Anyone been here since the 80s / early 90s? How did smart locals react to Marion Barry

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I grew up in MoCo and have lived in DC since the early 1990s. I agree with much of this statement. Understood within the context of newly-granted Home Rule, Barry's first years were exciting and liberating for African Americans in DC. However, the short-term political gain of employment for a large number of city residents came at the expense of those on the receiving end of city services such as students, the elderly, children in the welfare system, the mentally ill, the sick, etc. I don't believe that Barry ever set out to harm his constituents but that, indeed, was the end result and we are still grappling with its lasting impact on residents today.

Thank you. Now let's ask why OP is even asking. Profound curiosity as to the decades-old opinions of DC's mysterious "smart locals?" Researching a book on corrupt mayors of places with "smart locals?" https://www.citylab.com/equity/2017/09/11-other-us-mayors-who-did-decided-to-resign/419910/

Hmmmm. Or could it be someone looking for false equivalence of Barry and Lee statues and evidence of "reverse racism" to throw in the faces of snowflake libtard family and colleagues at holiday parties?

While I regret taking the troll bait and posting to this thread, I'm a DC "local" who is sick and tired of people making veiled references to how stupid poor black people are.

STFU and move to Reston or Frederick or wherever the heck the politicians are pure.

I hope you feel equally indignant when you read the incredibly demeaning DCUM threads in reference to rural, southern white people.

[Anonymous]

At least Robert E. Lee was honorable. The late mayor-for-life was not.

[Anonymous]

How did smart locals react to Marion Barry

Regret I have to say this, but ... "then" there wasn't the same critical mass of civically involved, educated DC locals. Barry was more representative of his constituents than, at this time, you might be able to imagine.

[Anonymous]

You betcha.' When the mayor-for-life ran for re-election, his slogan was "He may not be perfect, but he's perfect for D.C."

Unfortunately that was true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At least Robert E. Lee was honorable. The late mayor-for-life was not.

Please explain yourself!

[Anonymous]

DC became a national laughing stock after that..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least Robert E. Lee was honorable. The late mayor-for-life was not.

Please explain yourself!

I actually don't have a major problem with Barry. White liberals had to look the other way a couple times when Barry said some racist things against asians (They didn't care when he did it to poles). I have some respect for him over being injured in the Muslim takover of the B'nai Brith thing in the late 70s... But Robert E Lee, though a traitor, was an honorable man, gentleman, and surrendered in defiance of Jefferson Davis, as Lee knew further deaths would be pointless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I grew up in MoCo and have lived in DC since the early 1990s. I agree with much of this statement. Understood within the context of newly-granted Home Rule, Barry's first years were exciting and liberating for African Americans in DC. However, the short-term political gain of employment for a large number of city residents came at the expense of those on the receiving end of city services such as students, the elderly, children in the welfare system, the mentally ill, the sick, etc. I don't believe that Barry ever set out to harm his constituents but that, indeed, was the end result and we are still grappling with its lasting impact on residents today.

Thank you. Now let's ask why OP is even asking. Profound curiosity as to the decades-old opinions of DC's mysterious "smart locals?" Researching a book on corrupt mayors of places with "smart locals?" https://www.citylab.com/equity/2017/09/11-other-us-mayors-who-did-decided-to-resign/419910/

Hmmmm. Or could it be someone looking for false equivalence of Barry and Lee statues and evidence of "reverse racism" to throw in the faces of snowflake libtard family and colleagues at holiday parties?

While I regret taking the troll bait and posting to this thread, I'm a DC "local" who is sick and tired of people making veiled references to how stupid poor black people are.

STFU and move to Reston or Frederick or wherever the heck the politicians are pure.

I hope you feel equally indignant when you read the incredibly demeaning DCUM threads in reference to rural, southern white people.

+1 I'm sick and tired of any group of people being dismissed in a demeaning way. Each person is an individual.

[Anonymous]

Glad he's gone from the DC political scene. He was an obscene embarrassment to the city for the decades that he plagued us.

[Anonymous]

Barry needs to be put in a historical context. Nobody in power demonstrated concern about black DC until he came around. And he did a lot of things to help that black DC remembers to this day.

I'm not going to defend the guy's effectiveness or integrity. But I do not blame people for voting for him. People will tolerate almost anything in order to be respected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Barry needs to be put in a historical context. Nobody in power demonstrated concern about black DC until he came around. And he did a lot of things to help that black DC remembers to this day.

I'm not going to defend the guy's effectiveness or integrity. But I do not blame people for voting for him. People will tolerate almost anything in order to be respected.

What did Barry really do about the poor? He probably dis-served them the most, because they were most dependent on public services, which during the Barry era were abyssmal. Barry arguably served quite well the political crony class that leeches off taxpayer-funded contracts. Most of the cronies moved to PG, by the way, so DC couldn't even tax their windfall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Barry needs to be put in a historical context. Nobody in power demonstrated concern about black DC until he came around. And he did a lot of things to help that black DC remembers to this day.

I'm not going to defend the guy's effectiveness or integrity. But I do not blame people for voting for him. People will tolerate almost anything in order to be respected.

Walter Washington didn’t care about black DC?

[Anonymous]

Who gives a *bleep* he's dead and long gone.

[Anonymous]

Marion Barry was a real crack-up!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who gives a *bleep* he's dead and long gone.

Now he's the Mayor-for-Eternal-Life.