Her initial 15 minutes of fame came with a swift indictment of six Baltimore cops after Freddie Gray died from injuries suffered in police custody. The moment ended yesterday when Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby indicted the entire criminal justice ...

Tagged with: C. Fraser Smith Freddie Gray Freddie Gray

If you’re perplexed – or vexed – about the state of the nation, remember that words matter, or should. They matter even if transmuted into body language. The Donald’s wife, Melania, in her pro forma candidate’s wife speech, borrowed a ...

Tagged with: Baton Rouge C. Fraser Smith Melania Trump Montrell Jackson

“… Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity…”   “The Second Coming,” William Butler Yeats ...

Tagged with: C. Fraser Smith

Ten or so players from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra gave another of their comforting, impromptu in memoriam concerts Monday afternoon. We all knew why. Oh, of course, another mass killing. We were all suffering. Everyone knows we are all in ...

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Do we really have time for silly bits of political theater? Don’t we want a smart, dynamic, on-the-move City Hall? Wouldn’t it be nice if the clock moved faster, bringing our new leadership on board? I ask because, even as ...

Tagged with: C. Fraser Smith

“We’ve seen time and time again, for decades, developers make big promises to the people of Baltimore. They’re given big pots of money, they always promise great jobs that they’re going to create for the citizens of Baltimore, and every ...

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We could all use a little morale boost these days, so in my usual public-spirited way I offer one: Terps basketball fans woke up yesterday to reports that Melo Trimble, the basketball team’s best-known player, will stay one more year ...

Tagged with: C. Fraser Smith

Once again, Baltimore goes on trial. Circuit Judge Barry G. Williams will rule this morning on the guilt or innocence of a police officer in the Freddie Gary case. Officer Edward M. Nero will be found guilty or go free. ...

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Transitions are not what they’re cracked up to be. I would argue they don’t exist – if we are talking about the interminable time between Catherine Pugh’s official ascent to the mayor’s office and the actual one. “Official” comes in ...

Tagged with: C. Fraser Smith Catherine Pugh

Is it simply ironic – or deplorable – that this year’s mayoral primary election campaign ends in a cloud of wrongdoing or misjudgment or tone deafness? With most of the 28 or so candidates heralding a new day when one ...

Tagged with: C. Fraser Smith