PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | FEBRUARY 3 - 10, 2022 by Philadelphia Weekly

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A Dreamy Concert from The War On Drugs

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Senate Candidate George Bochetto Fights to Disqualify DA Krasner from Abu-Jamal Appeal

eing half-Italian and from South Philly, I’m pleased that attorney George Bochetto led the fight to stop the city from removing the popular statue of Christopher Columbus from the predominantly Italian-American neighborhood where I grew up and still reside. Bochetto, who is now running in the Republican primary race for the vacant U.S. Senate seat, won the case, but the city is appealing. I reached out to George Bochetto and asked him why he was running for the U.S. Senate. “Taking control in the mid-term elections of the House and the Senate by Republicans is of absolutely critical importance to the future of this country,” Bochetto replied. “Public safety is at an all-time low. It is not just at a discouraging level; it is at a crisis level. We need sensible leadership to combat these forces at work that want to promote sanctuary cities and district attorneys who refuse to prosecute and fulfill their oaths of office. They don’t look at bail seriously and put dangerous violent criminals back on the street the same day. “Until we have responsible leadership in Washington to address these issues, we are going to continue to suffer. It is not just Philadelphia; it is creeping out in the suburbs now and becoming a crisis. That is why I am running. I

FEBRUARY 3 - 10, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

have the demonstrated history of fighting for members of the District Attorney’s office. They cannot be trusted to do a good job in dethe causes that we need to stand up for.” fending against this latest petition,” Bochetto Bochetto said that what is needed is a candidate to promote conservative core values to said. “We want Larry Krasner disqualified and a special prosecutor to come in get the country back on track. Boand defend those petitions. That’s chetto has used a cool million of his not just our idea; it is fully in acown money to jump start his camcord with the opinion of Justice paign, but he said he is also raising Dougherty of the Supreme Court funds from a broad sweep of supof Pennsylvania from about a porters who are familiar with his year and a half ago when we filed history. a King’s Bench Petition in the SuAt a recent appearance outside preme Court concerning Krasner’s of the Philadelphia Fraternal Orconflict of interest.” der of Police, Lodge 5, Bochetto and I noted that Bochetto has been his client Maureen Faulkner, the quoted as saying that Krasner has widow of slain police officer Daniel been doing whatever he can to free Faulkner, called for disqualifying Abu-Jamal rather than prosecute Philadelphia District Attorney Larhim. ry Krasner in the upcoming appeal “I have evidence that he has of Mumia Abu-Jamal. Abu-Jamal completely and purposely mishanwas convicted of murdering Daniel dled the defense of the fifth petiFaulkner in 1982. PAULDAVISONCRIME.COM tion that Abu-Jamal filed in an efBochetto said that Abu-Jamal fort to get him turned free on that filed a sixth petition, alleging “newpetition,” Bochetto said. “I’m proud to say that ly discovered evidence,” in a box of documy involvement and the involvement of Mauments that Krasner claimed to have found in reen Faulkner had a lot to do with that being the DA’s storeroom. Bochetto said this was “a unsuccessful. We want to make sure that he complete crock.” “The problem is that Larry Krasner is so doesn’t have an opportunity to do it again on deeply conflicted on this case, as are other this most recent petition. Criminal justice

PAUL DAVIS

reform is one thing but trying to free a stonecold guilty cop killer like Abu-Jamal is not the way to reform the criminal justice system.” I asked Bochetto what has sustained his client Maureen Faulkner all of these years in her fight to counter the powerful campaign to free Abu-Jamal. “Having gotten to know Maureen very well, she has just got the inner strength of a princess. She will not back down. She cannot be bullied. She cannot be intimidated. She has a very strong belief in what is right and wrong, and when she stands up for what is right, she is just a relentless person. And she does it with class and dignity. She is a special person.” I asked Bochetto if he supported the movement in the Pennsylvania State Legislature to recall Krasner. “I absolutely do. He is refusing to carry out his oath of office,” Bochetto said. “I think it is so inimical to the citizens of Philadelphia. Unfortunately, and I’ve studied this a great deal, there is no provision within the City’s Home Rule Charter to impeach or recall a city-elected official. We must rely on Harrisburg to do it.” Paul Davis’ Crime Beat column appears here each week. He can be reached via pauldavisoncrime.com.

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FROM THE EDITOR

SHADOW OF WHY DOES CITY CORRUPTION HALL STILL LOVE GREAT CONTENT EBOBBY HENON? and help us make it.

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very groundhog-lover in Pennsylpensive, he claimed the increased price was vania will have his eyes fixed on due to “price gouging” by merchants. The Punxsutawney this week where statement was an obvious lie — if the price didn’t go up, no one would decrease his soda that town’s most famous resident intake and the promised health effects of the will emerge and do his annual meteorological duty. But spare a law would never happen. And even with the price increase, it didn’t moment for Philadelphia and our work, according to a study by Drexel Univerequivalent local tradition: The City Controller sity researchers. releases reports detailing the mismanagement Kenney’s illiterate explanation foreshadof city resources and your tax dollars. If City Council sees its shadow, we get another year owed claims by President Biden and Senator Elizabeth Warren this year that inflation of crooked government. wasn’t real, it was just greedy merchants raisBut here’s the twist: they see their shadow t’s year. finally over. After getting condefending it. Weird how they only discovered ing the prices. every single in federal court Councilmember Katherine Gilmoreinflated Richgreed after the government Nothingvicted changes, nothing is in re-November, now-former Councilman ardson, for sent a media advisory theexample, money supply. formed—they just raise taxes againBobby Hehas and resigned union representatives on Butlocal to return to local matters, to pay for non the graft waste.from City Coun- that she joined cil, report after collecting few extra payJanuary 19 to announce her Oh second annual Councilman David pointed out The latest to poke itsa head courtesy the public. That Apprenticeship Guidebook, which inin a press release last weekgives that the out of thechecks ground is City ofControlparticular saga, aside from formation soda to workers interested in thecorrupt: skilled tax didn’t just become ler Rebecca Rhynhart’s release last the quesof whetherabout Henonthe will keep or trades. A handful of unions were there,As along it was born amid corruption. the month oftion information pension, hasbeen ended. with StateInquirer Representative Joeyear, Hohenstein, reported last prosecucity’s sodalose tax.his The tax has a A bigger problem, however, reCouncil President Darrell Bobby tors in the trial ofClarke—and Bobby Henon and matter of contention since it was missDougherty a photo op,“alleged one supposes. mains: The unbothered that local pol- Henon. Never Johnny Doughfirst proposed in 2016.attitude Originally, It had doesn’t seemback exactly approiticians have about cavorting with erty Henon Mayor Jim sugary sodas were to be taxed to priate, though, for soda city tax andinstate disgraced councilmembers. Before Kenney’s signature 2016 fund universal pre-K schooling: a officials a stage with Henon resigned from City proposal Council, as a way to of share enacting revenge on Hethe feel-good, budget-neutral non. It doesn’t express a most other didn’t rival Teamster’s union, much which of was to warm thecouncilmembers hearts of progressives concern to for Nor mind keeping did opposed thelocal bill.”corruption. Since that time, city-wide. By him the around. time it Nor passed, does it and showDougherty wise governance. How, Mayor Henon were convictthe taxKenney. had been expanded to cover @KYLESAMMIN inquiring might wonder, do The mayor’s statement(undercutafter Heed of thoseminds and other charges. non-sugary beverages Richardson, Clarke, non’s resignation was like he wantIt was never aboutand the Hohenstein kids. It was ting the health rationale) and the justify the appearing Henon?your Did ed to say thenow right without unnamed about grabbing money,with punishing money was to things fund various theypatting raise any concerns Heupsetting Henon.schools, “As I’veincluding said be- city emenemies, and themselves onabout the back projects beyond being there? fore, I’ve always(undercutting believed that the Counfor caringnon about the community. The only ployee benefits claimed benhard toofsay. cilmember Henon would do what non-corrupt That’s beneficiaries the Not sodabecause tax so efits). no one asked, but because RichheAnd feels that is right his what constituents, far have been the supermarkets just over the wasforjust Mayor Jim Kenardson, Clarke, and Hohenstein all for of Philadelphia, and to have city line, where anyone with a car goes to buy neythe andpeople City Council were admitting for the entire city,” Kenney said. soda now. declined to respond to an inquiry changed. from Philadelphia Weekly. The pub“While face the Rhynhart con“The questionable, vindictive motivations Since he themust tax’snow enactment, has @ANTHONYHENNEN doesn’t deserve a response, sequences of noted his past decisions, it is is not gobehind thelictax have been brought to lightand by consistently that the money probably shouldn’t such impoimportant to evaluate entirety in their ask convictions of ing where the politiciansthe from the Democratic federal prosecutors lite questions. of a person’s contributions Bobby Henon and John Dougherty, and there machine promised it would. to public service So let this beaalack lesson, and one toaccountbear in throughout their career.” continues to be of transparent I know, you arewhole all shocked. mind as Councilman KenyattaonJohnson’s fedContra Kenney, convicted poliing from the Administration where a maIn the years sincea itfederally was passed, Rhynhart’s eral trial starts next is month. not-so-powertician does not deserve the privilege of doing jority of the revenue being A spent,” Oh said office notes, “the majority of Beverage Tax less contingent in City Hall isn’t bothered by “what he $178.9 feels ismillion right” for cityof of the Philadelin a press release. revenue, or the 53.6% total, federal Theytax are passed contentthrough to conphia. What utter nonsense. Henon He’s convictions. right. The soda has gone to the General Fund.” Thatshould’ve is to say, tinue as acts, they doesn’t see fit. Don’t a push for been out ofinCity Council thetaxes day after reduceexpect obesity or soda it justthrown gets thrown with the other (the corrupt clean governance. his That he’s been able pre-K to stayconon consumption, and two-thirds of the money loftyconviction. goals of universal, city-funded Don’t even expect on the Council reminds us that quo inoflocal doesn’t gotransformative where the cityaction promised it veniently forgotten). To the be status sure, some the murder crisis, carjackings, or the indignities politics seesstill theflows publicthat as away, nuisance to be tolwould. tax money but just 36.6%, pettyCouncil crime. Don’t expect much of lead an effort erated rather a citizenry to beproposed respected. should follow Oh’s and a far cry fromthan the 100% originally or of City to expand it means But, losinginstead, a few not single out at Kenney, though. That put an endhousing to thisifnonsense. theLet’s 50%-plus promised final passage. parkingsee spaces. City Hall itsheads priorities. would rude.joke Other elected officials they’ll their shadow, pullhas their back The be biggest about the soda taxhaven’t is that And it’s not terribly concerned you don’t been shyclaimed about joining thehave convicted Henon in underground and ignore the worldifagain until Kenney never to intended prices like it. public, though they aren’t enthusiastic about next year to go up. Indeed, after making soda more ex-

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PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY |WEEKLY JANUARY| 27 - FEBRUARY 3, 2022 PHILADELPHIA FEBRUARY 3 - 10,

STATE OF OUR CITY

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UKRAINIANS LEAD RALLY AGAINST RUSSIAN AGGRESSION

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OF OUR

CITY

BICYCLE FILM FESTIVAL: VIRTUAL TOUR RETURNS TO PHILLY

Last Sunday on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, a crowd of Ukrainians, eastern Europeans, and other concerned Americans gathered to show solidarity for Ukraine and denounce a possible Russian invasion of the country. Local Ukrainians, Belarusians, Poles, Georgians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Uzbeks, Turks, and others spoke about the danger Vladimir Putin’s Russia presents to peace in Europe and to the sovereignty of countries from eastern Europe to central Asia.

Bicycle Film Festival lands in Philadelphia with a curated virtual screening of cinematic short films, available from February 11 – 22. The BFF selected short adventure film program offers an international point of view of the cycling movement. The stories appeal to a wide audience from film connoisseurs to avid cyclists and everything in between. Tickets are available now on www. bicyclefilmfestival.com with sliding scale prices at $10, $15, and $20. BFF has produced 90 virtual international events “localized” in the last year.

The current number of homicide victims year-to-date under Mayor Jim Kenney and District Attorney Larry Krasner’s leadership. This represents a 12 percent decrease over the same time last year and is higher than the annual number of homicides that took place in 2007 through 2019. The city ended 2021 with a horrific 562 murders.

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Ian Moe Chairman & Publisher Anthony Hennen Executive Editor

John Montesano Art Director

Kyle Sammin Senior Editor

Contributors: A.D. Amorosi, A. Benjamin Mannes,Jesse Bunch, Paul Davis, Timaree Schmit, Ryan K. Smith, Stu Bykofsky, Eugene Zenyatta. Intern: Genevieve Wittrock

To contact the news department: mail@philadelphiaweekly.com.

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THE RUNDOWN

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THE RUNDOWN Image | Nathan Ansell

FOOD & DRINK

Volvér

Chef Jose Garces is thrilled to introduce Chef Jezabel Careaga as the next Chef in Residency at Volvér on Kimmel Cultural Campus. Chef Careaga’s residency will run through March 13. Funding will help support the initiatives of Fuerza for Humans, a non-profit focusing on mental health for the restaurant community. The Chefs in Residency Program is a new program to support and raise up rising star minority chefs with a focus on Black, Brown, LGBTQ and Female chefs impacted by the pandemic. Currently, Careaga’s menu will include Picada, Escabeche de Berejena Toast, Empanadas, Tamales Saltenos, Vacio con Papas Estrelladas, Estofado, Locro, Queso y Membrillo and Panqueque Con Dulce De Leche.

Image | Patchwork

Patchwork

Patchbook, a lively restaurant and bar focused on New American cuisine, is now open at the Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia. The menu, curated by Executive Chef Jonathan Dearden, is inspired by Mid-Atlantic ingredients that can be found in local farms and fisheries, such as Cape May oysters, the signature Patchwork burger, sirloin steak frites with truffle fries and whiskey au poivre, and more. The 8-seat bar boasts a plethora of rotating local brews on draft, global wines, as well as signature cocktails crafted by in-house mixologists showcasing local and regional distilleries such as New Liberty Distillery and Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey.

Wm. Mulherin’s Sons

Brunch is back: Wm. Mulherin’s Sons is debuting a new brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 am until 2 pm featuring rustic Italian dishes inspired by classic and seasonal flavors. Menu highlights include an oatmeal brulée with caramelized banana, maple and sunflower and a roasted broccolini vegan caesar to start, followed by steak and eggs with crispy potatoes, and of course a selection of pasta dishes such as the mafaldine carbonara with roasted pork belly and a sunny side egg. Those with a sweet tooth won’t want to miss the decadent Italian-style French toast. Alongside these flavorful dishes comes a fresh list of creative brunch cocktails, from the Walk Of Shame, featuring gin, d’arancia Rossa, grapefruit, and bianco lambrusco, to the Other Side of the Pillow — a modern twist on the classic mimosa.

Image | Eddy Marenco Volver

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | FEBRUARY 3 - 10, 2022

THE RUNDOWN

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FINDING FOOD ON MONDAYS The Bourse Food Hall

North 3rd

MilkBoy

Red Owl Tavern

The Bourse, Old City’s modern artisanal food hall, offers a plethora of stellar and diverse options for those in need of a quick bite during lunch break or postsight seeing on nearby historic Independence Mall. Vendors open on Mondays include The Marino Bros. for authentic Philly cheesesteaks, Abunai Poké with an array of BYO poké bowl offerings, Freebyrd Chicken boasting over-the-top fried chicken sandwiches, Rebel Taco with scratch-made Mexican fare, and Menagerie Coffee for freshly brewed coffee, pastries, and more.

MilkBoy operates seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Served till 3pm, breakfast includes the fan-favorite breakfast burrito composed of tater tots, chihuahua cheese, drunken beans, guacamole, and scrambled eggs, followed by a robust lunch and dinner menu of elevated fast casual fare featuring the famed MilkBoy burger prepared with 6oz heritage Hereford beef, Tommy sauce, shredded lettuce, tomato and pickle, a veg-friendly cauliflower cheesesteak crafted on Liscio’s Bakery Signature Hoagie Roll, garlic aioli, grilled cremini mushrooms, fried onions, and Yard’s Beer Whiz, and much more.

FEBRUARY 3 - 10, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

North 3rd in Northern Liberties serves hearty pub fare with an ever-evolving menu of seasonal fare. Folks dining on a Monday evening can select from a variety of sandwiches, appetizers, and entrées including seared Atlantic salmon composed of garlic spinach, Thai curry sauce, and basmati rice, seared duck breast with truffle mashed potatoes, confit and croissant stuffing, and drizzled with brandied cherry jus, steak frites prime sirloin prepared with hand cut fries, garlic spinach, red wine and shallot reduction.

Red Owl Tavern on Independence Mall is serving up breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Mondays, in addition to a bustling bar program helmed by Lead Bartender Christopher Devern. Locals and visitors dining at the Old City restaurant and bar can indulge in a smattering of winter dishes available for dinner service including braised Moroccan spiced lamb shank composed of sweet potato puree, pearl onions, braised kale, and lamb jus, and short rib gnocchi crafted with parsnip purée, butternut squash, winter radish, and manchego.

THE RUNDOWN

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Reading Terminal Market To Host Lunar New Year Lion Dance On Saturday, February 5 at 12 pm, performers from the Philadelphia Suns will do a traditional Lion Dance through Reading Terminal Market to celebrate Lunar New Year.

The group will parade through the aisles, stopping at Tambayan, Tea Leaf, Sang Kee Peking Duck, Four Seasons Juice Bar, and Little Thai Market to enjoy a head of cabbage. It is a Chinese custom for the lion to eat cabbage during the dance because it symbolizes wealth and the lion then shares that prosperity with the audience. Masks are required inside Reading Terminal Market. All performers will be fully masked for the duration of the event and the same is expected of all attendees. Image | Courtesy of Reading Terminal Market

EVENTS Neon Currents

Contemporary work from eight regional neon artists are on display at two locations. Simultaneously staged at the Neon Museum of Philadelphia and The Art Trust at Meridian Bank in West Chester, Neon Currents features large installations, mixed media, and sculpture—showcasing the creative, exciting and inspiring ways neon is used beyond the traditional application of signage. Entering the world of neon from different pathways, the exhibiting artists include neon glass blowers, designers, and instructors. Curated by Eve Hoyt, the exhibits feature artists Len Davidson, Alissa Eberle, Eve Hoyt, Danielle James, Victoria Ahmadizadeh Melendez, Fred Musso, Mark Naylor, Haley Ryane Meushaw. Details at https://neonmuseumofphiladelphia.com/.

South Philly Heavyweight Boxing

South Philly heavyweight fighter Sonny Conto will go against Mike Marshall of Danbury, CT, in a six-round heavyweight fight at The Event Center at Live! Casino & Hotel on Thursday, February 24 at 7 pm. Details at Philadelphia.livecasinhotel.com.

Philly Gumbo Mardis Gras Celebration

Celebrate Mardis Gras with Philly Gumbo at City Winery and bring your beads! Philly Gumbo has pioneered New Orleans Music and Mardi Gras celebrations in Philadelphia, thrilling audiences with their party-hearty, dance-inducing mix of New Orleans R&B, blues, funk, soul and reggae for more than three decades. Feb. 26, 8 pm.

Up All Night Moshulu Boat Party

It’s time to Live While YOU’RE young! With a sound system, light show, and pyrotechnics like no other venue, The Deck at Moshulu Boat is a one-of-a-kind party experience with spectacular views of the Philly skyline and Ben Franklin Bridge. It’s a wonderful place to capture pics for social media. This is a rain or shine event, 21 & over, March 11 at 10 pm. Details at Eventbrite.

Image | Neon Currents

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | FEBRUARY 3 - 10, 2022

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Image | Lisa Schaffer

The War On Drugs

DELIVERS Fans Hit Emotional Peak at Long-Awaited Show BY MICHELLE MONTALVO

ot a year has passed since music fans began clamoring for opportunities to reunite with their favorite artists and reconnect with the music they love. A chance at “normal” after two years of viral – and emotional – peaks and valleys. Now, the return to the stage has found its footing in Philly. While

FEBRUARY 3 - 10, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

fans armed with vaccination cards and masks have taken their well-deserved spots on venue floors, the anticipation around a special night out in a pandemic reminds us how quickly we can find ourselves disappointed and how good it feels when we’re not let down. Concerts in the city are delivering that elevating experience on a regular basis. We’ve all learned to adjust expectations when it comes to large gatherings, but fans, musicians, and venues alike continue to bear

the brunt of each covid wave’s blow to live music, where a cancellation or postponement can reset the clock for six months to a year. Philly’s own The War on Drugs, embarking on their long-awaited tour, announced they were postponing their shows in Nashville and Atlanta just days before the band was set to take the stage for their first of two shows at The Met, their first hometown shows since 2019. “If everyone remains negative and healthy,

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we will continue the tour in Philly on January 27th.” the band said on Instagram. Thankfully for their hometown fans, the show would go on. The band appeared before a sold-out room with no opening act to keep fans waiting. “We wouldn’t miss this one for the world,” frontman Adam Granduciel told the eager crowd. Thursday’s show made it clear there’s no distance left between The War on Drugs and their fans. A much-needed closeness after two years of separation. The rich light design intertwined with the theatrical smoke and draped the band’s layers of familiar sounds as they confidently delivered an equally dreamy and imposing set, enveloping the audience in 80s synth-rock nostalgia. Fans are well-acquainted with the band’s signature feel: a lush soundscape of rock instruments presenting a united front, reminiscent of Springsteen or Petty. Like the greats, the band and their instruments filled most of the stage, almost threatening to create clutter, but instead engineering a sound not at all derivative.

The excitement among the mostly masked crowd was palpable. A mix of young and older, the makeup of the crowd stands as a testament to the band’s ability to capture the feeling of wanderlust with their impressive sound. Like a stadium wave, the sold-out crowd moved along to every song with enchantment. For this tour, The War on Drugs recruited West Philly multi-instrumentalist Eliza Hardy Jones to provide additional layers and texture to Granduciel’s wistful vocals and Keyboardist Robbie Bennett, Saxophonist Jon Natchez, Guitarist Anthony LaMarca, Bassist Dave Hartley, and Drummer Charlie Hall’s meticulously planned sounds. Opening with “Old Skin,” a song from last year’s album I Don’t Live Here Anymore, the song struck emotional chords of longing and abandon. These themes and accompanying melodies are not novel to the band’s catalogue, but with every showcase, they’re presented in a different light. With “Old Skin, the band temporarily peels back the layers of synths and guitars to reveal a softer, cooler, arrange-

ment. As with “Living Proof”, a softer song that should feel out of place but doesn’t, Granduciel’s bare emotions take center stage along an acoustic riff that evolves into a far less naked sound as it reaches its end. Popular favorites “An Ocean in Between the Waves,” “Red Eyes,” and “Under the Pressure” punctuated the set list with the warmer tones of their hazy palette, while soon-to-be new favorite “Harmonia’s Dream” reminded fans that the band knows who they are: a group capable of pumping out main-stageworthy anthems that would make Don Henley check the songwriting credits. The lyrics “sometimes forward is the only way back” from the song are a poignant encapsulation of Granduciel and co.’s journey from Fishtown’s Johnny Brenda’s to headlining sports arenas accompanied by a melody capable of transporting fans from the floor of The Met to top-down convertible rides without setting foot outside—or, in my case, without owning a car. The building instrumentation in the song is a recurring device used by the ensemble to create a sweeping wave of something simply catchy, but not at all simple. In perhaps the least meticulously staged

part of the night, Granduciel dedicated “Strangest Thing” from the band’s 2017 Grammy-winning album, A Deeper Understanding, to a fan named Kevin who had tweeted at the band multiple times requesting they add the song to their set. Feeling secondhand joy at one of their own being noticed, the crowd chanted Kevin’s name. The seven-minute slow-burner paired perfectly with The Met’s orchestral adornments, the audience taking it all in. Good choice, Kevin. The show reached its climax with a blistering performance of “Under the Pressure,” with the crowd exploding in a burst of energy that wasn’t depleted by the night’s earlier anthems. Before ending the show with “Occasional Rain,” a song Granduciel has called “a perfect closer,” the frontman said he had been sick so “we’re gonna take it easy tonight,” forgoing the encore. No complaints from me or the audience, knowing another night and a winter storm awaited the beloved band and tomorrow night’s fans. Before their Friday night show at The Met, the band asked fans to arrive early and use caution while braving the elements. They took the stage promptly at 8 pm to deliver the full show that Granduciel seemed apologetic for not delivering the night before.

Image | Lisa Schaffer

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | FEBRUARY 3 - 10, 2022

OPINION

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Lowest Common

DENOMINATOR In the name of “equity,” the Philadelphia School District will destroy elite schools, using an Asian Removal Program BY: STU BYKOFSKY

t has begun — the Philadelphia School District is dumbing down its elite schools in the name of “equity,” prying open doors to those who couldn’t get in under rules that demanded and created excellence.The (vague) new policies for student admission, announced in the fall, are a transparent attempt to rebalance the racial mix at elite schools such as Central and Masterman using a predetermined, but unannounced, formula. Turning Dr. Martin Luther King on his head, the color of students’ skin becomes more important than the content of their intellect. We are looking at an “equity” that makes everyone the same — the undeserving and the deserving, the unqualified and the qualified. What little we know about the new policies was provided by the Philadelphia Inquirer last fall, in a story lacking necessary detail, while acknowledging the School District stonewalled on some issues.

FEBRUARY 3 - 10, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

I know the feeling. Since December I have been trying to get straight answers out of the School District, first through communications officer Christina Clark. She pointed me to some online information, such as a generalized letter to parents lacking specifics about what the hell is going on, and a video of an October news announcement of the School Selection Process, that I think of as the Asian Removal Program. I will explain that in a moment. The October 6 announcement revealed that standardized tests have been dropped — no reason given (but we suspect they are somehow Eurocentric and racist), and that “some” schools (not mentioned by name) will still require a writing sample. The writing sample will be graded by computers, not by humans, said the School District, to free grading from the naked bigotry of American humans. (Small problem: Humans program the computers.) Several “special admit” schools were conveying a message that “was not accurate,”

said Student Support Services Chief Karen Lynch, who did not reveal what that inaccurate message was, but we suspect she was referring to racial imbalance. The facts: In 2020, Central’s 2,400 students were 38.7% Asian, 28.3% white, 19.6% Black,7.5% Hispanic, and 6.5% multiracial. The District itself is 52% Black, 22% Hispanic, 13% white, 7% Asian, 5% other. You see the message that needs correcting, don’t you? Student enrollment doesn’t match the racial balance. There are way too many Asians. This “equity” is an attack on them as obvious as the shameful Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 that prohibited Chinese immigration. What we have today is the 21st Century version of the Yellow Peril. In the past, kids were admitted on the color-blind basis of good grades, good attendance, and good behavior. Maybe good test scores, too, but the School District solved that problem by getting rid of the tests. “Humane education is to meet students at their level,” which this does not, said Coun-

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cilmember David Oh, a Central alum and the first Asian-American elected to that body. He disapproved of the changes, and joined with six other Council members, black and white, to ask the School District to suspend the changes due to “lack of transparency” and “ambiguous supporting data.” (The other Asian-American member of City Council, the quarrelsome Helen Gym, did not respond to a request for comment.) Masterman and Central have for decades been the jewels in the crown of Philadelphia public education. Their graduates constitute a Who’s Who of Philadelphia achievement. They are the antidote for white flight, magnets that bind the middle- and upper-class to a public education system that otherwise scares the living hell out of them. There are 39 magnet schools that draw students from around the city, but I’m focusing on just Central and Masterman, which in School District lingo are “criteria-based.” For the first time, students for the “criteria-based” schools will be chosen by “a lottery-based process,” said Lynch, casually dismembering the concept of “criteria,” as in merit. Students who “meet the criteria” (which she did not specify) will be selected by lottery (which is random luck), like winning a turkey raffle. “There will also be a zip code preference at several of our schools,” she said, without naming the schools or the zip codes. It was a master class in generalities and double talk, being oh-so-careful to avoid any hint that a big fat thumb is being put on the scale to benefit nonwhite “disadvantaged” students who live in the “wrong” zip code. The changes are unwelcome to almost all Central alumni I reached by tweeting out a request for comment. Attorney Richard Lipow, 67, class of 1971, said, “Reducing academic standards for admission and/or the rigor of study would not be good for the students.” “I’ve read the proposed changes to the selection process, and I believe it does more harm than good,” said Joe Melloni, 38, a national sales rep. “Children should be taught that they earn things by their hard work and merits. To lessen requirements and allow children to enter a school they might be ill prepared for will damage them emotionally and mentally,” said Melloni, class of 2001. A 49-year-old black man who requested anonymity because he is an active-duty Philadelphia police officer, said he is unhappy about the changes that “ultimately set some students up for failure.” He said, “I believe in equity of opportunity which already exists. Everyone can take the test, and everyone can do whatever it takes to be successful on that test despite any obstacles that are placed before them,” said the officer. When pharmaceutical executive Jeff Mor-

OPINION

rison, 46, class of 1993, attended Central, “It was the absolute gold standard of academics and diversity … I think the demographic breakdown was 35/35/20/10 or something like that,” he said.“Everyone got along and straight up liked one another. Our yearbook lists home addresses of all students — every single zip code was represented,” he said. “Whatever changes are being made are hurting the integrity of the school,” said Johnny Looch, 51, a DJ who was in the class of 1989. Isabelle Ringing, class of 1999, a 40-year-old pharmacist said, “Everybody is outraged.” Not quite. “Demographic statistics regarding Central and Masterman are quite alarming given the demographics of the Philadelphia public school system,” said Elliott Weiss, 67, class of 1971, a retired professor at the University of Virginia. “We are not lowering standards, we are measuring different factors,” he said, expressing a minority view — pun intended. Maybe the School District should hire Weiss, because my request to have a face-toface interview with a School District official was rebuffed. Email requests for information to two Central High School Alumni Association officers also were ignored. Why? Just a guess — complaining about anything tagged “equity” is automatically “racist” to the woke. Here are the questions on my mind, “racism” be damned: What was actually wrong with the long-standing school selection process? If there were “too few” minorities in elite schools, what is the “correct” racial distribution? Is a racial distribution formula applied to the teaching staff, which is almost 70% white? When did Asians cease being minorities? Instead of spending money on diversity, inclusion and equity officers, how about funding studies of Asian students? Is it something in their water, in their noodles, in their homes, in their culture, that results in achievement? Can their experience be replicated? The School District now is rigging the system to restrict two groups — Asians and whites — to benefit two other groups — blacks and browns. Tests were eliminated in the name of equity. But at the High School for Creative and Performing Arts — for artists, actors, dancers, musicians — students will still have to audition to demonstrate talent. Is that equitable? How about sports teams fielded by high schools? Will Overbrook have a few white basketball players for “equity”? Any room for Asian football linemen at Dobbins? Kidding aside, the School District’s desire seems aimed at giving some students a shot, but it is going about it in the wrong way — by lowering the bar. It is the equity of the lowest common denominator.

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GOSSIP

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The Busy Lives of

PHILLY SPORTSCASTERS An Argentinian Chef’s Adventures Since Covid BY: A.D AMOROSI

K. Fair play. Let’s congratulate the Bengals and the Rams for making it into the Super Bowl, hail Tom Brady for his years of service, cherish the weird laughs we got from Peyton Manning on Saturday Night Live and say many many prayers for the Eagles front office, Howie Roseman, and the rest of the team on the field so to make all the right choices for Fall 2022, and let’s move on. Because there is no fucking way the Flyers are going to do dick, the way they’re going. Of Sports and Sportscasters Good on the Eagles, though, for throwing around some dough for the launch of the inaugural local high school Girls Flag Football League to the tune of a $100,000 equipment donation. That brings the Eagles’ total donations to $200,000 in funds and resources to support the participation of girls in youth sports throughout the area. Plus, the way things are going for Roseman, he’s going to want to use these high schoolers as a talent pool, sooner than later. And since the Sixers probably aren’t going anywhere fast, we could throw the ball to its game-callers: One-time NBC Sports Philly on-air, play-by-play announcer Marc Zumoff just got into the craft brew finals with Conshohocken Brewing Company. Their joint game is an IPA collab called Zooisms, a beer that pays tribute to Zumoff’s iconic catchphrases (think “Turning garbage into gold”), dressed up in 76er red and blue, and with an alcohol volume percentage of 5.2%. Dang, that’s definitely more potent than half the team. Getting James Harden this offseason could help up the Sixers’ boozy punch. Let’s make this happen. One-time Philly sportscasters doing a new, anon, is a thing so far in 2022. While Zumoff is all about keeping the locals liquored up, Lesley Van Arsdall, former sports reporter for CBSPhilly, wrote a book with ex-Eagles player

FEBRUARY 3 - 10, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

ICEPACK

Brian Westbrook that’ll come out in June. It’s a kids book, The Mouse That Played Football, published by Temple University Press (see below, this is a part of an intricate chain) and has something to do, according to Van Arsdall’s socials, with the baller’s “true-life story of hard work and perseverance.” So. Seriously. What the fuck does that mean, that title? I’m not being dense here. Thinking of Westbrook as a mouse seems insulting to Brian, no? Enlighten me. Comcast Bringing in the Coin Netflix and Spotify’s downward spiraling stock numbers may be plummeting to the tune of billions of dollars lost, but guess who is on the upswing when it comes to media overlord-ing? Philly’s Comcast, whose Q4 earnings find that its NBCU revenue has upped 9.5% as its Peacock streamer service just topped 24 million monthly active accounts in the United States (trust me, that’ll drop when they see the Will Smith-produced Bel-Air reboot, post-game, on Super Bowl Sunday). Variety quoted that NBCUniversal’s revenue was “$9.3 billion, up 25.6% from the previous year’s Q4, and studio sales were up more than 36%,” and that though up, the only real loss is that of Peacock, as “for the full year, Peacock lost $1.7 billion on an adjusted basis.” Yikes. Walgreen Winds Down Pour out a forty-ouncer for the mega-Walgreens flagship store on Chestnut and Broad Street. The three-story flagship super-pharmacy, one of eight built in the chain, will close its 26,000-square-feet of salty snacks, power drinks, and antibiotics on February 28. Ask yourself: Why? No police presence downtown? No office worker presence downtown? Do they even sell the Combos that AREN’T the pepperoni pizza-filed ones? The answers are clear. Campus Safety Check Speaking of crime on Broad Street, North B’s Temple University is bringing on one-time Philly Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey to improve campus safety services and heighten its security presence. You do know when

GOSSIP

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY he was running the streets between 2008 and 2016 that homicide rates dropped nearly 40% and violent crime decreased by over 30%? Hey, are we sure Danielle Outlaw can’t ask about that NYC gig again? Pita Chip How often do I get a chance to say anything nice about my alma mater, Temple? Not a lot since Cosby. Take this: the Pita Chip, located on Temple U’s campus, is launching a limited-time, online-only menu item through February – a Syrian street food sammie, the Malik al-Batata – whose proceeds benefit the Nationalities Service Center to help aid Afghan refugees living in the U.S. Can one French frybased sandwich change the world? Eat it and see. Order here: http:// pitachipphilly.com. War on Drugs and Kacey Musgraves Kudos to Philly’s The War on Drugs for not only selling out New York City’s Madison Square Garden, surely their biggest gig, but doing so at the height of Omicron in a town steeped in Covid cases and maudlin mandates AND during a blizzard-y snowstorm and winter’s icy chill. I mean, they made similar magic at The Met Philadelphia, too, but the Garden, maaaaaaaaan. That’s a lot of Drug Heads. And whoa when it comes to big live concert jams, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that when country pop diva Kacey Musgraves did her “Star-Crossed” thing at Wells Fargo Center, that the singer stopped by our favorite piano bar ever, Tavern On Camac, to hang out and sing a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” for an adoring crowd. Masked Philadelphia: Jezabel Careaga In Icepack’s way-too-long, way overly complex and continuing saga of asking mask-donning local celebrities what they’ve been up to, beyond the pale, during C-19 – from lock down to the current re-opening, present-day un-masking and re-masking, worrying about Delta variants, freaking out about Fauci’s call for a potential third round of vax shots mere five months after the last, new mask and vax card mandates, ignored or not ignored (I mean why did I wait in line at the Convention Center if you’re not asking to see my card?), the possibility of mix-and-matching vaccines which is weird, AND NOW, YEAH OF COURSE, the whole worldwide B.1.1.529 Omicron variant scare, so welcome to ROUND THREE, I reached out, this week, to Jezabel Careaga. From Palpalá in the Argentinian province

of Jujuy to Fitler Square and West Philly, Chef Careaga has been making things happen in a major way – for her North Argentina-based Image | Jezabel Careaga cuisine, for her lifestyle + furnishings designs sold through her Atelier, for her educational classes – ever since she got here in 2009 and opened Jezabel’s. Busy busy life, right. Not too much time for fam and friends. Covid changed that for Chef Careaga, in little, but essential, ways. “When Covid hit I went into working-allthe-time mode and my dad and brother happened to be in the city and we ended up quarantining for 4 months,” she said. “Even though I was working a lot during the day, I made time to set the table, cook dinner, and enjoy a meal together with them every day. On Sundays, I made pasta for lunch with my dad – that became a ritual – and in-between I learned to make time and enjoy a meal, something that I carry until today, and will do it always going forward.” When it comes to masking and vaxxing, Careaga is in, and on it. “I’m a minimalist when it comes to my outfit and accessories. When buying masks, I wasn’t different. For a while I was wearing the medical masks until I found my favorite set from Madewell, and throughout this whole time I made it with 3 sets of three,” Careaga said. “My jeans, shirts, and accessories are from Madewell because of their social mission and responsibility – this is my go-to store right on Walnut Street. I was always okay with wearing masks, and plan on wearing them after Covid when going into a plane, airport, or major transportation hubs. I was able to be vaccinated pretty early and I can’t recommend this enough: this is a public health issue.” Along with looking forward to a time when Covid/Omicron disappears, and she can go into a restaurant, coffee bar, or hotel lobby sans mask (“I can’t wait to visit Vernick Coffee Bar, that was my place to meet”), Careaga is busy with her mash-up Chef in Residency Program menu alongside Jose Garces’ Volver on the Kimmel Cultural Campus (from now until March 13), working the designs at Atelier, and: “I’m turning 40!” she exclaimed. “Right after I finish my residence at Volver, I have a few celebrations scheduled with friends and family and I couldn’t be happier with the people that I have in my life and all the things I accomplished.”

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PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | FEBRUARY 3 - 10, 2022

OPINION

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Record Homicides: Ranking Who Should Be Held Accountable

s the clock struck midnight to beaccountable for being ineffective in keeping gin 2022, Philadelphia set a new us safe, the mainstream media is part of the record for homicides: 562. In both problem. 2020 and 2021, Philadelphia re#5 TIE: Sheriff Rochelle Bilal and the corded more murders that than First Judicial District cities like New York and Los AnThe Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office has been geles, both of which have three scandal-ridden and corrupt for over thirty times the population. The climb years, and most Philadelphians have no idea of Philadelphia’s murder rate has been drastic what they are supposed to do, what they actusince 2016, with a steady increase of murders ally do, and how poorly they do it. The Shereach year since that city’s death toll of 277. iff’s Office is supposed to be the primary civil There has been a steady obfuscation from law enforcement agency in a county. That city leaders, shifting the blame from COVID to does not mean that they are supposed to be a the economy to state gun laws to illegal guns. second police department but in most cities, Rarely, however, have any of these leaders sheriffs perform prisoner processing, manage who took oaths to uphold our laws and keep jails, serve warrants, and enforce custody supus safe; actually taken responsibility for the port, evictions, and actions against nuisance tragic loss of life that has cast a pall over the properties. birthplace of America. In Philadelphia, some of that happens – but This article breaks down a at a rate far below other counties. ranking of who shares the reThe Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office sponsibility for this sharp rise in mainly transports prisoners, proBY A. BENJAMIN MANNES violent crime, and why the public vides court security, and occaneeds to hold them accountable to sionally runs foreclosure sales. stop this deadly trajectory. The warrant squad, which was #5 TIE: The media once part of the court system, is also back unIf you’re one of the few Philadelphians who der the Sheriff’s command. read PW, BigTrial, Broad + Liberty, or follow Truly an embarrassment to the city was the Steve Keeley’s coverage on Fox 29, this sec- election of Rochelle Bilal. Bilal was a former tion may not apply. However, in looking at the Philadelphia Police Officer who was caught “paper of record” and largest broadcast news “double dipping” as the public safety director shows, you can’t help but wonder why Mayor in Colwyn Borough, a violation of the law that Jim Kenney, Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, served as the end of both careers. She ran as Attorney General Josh Shapiro, and DA Larry a “reform” candidate highlighting her gender Krasner have avoided any hard questions re- in light of the fact that her predecessor, Jewell garding their culpability for the city’s record Williams, was marred by sexual harassment homicide rate. litigation during his administration. But BiThe Inquirer has shifted toward more bilal’s election proved to be worse on the office’s ased, agenda-driven journalism over the last already abysmal ethics record –she held a parfive years. Consider that they initially enty for corrupt former Sheriff John Green after dorsed Beth Grossman against Larry Krasner his federal conviction, fired her fiscal watchin 2017, they shifted to the left and endorsed dog, and lost more than 200 firearms from her Krasner against Vega in 2021. Furthermore, property room in her first two years of office. almost all coverage in television and print As if that wasn’t enough of a contributor to following a homicide is dubbed as “gun viothe societal decay that leads to a record murlence”, with a slant toward the “epidemic of der rate – sources within the Sheriff’s office crime” vs. the criminal and what could have report that Bilal has instituted a policy where been done to stop them. sheriffs will not transport prisoners to the There is a clear bias in the Inquirer’s pocourts if they had been housed on a cellblock litical coverage. By publishing stories heavwith a COVID-19 positive inmate. This pracily tinged with race or social ideology, while tice has all but assured that suspects are not not holding Krasner, Kenney, and Outlaw being brought to court for their appearances,

FEBRUARY 3 - 10, 2022 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

OPINION

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forcing judges to reschedule them at a cost to the attorneys, juries, court reporters, police officers, and witnesses. At the same time, the judges and management of the First Judicial District share some of the responsibility, too. While many jurisdictions across America use video technology and night-court to assure that a steady backlog of non-jury court appearances continue through the pandemic, Philadelphia courts languished in shutdowns and backlogs. This served to delay the administration of justice for thousands of criminals left on the streets because of the low bail (or no bail) or reduced charging policies of the District Attorney’s Office. Many of them graduated to more serious crimes. n keeping #4 Attorney General Josh Shapiro art of the Government without oversight can never be accountable. In the Pennsylvania criminal jusand thetice system, that oversight is supposed to come from the Attorney General. Josh Shapiro ran has beenfor Attorney General as a political stepping ver thirtystone toward the governor’s office, with no ve no ideabackground as a prosecutor or litigator. they actu- Political motivation is common, but ShapThe Sher-iro’s is deadly for the residents of Pittsburgh mary civiland Philadelphia, the state’s two biggest cities. nty. ThatShapiro vowed to not step down as the state’s ed to be atop law enforcement official as he seeks to most cities,replace Gov. Tom Wolf in 2022, claiming that g, manage“There is too much work to do in the AG’s stody sup-office, so I’m going to keep doing that work.” nuisanceMeanwhile, it’s the nature of how he has failed to do “that work” that has contributed pens – butto Philadelphia’s record murders since he has r counties.been the state’s top law enforcement officer. ff’s Office The Attorney General is responsible for ners, pro-prosecuting misconduct at local District Atand occa-torneys’ offices, but despite numerous scanure sales.dals under Krasner, Shapiro’s office has which wasprovided no public probe into the reports of o back un-misconduct, perjury, and other crimes. Instead, he works on national issues popular ty was thewith his base, like pursuing a grand-jury ina formervestigation and charges against the state’s as caughtfracking industry. Shapiro gained national y directorattention in fighting the Little Sisters of the he law thatPoor over an issue that had already been upShe ran asheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. er gender In simple terms, there are only two offices sor, Jewellthat can prosecute violations for state law in arassmentPhiladelphia, the District Attorney and Attorn. But Bi-ney General – and both seem more concerned he office’swith their political aspirations than they do held a par-with keeping murderers off the street. reen after #3 Commissioner Danielle Outlaw cal watch- The reasons for Danielle Outlaw’s failure s from heras a police commissioner are not all her own. of office. The truth is, Kenney should never had apributor topointed someone with her track record for cord mur-the role, especially for the stated reasons he iff’s officedid so. That said, once you accept the job, the icy whereresponsibility to protect citizens is now yours, ers to theand Commissioner Outlaw has not lived up to a cellblockthat level of responsibility. This prac- The numbers do not lie. When Outlaw was ts are notappointed, there were 356 murders a year repearances,corded in Philadelphia, which shot up to 499 in

2020, before reaching 562 in 2021. Just like Kenney, Outlaw seemed tone-deaf from the start of her administration. While Philadelphians of color were being slaughtered in the street, Outlaw’s first directive was to allow officers to wear colored nail polish – apparently to accommodate her own tastes. Since then, she has been conspicuously less visible than her last three predecessors, and when she does emerge, it’s to pose on social media or speak in platitudes about her strategies for ending the surge in violent crime. At the same time, confidential police sources tell PW that she has sidelined the city’s elite Highway Patrol and Strike Force units, relegating their once targeted deployments to visibility and traffic work. She has also reassigned beloved District Captains and failed to speak out against the “driving equality bill,” in which City Council has ordered her officers to allow dangerous vehicle code violations to go unenforced to promote “racial equity”. While it’s true that crime rose nationwide following a wave of progressive prosecutor elections and surged when courts closed during COVID, the vast majority of police executives nationwide would kill to have the resources afforded to the Philadelphia Police Department. Outlaw has squandered that opportunity, placing her image as a “woke” po-

lice leader in front of her duty to protect the citizens of our diverse city. #2 Mayor Jim Kenney When it comes to crime, Jim Kenney has made it abundantly clear that he is not up to the task. One may recall the shooting of Police Officer Jesse Hartnett on the evening of January 7, 2016, the week Kenney was inaugurated. Hartnett was shot several times in the left arm fending off an attempted assassination by Edward Archer, a radicalized career criminal pledging allegiance to ISIS. The night of the shooting, Kenney first made a statement blaming the availability of guns, a problem because Archer had used a stolen police service weapon – and that there was no nexus to terrorism, also a problem because Kenney had viewed interview room footage where Archer told detectives he was radicalized by ISIS. Since then, after losing the support of the city’s political machine, Kenney has painted himself in a “woke corner”, parroting national progressive talking points more native to places like Portland and San Francisco than the nation’s poorest big city. Meanwhile, crime has skyrocketed. Instead of using the nation’s 4th-largest police department to protect the public, Kenney toes the party line. Kenney’s new-found “wokeness” led to his most dangerous policy decision yet. In 2019,

merely a week after being proclaimed a hero for resolving a mass-shooting with no fatalities, Commissioner Richard Ross was fired by Kenney for a trumped-up claim that he failed to act properly regarding allegations of sexual harassment occurring several ranks under his command. Many attributed Kenney’s firing to Ross’s refusal to conduct unlawful mass terminations of officers or off-duty social media posts as Kenney wanted. Kenney publicly proclaimed that the next Police Commissioner would be an African-American woman. This narrowed a nationwide search to only three possible candidates, Renee Hall – the former Detroit Police Deputy Chief and Dallas Police Chief, Carmen Best – the Seattle Police Chief who stood against CHOP/CHAZ, and Danielle Outlaw – the Portland Police Chief who drew national criticism for the regular, unchecked riots occurring in her city. The appointment of a role this vital was normally based on experience, not political optics. #1 (with a bullet) District Attorney Larry Krasner Larry Krasner, a career defense lawyer with no experience as a prosecutor was elected District Attorney. Krasner benefitted from over $1.3M in illicit campaign financing from George Soros and an open seat, former DA Seth Williams went to jail. Krasner beat a crowded primary and general election against career DA’s office Chief Beth Grossman to win the city’s top law enforcement office. Say what you will about Krasner, he has been true to his campaign promises to end bail and “mass incarceration” in Philadelphia. It has been his only apparent focus – with deadly results. At the end of 2017, the city recorded 315 homicides and the number increased every year since. While Krasner denies this correlation, evidence comes to light following the arrest of murder suspects that bail was not requested, charges were reduced, or cases were plead out by Krasner’s office. Criminals were left on the street to commit heinous murders through the action (or inaction) of the DA’s Office. Krasner has run under the guise of the “reformer” of an “unjust system,” but numerous scandals have emerged that illustrate a lack of oversight within his administration that rivals his incarcerated predecessor. This is highlighted by his recent settlement with the Board of Ethics in which he had admitted to egregious violations of campaign finance laws for the second election in a row. Regardless, Krasner has used these donations to create an unstoppable media image of him as a warrior against racial injustice; which has eclipsed the realities that a wealthy white male has used illegal donations from out-of-state to win an unfair advantage against a single, professional woman in 2017 and the state’s first Latino to become a chief of homicide prosecution in 2021. Meanwhile, the vast majority of those murdered on Krasner’s watch have been from the black and brown communities – which serves of a harsh reminder of reality in contrast to the fallacies of Krasner’s well-echoed talking points.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | FEBRUARY 3 - 10, 2022

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The researchers assumed the drop would Reader question: “My long-term girlbe among single adults because young people friend and I broke up right before the panare less likely to be married or shacked up, demic hit, which was a real treat. I remember dating being fairly hard back in college but they found that partnered people were also having less sex across all demographics, but it’s extra difficult now. The apps are a regions, and educational levels. Shockingly, nightmare: no one seems to have any real the people who were getting it on the most follow through. It also seems like people are less into randomly hooking up with were the Silent Generation (folks born in the 1930s) while the least sexually acsomeone they just met, but I can’t tive were those born in the 1990s. tell if that’s just my experience What is to blame for all this relor if it’s a broader trend. At first ative celibacy? I thought it was just me off my Maybe people are more choosy game, but my coupled-up friends A supremely interesting findkeep dropping hints they’re having out of study in 2013 was that ing less sex too. Is this a pandem45% of Japanese women between ic thing? Are other people having ages 16 to 24 said they were not this weirdly hard time getting interested in or even despised sex. laid?” More than half of young unmarDear reader, you are — most defiried adults in Japan say they have nitely — not alone. A lot of recent interest in getting married or research has been devoted to this DR. TIMAREE no having any kind of romantic relaphenomenon, including a study that tionship. found 1 in 3 young men in the U.S. Perhaps the reality is that there has had no partnered sex in the last @TIMAREE_LEIGH used to be a lot of bad or unwantyear. A national survey found that ed sex. Perhaps now — — compared to ten years with a greater variety earlier — people in the of options available — US are having less PVI people are saying “nah, (penile-vaginal interI’m good.” Who needs course), regardless of an unsatisfying hookup age. And while researchwith risk of pregnancy ers assumed that they’d and STIs? find a rise in other sexual behaviors, like oral Maybe we’re too sad to bang sex, hand play and masturbation, it turned out Despite the fact we have better contracepthat people are engaging in that less often, too! tive technology, more societal acceptance I don’t know if I can restate that clearly towards diversity of sexual orientations and enough. Not only are people not fucking as often, lots of other reasons to be sexually optimisthey are even masturbating less. And it’s tic, we are experiencing a lot of rough stuff not just the U.S. These trends are being seen too. As a result, depression and loneliness are across the globe with studies in the UK, Aus- a big public health crisis. tralia and Japan finding similar results. Truly Research has shown over and over again trying times. that being depressed is an absolute libido killObviously, there’s the damn pandemic. er. We’re less motivated to get it on and we exFolks are more anxious, depressed, and liter- perience more dysfunctions around arousal ally discouraged from getting close to strang- and orgasm. ers. This theory goes a long way to explain why But it’s been happening for a while, so it’s the most precipitous drop in sexual activity is not simply that. A study published in 2017 that among young people. This is the generation looked at sexual behavior in the ‘90s compared most likely to face insecurity around jobs and to the early 2010s found that Americans were housing and to be concerned about global ishaving sex an average of 9 times fewer per sues like climate change. Their grandparents year, even then. are gleefully banging away, knowing they’re

SCHMIT

Not only are people not fucking as often, they are even masturbating less.

SEX WITH TIMAREE

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op would ng people acked up, ple were graphics, ockingly, the most rn in the xually ace 1990s. l this rel-

re choosy ing findwas that between were not pised sex. g unmarhey have arried or ntic rela-

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ontracepcceptance tions and optimisough stuffgonna get to check out beeliness arefore the sea levels rise. Maybe we’re stuck in ver againour phones libido kill- Some researchers arand we ex-gue that our habituation to social media, and d arousalthe availability of streaming entertainment and video games means we’re just interfacing plain whywith each other less and seeking out dopaactivity ismine and serotonin from the screen instead of generationgetting railed. d jobs and That seems a likely enough culprit. It’s a global is-running joke that couples now spend their ndparentsnights in front of the TV, both buried in their ng they’re

School? Reopening? Green Phase? Testing? COVID19? Safety? Voting? Stimulus Check? Rent? Food? School? Reopening? Green Phase? Testing? COVID19? Safety? Voting? Stimulus Check? Rent? phones instead of getting it on. It’s a lot less labor to scroll and switch between apps to get that dose of brain chemicals. What are we to do with this information? If you’re happy with less banging, then congratulations. If you are missing sex from your life, seek out like-minded people. Sex-positive communities are heavily censored, but they very much exist. And if you’re partnered and miss getting it on, maybe this is your cue to go do that thing to your boo that you know always gets them hot. Good luck, everyone!

Being depressed is an absolute libido killer.

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