Philadelphia Mayor 2023 - Official Thread (Ernest: apartment, neighborhood, college)

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by mphilly

That’s good for Rhynhart. I think she may be the one able to win over both moderates and progressives and get a big enough coalition to take out Gym. Domb is great but I’m skeptical he can win over black voters.

The ones Jeff Brown hasn't locked up, one of the hacks gets.

That is, if my esteemed Phillymag opinionator colleague doesn't drop a bomb on him, which I hear he is planning to do.

[MarketStEl]

BTW, if you've noticed "Pick Up the D*mn Trash" signs sprouting in your nabe or 'hood, those are Jeff Brown supporters.

I've noticed a few in Germantown yards.

And don't forget who the city union representing the trash crews endorsed.

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

BTW, if you've noticed "Pick Up the D*mn Trash" signs sprouting in your nabe or 'hood, those are Jeff Brown supporters.

I've noticed a few in Germantown yards.

And don't forget who the city union representing the trash crews endorsed.

Many of Helen Gym's supporters (all white people from what I saw) were bashing him because of those. I guess they don't like someone calling attention to the enormous problem.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by thedirtypirate

Many of Helen Gym's supporters (all white people from what I saw) were bashing him because of those. I guess they don't like someone calling attention to the enormous problem.

If Brown gets elected and Ya Fav Trashman wins the at-large Council seat he's gunning for, we could see actual progress on this front.

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

If Brown gets elected and Ya Fav Trashman wins the at-large Council seat he's gunning for, we could see actual progress on this front.

Tell that to Ernest O.. I realized where all the hate originated from yesterday came from him ha

[mphilly]

I honestly feel bad for Ernest, it has to be so exhausting and depressing always looking for the worst in people and in the world.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by thedirtypirate

Tell that to Ernest O.. I realized where all the hate originated from yesterday came from him ha

Oh, dear. Now I have to read his column.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Oh, dear. Now I have to read his column.

...and now that I've seen the ad in question (EO saved the video and embedded it in a Tweet that's embedded in the column), I had a reaction similar to EO's.

It seemed to me as well a little tone-deaf in a way his other ads haven't been, and it does portray him as something of a "white savior."

The difference between me and Ernest, however, is: I'm not going to fault Brown for being a successful businessman who makes money by serving Black Philadelphians. If that's a problem, Ernest, why don't you try it?

If Brown became a rich white guy by meeting the needs of people — and I'd call opening really nice supermarkets in food deserts "meeting the needs of people," or as Brown's motto puts it, "bringing joy to the lives of the people we serve" — then more power to him.

And something Brown does that EO doesn't mention in his column is: He uses his stores as springboards and showcases for small Black businesspeople.

This past Saturday, I was down in far Southwest Philly, at Brown's Penrose Plaza ShopRite, celebrating the opening of the Brown Street Cafe in the store. This coffee shop (open for breakfast and lunch) is run by a gifted dancer I know named Zane Booker. Booker has danced with the city's premier modern dance company, Philadanco!, for years. Some of the cafe's profits will support the organization. He also has as part of his business model sponsoring partnership days with other community organizations. (Booker grew up on Brown Street, hence the name.)

Since it takes an hour and a half to get there from Germantown on public transit, I don't know how often I will make it there, but I will make it back there, for his "Philadanco Brew" coffee makes it worth the trip — it's the best coffee I've had at a coffee shop in a long time, so chocolatey that asking for it in a mocha seems redundant.

I've seen small Black food businesses set up tables in Brown's Fresh Grocer at Cedarbrook Plaza to hawk their wares as well.

All politicians are ego-driven — it's something of a prerequisite for entry into the career. So Brown wasn't "out of character" in the ad. I will admit that saying that "people of color, especially Black people, have been my life's work" does sound patronizing, but everything I see about how Brown operates says to me that he's not doing it because he believes we need rescuing but because he believes in our potential.

Could we do this ourselves? Sure. But not enough of us are. And even if we were, we can still use allies. Brown's an ally.

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

...and now that I've seen the ad in question (EO saved the video and embedded it in a Tweet that's embedded in the column), I had a reaction similar to EO's.

It seemed to me as well a little tone-deaf in a way his other ads haven't been, and it does portray him as something of a "white savior."

I agree

The difference between me and Ernest, however, is: I'm not going to fault Brown for being a successful businessman who makes money by serving Black Philadelphians. If that's a problem, Ernest, why don't you try it?

And this is the real crutch of the matter, right? The left wing-machine will paint anyone who's name isn't Helen Gym as selfish and self-serving even if there isn't a lot of evidence.


To change subjects, if the Inquirer article is true about Amen Brown this morning, he needs to drop out of the race and get his affairs in order. He isn't fit to be mayor.

Philly mayoral candidate Amen Brown’s business dealings left a trail of debt, lawsuits, and jilted partners

Also Vincent Hughes' social media person screwed up yesterday lol. He made a video about NOT running for mayor and staying in Harrisburg. The problem is that the upload to social media mistakenly cut off the last 15 seconds where he actually said he wasn't running. A real cliffhanger haha

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by thedirtypirate

And this is the real crutch of the matter, right? The left wing-machine will paint anyone who's name isn't Helen Gym as selfish and self-serving even if there isn't a lot of evidence.

You mean Helen "I founded a charter school but don't want you to have the option of sending your kids to one" Gym?

Something about motes and beams in people's eyes comes to mind here.

To change subjects, if the Inquirer article is true about Amen Brown this morning, he needs to drop out of the race and get his affairs in order. He isn't fit to be mayor.

Philly mayoral candidate Amen Brown’s business dealings left a trail of debt, lawsuits, and jilted partners

Also Vincent Hughes' social media person screwed up yesterday lol. He made a video about NOT running for mayor and staying in Harrisburg. The problem is that the upload to social media mistakenly cut off the last 15 seconds where he actually said he wasn't running. A real cliffhanger haha

Brown sounds like a Democratic Donald Trump-lite.

And: Cute.