Hawker's Open Letter to Tony Asa

So Hawker's not making endorsements, but I encourage one and all to get out and vote in this Tuesday's primary (if you happen to be eligible.) Hawker endorses voting.

Like most Hampdenites, I've been coming home at night to 3-4 voicemails on my home phone (Martin O'Malley can't stop calling me!) and 3-4 pieces of propaganda that have been shoved through my mail slot. This leads me to. . .

7th District Contender Tony Asa.

Dear Tony,

I don't know you. You may very well be a super nice guy, a fine dinner companion and a man with a plan. You're a party switcher, but people change. I'm not going to hold that against you per se.

Look, I've never met you in person, but the impression your paper trail is making is not good. Let me give a few examples:

1. The postcard you shoved through my mail slot a week or so ago is so riddled with grammatical errors that it hurt my brain. It also features maybe the most astounding campaign "promise" ever. Let me quote directly:

"CRIME PLAN will decrease repeat crimes, murder and break ins my plan will be detailed after election for obvious reasons."

Tony, any of the obvious reasons aren't ones that are going to earn you any votes.

2. Your ad in The Baltimore Messenger was also riddled with grammatical errors. Ok, nobody's perfect, but aren't writing skills important in your current day job as paralegal? Call me old-fashioned, but I'm pro-"the appropriate use of periods." I'm also a total sucker for writing that follows basic rules of grammar. I'm crazy like that. Plus, it may be helpful to know that a ton of voters in Hampden are teachers! Teachers get giddy from writing that makes grammatical sense.

3. Part of your plan for the city includes having "talent scouts" at community centers to counsel young people who show promise in such skills as acting and writing. Are you going to hook up these kids with book deals? Equity membership and a gig at Centerstage? I'm confused. How about getting kids ready for college and setting up support systems to help them get there? How about that for a plan? Is that nuts?

Tony, here are my two suggestions: 1) You hire some of these young people with writing skills to fine tune your campaign literature and 2) You tell us what your plan to decrease crime is--FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

Sincerely,
Hawker