Last week, Townhall covered MAGA supporter Scott Presler's call to action in Baltimore by inviting "Americans to help Americans" and go clean up neighborhoods in Charm City. Presler at first kept secret when the event would occur for fear of retaliation from the far-left like Antifa. But, on Saturday, Presler and 100 other citizens from all over the country traveled to West Baltimore for the massive trash clean up. By all measures, it was hugely successful. However, on Monday, the Baltimore Sun's editorial board ran an op-ed, trashing Presler and his group saying they only did the event to embarrass Baltimore and its residents.
The op-ed was snarkily titled, "We assume it was pure motives that led a Trump supporter to launch a cleanup in Cummings’ district, right?"
"The effort was organized by pro-Trump activist Scott Presler. He claimed the event was not political. Yes, he was inspired to come by tweets from President Donald Trump describing the area, represented by U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, as a 'rodent infested mess,'" the editors wrote. "But the visit wasn’t about showing support or animosity for either man, he said."
"Call us skeptical," the paper remarked before going off on a litany of excuses, complaints, and verbal attacks as to why it was so wrong for out of towners to clean up the city.
"Look, we appreciate anyone who is willing to roll up their sleeves to help Baltimore. More than 170 people came from all over the country and cleaned up nearly 12 tons of trash, according to Mr. Presler’s Twitter feed." the paper claimed.
"But if this was all about 'Americans helping Americans,' why all the videos of Baltimore residents thanking Mr. Trump for bringing attention to the issue? We happen to know that not everybody in West Baltimore feels that way. And in the same posts as the videos, why the frequent reminders that this is in act Mr. Cummings’ district?," the editors pondered.
They then attacked Presler for posting a photo of a newspaper from President Barack Obama's inauguration in 2008 that the organizers and volunteers stumbled upon while hauling debris from the streets.
We found this newspaper while cleaning up trash in West Baltimore.
— #ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) August 5, 2019
It's been 11 years. #AmericansHelpingAmericans pic.twitter.com/rK9fUif0Z2
For the writers at the Baltimore Sun, Presler's visit simply "reinforces the tired image of our failing urban cores. That the poor people in this dilapidated city can’t take care of their own neighborhoods and all the public officials around them have failed as well."
"The bureaucratic, all-talk Democrats strike again. If a crowd of volunteers could clean up 12 tons of trash in 12 hours, how incompetent and helpless must Baltimoreans be if they can’t manage it in decades, right?"
One would point out to the editorial board that this isn't just a "tired image" but a reality of the fact that Democratic policies and politicians have failed.
But as for why the trash hasn't been cleaned up before, the editorial board blamed it on death threats from criminals, saying, "Does Mr. Presler know that drug dealers use trash to hide their product and have been known to threaten people who try to clean it up? The solutions are just not that simple." The paper also blamed people from out of town who dump trash in the city illegally.
The writers did begrudgingly admit, "The silver lining in all of this is that the residents of West Baltimore did get a much needed cleaning up. That is something that they deserve." But they said that what they really need is leadership, money, and programs from the federal government.
They also hinted that they would do nothing to keep the neighborhood clean, saying, "In the meantime, we’ll see how clean the neighborhood still is when he returns in September."
Here are some of the photos from the event that the Baltimore Sun believes was so wrong to hold.
President @realDonaldTrump,
— #ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) August 6, 2019
we spent the day in West Baltimore cleaning up trash.
A local woman, Louise, took me by the hand to show me where her neighborhood needs help.
She wanted me to thank you for bringing attention to Baltimore. pic.twitter.com/s8gT3DTuoO
Thank you to the 170+ volunteers who joined local residents to help clean up Baltimore! https://t.co/vYsHU9QIFa
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 6, 2019
Imagine if we picked up trash in every city across America. #AmericansHelpingAmericans pic.twitter.com/9Ucyvgew6Y
— #ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) August 6, 2019
One West Baltimore local said, "I'm really happy. I want to cry. I truly appreciate it."
West Baltimore local says, "I'm really happy. I want to cry.
— #ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) August 5, 2019
I truly appreciate it." #AmericansHelpingAmericans #Baltimore pic.twitter.com/KCXZUXH36x
All of this begs the question, instead of writing a whiny, lazy, and excuse filled editorial attacking good samaritans for doing the work that Baltimore's elected leaders will not do, why wouldn't the Baltimore Sun use their energy to hold those representatives accountable?
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