4 News, Bowser seemed especially enthusiastic about public transportation, especially Metro, and especially buses. “Our Metro system is really the engine of this region and we have to make sure that the system has the money that it needs to continue.

“I think, really,” she said, “that our future is in the bus.”

Robert Devaney •

Hundreds gathered inside and outside the Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue Jan. 7 to stand with those in France and elsewhere in protest of the massacre of 10 journalists and two police officers earlier in the day in Paris by Islamic terrorists — and to stand for the right of free expression for everyone everywhere.

Three gunmen burst into the editorial offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical news publication also known for its provocative cartoons, shooting editors, writers and artists, and then shot a wounded police officer as they fled.

At the Newseum, many held signs that read, “Je Suis Charlie” (I am Charlie) and “Nous Sommes Tous Charlie” (We are all Charlie), supporting the right of the humor magazine to express itself, whoever or whatever is insulted. (The Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo had been bombed in 2011 because of its depiction of the Prophet Mohammed, founder of Islam.) Other signs read “The pen is mightier than the sword” and “Liberte. Egalite. Fraternite.” The group stood in front of the sidewalk display around 7 p.m. in temperatures dipping into the teens.

On hand among the crowd, many of whom were French, was Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund, who echoed the sentiments of many lovers of democracy and free expression: “It’s an attack against the freedom of speech, and what it changes is that you have masses of people gathered here in Washington. You have masses of people who are standing up today to say freedom of press is critical.”

The group had thought of standing in front of the White House but chose the Newseum because the non-profit is a well-known museum of journalism and its history along with its primary “mission is to champion the five freedoms of the First Amendment through exhibits, public programs and education.”

The sanctuary to news and reporting wrote this about the Jan. 7 terrorist act: “The Newseum joins with journalists and all others who support freedom of expression to declare that such cowardly attempts to thwart free speech and a free press will not succeed, and that all people should be able to express themselves freely and without fear.”
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Robert Devaney •

Yes, the whispers about its closing have been confirmed: the popular Glover Park Hardware Store, at 2251 Wisconsin Ave. NW for almost 10 years, will close its door Jan. 15.

“We had a deal and the landlord decided at the last minute to lease to someone else,” owner Gina Schaefer told the Current Newspapers in an email. “It felt like the worst part of business.” . . . “We like to think of ourselves as members of the community and a desirable tenant. We are easy to negotiate with. None of that worked in our favor this time.”

Schaefer said that lease renewal talks with property owner Chesapeake Realty Partners stopped about a month ago and that she would like to reopen Glover Park Hardware in the neighborhood. There will be a clearance sale in January before the hardware store closes.

Other small hardware stores nearby include Bredice Brothers Hardware and Shoe Repair at 1305 35th St. NW, District Hardware and Bike Shop at 1108 24th St. NW and Schaefer’s other Ace Hardware store in Tenleytown.

Gary Tischler •

Somewhere in time, the Golden Globe Awards, the annual movie and television awards show presented by 93 mostly obscure members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association became a must-watch Sunday night television event.

It’s still the big Hollywood awards party that it’s always been, with nominees and their entourages hanging out at tables, heading for the bar periodically and restrooms, while awards for acting, screenwriting, directing and music in movie and television land, with an added twist that movies have both musical-comedy and drama categories.

The Golden Globes’ rise to prominence probably coincided with the rise of the red carpet walks by celebrities, artists, and actors and their spouses and companions as a major component of the show, along with the practice of stars being asked “who” they were wearing while an army of paparazzi, television reporters (celebrities themselves) and print journalists, tweeters and bloggers yelled to be recognized.

It’s all well and good, and like most of the world—presumably the internet service is up in North Korea—I did my must-see duty, mostly because I couldn’t help myself. I mean, the depravity, the cleavage, the first Hollywood appearance of George Clooney and his bride Amal Alamuddin, Ricky Gervais, Tina and Amy, and that director-writer from “Birdman,” Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, and “Boyhood” which took 12 years to make, and Billy Bob Thornton’s best speech ever, and Jennifer Lopez and—words failed me there, lest I get abused by an irate commenter.

Even as co-hosts (for the last time, reportedly) Tina Fey and Amy Poehler razzed Clooney again, and, as promised, took on the Bill Cosby saga, and Kevin Spacey apparently overloaded the bleeper, even as the word ass was used twice—Spacey asking an interview if she’d like her to grab her ass, and Globe winner for best actress a drama series Ruth Wilson for “The Affair” complimented co-star Dominick West by telling him that “your ass is a thing of great beauty,” even with all that, the Globes were:

Kinda interesting. Kinda classy.

Even in an event like this, where there is no such thing as wretched excess, only excess, good things can happen to good people, for one thing, and for another, even inside a Hollywood hotel with a ballroom full of Hollywood elites (not you, Ricky Gervais), the world outside was a major presence.

The Globes with its odd category setup always manages to make some silly choices or some you’re not likely to see anywhere else—remember the Madonna win for “Evita” many years ago?

It seems also to favor the outsider spirit, the odd little movie that nobody but the membership and maybe friends and family have seen. These are the kinds of movies—“Still Alice,” which won Julianne Moore a best actress award—or television offerings—the Sundance TV offering, “The Honorable Woman,” which got Maggie Gyllenhaal an award, plus Jennifer Aniston’s “Cake,” which did not get an award—which deserve to come up in the very least for air at a major awards show.

The Globes picks are always dotted with long shots and a couple of Brits—guaranteed. This year’s major Brit was the rising star Eddie Redmayne, who got the best actor award in a drama for playing physicist Stephen Hawking. This year’s long shots were Matt Bomer for “The Normal Heart,” Jeffrey Tambor for “Transparent” and veteran J.K. Simmons for “Whiplash,” which I defy you to find in a theater. Simmons is one of the deserving ones—a craggy, balding, no-nonsense actor who played a recurring shrink on the Law and Order shows, and has a big gig in a State Farmers Insurance group and voiced the yellow M&M in commercials.

There is always a lot of buzz about dresses and clothes, now that the Red Carpet and the fashionista world are imbedded with each other. It’s still a little startling, however, to watch a tough guy like Liv Schreiber tell an interviewer, “I’m wearing Prada.”

It’s also a little, well, amazing, to hear how many times people, clothes, roles, jewelry, wives and husbands are called, well, amazing. I tried to count but stopped at a thousand. And that’s amazing.

People will talk, of course. You couldn’t shut Ricky Gervais up if you tried. They let him be a presenter, after finally not letting him be a host again.

There were great moments that were heart-felt and even resonant of the world outside: Tambor dedicated his award to the transgender community; Michael Keaton, winning for “Birdman,” saluted his son Sean as “kind, smart, did I say kind” and teared up; “The Grand Budapest Hotel” won best musical-comedy picture, which I loved, and “Selma” did not, a result which I did not love.

But it took Clooney to make us remember why we think he’s kind of a classy guy.

For one thing, while all this schmalzarei was going on, a million Frenchmen and several world leaders, including Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, marched down the Boulevard Voltaire to show unity in the face of terrorist murders at the satiric publication Charlie Hebdo, where 12 persons were murdered, as well as for those killed at the kosher supermarket.

Clooney and his wife Amal, a human rights attorney, wore “Je Suis Charlie” buttons, as did many among those attending. But Clooney himself pointed out the outrage and blew an emotional kiss by expressing his luck in love at a later age. More than that, speaking in a room full of the most competitive people in the world, he mindfully told nominees, “If you are in this room, you’ve caught the brass ring.”

Amos Gelb •

# JesuisCharlie, or to be more precise, # NoussommesCharlie.

In the aftermath of the tragic and horrific attack on the French version of the Onion satirical magazine (could we imagine that happening here?) there are two things that stand out.

First: Charlie Hedo-deniers – those like Hofstra University Professor Hussein Rashid’s recent column in the Washington Post that describe the French magazine content as racist.

Perhaps it was, but considering how small the magazine’s readership was in France isn’t it a bit ironic that critics like Rashid, who may never heard of the magazine until the shooting and almost certainly do not have a subscription, propound with such absolute confidence in characterizing its contents? Easy to snipe at a dead editor!

Charlie Hebdo might have been inappropriate at times, but it is time for arm chair commentators like Rashid to stop this blame-transferring and get back to the simple fact – the problem was not Hebdo or its content – it was the guys with the guns.

That sort of logic echoes the misplaced commentary after 9-11 of headlines like “why do they hate us?” as if those attacks were somehow justified.

Second: we all want to know whether these murderous thugs were talking to like-minded nuts in the U.S. – and, if so, who are they? The obvious question: are they setting the stage for similar attacks in the U.S.?

But how can we find that out? How can our national security apparatus protect us, because if an attack like this should happen the fingers will inevitably start pointing?

The answer includes checking the telephone records and using them to catch would-be attackers before they get started. But hang on. Haven’t we just had a gut-wrenching national debate over just that kind of bulk telephony metadata collection? Patriot Act Section 215 ring any bells?

“End it!” “Violation of civil rights!” “Police state!” The general charge – that sort of thing is un-American.

Section 215 expires in June and privacy advocates are screaming not to renew it. It is a new world, an unfriendly world, and Hebdo frightening points out – a world that is coming. Might All Things Media suggest that the idea of gathering this kind of data – without safeguards about personal identification until actions like #JesuisCharlie triggers more investigation — is not such a bad idea.

This is so that we don’t have to read columns that suggest somehow we were somehow asking for it, when Hebdo barbarism happens here.