Skip to main content

Make it Local



Scanning the news for stories of local interest this morning, I noticed this cartoon by Brian Gordon from FowlLanguageComics:



It ran with this explainer:

Today's comic was inspired by a friend whose young daughter was frightened to decorate for Hanukkah after the horrible Pittsburgh synagogue shooting. So I'm decorating (and posting this cartoon) in solidarity.

 This, by itself, is not a local story. But we can make it one.

We know that Jewish students have experienced anti-Semitic harassment at school  here in Howard County. And we know that the Pittsburgh shooting cast a very long shadow over Jewish people everywhere in this country. That means right here where we live.The changing political landscape has allowed religious and racial intolerance to slip out of the darkness and say its ugly name with frightening frequency.



That’s what makes this a local story.

I don’t know if putting a menorah in the window is good enough. Some folks felt that putting those “Hate Has No Home Here” signs in the front yard was laughable without concrete action. They have a point there. But where do we begin?

The first night of Hanukkah is this Sunday. What if it were possible for each of us to do one thing for each night that made it easier, safer, and more warmly welcomed for our Jewish neighbors in Columbia and Howard County? What would that look like?

Let’s make it local. Send your suggestions here,




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more

What Kids Are Thinking

  It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed.  Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings.  And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...
1 comment
Read more