Charles Allen faces recall effort

[Anonymous]

The truth is they raised more money in 2 weeks than he had for his entire election. A year ago these threads would have been deleted and I know you’ve tried. So you are scared that your little gravy train is about to dry up and you’re essentially unemployable as anything other than the wrapper upper of useless services.

[Anonymous]

To be serious, it’s clear that DC election reform is necessary — primaries make no sense

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like people are just looking for a scapegoat instead of trying to formulate a real plan to get us out of this mess. There are a lot of people who messed up to get us here, and just removing one isn’t going to do anything. What’s the real plan here???

I do not think Charles Allen is to entirely blame for the current issues. I think we are dealing with a confluence of issues, exacerbated by the pandemic and made harder to address by the movement to "defund the police," and while I think some of what Allen did with the crime bill contributed to making it worse, I don't think he's the source of the issues.

But I also think he is wholly unqualified to address the current issues and has shown time and again he will not rise to the occasion, so I support a recall because we need people who will meet the moment, before DC slides back into the situation it was in 20 years ago. We have made too much progress to just let it slip away.

I also want Bowser out and would like to see Nadeau and Mendo gone. But not replaced by people like Robert White or Erin Palmer, who ran against them in the last election. White and Palmer are a lot like Allen -- well meaning but unprepared and too afraid to do (or say) what needs to be done.

We need to stop trying to placate people by pretending all crime is just the result of poverty and racism. Did you know there are poor people and black people who don't commit violent crimes? In fact, they are much more likely to be the victim of crime. Why don't we care about them?

It terrifies me that you think this philosophy is problematic

I'm the PP. Why?

I'm terrified of being carjacked with my young child in the backseat, because the idea of my child being harmed, or me being harmed in such away that I can't be with or protect my child, threatens the most fundamental relationship in my life.

But yes, do tell me how scary you think my "philosophy" that people are, on some level, individually culpable for committing crime is.

Because I work with this population and your desire to put them in a little carcerated corner and hope they don't exist is disgusting. These are people too and if you were born in their place you'd feel a lot differently.

WHERE did I say I want to put anyone in a "little carcerated corner"?

I said: "We need to stop trying to placate people by pretending all crime is just the result of poverty and racism." Let me be more explicit.

The people we are placating with this are people like you-- activists who hinge their own identities on the "help" they provide for poor, black communities. You are probably white, but you could also be POC from a privileged background.

It is important to people like you to believe that poverty and racism are the sole causes of crime in the communities you work in because you are afraid to allow yourself to evaluate the moral choices of poor black people, and acknowledge some are making immoral, criminal choices. You are afraid that making that assessment is a sign of your own racism.

But I'm so doing, you ignore the many, many members of this community who do NOT make those immoral choices, who deal with the same poverty and racism.

You are so afraid that thinking a young black man who car jacked might actually need/deserve to be incarcerated, because he is violent and terrorizing his own community, means that you are actually racist, that you double down on the idea that the carjacker must simply be a victim of his background. But unless everyone with his background carjacks, he's also making a choice.

Maybe he should be punished for that choice, which oh by the way might result in death, physical harm, or PTSD, for the victim of is crime (who is ALSO a person, one you apparently don't think if at all) so that he can't go make that choice again tomorrow, and make another victim.

But that idea terrified you because you worry you harbor racism and you combat it by pretending the people you are "helping" have absolutely no agency at all.

I don’t give a hoot if anyone thinks I’m racist. I did and now I really really just don’t. That hand has been overplayed.

The net result is that no sane person will get engaged in any attempt to do anything good or otherwise to do with anything possibly linked to anything and especially race.

You called everyone racists, you got disengagement and apathy at best. Possibly worse. You probably created a bunch of Trump voters and racists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The truth is they raised more money in 2 weeks than he had for his entire election. A year ago these threads would have been deleted and I know you’ve tried. So you are scared that your little gravy train is about to dry up and you’re essentially unemployable as anything other than the wrapper upper of useless services.

I read this three times and I'm not really sure what you're trying to say. I'm a teacher, and have not once asked for this thread to be deleted.

[Anonymous]

I have no idea who you are. The recall effort is real and a crie d coeur of desperation from the families trying to live peaceful lives and being gaslighted by the arrogant councilman.

The people who defend Allen smugly often bill themselves as concerned citizens or activists but if you look closer, money is flowing to them for superfluous services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea who you are. The recall effort is real and a crie d coeur of desperation from the families trying to live peaceful lives and being gaslighted by the arrogant councilman.

The people who defend Allen smugly often bill themselves as concerned citizens or activists but if you look closer, money is flowing to them for superfluous services.

Well, I just told you who I am. I don't receive any extra money from Charles Allen policies.
Could you tell me what you think will happen, in a logical way, if Allen is recalled. Who would you like to replace him? What do you think that person (serving as 1 of 13 CMs) will do to make your life more peaceful.

[Anonymous]

It doesn’t matter. The post staying empty would be much better than Allen in it. Many people agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t matter. The post staying empty would be much better than Allen in it. Many people agree.

Okay, thank you for sharing.

[Anonymous]

Thank you as well.

[Anonymous]

I think the PP often tweets in support of Allen, thinking he should be even more “bold” on education matters. I think this discussion was on two parallel tracks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the PP often tweets in support of Allen, thinking he should be even more “bold” on education matters. I think this discussion was on two parallel tracks.

No, I'm not 20003ist. I see you are a fan of his work

[Anonymous]

Not on twitter but looked up the recall hashtag. Nothing against the guy you mentioned. Seems to be a single issue guy but I can’t see all the tweets. Wish there was any content on what Allen did for education and what he’s to be “bold” on; I thought education prospects in the Ward are as challenging as ever which is a shame.

DCPS pays better than the private schools so should have its pick of teachers. What is to be done?

[Anonymous]

Coming late to this convo so I haven't read all the responses. Just wanted to say that I've lived in Ward 6 for more than 20 years and I am grateful that we have Charles Allen as a councilman. He is very thoughtful about legislation and tries to make changes when things don't work. His staff is great at providing services to constituents. And, btw, his office doesn't pay me.

Now go ahead and attack me for saying something positive about Allen. But just know that I'm not the only person in Ward 6 who feels that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like people are just looking for a scapegoat instead of trying to formulate a real plan to get us out of this mess. There are a lot of people who messed up to get us here, and just removing one isn’t going to do anything. What’s the real plan here???

I do not think Charles Allen is to entirely blame for the current issues. I think we are dealing with a confluence of issues, exacerbated by the pandemic and made harder to address by the movement to "defund the police," and while I think some of what Allen did with the crime bill contributed to making it worse, I don't think he's the source of the issues.

But I also think he is wholly unqualified to address the current issues and has shown time and again he will not rise to the occasion, so I support a recall because we need people who will meet the moment, before DC slides back into the situation it was in 20 years ago. We have made too much progress to just let it slip away.

I also want Bowser out and would like to see Nadeau and Mendo gone. But not replaced by people like Robert White or Erin Palmer, who ran against them in the last election. White and Palmer are a lot like Allen -- well meaning but unprepared and too afraid to do (or say) what needs to be done.

We need to stop trying to placate people by pretending all crime is just the result of poverty and racism. Did you know there are poor people and black people who don't commit violent crimes? In fact, they are much more likely to be the victim of crime. Why don't we care about them?

It terrifies me that you think this philosophy is problematic

I'm the PP. Why?

I'm terrified of being carjacked with my young child in the backseat, because the idea of my child being harmed, or me being harmed in such away that I can't be with or protect my child, threatens the most fundamental relationship in my life.

But yes, do tell me how scary you think my "philosophy" that people are, on some level, individually culpable for committing crime is.

Because I work with this population and your desire to put them in a little carcerated corner and hope they don't exist is disgusting. These are people too and if you were born in their place you'd feel a lot differently.

WHERE did I say I want to put anyone in a "little carcerated corner"?

I said: "We need to stop trying to placate people by pretending all crime is just the result of poverty and racism." Let me be more explicit.

The people we are placating with this are people like you-- activists who hinge their own identities on the "help" they provide for poor, black communities. You are probably white, but you could also be POC from a privileged background.

It is important to people like you to believe that poverty and racism are the sole causes of crime in the communities you work in because you are afraid to allow yourself to evaluate the moral choices of poor black people, and acknowledge some are making immoral, criminal choices. You are afraid that making that assessment is a sign of your own racism.

But I'm so doing, you ignore the many, many members of this community who do NOT make those immoral choices, who deal with the same poverty and racism.

You are so afraid that thinking a young black man who car jacked might actually need/deserve to be incarcerated, because he is violent and terrorizing his own community, means that you are actually racist, that you double down on the idea that the carjacker must simply be a victim of his background. But unless everyone with his background carjacks, he's also making a choice.

Maybe he should be punished for that choice, which oh by the way might result in death, physical harm, or PTSD, for the victim of is crime (who is ALSO a person, one you apparently don't think if at all) so that he can't go make that choice again tomorrow, and make another victim.

But that idea terrified you because you worry you harbor racism and you combat it by pretending the people you are "helping" have absolutely no agency at all.

I don’t give a hoot if anyone thinks I’m racist. I did and now I really really just don’t. That hand has been overplayed.

The net result is that no sane person will get engaged in any attempt to do anything good or otherwise to do with anything possibly linked to anything and especially race.

You called everyone racists, you got disengagement and apathy at best. Possibly worse. You probably created a bunch of Trump voters and racists.

I will never understand how kicking a mediocre white man to the curb for his role in the almost-overnight decline of a recently great city can be viewed as racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t matter. The post staying empty would be much better than Allen in it. Many people agree.

Indeed.