POLITICAL COMMENTARY

POLITICAL COMMENTARY-"THIS IS NOT POLITICS...THIS IS PERSONAL"

ROBERT WHITE, II (His wife, Christy on his left) formally announcing his candidacy for an at-large seat on the DC Council.  (Picture Courtesy of Robert White)

On a slightly overcast day in the Brightwood Section of NW DC, a bright ray of sunshine has now emerged on the DC Political Scene.  Robert White, a former congressional staffer with DC Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, formally announced his candidacy for an At-Large seat on the DC Council.  Robert is running because he wants to be about "....public service, not self-service".

I first met Rob on the Hill back in 2009 while working as a staffer on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.  He was working for Delegate Norton (I also "staffed" for Delegate Norton back in 2000), who is a member of the committee, and Rob advised her on issues pertinent to the committee.  Being that I "clerked" committee hearings, I would always see Rob standing against the wall near where I was sitting, in case Del. Norton needed to seek his advice and counsel.  I also communicated with him, and other staffers concerning committee-related business.  After awhile, you get to know people.  You talk to them about life outside the ivory walls of the Hill.  I was always impressed by how Rob dressed (I always used to say to myself, "Damn...I need to step my suit-game up!!!"), and how he always seemed to stay cool under pressure.  That's something that is hard to do in our field, especially when working for arguably the busiest Member of Congress.  He was always pleasant, nice, had a swagger about him without being pretentious.  He was also a source of support.  I remember a time where he had a really long markup, which is a hearing where bills referred to the committee can be amended.  Markups can be short, but they can also be incredibly long.  One night, our committee had a really difficult and partisan markup.  A lot of amendments were being put forth, and I didn't have as much experience clerking them.  I didn't eat much that day, I was tired, and I was nervous.  I was passing out amendments to the members when it was called upon me to do so.  I remember I handed the wrong thing to the wrong committee member, I remember sweating a lot, and I even tripped.  As each amendment was called, I would again get up, pass the amendments around to the members, and praying that the markup would end.  Obviously, people could read my face and knew that I didn't want to be doing this.  I mention all of this to say, that Rob was one of the few people to encourage me to keep at it, and that I was doing a good job.  It may not seem like a big deal to you, but to me, it meant a great deal, and it helped me get through the rest of the markup.  EMPATHY and COMPASSION!!!  Some thing that is often not found in the halls of Congress.  If he acted that way towards me, just think about how he can bring that same level of empathy and compassion towards the citizens of the District of Columbia.  Rob continues to show support for me since I lost my job on the Hill back in 2011 as a result of the Republican takeover of the House.  We talk on Facebook, debating fellow "Facebook-ers" on the importance of civic involvement.  He has helped me with job leads.  He has offered prayers to myself and my family. So when Rob told me that he was running for council, and invited me to his announcement, I enthusiastically accepted the invitation.

The District of Columbia needs a guy like Rob.  Someone who is from DC and about DC.  A charismatic young man who will use empathy and compassion as an engine for social and political change.  A lawyer and former congressional staffer, Rob will use his knowledge of the law and politics to uplift the community.  I'm not a DC resident.  I'm a child of Virginia, but DC is my city.  I was born and raised in the DC Metropolitan Area.  When DC prospers, Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland benefits.  When Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland prospers, DC benefits.  We need elected officials in this region that can represent their constituencies, but also have the common sense to know that we rise and fall as a region.  Rob has the personality to work with other elected officials in the region on issues that are mutually beneficial to the entire DC Metropolitan Area.  Like the Winans song goes...."IT'S TIME, TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE, WE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO CAN DO IT!!!".  It is time for the citizens of DC to make a change, and they are the people who can do it.

Hill Staffers Reunited.  Myself and Rob at his campaign announcement (Picture Courtesy of Marc Johnson)

If you are a DC Resident, I ask that you click HERE to check out his campaign website.  Find out what Rob is about, the positive plans that he has for the District, and help financially support the campaign.  You can also follow the campaign on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/RobertWhiteAtLarge  and Twitter:  https://twitter.com/robertwhiteatlg.  Help Rob help DC, and elect him as the next At-Large Councilman for the District of Columbia.  Pray for Rob, his beautiful wife,Christy, Rob's family, and the great people of the District of Columbia.

AND THAT IS THE MARC-UP!!!

FOOD COMMENTARY....

FOOD COMMENTARY...FOODIE-ISM AND FOOD FETISHISM

Everyone who knows me, knows that I am passionate about food....not just eating, but cooking food.  I have always been interested in food (Mainly eating it), and food has been the catalyst in bringing family together.  I come from a family of cooks and caterers.  My grandmother, while working for a well-connected Loudoun County (Virginia) lawyer, had the opportunity to cook for First Lady Mamie Eisenhower.  My father, mother, sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and most of my cousins are all cooks, and in some cases, exceptional cooks. I was also fortunate to marry into a family of cooks...my wife, mother in law, and sister in laws can "burn" in the kitchen.

But for me, I didn't REALLY get into food until 2003.  I was working as a Staff Assistant/Systems Administrator for Former Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick.  The staff assistant is the lowest paid and most under appreciated position in a congressional office.  It can also be one of the busiest positions, depending on which Member of Congress one works for.  Because of the stressful nature of my job, I needed to find something for which I can channel that stress.  Something that was fun, yet meaningful, and I found that by getting interested in food.  Since that time, I have been interested in eating and cooking different cuisines, studying and applying the techniques of cooking, learning about the quality of food and studying the history and cultures behind food. It has been a positive experience that has affected my life in very unexpected, yet positive ways.

Eating some great Korean ramen at Super H Mart Grocery Store in Fairfax, Virginia

Because of my passion for food, I am often called a "Foodie"...a term that I have come to dislike.  Why?  It sounds a bit "cultish" and fetish-like.  It reminds me of those people who are referred to as "Furries", you know, the nut jobs who come together at conventions dressed up as Chuck E. Cheese and Scooby Doo to shoot the breeze about who has the latest and greatest costume.  I am sure that the activities of these people are benign, and the people who are in this sub-culture are nice and intelligent people.  But again, this kind of fetishism is odd.  Food is necessary.  Food is comforting.  Food is an expression of love and culture.  One can be passionate about food, without going overboard with it.  I would prefer being called a "Food Enthusiast" rather than a "Foodie".  Perhaps this is an exercise in semantics, but I am not a food fetishist, which leads me to the main topic of this blog entry.

You do have some people who do take their interest in food far too seriously.  They engage in a certain level of food fetishism that is unhealthy, and borders on idolatry.  This Summer, marked a watershed moment in food fetishism with the introduction of the "cronut" into the American Culinary Lexicon.  For those who have been in a cave, the cronut is a pastry created by Chef/Owner Dominque Ansel, at his eponymous bakery in New York City.  The cronut, which is essentially a hybrid of a doughnut and croissant, and was introduced to the world in May of 2013.  Since it's introduction, it became a phenomenon.  People have lined up 2 to 3 hours before Ansel's Bakery opens (8 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sunday).  There has been such a demand  for the cronuts, Chef Ansel has set up a page on the bakery's website, specifically addressing the cronut, called "Cronut 101", which explains everything from the origin of the cronut, to ordering procedures for the cronut.  Stories about the cronut are abuzz in the culinary blogosphere.  Mainstream media outlets from the Wall Street Journal to the New York Times have reported extensively on the cronut.  On "Piers Morgan Live" on CNN, former chef and television personality, Anthony Bourdain, was guest hosting PML, and talked about the cronut and interviewed Chef Ansel.  Check out the clip below.

 

Bakery companies have taken note of the cronut craze, and are attempting to create their own versions of this pastry phenomenon, known as "imposter cronuts" (Think of fake Gucci bags). You have people out there paying people serious dough (Pun intended) to to wait and deliver cronuts throughout the five boroughs.  Aside from the idiots who are willing to pay $250.00 for a cronut, you have deviants who are willing to offer cronuts for sex.  WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO?  I told my wife the only way I would ever wait 2 hours in line for food is if Jesus was serving the food himself.  Other than that, it's just plain stupid.  This kind of food fetishism is not just relegated to pastries.  In Texas, Franklin Barbecue, a renowned BBQ joint, have people lining up as early as 6:30 a.m. to get Chef/Owner Aaron Franklin's award-winning brisket.  Mind you, Franklin Barbecue opens at 11:00 a.m., and closes when all the product is sold out (Which usually happens soon after they open).  Even Aaron Franklin, in a segment on "Dan Rather Reports", thinks people are crazy for waiting that long for BBQ.  Although I have to say, with my love for BBQ, I would seriously think about it (((Laughing))).  Check out "the wonder" that is Franklin BBQ in the clips below.

Franklin BBQ Clip #1

 

Franklin BBQ Clip #2

Whether one is willing to shell out $250 for a pair of Air Jordans, or willing to trample a person for a new IPhone, this is a sad commentary about America.  We have a society that is so wealthy and spoiled, that people are willing to spend a good portion of their day in a line to get food (good food, I am sure), and denounce poor and supposedly lazy people who wait in line at a soup kitchen.  We have people who have the luxury of waiting in the early-morning cold to get cronuts, while not too far from Chef Ansel's Bakery, you have people freezing their behinds off, who would do anything to be inside of a warm place.  Chefs and restaurants like these deserve the praise and patronage that they receive, if what they are producing is good.  But they would be the first to tell people to...CALM DOWN, IT'S JUST FOOD!!!  There is a huge difference between enthusiasm (Me) and fetishism (The Line Waiters).  

Oh, by the way, while typing this blog entry, I have been enjoying a cronut.  Don't believe me?  I took a picture of it (Below), and NO, I won't tell you where I got it from, or who my supplier is (((Laughing))).  OK...you got me, it's a cronut imposter, but it was delicious, and I didn't have to wait in line for it. 

AND THAT IS THE MARC-UP!!!

TIME AND PLACE FOR EVERYTHING

Another tragic mass shooting has occurred in this country, this time in Washington, D.C. at the Navy Yard.  I am not going to go into some long diatribe about this issue or that issue.  I have my views...views which I will share in a later blog entry.  However, there are politicians and advocates on both sides of the political spectrum, who do not understand a simple concept that parents teach their children from an early age..."There is a time and place for everything".

Aaron Alexis' gun barrel still has smoke coming out of it.  Bodies are still in the process of being claimed by family.  Evidence is still being collected.  And we have politicians and advocates who are exploiting this tragedy for their own gain, regardless of the validity of their claims and the righteousness of their position.  And we have a story-starved press, who do not have any problem producing inaccurate news stories for a reality show-addicted culture who thinks that Miley Cyrus' "twerking" is a controversy worthy of a "BREAKING NEWS" alert and front page billing.

Let the families grieve.  Let the police do their job.  Let the employees of the Navy Yard collect themselves.  Let the community heal and get themselves together.  This is not an episode of "NCIS", where Gibbs and DiNoso solve the crime within an hour.  This is real life.  Wait a few days...maybe a week, and then we can hope for sensible conversations about gun control, mental illness, the fallibility of background/security checks., etc...that is if we are even capable of having sensible conversations.

AND THAT IS THE MARC-UP!!!

ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF....

Allow me to introduce myself...my name is Marc Johnson, and this is my blog..."The Marc-Up".  The blog will deal primarily with two of my favorite subjects/passions....(1) Politics and (2) Food.  However, I will also talk about any and everything that I am passionate about.

The question may arise..."What makes this guy qualified to speak about politics and/or food?".  With regards to politics, I will simply list the positions I have held in the political arena, and you can tell me whether I am qualified or not to comment on politics.

• Assistant Clerk, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (111th Congress-Democratic Majority)
• Library Clerk, House Library, Legislative Resource Center-Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives
• Public Information Specialist, Public Information Section, Legislative Resource Center-Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives
• Legislative Research Analyst-Statenet
• Staff Assistant/Systems Administrator-Former U.S. Rep. Carolyn C. Kilpatrick
• Public Policy Associate-Center for Nonprofit Advancement
• Staff Assistant/Systems Administrator-U.S. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton
• Legislative Assistant-Magazine Publishers of America
• Campaign Researcher-"Stevens for Congress" Campaign (10th Congressional District of Virginia)
• Congressional Intern-U.S. Rep. Steve Israel
• Intern-Loudoun County Family Services (Housing and Community Development)
• Assistant, Distinguished Professor and Former Virginia Governor L. Douglas Wilder-L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Legislative Intern-Virginia State Senator Henry L. Marsh, III

I received my Bachelors of Arts Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, located in Richmond, Virginia.  I majored in Political Science, specializing in American Government and Politics, Virginia Government, and African American Political Theory.  I also received two minors, one in African American-African Studies, and the other in History.

Whether I am qualified to speak on issues of food, I don't have any official qualifications to speak about it.  I didn't attend culinary school, and I never cooked in a restaurant (I have taken on a few catering jobs).  However, I am passionate about food.  I am constantly studying the cooking techniques.  I have read many books on the subjects of food and cooking.  I have been to over 100 restaurants across the country, though primarily in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area, enjoying and studying the cuisines of various cultures.  Here is a link to the map of all of the restaurants my wife and I have been to.  I commit myself to cooking "from scratch" meals for my family, because I feel that it is important to feed my family in the best way possible.  I have written about food on my Facebook page, I am an amateur food photographer (real amateur), and used to have a food blog called "Black Food Snob".  In another life, I would have received Michelin-star restaurant training, and then eventually apply it to what I would call "African Diasporatic Cuisine"...a cuisine where I would incorporate European technique to cuisines within the African Diaspora...whether it being African American Soul Food, the cuisine of the West Indies, to the origins of African Diasporatic Cuisine, in "Mother Africa".  Who knows...maybe I'll write a book on Diasporatic Cuisine.

I was raised and currently live in Loudoun County, Virginia, where my father's family has been since the late-1700's.  I am married to my beautiful wife, Alicia, and we have a wonderful and adorable two year old daughter, named Alaiyah (Uh-Lay-Uh).

My wife, Alicia and daughter, Alaiyah

For some, a blog can be self-indulgent.  For me...this blog is a way for me to educate and inform.  You may agree with my views...you may not.  But at the end of the day, I hope that you are able to respect what I am putting forth.  Take Care, God Bless, and now....THE MARC-UP!!!

IN THE NEWS....

IN THE NEWS....My prayers go out to all of those affected.

WASHINGTON, D.C. NAVAL YARD SHOOTING-13 DEAD, SEVERAL WOUNDED, MANY HEARTBROKEN.

Photo Courtesy of The Huffington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/police-search-for-active-shooter-on-grounds-of-washington-navy-yard-in-southeast-dc/2013/09/16/b1d72b9a-1ecb-11e3-b7d1-7153ad47b549_story.html?hpid=z1

AND THAT IS THE MARC-UP!!!