Annapolis Capital Punishment

It's used in all kinds of plastic containers and wraps and even metal food containers but you have probably never heard of it--unless you attended or watched the City Council meeting last night. Mayor Moyer and Alderman Shropshire want every retail establishment in Annapolis to have a public notice about the presence of this compound. We heard a spirited debate with paid lobbyists including the omnipresent and still hanging-on Bruce Bereano and former Delegate Gil Genn speaking out against the notification requirement. Is it harmful? I dunno. City Council does not know. It seems there is some evidence that it may be harmful to pregnant women and developing fetuses. Thankfully, at least Alderman Paone tried to educate himself but admits he is unclear.

The mayor could not understand why anyone would be against such a notification and Shropshire went so far as to accuse Bereano of being a paid liar and apologist for industry. Well, duh! Of course that's what he is Sam. That would be like calling Jon Stewart a satirist or The Pope a highly decorated converter of souls. Hey--I agree with your assessment of Bereano, but whether or not he worked for the tobacco lobby or whether or not you like him is immaterial! He should have shot back and asked when did you stop beating your wife! As an Alderman, you can rake him over the coals with tough questioning but personal attacks are uncool. You discredit more than Bereano when you do that. Shame on you.

I have a question for Mayor Moyer and Alderman Shropshire. If you are so concerned about possible effects to unborn children, do you support abortion rights? For the record, I am strongly pro-choice, but I really question whether the BPA is harmful or not and certainly none of us in that room last night really know. Yes--it's not a ban, but if we need signs anywhere a can or bottle is sold, what's next? If you think that suggesting the average dolt go to a web-site and attempt to understand it further, well CP can just imagine. If we still had a hospital in town, they'd want signs in every baby delivery room warning the baby of the following:

"Dear newly born. Congratulations for being born and not aborted. Be advised, thanks to Republican tax and spending policies you now have an unpaid balance of $26,000. Be advised that milk contains fat and other chemicals. The air you breathe may contain toxins. So does the water. Your parents might be wacky. There is war, violence and disease. Life is full of risks. And by the way, you are going to die one day. If you are unable to read this, an interpreter will be provided."

The baby cries. The interpreter is called. The interpreter reads the sign, looks at the baby and says:

"Goog, goo, gah, gah, ba, boo boo, beh, goo, goo gah, $26,0000 goo goo ga ga......"

I think we'd be better served if we put signs up at every entrance to Annapolis and all along our boundaries that read:

"WARNING: YOU ARE ENTERING ANNAPOLIS, A DRUG-INFESTED, CRIME-RIDDEN AREA. YOU MAY BE SHOT AT, MUGGED OR BEATEN. THREE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MURDERED ALREADY THIS YEAR (of course we'll need to regularly update the numbers)...AND BY THE WAY, IF YOU ARE A FETUS OR A PREGNANT WOMAN AND CONSUME OR DRINK ANYTHING FROM A CAN OR BOTTLE, YOU MAY GET SICK....ONE DAY...PERHAPS....MAYBE....BUT WE DON'T KNOW.....BUT YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE SHOT....YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED...HAVE A NICE DAY
signed,
The Mayor and Alderman of Annapolis"