Renaming F.W. Ballou High School to Marion Barry, Jr., Senior High School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about a new recreation center or renaming employment agency on Minnesota ave. after him.

Renaming a school is just dumb.

why's that? he did achieve a masters in chemistry from Fisk and began a PHD program before drop out to pursue civil rights work. For all of his well documented failings Barry did not lack for education

Yes, Barry was the original "Breaking Bad" mayor.

For all of DCPS' challenges today, the DC public schools were a shambles when Barry was on the school board and later in the mayor's office. He turned them into patronage engines, while instruction suffered, textbooks were never ordered and bathrooms even lacked toilet paper. I can think of nothing more inappropriate than naming a school or educational institution after Barry.

everything he touched was a patronage machine so what's the point in singling out schools? I'm all for a big dumb useless bronze statue in front of the Wilson Building if it satisfies the perfunctory memorialization.

If it includes his crack pipe. Seriously, when you see students at Wm & Mary wanting to take down Thomas Jefferson's statue, why would present-day DC spend taxpayers' money to commemorate a crooked, racist buffoon?

Or you could take the 21st Century view that he was an addict and struggled with addiction. Not unlike former presidents Grant, Harding, Cleveland, Johnson in that regard.

[Anonymous]

I think we should rename the whole city to Marion Barry, DC. That would put a stick in the eye of anti-statehood folks on Capitol Hill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A petition has begun to circulate to have this done in time for the grand-opening of the new school.

Terrible idea. Marion Barry may have been a Civil Rights leader once upon a time. However, his personal history is so sordid, and his legacy is so tarnished, that his name is an everlasting embarrassment to the District of Columbia. The culture of graft and corruption, tenure without merit, permanent placement of incompetence is more than embarrassing. His very name is a monument to a 3rd world style government in what used to be the capital of the free world. One cringes at the thought of having to memorialize it/him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about a new recreation center or renaming employment agency on Minnesota ave. after him.

Renaming a school is just dumb.

why's that? he did achieve a masters in chemistry from Fisk and began a PHD program before drop out to pursue civil rights work. For all of his well documented failings Barry did not lack for education

Yes, Barry was the original "Breaking Bad" mayor.

For all of DCPS' challenges today, the DC public schools were a shambles when Barry was on the school board and later in the mayor's office. He turned them into patronage engines, while instruction suffered, textbooks were never ordered and bathrooms even lacked toilet paper. I can think of nothing more inappropriate than naming a school or educational institution after Barry.

everything he touched was a patronage machine so what's the point in singling out schools? I'm all for a big dumb useless bronze statue in front of the Wilson Building if it satisfies the perfunctory memorialization.

If it includes his crack pipe. Seriously, when you see students at Wm & Mary wanting to take down Thomas Jefferson's statue, why would present-day DC spend taxpayers' money to commemorate a crooked, racist buffoon?

If you think he won't be memorialized then you seriously do not understand the first thing about DC. I'd rather see it like the old dead dudes on horses -- big on symbolism and little on meaning

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think we should rename the whole city to Marion Barry, DC. That would put a stick in the eye of anti-statehood folks on Capitol Hill.

I'm a long-time resident and completely anti-statehood. I couldn't care less about Capitol Hill (by which I mean, and you surely do too - the legislators, and not the actual residents of the District).

DC's self-management is barely competent, completely untrustworthy, and riddled with corruption. DC would be to the U.S. as Greece is to the EU: a place of monuments to visit fondly, with full recognition that it's fueled by graft, and fiduciary incompetence.

The idea of DC statehood makes me laugh. The only thing that would make it workable, would be instead to declare DC a tax shelter. No federal vote = no federal income tax. We'd have so many financially aware and capable people move in, that within a couple of years it would actually make sense to give DC a vote. Until then, no. No way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about a new recreation center or renaming employment agency on Minnesota ave. after him.

Renaming a school is just dumb.

why's that? he did achieve a masters in chemistry from Fisk and began a PHD program before drop out to pursue civil rights work. For all of his well documented failings Barry did not lack for education

Yes, Barry was the original "Breaking Bad" mayor.

For all of DCPS' challenges today, the DC public schools were a shambles when Barry was on the school board and later in the mayor's office. He turned them into patronage engines, while instruction suffered, textbooks were never ordered and bathrooms even lacked toilet paper. I can think of nothing more inappropriate than naming a school or educational institution after Barry.

everything he touched was a patronage machine so what's the point in singling out schools? I'm all for a big dumb useless bronze statue in front of the Wilson Building if it satisfies the perfunctory memorialization.

If it includes his crack pipe. Seriously, when you see students at Wm & Mary wanting to take down Thomas Jefferson's statue, why would present-day DC spend taxpayers' money to commemorate a crooked, racist buffoon?

Or you could take the 21st Century view that he was an addict and struggled with addiction. Not unlike former presidents Grant, Harding, Cleveland, Johnson in that regard.

His addiction, or additions, were just part of it. He was a crook, tax cheat, egregiously incompetent mayor, clownish council member and a racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about a new recreation center or renaming employment agency on Minnesota ave. after him.

Renaming a school is just dumb.

why's that? he did achieve a masters in chemistry from Fisk and began a PHD program before drop out to pursue civil rights work. For all of his well documented failings Barry did not lack for education

Yes, Barry was the original "Breaking Bad" mayor.

For all of DCPS' challenges today, the DC public schools were a shambles when Barry was on the school board and later in the mayor's office. He turned them into patronage engines, while instruction suffered, textbooks were never ordered and bathrooms even lacked toilet paper. I can think of nothing more inappropriate than naming a school or educational institution after Barry.

everything he touched was a patronage machine so what's the point in singling out schools? I'm all for a big dumb useless bronze statue in front of the Wilson Building if it satisfies the perfunctory memorialization.

If it includes his crack pipe. Seriously, when you see students at Wm & Mary wanting to take down Thomas Jefferson's statue, why would present-day DC spend taxpayers' money to commemorate a crooked, racist buffoon?

If you think he won't be memorialized then you seriously do not understand the first thing about DC. I'd rather see it like the old dead dudes on horses -- big on symbolism and little on meaning

Oh, with DC's corrupt crony political culture still around, Barry will be memorialized all right. When they put up the statue, at least my dog will have something bigger than a fire plug to aim at.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about a new recreation center or renaming employment agency on Minnesota ave. after him.

Renaming a school is just dumb.

why's that? he did achieve a masters in chemistry from Fisk and began a PHD program before drop out to pursue civil rights work. For all of his well documented failings Barry did not lack for education

Yes, Barry was the original "Breaking Bad" mayor.

For all of DCPS' challenges today, the DC public schools were a shambles when Barry was on the school board and later in the mayor's office. He turned them into patronage engines, while instruction suffered, textbooks were never ordered and bathrooms even lacked toilet paper. I can think of nothing more inappropriate than naming a school or educational institution after Barry.

everything he touched was a patronage machine so what's the point in singling out schools? I'm all for a big dumb useless bronze statue in front of the Wilson Building if it satisfies the perfunctory memorialization.

If it includes his crack pipe. Seriously, when you see students at Wm & Mary wanting to take down Thomas Jefferson's statue, why would present-day DC spend taxpayers' money to commemorate a crooked, racist buffoon?

If you think he won't be memorialized then you seriously do not understand the first thing about DC. I'd rather see it like the old dead dudes on horses -- big on symbolism and little on meaning

Of course he'll be memorialized. Let's just do it right, and make it a big bronze crack pipe. Preferably it should be outside the old Vista Hotel (now the Westin City Center) at 14th & M.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about a new recreation center or renaming employment agency on Minnesota ave. after him.

Renaming a school is just dumb.

why's that? he did achieve a masters in chemistry from Fisk and began a PHD program before drop out to pursue civil rights work. For all of his well documented failings Barry did not lack for education

Yes, Barry was the original "Breaking Bad" mayor.

For all of DCPS' challenges today, the DC public schools were a shambles when Barry was on the school board and later in the mayor's office. He turned them into patronage engines, while instruction suffered, textbooks were never ordered and bathrooms even lacked toilet paper. I can think of nothing more inappropriate than naming a school or educational institution after Barry.

everything he touched was a patronage machine so what's the point in singling out schools? I'm all for a big dumb useless bronze statue in front of the Wilson Building if it satisfies the perfunctory memorialization.

If it includes his crack pipe. Seriously, when you see students at Wm & Mary wanting to take down Thomas Jefferson's statue, why would present-day DC spend taxpayers' money to commemorate a crooked, racist buffoon?

If you think he won't be memorialized then you seriously do not understand the first thing about DC. I'd rather see it like the old dead dudes on horses -- big on symbolism and little on meaning

Of course he'll be memorialized. Let's just do it right, and make it a big bronze crack pipe. Preferably it should be outside the old Vista Hotel (now the Westin City Center) at 14th & M.

This should be the "statuesque" pose.

https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/091907barry-1.jpg?quality=100&strip=all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we should rename the whole city to Marion Barry, DC. That would put a stick in the eye of anti-statehood folks on Capitol Hill.

I'm a long-time resident and completely anti-statehood. I couldn't care less about Capitol Hill (by which I mean, and you surely do too - the legislators, and not the actual residents of the District).

DC's self-management is barely competent, completely untrustworthy, and riddled with corruption. DC would be to the U.S. as Greece is to the EU: a place of monuments to visit fondly, with full recognition that it's fueled by graft, and fiduciary incompetence.

The idea of DC statehood makes me laugh. The only thing that would make it workable, would be instead to declare DC a tax shelter. No federal vote = no federal income tax. We'd have so many financially aware and capable people move in, that within a couple of years it would actually make sense to give DC a vote. Until then, no. No way.

If you think DC is still Dysfunctional City, do you remember what it was like when Mation Barry was mayor?!! Compared to how things were under Barry, the place practically runs like Switzerland today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we should rename the whole city to Marion Barry, DC. That would put a stick in the eye of anti-statehood folks on Capitol Hill.

I'm a long-time resident and completely anti-statehood. I couldn't care less about Capitol Hill (by which I mean, and you surely do too - the legislators, and not the actual residents of the District).

DC's self-management is barely competent, completely untrustworthy, and riddled with corruption. DC would be to the U.S. as Greece is to the EU: a place of monuments to visit fondly, with full recognition that it's fueled by graft, and fiduciary incompetence.

The idea of DC statehood makes me laugh. The only thing that would make it workable, would be instead to declare DC a tax shelter. No federal vote = no federal income tax. We'd have so many financially aware and capable people move in, that within a couple of years it would actually make sense to give DC a vote. Until then, no. No way.

If you think DC is still Dysfunctional City, do you remember what it was like when Mation Barry was mayor?!! Compared to how things were under Barry, the place practically runs like Switzerland today.

No, it really doesn't. It's just that our standards are so low. We've been lower than rats for so long, that looking dogs eye to eye makes us feel like kings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we should rename the whole city to Marion Barry, DC. That would put a stick in the eye of anti-statehood folks on Capitol Hill.

I'm a long-time resident and completely anti-statehood. I couldn't care less about Capitol Hill (by which I mean, and you surely do too - the legislators, and not the actual residents of the District).

DC's self-management is barely competent, completely untrustworthy, and riddled with corruption. DC would be to the U.S. as Greece is to the EU: a place of monuments to visit fondly, with full recognition that it's fueled by graft, and fiduciary incompetence.

The idea of DC statehood makes me laugh. The only thing that would make it workable, would be instead to declare DC a tax shelter. No federal vote = no federal income tax. We'd have so many financially aware and capable people move in, that within a couple of years it would actually make sense to give DC a vote. Until then, no. No way.

If you think DC is still Dysfunctional City, do you remember what it was like when Mation Barry was mayor?!! Compared to how things were under Barry, the place practically runs like Switzerland today.

No, it really doesn't. It's just that our standards are so low. We've been lower than rats for so long, that looking dogs eye to eye makes us feel like kings.

OK, maybe not like Switzerland. But DC's not Burkina Faso either, which is how it sometimes seemed under the mayor for life and his cronies.

[Anonymous]

Maybe the statue's inscription can be the old Jay Leno joke that Marion Barry was better suited to be mayor of a district in Colombia than mayor of the District of Columbia.

.... or simply "Bitch set me up."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we should rename the whole city to Marion Barry, DC. That would put a stick in the eye of anti-statehood folks on Capitol Hill.

I'm a long-time resident and completely anti-statehood. I couldn't care less about Capitol Hill (by which I mean, and you surely do too - the legislators, and not the actual residents of the District).

DC's self-management is barely competent, completely untrustworthy, and riddled with corruption. DC would be to the U.S. as Greece is to the EU: a place of monuments to visit fondly, with full recognition that it's fueled by graft, and fiduciary incompetence.

The idea of DC statehood makes me laugh. The only thing that would make it workable, would be instead to declare DC a tax shelter. No federal vote = no federal income tax. We'd have so many financially aware and capable people move in, that within a couple of years it would actually make sense to give DC a vote. Until then, no. No way.

If you think DC is still Dysfunctional City, do you remember what it was like when Mation Barry was mayor?!! Compared to how things were under Barry, the place practically runs like Switzerland today.

No, it really doesn't. It's just that our standards are so low. We've been lower than rats for so long, that looking dogs eye to eye makes us feel like kings.

OK, maybe not like Switzerland. But DC's not Burkina Faso either, which is how it sometimes seemed under the mayor for life and his cronies.

I wouldn't want even a modernized Burkina Faso to achieve statehood.

[Anonymous]

They also propose naming the new student center at UDC on Connecticut Ave. for Marion Barry. I suppose that's better than renaming UDC itself, as Vincent Orange has proposed, which would really handicap UDC graduates in the job market. Still, it's pretty in-your-face to be naming any facility for Barry WOTP, where he was thoroughly despised as a crooked, incompetent mayor and a racist politician.