Burt's blog

Some of you may remember a TV series a few decades back. The titles were always accompanied by an imposing and memorable male voice, “There are 8 million stories in the Naked City. This is one of them.”

When spring arrives, bursting with life, I set off on an annual pilgrimage.  I intend to pay homage to nature’s renewal and reaffirm the sacrifices of generations past. It’s a sunny, brisk weekend day and I’m headed to a local Civil War battlefield.

A sad tale has been unfolding here in Baltimore. From the library of the Maryland Historical Society to the Baltimore City Jail and a federal courtroom, two arrested and accused thieves, guilty by their own admission, are being ushered through the justice system. The story now bouncing around the media has lessons and cautions for all of us.