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VOLUME 66 NUMBER 14
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APRIL 22 - MAY 5, 2020
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Q& A : WA R D 2 C A N D I DAT E S S C H O O L’S O U T E A R LY R I P : GA RY T I S C H L E R , O U R B E S T E A R T H DAY AT 5 0 T H E GA R D E N T O U R W E LOS T H AU T E & C O O L : L A Z Y DAYS
2 APRIL 22, 2020
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“...Evans remains the District’s most knowledgeable and experienced lawmaker on the tax code and city finances.” — Colbert I. King
COUNCILMEMBER
WARD 2 www.evansward2.com
EVANS 2020 • 3141 P Street, NW • Washington, DC 20007 Evansward2.com H 202-297-1600
Dear Ward 2 residents, We are all living in uncertain times as the city works to stop the spread of COVID-19. This virus has changed all of our lives overnight and forced us to embrace a new reality as we stay inside and work from home, limit our interactions with friends and even family, and homeschool our children. While the city is addressing the health crisis head on to flatten the curve, we have already started to face the short and long term economic effects of the virus. The city will lose between $600 million and $1 billion in revenue this year because of the Coronavirus. We will have enough reserve funds to sustain the city through September 30th, but because of our substantial reduction in tax revenue, the Council and the Mayor will have to reduce next year’s budget by $1 billion. Cutting the budget by this amount will be difficult and unpopular, but necessary. Ward 2 and the city needs a Councilmember who has experience balancing budgets through economic crises. As your Councilmember and Chairman of the Finance Committee for 20 years, I worked to make sure the District recovered from the Control Board era, 1996 to 2001, and from the 2001 and 2009 recessions. All of the progress the city made paid off when the District was awarded the highest possible Triple AAA bond rating in 2017. I’m proud of the work we all accomplished since I first joined the Council, but we are all now facing our most difficult challenge yet! Now is the time when we need leaders with knowledge and experience. As Councilmember for Ward 2, I will work hard to continue to improve our residents’ quality of life, encourage job growth, and support small businesses. I promise to bring the same energy and determination to solve new problems as I have done over my entire career in public service. I’m asking for your vote, by mail, or at the polls, beginning on May 22nd and going through June 2nd to represent Ward 2. Together, we can prioritize District values and restore our city’s fiscal and economic success for everyone. Sincerely, Jack Evans PAID FOR BY: EVANS 2020, DON DINAN, TREASURER, 3141 P STREET NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20007
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IN THIS ISSUE IN THIS ISSUE
ABOUT THE COVER
NEWS · 6 - 8
Ward 2 Candidates Town Topics
PUBLISHER Sonya Bernhardt
The best medicine of all is to teach people how not to need it. In honor of all those anonymous heroes on the front line of combat stopping this pandemic.#StayHealthy #StayStrong #StayHome
FEATURES EDITORS COPY EDITOR Ari Post Richard Selden
Photo by Albert Acosta
GRAPHIC DESIGN Troy Riemer
Model: Joaquina Hormilla
FASHION & BEAUTY SENIOR DIRECTOR CORRESPONDENT Lauretta McCoy Peggy Sands
BUSINESS · 9
PHOTOGRAPHERS Philip Bermingham Jeff Malet
EDITORIAL/OPINION · 10
ADVERTISING & MARKETING Kate Sprague Richard Selden Kelly Sullivan
Ins & Outs
Editorial Ward 2 Politics COVID-19 Poem Letter to the Editor
TRIBUTE · 11
Gary Tischler, 1941 - 2020
CONSPIRACY THEORY LINKS 5G TO COVID-19
COVER · 12 - 13
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robert Devaney
CONTRIBUTORS Mary Bird Susan Bodiker Allyson Burkhardt Evan Caplan Didi Cutler Donna Evers Michelle Galler Stephanie Green Amos Gelb Wally Greeves Kitty Kelley Rebekah Kelley Jody Kurash Shelia Moses Kate Oczypok Linda Roth Alison Schafer Mary Ann Treger
BY PEGGY SAN D S
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CLASSIFIEDS · 14
SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHDAY AT HOME
Service Directory
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HAUTE & COOL · 15 Lazy Days
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IN COUNTRY · 16 - 17
Buy Fresh Buy Local 2020 Garden Tour is Shelved
BOOK CLUB · 18
ROCK CREEK KINGS PLAY ON SUNDAYS
Kitty Kelley Book Club
BY R OBERT D EVAN EY
The band performs at 28th and Dumbarton Streets. Georgetowner photo.
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4 APRIL 22, 2020
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GEORGETOWN LEADERS ARE BACKING
TOM BIRCH
MONICA ROACHÉ
JOE GIBBONS
Former Chair, Georgetown ANC 2E
D.C. Democratic State Committeewoman Former Commissioner, Georgetown ANC 2E
Commissioner, Georgetown ANC 2E
know Patrick to be a hard-working “ Icommissioner on the Foggy Bottom
ANC, and have been impressed with the qualities I’ve observed: he is practical, collaborative, and committed to creating achievable solutions. His ability, intellect, and understanding of the issues are why I support Patrick Kennedy and urge others to do the same.”
Patrick Kennedy, we will have a fifth-generation Georgetowner, I know “ With “ AsPatrick a councilmember who understands Kennedy will be an outstanding Councilmember. He knows the issues of our Ward and has extensive knowledge of how to get things accomplished in this City. Patrick is a hard-working candidate you can trust.”
the nuances and unique concerns of Georgetown.”
Patrick Kennedy is
Patrick Kennedy’s Priorities in
The Sierra Club, D.C. Chapter
Retail strategy and relief for small businesses
Ward 2 D.C. State Board of Education member Jack Jacobson and prior member Mary Lord
Invest in Hardy and build community at new Hyde-Addison
LGBTQ leader Ruby Corado
Improve bus frequency on G2 and 30s lines
ENDORSED ore Ward 2 elected officials than M all other candidates combined Updated list at PatrickForWard2.com
Your Vote is Critical in TWO June Elections Democratic Primary: JUNE 2 Special Election: JUNE 16
GEORGETOWN Improve maintenance and enhance Rose and Volta Parks Responsive, accessible constituent services Strong oversight and efficient use of your taxpayer dollars
The safest way to vote in these elections is by mail. Request your ballots today. Information: PatrickForWard2.com/vote
Paid for by Patrick Kennedy for Ward 2, PO Box 18055, Washington, D.C. 20036 Marina Streznewski, Treasurer Paid for by Patrick Kennedy for Ward 2 Special June 16 2020, PO Box 18055, Washington, D.C. 20036 Marina Streznewski, Treasurer
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TOWN TOPICS
Ward 2 Candidates Q&A CO MPILE D BY PE GGY S A N D S The primary election for the District of Columbia will be held on Tuesday, June 2, less than six weeks from now. One of the most contested races with on the D.C. ballot is for Ward 2 representative on the District Council, for a four-year term. There are nine candidates — eight Democrats and one Republican. Comprising a range of backgrounds and experience, all have been community activists in one way or another. The candidates are (in alphabetical order): • Jack Evans, former Ward 2 Council member • John Fanning, Logan Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner • Jordan Grossman, Medicaid, housing and homeless services coordinator • Daniel Hernandez, former Marine employed by Microsoft • Patrick Kennedy, Foggy Bottom Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner • Brooke Pinto, former D.C. Assistant Attorney General • Kishan Putta, GeorgetownBurleith Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner • Katherine Venice (Republican),
international investment advisor • Yilin Zhang, health business executive
Evans: Reducing our budget by almost $1 billion over the next year will be difficult and unpopular, but necessary. As Council member, I would support hiring freezes and curtailing new programs, to start, until the city is able to rebound from the economic crisis. Later, we can reintroduce programs that were restricted.
“Qualified High Technology Companies,” which the chief financial officer has concluded are ineffective. I also support redirecting Events DC’s excess funding, which has been used in such questionable ways as sponsoring a second-division Welsh soccer team.
The candidates had full schedules of town halls and campaign events until the pandemic crisis grounded them. In order to keep the public informed, The Georgetowner is asking the candidates questions and reporting their answers. Their reponse to one of the questions follows:
WHAT IMPENDING BUDGET CUTS DO YOU FAVOR?
Jordan Grossman John Fanning Fanning: Budget cuts are only one way to address expected revenue shortfalls. I believe in vigorous Council oversight to identify cost savings, eliminate duplicative services and streamline government operations, too. To address the impact from COVID-19, we must consider deferring some transportation and noncritical infrastructure projects, reduce discretionary government spending and scaling back on some nonessential services.
Jack Evans
Grossman: I support repealing the $40 million in annual tax breaks that go to
Daniel Hernandez
Dumbarton United Methodist Church
is honoring the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day with an online blessing of the animals on Sunday, April 26, at 11 a.m. former pets or whatever we Show us your dogs, cats, will incorporate them into the turtles, goldfish, pictures of service, too. NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS THRIVE
Georgetown Village
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TOWN TOPICS Hernandez: I don’t know that there’s any budget cuts that I favor, but we should first be evaluating unnecessary tax expenditure programs like the QHTC program. Beyond that, it’s difficult to choose. It’s also premature to decide before we know the full scope of the budget impact, with the next update being April 24.
also must suspend nonessential programs and end corporate giveaways to preserve crucial services. Support for the most vulnerable and a responsible concern over the financial health of our city don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Putta: I’ve worked on tight D.C. budgets before. I studied budget policy at the Kennedy School and worked on New York City’s budget, too. Having testified before the D.C Council at more budget hearings than any candidate, I’m ready to lead. More datadriven budgeting ensures effective spending. Cutting ineffective tax subsidies could save millions.
ratings get downgraded; budget spending per capita has risen 27 percent since 2016. On my calculations, cuts double the CFO’s projections are inevitable, bringing next year’s budget closer to 2017 levels.
Yilin Zhang Brooke Pinto Katherine Venice Patrick Kennedy Venice: Debt costs (the fourth biggest cost in the budget) have risen 29 percent since 2017 and will rise further as D.C.’s credit
Kennedy: We’re facing a $600-million to $1-billion shortfall by Sept. 30, a cut of five to 10 percent. We should prioritize services responsive to the public health emergency and those that help small businesses and low- and middle-income residents. We should examine pay-as-you-go capital projects and a hiring freeze. Pinto: I agree with the mayor’s freeze on government hiring, raises and travel, but we
Zhang: The economic impact of this period will continue into next year, and potentially beyond. For D.C. to recover, we need to focus on investing in a resilient infrastructure and stimulating/diversifying the economy. We need to identify current inefficiencies (e.g., duplication of efforts) first to determine potential budget cuts.
Q&A CONTINUES IN NEXT TWO ISSUES. SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO EDITORIAL@GEORGETOWNER.COM Kishan Putta
Hard work, real results. For over two decades, John Fanning has worked tirelessly to improve our quality of life in Ward 2. We need his determination and vision on the City Council.
In the June 2nd Ward 2 DC Council Primary AND June 16th Special Election, vote for
fanningforward2.com
/FanningforWard2
@fanning_2
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APRIL 22, 2020
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TOWN TOPICS
NEWS BYTES
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BY PEGGY SA NDS
D.C. School Year to End 3 Weeks Early The 2019-20 academic year for DC Public Schools will end on May 29, three weeks earlier than scheduled, announced Mayor Muriel Bowser at her daily press briefing on April 17. Charter schools will also close on or about that date. In the meantime, DC Public Schools teachers will continue to offer online instruction for all grades from kindergarten through high school. “Since learning at home began, our online learning hub on Canvas has received more than two million page views,” the mayor said. “DCPS has distributed 16,000 mobile devices — iPads and computers — to some 5,000 designated hotspots. To date, 20 high schools have given out devices to 2,000 students. DCPS is planning to distribute 6,000 to 9,000 devices in all to students in middle and elementary schools.” Some of the red-line requirements for grade advancement and graduation are being waived. DCPS will not require that every student attend school for 180 days per year. (The “180-day rule” is a quasi-national standard in the U.S., mandating fewer days than do most European and Asian school systems.) Community service requirements for graduation also have been dropped, as
has the “Carnegie unit” formula (or “seattime” requirement) for high school courses in which students were already enrolled. “On May 15, we will be announcing the schools’ plans for summer,” the mayor continued. DCPS may offer summertime classes to make up for some of the three weeks of missed time, she suggested. It was not clear if schools would be opening on the normal schedule at the end of August. Information about actual student participation in the DCPS online classes was not available and questions remain about grade advancement for everyone.
D.C. Voters Urged to Use Mail-In Ballots Only 22 polling stations, instead of the usual 144, will be open on June 2 for the District primary election. That’s about two per ward, three in wards with Council seat elections such as Ward 2, according to Mayor Muriel Bowser, speaking at her daily press conference on April 16. Instead of voting in person, D.C. election officials are strongly urging all eligible voters to request absentee ballots and to mail in their votes — not only for the June 2 primary and the June 16 special election, but also for the Nov. 3 general (and presidential) election. The mail-in ballots
can be requested from the DC Board of Elections online or by telephone, or at voting centers between May 22 and June 2. Access for voters who want or need to vote in person on voting day could be staggered, possibly in alphabetical order by voter last name. The new order for unrestricted absentee ballots is part of a District movement, begun before the coronavirus pandemic, to require almost all election ballots to be mailed in. But the process — which exists in a few other states, such as Oregon — is complicated and could take two years or more to be established completely. May 12 is the deadline to change one’s voter registration or register as a new voter. Beginning on May 22, either can be done in person at one of 20 voting centers.
Mayor Bowser
‘No Time’ for Input on D.C. Budget Cuts As the District has battled the rising number of coronavirus infections and deaths over the past two months, its oncerobust, Triple A-rated financial situation has been in a downward spiral. The bottom line, according to Mayor Muriel Bowser: the largest, healthiest budget in D.C.’s history, which had passed in January after months of energetic input and additions by diverse interest groups throughout the city, was now going to have to be cut. There would be a revenue shortfall of over $600 million in this budget year, the mayor announced at her daily press briefing on April 17. The cuts in the budget would have to reflect the downturn — especially given the District’s unique position. By law, as a District and not a state, the city is not allowed to operate on a budget deficit or it can be taken over by a congressional control board. “There is little time to redo the budget,” Bowser said. “The Council will review it on April 23 and decisions will have to be made soon after. Unfortunately,” she said with audible regret, “there simply is no time for public input.”
Passport DC 2020 Postponed!
Due to COVID-19, all of the Passport DC Signature Events are postponed. The producers will re-schedule most of them for later in the year. Watch our website www.CulturalTourismDC.org for new dates! Look for an expanding menu of virtual things to do from the comfort of your couch.
Many thanks to our sponsors for their continuing support.
SIGNATURE PARTNERS Asia Heritage Foundation European Union Delegation to the United States U.S. Department of State All Hallows Guild Flower Mart at Washington National Cathedral
8 APRIL 22, 2020
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Serving Washington DC Metro Area Through Entire Annapolis/Eastern Shore
New plans for former Latham Site at 3000 M St.
INS & OUTS BY RO B E RT DEVA NEY
IN: FOUNDERS BANK OPENS
Former executives of the Bank of Georgetown — acquired by United Bank in 2016 for $269 million — opened Founders Bank (as in Founding Fathers) last week. The business-oriented bank now has a branch at 5225 Wisconsin Ave. NW, with corporate offices at 5101 Wisconsin Ave. NW. CEO Martin McCarthy heads the inaugural team with Jonathan Higgins and Gerard McLoughlin. (Another founding director, Domingo Rodriquez, died in January.) McCarthy worked at the Bank of Georgetown, founded by Curtin Winsor III and Michael Fitzgerald in 2005. Vincent Burke III is chair of Founders Bank (in organization). The bank starts with $30 million in funding.
IN: QATAR BUYS HOLLERITH HOUSE FOR $17.75 MILLION
Hollerith House at 1617 29th St. NW was sold to the Embassy of the State of Qatar for $17.75 million, after being listed in September of 2018 for $18.75 million, according to the Washington Business Journal. Herman Hollerith, founder of the Tabulating Machine Company at 31st Street and the C&O Canal, built the four-story house in 1911. His company later helped create IBM. (One of his great-grandsons is the Rev. Randy Hollerith, dean of Washington National Cathedral.) A few blocks away at 1219 28th St. NW, Qatar also owns a former D.C. public school, which houses the Qatar Defense Attache; its embassy is next to Rock Creek Park, just across the bridge from Georgetown at 2555 M St. NW. Also of note, Qatar partnered with Hines to develop CityCenterDC.
OUT: HSBC LEAVES R STREET
HSBC, the bank at Wisconsin Avenue and R Street NW, has departed Georgetown, leaving one branch in D.C. In 2018, with total assets of $2.558 trillion, Londonbased HSBC (the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited) was ranked the seventh largest bank in the world and the largest in Europe. The property at 1715 Wisconsin Ave. NW previously housed the Japan Inn restaurant.
R R O O O O D D N T I U O GEORGETOWN TOBACCO ORDERED CLOSED
In business since the 1960s, Georgetown Tobacco was ordered closed until May 15 by the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. The classic shop at 3144 M St. NW had remained open after Mayor Muriel Bowser’s temporary shutdown of nonessential businesses due to the COVID19 pandemic. Georgetown Tobacco owner David Berkebile said the business was now set up for delivery and mail order.
NEW PLANS FOR FORMER LATHAM SITE AT 3000 M
Owners of the site of the former Latham Hotel at 3000 M St. NW have new ideas for the property. This is the corner that has been vacant for years. Construction ceased during the first months of the Trump administration — leaving bare girders of a building and a construction crane looming over M Street. Thor Equities and architect Shalom Baranes have submitted a new design for the planned hotel at the address to D.C.’s Historic Preservation Office, according to Urban Turf. The latest proposed hotel has eight stories — and 256 rooms — above a single story of retail. Plans call for below-ground spaces of three floors. Roof decks are also proposed, especially for the penthouse level. Citing a loss of retail tenant commitments, Thor Equities continues with the project, despite the long-barren corner and its “crane of shame,” as one neighbor calls it.
Georgetown
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APRIL 22, 2020
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EDITORIAL
OPINION
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Illustration by Perisha Gates, NASA.
Taking Earth Day to Heart The spring, the summer, The childing autumn, angry winter, change Their wonted liveries, and the mazèd world, By their increase, now knows not which is which — “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Act 2, Scene 1
Earth Day, the brainchild of Sen. Gaylord Nelson (D-Wisconsin), began 50 years ago, on April 22, 1970. Full of hope for healing the planet, it helped to initiate positive changes in everyday acts like recycling, as well as governmental action in empowering the Environmental Protection Act, followed by a new Clean Air Act. The event was one of several aftershocks that year of Woodstock the summer before, helping to set off a political and cultural march into the future that also created divisions in the body politic (which are still with us). In the five decades since, as Earth Day became a worldwide movement, we have paid increasing attention to the extinction of species, the contamination of our earth’s atmosphere and climate change. Above all, Earth Day is a day to embrace both nature and science. Maintaining the earth means managing — using but not using up — the resources we have. This year, however, Earth Day is taking place as an unexpected and silent enemy attacks our bodies, throwing our comfort in nature and confidence in science into turmoil. We are anxious, confused, fearful and depressed. Many are ill, many have died and many, thank goodness, have recovered. Some feel that we are turning a new chapter
in our national history. What that will mean is yet unrevealed, a chrysalis of sorts. While confined to our homes, we seek out words of wisdom on how to behave, how to go forward to make things right. We would do well to consider the words of William Shakespeare, whose birthday is tomorrow. A focus on Shakespeare led Deepak Chopra, a doctor at the intersection of science and spirituality, to write recently: “Social isolation gives us time to examine our lives in a new light, suddenly faced with economic collapse, empty streets, current panic and future uncertainty, and death appearing out of nowhere — in other words, the conditions that confronted every person on a daily basis during the lifetime of Shakespeare. What feels horribly abnormal to us was routinely normal for him and every member of the human race in the 16th century. “But if you put Shakespeare and the plague together, something mysterious emerges. Despite every threat of disease and death, crime, poverty, political oppression, and religious fanaticism … not to mention widespread illiteracy, no public sanitation, and no police force, these horrendous circumstances didn’t wipe out creativity, discovery, love, compassion, and a vision of higher ideals.” We are grappling with this virus and will win the day, perhaps transformed along the way. Let us be aware that we can and will soldier on with our powers of creativity and love. Let us remember that the earth needs not us, but we need it. Today is Earth Day. Take it to heart.
What are your corona-tainment recommendations? YOUR OPINION MATTERS. Post your response. Facebook.com/TheGeorgetowner 10 APRIL 22, 2020
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Now More Than Ever, Your Vote Matters in Ward 2 BY M ON IC A L . R OAC H É Neighbors, now more than ever your vote matters in the upcoming election for Ward 2 Council member. Your vote represents the desperately needed call for action as we come together to support our beloved community. This is not a time for division, pointing fingers or name-calling, but a recognition that it is important for residents of Ward 2 to ensure they are fully engaged in the democratic process to elect our new leader in the Council. As many of you may know, right now we are absent Ward 2 leadership and representation on the District Council; our member seat is vacant. Therefore, it is crucial that we all rally to get out and vote to select the best candidate to move Ward 2 forward during these unique times in our city and our nation. For the first time in many years, Ward 2 is having a competitive campaign season, with one Republican candidate and eight Democratic candidates vying for the coveted position of Ward 2’s Council member-elect. In the midst of all that we face due to COVID-19, it is especially important that we stay informed and participate in the upcoming election. If it’s a question of “Whom should I vote for?” — since there are a number of candidates — I recommend that you explore each one of their campaign websites. Take time to find out who are the people running and get a sense of what they’ve done for Ward
2. Most important, you must determine if an individual running is a trustworthy candidate and a person who is up to the challenge of representing Ward 2. Due to COVID-19, all candidate forums are being held online, which gives us all an ample opportunity to participate and to observe candidates’ responses to questions. Friends, like many elections which will be held across the country during these extremely challenging times, most polling sites in the District of Columbia will be closed. Therefore, the DC Board of Elections requests that voters obtain their absentee ballots by visiting dcboe.org and downloading the “Vote4DC” mobile app or by calling the Board of Elections at 202-727-2525. Early voting runs from May 22 through June 2. All of these measures have been put in place to help us fulfill our civic duty to vote, but to do so safely and securely as we practice social distancing and quarantining. Spread the word regarding the upcoming election, so that as many Ward 2 residents as possible have the opportunity for their voices to be counted during this 2020 campaign season. Monica L. Roaché, Ph.D., a former Georgetown advisory neighborhood commissioner, is an at-large committeewoman of the D.C. Democratic State Committee.
COVID-19 BY TYLER ELIZABETH RO SENTHAL AG E 10, 4TH G RADE, ST. PATRICK’S EPISCO PAL DAY SCHO O L
Letter to the Editor Thank You! Your publication is like “comfort food” in these uncertain times! Thank you and your team for such a positive, informative and helpful paper. — Cathleen Clinton West End/Foggy Bottom
Covid-19 stinks. We were all as happy as minks. Until this came along, we were singing a happy song. Now everything is such a bore. Covid-19 is a big sore. We wear masks every day, probably ‘til May. Were all stuck at home, it feels like a big dome. With no way out, all we can do is pout. The connection is bad. It makes everyone sad. There’s so much laundry to do. I wish I could help too. All we can do is sit. It’s like sitting in a pit. Dad has so many calls. We’re left to roam the halls. Covid-19 is a big bend. We all want it to end.
TRIBUTE
Gary Tischler, 1941-2020 Gary Tischler.
Gary with Linda Roth.
An Appreciation: Gary Was Our Best BY AR I POST
Sonya Bernhardt, Richard Selden and Robert Devaney celebrating Gary’s birthday at Peacock Cafe.
Gary Tischler, The Georgetowner’s longest-serving and most prolific writer, died on April 8 at the age of 78, succumbing to complications from mesothelioma and heart disease. Well known throughout the arts community, Tischler joined The Georgetowner newspaper in 1980. In his 40 years with the neighborhood newspaper — “Whose Influence Far Exceeds Its Size” — Tischler acknowledged that he had written a lot of stories, the first of which were about Ted Kennedy running for president and a profile of burlesque dancer Blaze Starr (not in the same story, mind you). “To say that I’ve written more than 2,000 stories would not be an exaggeration,” Tischler wrote a few years ago. “I’ve met a lot of people, accumulated cherished friends and acquaintances and spent a lot of time talking with people, in person and on the phone. Not to mention bathing in experiences and occasions, openings, plays, concerts, rallies and protests, swearingins, courtroom trials, government meetings, parades and, more and more often, funerals.” “Gary was our best — loyal, smart and strong — fighting until the end against his illness,” said Georgetowner Publisher
Sonya Bernhardt. “We are heartbroken.” Said Georgetowner Editor in Chief Robert Devaney: “Gary was our heart and soul. What a writer he was. He was loved by many and taught all of us so much — most of all about humanity.” Tischler was born in Munich, Germany, on Dec. 3, 1941. He moved with his mother and stepfather to Ohio in 1950. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma. During the Vietnam War era, he served in the U.S. Army. Later, he lived in the San Francisco Bay area, working at newspapers from Marin County to Hayward, California. He is survived by his wife Carole Muller of Washington, D.C., where they lived together on Lanier Place NW. He is also survived by his son, Boyd Irons. Still, Tischler said (wrote) it best: “As for myself, I have had the good fortune to be a witness to all kinds of history, thanks in no small part to a partner that encourages and abets that good fortune. Writing and reporting, journalism and newspapers are all about people, all kinds of people.” The Georgetowner plans to hold a celebration of the life of Gary Tischler for its anniversary party at a later date.
From the Publisher The loss of Gary Tischler will be felt by many, especially me, for many years to come. Gary was always kind to everyone, even in the toughest of circumstances. His creative mind and institutional knowledge of many different things included politics, local and national, arts, performing and visual, literature, people and personalities. Gary treated each assignment like the first, never losing his enthusiasm or passion for
the subject and for writing about it. He was a close advisor in every respect. He was always there for me in difficult times, whether business or personal. He wrote my mother’s and my father‘s obituaries and provided comfort through his words. He was at my wedding and at many other happy and joyous occasions. What I’ll miss the most is his soft way and his calmness, which he offered freely. — Sonya Bernhardt
Gary Tischler was an encyclopedia of all that makes life worth living. Art, theater, movies, literature, music, baseball, opera — there was no end to his knowledge and appreciation of the cultural ether. As a writer, he taught me how to write with your heart, not your head. He browbeat me for using gratuitously fancy words. (He once asked me point-blank to stop using “bucolic” so much.) He taught me that sometimes you need to stop thinking and write about what you saw. He also taught me how to look coolly down the barrel of a deadline, and that a word limit was merely an editorial suggestion. As a friend and a mentor, Gary gave me more wispy little granules of heartfelt guidance than I’ll ever be able to recount. But the one that is always with me — though he never said this so much as showed me through seasons of endless conversation — is to just flat-out love what you do. He taught me that it’s a rare few who get to write and think about art for a living, so if you’re going to do it, do it with gratitude, awe and love. He taught me how to edit. I had the glorious challenge of being Gary’s editor, as managing editor of The Georgetowner from 2010 to 2012. At least once a week, I received a brain-dump from Gary: theater reviews and think pieces consisting of 200-word, singlesentence paragraphs, stuffed with more ideas throughout their labyrinths of inner clauses than most writers have within the body of an entire piece. But I always knew that if I took the time to untangle his words — and he absolutely expected me to untangle them — there were small diamonds overflowing from the debris. I met Gary when I was fresh out of college with an art degree. I had no right being his editor. He had been a journalist longer than I’d been alive. But he treated me like a comrade. He called me to talk about his articles before submitting, about the show he saw the night before, about the exhibition opening we should meet at (the National Gallery’s were the best: free breakfast and a big fat catalog). He let me feel like I knew what I was doing. It annoyed him when I inserted disclaimers of my own ignorance into my art pieces (I often sent him my drafts). “It’s your column,” he would say. “It doesn’t matter what you don’t know. You’re the art critic. This is your job.” To that end, Gary was a rare and dwindling breed of writer. He was an oldschool newspaperman, cut from cloth that they just don’t make like they used’ta. He was a lot like many of the artists of his generation that he admired — John Prine,
Kris Kristofferson, Harvey Keitel — a bluecollar, hard-drinking fella who fell into the arts amid the course of a deeply lived and imperfect life. Because of this, he saw a work of art from the inside out. He filtered art through life, not the other way around. By the time I met Gary, his days of drinking and carousing were behind him, but meeting him for coffee and a blueberry crumble on a Thursday morning at Tryst was as invigorating, hilarious and actionpacked as a few rounds at Nathans. Gary didn’t talk; he held court. As his editor, I was on the phone with him for hours every day. He spoke like he wrote — endlessly, and about everything. His style was not a natural fit for the culturati. And that always made him my favorite person in the room. That’s also what made him so damn good at what he did. Gary never wrote an inauthentic word in his life. It was honest, deeply considered, fresh and real. He didn’t belabor turns of phrase, sentence structure or authorial panache. He just wrote it down as it came to him and rollicked along to his next irrepressible thought. I envied his easy prose, his casually exacting observations and his colloquial style. He wrote about Bryce Harper the same way he wrote about Puccini. Most people “of a certain age” have a few stories they tell over and over. I don’t think I ever heard the same thing come out of Gary’s mouth twice — unless I asked him to “tell me again about that time at the Kennedy Center when you interviewed a raging drunk Mickey Rooney an hour before he went onstage.” The only story I remember him retelling was about a conversation he once had with his son, upon the birth of Gary’s grandson. Gary may not have been the best father while he was growing up, his son told him, but he turned out to be the best friend he ever had. Gary was the sweetest guy I ever met, and my favorite person to talk movies, books, coffee and art with. He’d read everything, by the way. He taught me how to laugh at art. He once got scolded at the opening of a Dubuffet exhibition at the National Gallery for laughing — loudly — at a painting of a cow. “But look at it!” Gary protested. “It’s funny!” “I suppose,” grumbled the well-dressed man. “But it shouldn’t be.” I later found out that the man was the curator. Gary made me laugh with my whole body. I hear his voice every time I sit down to write. I’ll miss Gary profoundly, and I’m grateful for every moment we had. GMG, INC.
APRIL 22, 2020
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COVER
At D.C. Fire Station #1 at 2225 M St. NW: firefighters with Fairmont General Manager Mark Huntley and his dog Georgie, who deliver food to first responders. Photo by Diana Bulger. Nurse customizes her face mark. Courtesy MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
U.S. Postal Service worker James Wilson on O Street NW at Rose Park. Photo by Peggy Sands.
Health professionals need stylish bags, too. Courtesy MedStar.
THANK YOU
TO OUR FRONT-LINE WORKERS During this pandemic, however long or harsh its reign, front-line workers are holding down the fort as many of us stay home. They are the essential ones. In our not-quite-united nation, we debate the extent and severity of COVID-19 and argue about when states may begin to reopen businesses to avoid the double blow of a shattered economy and lost jobs. It seems our partisan fights never really left us. Still, an attitude of gratitude appears to encircle us, to help us continue. All the while, doctors, nurses and support staff — whether at MedStar Georgetown University, George Washington University, Sibley Memorial or other nearby hospitals and health care facilities — continue to arrive at work to heal, comfort and flatten the curve. 12 APRIL 22, 2020
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All the while, the Metropolitan Police Department and DC Fire & EMS continue their routine and extraordinary duties. Grocery workers from Safeway, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and 7-Eleven continue to stock the aisles and get us through the register. They are stressed, and some have gotten sick. U.S. Postal workers continue their routes with ever more needed packages, along with fellow UPS and FedEx drivers. Transportation workers — bus and train and taxi drivers — continue to keep moving, taking us where we need to go. Sanitation workers, too, continue to arrive at homes and businesses to drag out our trash. And, lest we forget, we owe farmers our gratitude for continuing to reap the harvest of the good, green earth.
More donations keep coming. Courtesy MedStar.
COVER Chef and restaurateur José Andrés stands in front of America Eats Tavern at 3139 M Street, while talking to World Central Kitchen staffers on the phone and being interviewed by “60 Minutes.” Photo by Robert Devaney.
Health professionals grab a special lunch from Jettie’s. Courtesy MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
Tsige Sebsibe and Girma Hailu, owners of the 7-Eleven at 2617 P St. NW, have fitted their store to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and offer senior citizens a special checkout space. Photo by Robert Devaney.
VOLUNTEERS ON THE FRONT LINE
BY STE PHANIE GREE N
In early March, Amber Seyler, a freelance filmmaker in Eastern Market, answered a call for volunteers on Facebook. Like many Washingtonians, she wanted to help others during the approaching quarantine, but didn’t know how. It’s hard to lend a helping hand from six feet away. But Seyler knew she had something to contribute. “I knew I’d be good with details and logistics,” she says. She immediately began pairing volunteers with people who needed grocery deliveries, using spreadsheets and rapidfire communications. Nearly a month later — having commandeered a group of 3,000 do-gooders, fired up and ready to go — she is hunched over a computer, working 14-hour days. Every evening, she sends her volunteer army an email with a list of organizations in need of extra hands and ways for people to assist those who are struggling. Some need food, others may need baby products. Many just want a kind word in the desert of
isolation. “I’ve been thinking a lot about how we have this enormous group of amazing volunteers, and many of you seem to have superpowers,” she wrote in her April 14 email. “You are doctors, nurses, therapists, community activists, academics in all sorts of topics ... you’re a bunch of DC-style smarty-pants with compassion and the motivation to help others.” Seyler is inspiring others and working well into the night — without pay and uncertain of her own livelihood; her unemployment application has been stymied by bureaucracy. But she is one of the many faces of light in our community. We may be quarantined, but our big hearts remain unchained. The experience has been “rewarding but really frustrating,” Seyler says. “By the time some of our people get what they need, they haven’t eaten in a day. Their kids haven’t eaten in a day.” The generosity of others brings her back
A gift of three pizza pies for hospital personnel. Courtesy MedStar. to positivity. “Some have said they want to donate their stimulus checks. They don’t need it.” Seyler has been working with a church called the Table, a nondenominational congregation whose Director of Care Alli McGill sent the social-media post that got Seyler’s attention. McGill, a mother of four, has put her own safety on the line taking provisions to homes and scouring stores every day looking for in-demand items like Lysol for the volunteer ministry. “I change my clothes immediately when I get home,” she explains, adding that, as a precaution, she doesn’t take her children inside stores with her. “The DMV gets a bad rap,” McGill says, but the outpouring of support she sees gives her renewed faith in the goodness of area residents. McGill has struck up a friendship with a woman she calls “Miss Violet,” an elderly resident in Northeast D.C. who needed deliveries and someone to talk to. “We talk by phone a few times a day. My kids love her. We’re hoping she can come for Christmas dinner if we’re able to gather by then.” Consider a home on Reservoir Road. Not a standout, the house has a modest elegance that fits with those around it. But every Wednesday, there are multiple bags of groceries at the front door, a weekly collection by neighbors for Martha’s Table, a nonprofit working to make “strong children, strong families, and strong communities in D.C.”
While the education center at Martha’s Table is closed, the organization is providing those in need with gift cards, weekly stipends and at-home learning technology. As of April 15, Martha’s Table’s COVID-19 campaign has nearly 1,700 supporters. Also on April 15, Mark Huntley, general manager and regional vice president of Fairmont Washington, D.C., delivered the hotel’s signature paella to first responders at its M Street neighbor, DCFD Engine 1. Hotel mascot Georgie, Huntley’s Labrador, was there to lend some canine love. Giving blood is another highly effective, and cost-free, way to help. A spokesperson for Children’s National said that blood donation appointments, both on-site and through the hospital’s mobile program, have been booking up, thanks to the growing spirit of giving. Blood donations don’t directly help COVID-19 patients, but with the cancellation of community blood drives due to social distancing there has been a worrisome downturn in giving blood nationwide. The hospital has appointments available starting next month. Appointments can be made online at childrensnational.org. How long does the Table’s Alli McGill think this quarantine, and her efforts, will last? She sounded undaunted, even as the news broke that the lockdown would continue through May 15. Her response: “We will be here as long as we can.” GMG, INC.
APRIL 22, 2020
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CLASSIFIEDS / SERVICE DIRECTORY
THE POWER OF LOCAL.
The Georgetowner is mailed to all 7,700 RESIDENTS & BUSINESSES in Georgetown. CALL TO LEARN MORE 202-338-4833
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS THRIVE
Georgetown Village Need a hand? Georgetown Village offers friendly help and strong social connections. Stay in charge of your life! (202) 999-8988 www.georgetown-village.org
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LAZY DAYS BY ALLYS O N BURKHARD T As the days grow longer and seem to string all together, it is important to surround ourselves in comfort and care. Whether you are homeschooling, teleworking or lounging around, take a moment to create an atmosphere of well-being. Home fragrance and scent will add harmony and depth to the inner world. You can soothe the body and soul through the practice of hot tea and warm salt baths. Set a standard in your appearance and dress in natural, breathable, organic fibers like bamboo and lyocell. Choose soft, serene colors for balance and tranquility. Let us learn to accept this peaceful pause as we embrace the lazy days.
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Allyson Burkhardt is the owner of Let’s Get Dressed, DC! Image & Style. Visit her on the web at letsgetdresseddc.com.
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AG JEANS CHAMBRAY SHIRT $188 Halsbrook
AMINA RUBINACCI CAPRI COTTON BLAZER
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GMG, INC.
APRIL 22, 2020
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IN COUNTRY
Buy Fresh Buy Local BY KAT E OCZ Y P OK In the middle of a global pandemic, food is more important than ever. The Buy Fresh Buy Local Program is a nationwide effort that works to connect local farmers and food with local people who need it. The importance of this is unprecedented, as anyone who’s visited a grocery store in recent weeks will know. “It’s an incredible time for local food right now,” said Matt Coyle, Buy Fresh Buy Local coordinator for the Piedmont Environmental Council. “I think the most important thing is to establish these local food systems for times like these. With all the craziness and sadness surrounding the COVID-19 crisis, I think one good thing is that it shifted a focus to local food systems and farmers. It’s been really good for them.” Coyle also thinks it’s good to see the narrative focus on local food, with consumers starting to eat from local farmers again. The Piedmont Environmental Council runs three of seven chapters throughout the Virginia area. Each chapter makes print and online guides to help form connections among farmers, food and residents. Many
are moving to internet-based orders to offset losses from restaurants, schools and universities. The Piedmont Environmental Council is working with local farmers and farmers markets, as well as with regional distributors, to make sure food grown in the Piedmont area can meet the demand. John McCarthy, senior adviser for the Piedmont Environmental Council, said that, due to the coronavirus onset, things have changed a fair amount. “Farmers markets are restricted as to how they operate and a lot of places producers direct-sold are closed,” he said. “Producers are looking for other ways to help connect to consumers.” One way the council is looking to make that connection is through setting up places for delivery of farm-grown produce for pickup, typically in places where there aren’t farmers markets. Over the past 18 years, the Buy Fresh Buy Local program has established more than 100 regional and local chapters around the U.S. More information on the Buy Fresh Buy Local program is available at farmersmarketcoalition.org.
Georgetown garden photos by Alison Schafer
2020 Garden Tour Is Shelved BY AL ISON SC H AFER They are gorgeous. Intimate. Grand. Colorful. Hidden. And they will remain so until next May. They are the gardens of the Georgetown Garden Tour, an annual springtime event that lets outsiders in and plumps up the coffers of many vital local projects. “Having to shelve 2020’s gorgeous garden puzzle was disappointing. Nine months of
work finding the gardens, figuring out how best to advertise and publicize the tour, and to generally make the day as special as possible, all for naught,” writes Garden Tour co-chair Liz Evans via email. Last year’s tour brought about a thousand people through Georgetown. The tour is an important fundraiser for the Georgetown Garden Club, which, in turn, gives away
THOMAS & TALBOT REAL ESTATE Opening the door to Hunt Country for generations
Hunt Country Estate
Thistle Hill
Randleston Farm
Middleburg ~ Magnificent Estate on 100 acres. The stone house boasts 22 elegant rooms, 9 fireplaces, high ceilings, all superbly detailed and beautifully appointed. Brilliant gardens surround the heated pool. Fabulous 11 stall stone stable with 2 staff apartments. Riding ring, green house all in pristine condition. Additional 227 acres are available.
Bluemont ~ Just north of historic Middleburg, this country estate is over 104 acres of lush pastures and has gorgeous mountain views. Includes approx. 9000 sq. ft., a picturesque pond, pool and spa, guest house and apartment over the four bay garage. 6 stall stable and fenced paddocks complete this idyllic setting.
Hume ~ Spectacular land with rolling, verdant fields, lush woodlands and a spring fed pond, on 435 acres in unspoiled Hume. Offering four parcels of 100+ acres each, this property is ideally located off scenic Leeds Manor Road, amongst other beautiful estates, many in conservation easements. Easy access to I–66 and within an hour of the nation’s capital.
100 acres
104 acres
435 acres
Bluemont ~ Randleston Farm encompasses 117 acres of lush pastures, flowering trees and English gardens. An exquisite 10,000 square foot stone manor is meticulously restored, with incredible views and borders the Shenandoah River. 20 stall stone stable, run-in sheds, all create a fabulous equestrian facility. 117 acres $5,195,000 32 acres $1,250,000
Bolinvar
$8,495,000
The Rookery
$5,700,000
Windy Hill
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Possum Hollow
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Upperville ~ Extraordinary property includes 2 separate buildings, a beautifully renovated historic Church (circa 1825) with vaulted ceilings & stunning architecture, plus an absolutely charming studio cottage with full kitchen, sitting area and a full bath. The original Church is currently used as an office, but has multiple possible uses with Village Commercial zoning in place.
Middleburg ~ Charming home (circa 1840), completely renovated. Sited on 7+ acres with stone walls & towering trees. Gourmet kitchen & sun room, both with vaulted ceilings. Recreation room with wood burning fireplace, Master Suite and BA, 2 additional BRs and full BA. Inground lap pool. The property includes a 3 stall stable, tack room, riding ring and board fenced paddocks.
Bluemont ~ Incredible custom built 3 BR / 4 BA log home offers soaring ceilings, stunning stone 2 story fireplace, 3 fireplaces, hand hewn logs, fabulous decking in a magical setting on 42 acres (with an additional 17 acres available). Impeccably maintained: New roof, New HVAC, grand sun filled rooms. 2 story barn/garage, Whole Home generator, workshop on walk-out level.
Delaplane ~ Estate on 27 acres of rolling countryside with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The all brick 3 level residence features 5 BR / 5 BA, spacious rooms and huge floor to ceiling windows. The grounds include a pool with stone terraces, a center aisle stable, a huge indoor riding arena and a tenant/ guest house. Ideally located with easy access to the nation’s Capital.
7+ acres
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2 South Madison Street | PO Box 500 | Middleburg, VA 20118 | Office: 540-687-6500 | Fax: 540-687-8899 | thomasandtalbot.com Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed. 04-22_Georgetowner_McGowans-HalfPg.indd 1
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the $50,000 to $70,000 it raises to the “friends” groups of Montrose Park, Rose Park and Volta Park, the plantings at Book Hill (behind the library along Wisconsin Avenue), Trees for Georgetown and other local organizations. The Georgetown Garden Club is still figuring out numbers, but many projects will not get funded this year, making an impact on life in Georgetown, where residents live daily with the benefits of the club’s largesse. Though the club has some money in reserve, it will be giving much less because of the loss of the tour. It donates every dime it makes on the tour, aside from money spent for advertising, and the tour is staffed by neighborhood volunteers (my Rose Park neighbors always pitch in big-time). “There’s a sense of loss in that we won’t be able to do new projects, new gardens, new beds at Book Hill,” writes Club President Vicki Campbell. And, she explains, it is about more than just money. “The loss of the coming together of the neighborhood and inviting guests to share the beauty of our village, to share in the beauty of life and nature, that’ll have to wait until next year.” The Georgetown Garden Tour has been running for almost a century, almost as long as the Georgetown Garden Club has been in existence. It has always given money away to Georgetown projects, though one of its first donations was to the Bishop’s Garden on the close at the National Cathedral. This year’s gardens will have to wait till next spring, if the owners are still willing, because most gardens do not show well in the fall. Brooke Carnot, who volunteered her garden this year, says she’ll sign up again. “On May 6, I’ll post photos and video as a way to share in the bounty. We will be happy to be on the tour in 2021 and there will be a new feature — I added a vegetable garden during COVID-19. Gardening this spring has brought me a sense of hope in the continuation of life in a way that is more visceral and cathartic than ever.” As club member Georgina Owen Horsey points out, “Gardening is about the future. In that regard, it is the best thing you can do now. Whatever you do in the garden is about thinking ahead.” So think ahead to May 2021, when the roses are just out, the locals are welcoming you onto their back patios, the club is raising money to beautify the neighborhood and even the lowliest tree box looks lovely as the crowds walk past.
SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE PANDEMIC
Washington Gas is taking steps to support the community we’ve called home for more than 171 years through the COVID-19 crisis.
DISCONNECTIONS SUSPENDED & LATE FEES WAIVED To remove added stress that comes with these uncertain times, Washington Gas has suspended disconnections and waived late fees on customer bills until we get past this crisis. These actions are automatically in place and do not need to be requested.
EXPECT TO SEE US IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD We recognize that as an essential energy service provider our work must continue. Whether responding to emergency calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or performing essential construction and system maintenance, we will be out in the streets and neighborhoods taking care of our customers and keeping our system operating safely and efficiently. Our workers are following precautionary safety protocols at all times. We ask that you give our crews the space they need to work by always maintaining appropriate social distances from our workers (6 feet or more).
YOU CAN HELP YOUR NEIGHBORS The Washington Area Fuel Fund (WAFF) is a vital program run by Washington Gas and The Salvation Army that provides essential heating assistance for local low-income residents in need.
EASY WAYS TO HELP YOUR NEIGHBORS • Donate at WAFFHelp.org • Mail a check payable to: WAFF P.O. Box 1999 Washington, D.C. 20013 HELP HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT.
If you think you smell gas or are experiencing a natural gas-related emergency, please call 911 and then call us at 1-844-WASHGAS (927-4427).
GMG, INC.
APRIL 22, 2020
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KITTY KELLEY BOOK CLUB
The Silent Justice’s Deafening Opinions COREY ROBIN’S “THE ENIGMA OF CLARENCE THOMAS” EXPLORES THE LIFE OF AN OFT-PERPLEXING JURIST R EVIEWE D BY KIT T Y K E LLE Y Clarence Thomas, the longest-sitting justice on the current Supreme Court, is referred to as the silent one because he hardly speaks during oral arguments. Instead, he sits quietly in his black robe and listens to his colleagues joust with the lawyers presenting their cases to the high court. Rarely, if ever, asking a question, he dismisses those who criticize his silence. “Let them read my opinions,” he says. “I say what I have to say in my opinions.” In those opinions, Thomas shouts at the top of his lungs. He advocates for crushing Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to abortion. He links birth control and Planned Parenthood to the eugenics movement of a century ago. He opposes race mixing, sees integration as harmful to African Americans and thinks the state should support separation of the races. He attacks every effort to bring African Americans into mainstream white America and rails against voting rights, property rights, gender equality, affirmative action and legally mandated segregation, except in prisons. In effect, the second African American to sit on the Supreme Court
presents as a racist, with misogynistic views that are foreboding, leaving little room for progress and none for hope. In 1985, Thomas addressed the graduating class of Savannah State College on what he calls the unholy triumvirate: “I am here to say that discrimination, racism and bigotry have gone no place and probably never will.” That dystopian view, enunciated more than three decades ago, has hardened over the years as it continues to inform his jurisprudence. Corey Robin, who teaches political science at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center, rejects “virtually all of Thomas’s views” as “disturbing, brutal, even ugly,” but he wrote “The Enigma of Clarence Thomas” to “make us sit with that discomfort rather than swat it away. This is not so that we adopt Thomas’s views, but so we see the world through his eyes — and realize, perhaps, to our surprise that his vision is in some ways similar to our own. Which should unsettle us even more.” There have been numerous books written about Thomas, but Robin’s is unique in that it takes the justice’s written opinions
and examines them against the backdrop of Thomas’s own life. Growing up in Pin Point, Georgia, he experienced the prejudice of Jim Crow, but came to feel its lash “much worse” when he moved north to go to Yale Law School. There, as one of only 12 black students, Thomas says he felt the object of the most intense snobbery and suspicion: “You had to prove yourself every day because the presumption was that you were dumb and didn’t deserve to be there on merit.” At that time, Thomas, a black nationalist devoted to Malcolm X, identified as “a radical.” He voted for George McGovern for president in 1972, although he said he thought the liberal Democrat was “too conservative.” Decades later, Thomas has become the darling of conservative Republicans, and President Donald Trump’s favorite justice. Most civil rights activists support affirmative action as a needed step to try to rectify the sins of slavery, but Thomas sees it as an insulting sop to African Americans. To him, it’s a white program for white people, because it elevates whites to the status of benefactors who dole out privileges to the few blacks they decide are worthy. It’s interesting to recall that Thomas’s 1991 nomination to the Supreme Court was orchestrated by two such white benefactors: President George Herbert Walker Bush and his White House counsel, C. Boyden Gray. Robin writes that, as early as 1981, Thomas had decided he wanted to be appointed to the Supreme Court to replace the aging Thurgood Marshall, the court’s black liberal. The only problem, Robin writes, was that Thomas had no views on the Constitution. So, despite his “shoddy record” as chair of the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission, he undertook a crash course on the nation’s founding text and, through a twisted legal labyrinth, came to the conclusion that there’s a White Constitution and a Black Constitution. A unifying Constitution, in his view, is a fairy tale. In Thomas’s America, blacks and whites will never live happily ever after. This stark interpretation of the Constitution informs most of his written opinions on race, to the disappointment of progressives. As Rosa Parks said of Thomas in 1996, “He had all the advantages of affirmative action and went against it.” On the last page of his book, Robin admits that racism is a permanent stain on the soul of America, but suggests that people of good conscience cannot stop waging the moral battle to try to right the insidious wrong. His message is to fight for our better angels and, in the words of our greatest president, to try for “a more perfect union.” I agree with Corey Robin; Justice Clarence Thomas does not. Georgetown resident Kitty Kelley has written several number-one New York Times best-sellers, including “The Family: The Real Story Behind the Bush Dynasty.” Her most recent books include “Capturing Camelot: Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of the Kennedys” and “Let Freedom Ring: Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of the March on Washington.”
IT’S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO SEE THE
Beauty of Life at Ingleside
These days, it’s more important than ever to be connected. Ingleside at Rock Creek is now offering flexible options to stay in touch and learn about the community. Speak with an Ingleside marketing team professional, and view photos and videos of the new Creekside residences. Discover an engaging life at Ingleside at Rock Creek. SCHEDULE YOUR VIRTUAL APPOINTMENT TODAY!
18 APRIL 22, 2020
GMG, INC.
INGLESIDE AT ROCK CREEK
202-407-9676 // www.ircdc.org
Ingleside at Rock Creek is a not-for-profit, CARF-accredited, SAGECare-certified, life plan community.
McLEAN 8548A Georgetown Pike McLean, VA
BERKLEY 4711 Foxhall Crescent NW Washington, DC $1,785,000
$6,995,000 Jonathan Taylor +1 202 276 3344
BURLEITH 3722 R Street NW Washington, DC $2,375,000 Daniel Heider +1 703 785 7820
MASSACHUSETTS HEIGHTS 3115 Normanstone Terrace NW Washington, DC $2,695,500 Vassiliki Economides +1 202 345 2429
H STREET/ARTS DISTRICT 1375 Maryland Avenue NE #H Washington, DC
Debbie Shapiro +1 703 407 1600 Theo Adamstein +1 202 285 1177
GEORGETOWN 3329 Prospect Street NW #PH6 Washington, DC $3,995,000 Daniel Heider +1 703 785 7820
CHEVY CHASE 4118 Garrison Street NW Washington, DC UNDER CONTRACT $1,895,000 Ellen Abrams +1 202 255 8219
CAPITOL HILL 605 7th Street SW Washington, DC
$2,400,000 $1,199,000 Troy Patterson +1 202 487 9166 Eric Nicholson +1 202 276 3255
ECKINGTON 2121 4th Street NE #2 Washington, DC $820,000 Ashk Adamiyatt +1 202 607 0078
GEORGETOWN 3237 N Street NW #16 Washington, DC $575,000 Courtney Abrams +1 202 253 0109
Adrian Small +1 202 360 5418
GEORGETOWN 3053 Q Street NW Washington, DC $2,500,000 Michael Rankin +1 202 271 3344
LOGAN CIRCLE 1310 Corcoran Street NW Washington, DC $1,879,900 Brent Jackson +1 202 263 9200 Robert Sanders +1 202 744 6463
BROKERAGES: GEORGETOWN 1206 30TH STREET NW, WASHINGTON, DC | +1 202 333 1212 DOWNTOWN, DC • CHEVY CHASE, MD • BETHESDA, MD • ANNAPOLIS, MD • MCLEAN, VA • ALEXANDRIA, VA • ARLINGTON, VA • THE PLAINS, VA TTRSIR.COM ©2020 TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, licensed real estate broker. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Equal housing opportunity. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Price and availability subject to change.
GMG, INC.
APRIL 22, 2020
19
202.944.5000
WFP.COM
GEORGETOWN $15,500,000 3210 R Street NW Washington, DC Ellen Morrell 202-365-0196 Jamie Peva 202-258-5050
MCLEAN $5,995,000 7712 Georgetown Pike McLean, VA Piper Yerks 703-963-1363 Penny Yerks 703-760-0744
GEORGETOWN $5,650,000 1312 30th St NW, Washington, DC Ben Roth 202-465-9636
OLD TOWN $4,800,000 601 & 607 Oronoco St, Alexandria, VA HRL Partners 202-243-1620
GEORGETOWN $4,375,000 3030 Q Street NW, Washington, DC Jamie Peva 202-258-5050
GREAT FALLS $3,299,000 10015 High Hill Pl, Great Falls, VA Piper Yerks 703-963-1363 Penny Yerks 703-760-0744
MCLEAN $2,950,000 905 Georgetown Ridge, McLean, VA Piper Yerks 703-963-1363 Penny Yerks 703-760-0744
VIENNA $2,145,000 301 Niblick Drive SE, Vienna, VA W. Ted Gossett 703-625-5656
CAPITOL HILL 17 Frederick Douglas Ct, NE, Washington, DC HRL Partners 202-243-1620
ARLINGTON $1,895,000 2914 24th Rd N, Arlington, VA W. Ted Gossett 703-625-5656 Margot Wilson 202-549-2100
PARC POTOMAC $1,738,000 12500 Park Potomac Ave. #907N Potomac, MD Anne Killeen 301-706-0067 Adaline Neely 301-580-2214
$1,699,000 WESLEY HEIGHTS 4403 Klingle St, NW, Washington, DC HRL Partners 202-243-1620
WATERFORD $1,389,000 14774 Milltown Rd, Waterford, VA Joe O’Hara 703-350-1234
GEORGETOWN $1,325,000 2617 O Street NW, Washington, DC Nate Guggenheim 202-333-5905
WESLEY HEIGHTS $1,225,000 4351 Westover Pl, NW, Washington, DC HRL Partners 202-243-1620
BRAMBLETON $698,000 42250 Marble Canyon Terrace, Brambleton, VA Joe O’Hara 703-350-1234
UNDER CONTRACT
BRINGING YOU THE FINEST AGENTS • PROPERTIES • EXPERIENCE
20 APRIL 22, 2020
GMG, INC.
