Seeing Kurt Schmoke's byline in The Baltimore Sun's editorial pages, I was very interested to hear his opinion on the Port Covington project. After all, this gentleman served 12 years as mayor of Baltimore, which should have given him deep insights into the city's problems.
Hence it was a disappointment to read the style in which Mr. Schmoke — or perhaps it the committee of seven co-authors whose names appeared at the end of the piece — chose to argue. It was more an example of us-against-them demagoguery than a reasoned argument ("Embrace Port Covington, don't chase it away," July 6).
Mr. Schmoke (or his seven contributors) dismiss the supposed criticism that Port Covington is targeted for the "creative class" and will have no opportunities for African-Americans. He asks, "Since when are African-Americans not part of the creative class?" This is "patronizing and demeaning," he continues and I would agree — if I thought anyone had really said this. Unfortunately, Mr. Schmoke is unwilling to offer who exactly made this argument or where or when. But rather than getting angry that someone doesn't think there are black Baltimoreans in the "creative class," I think it would be more useful to talk about what the "creative class" is and how many African-Americans are included in it. The "creative class" is a term that refers to artists, musicians, designers and other white-collar "creative" professionals who are a small minority in this city. The real question is, does Mr. Schmoke believe that blacks outside that class — that is, most African-American people in Baltimore — will benefit equally from Port Covington?
At one point, the former mayor states that "Critics like to talk at length about the state of Baltimore City....many of these critics have never been to our communities or talked to us about what's needed." Exactly who are these unnamed critics who like to run on about Baltimore? What is the real point here? Are we to infer that anyone who criticizes the proposed $500 million tax subsidy for Port Covington is a white middle-class prig who has never been to Cherry Hill or Westport or talked to anybody from there? Are Cherry Hill and Westport residents unanimous in support of Under Armour getting its way? Is Mr. Schmoke implying that only outsiders to "our communities" have ever questioned the intentions of Under Armour?
Clearly, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank who himself grew up in an all-white neighborhood has done a good job winning over Mr. Schmoke and some other leaders in Baltimore's African-American community. They obviously want this project. Some other Baltimoreans don't. But let us judge this issue on its merits, not on where "critics" are from or where they've been.
Mark Chalkley, Baltimore