Beware the public officials who hate on the haters

Some people break down game tape to study a big play, a key moment. Me? I’ve been known to rewind politicians’ speeches, dissecting their words and delivery like it’s a crucial third down.

Recently, I found myself running back Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s five-minute Super Bowl victory parade speech, replaying it like a highlight reel — watching where she scored, where she fumbled, and where she eventually lost the crowd that ended up booing her with a wicked “Wrap. It. Up!” chant.

It was hard to pinpoint the exact moment, but definitely by the time she got to: “I know there are some haters out there that can’t even understand this energy … When they ask you what you did on Valentine’s in 2025, I want you to tell them you went to a celebration, an intimate lovefest … When the haters come, you tell them, we don’t care what you have to say today, we’re feeling great. Don’t try to throw shade on my Eagle shine.”

I was pretty sure Parker was referring to all the Monday morning quarterbacks who doubted our winning team, and not my column about how hard it was to totally get into the party when it felt like the last call for democracy. But it was her use of the word hater that really caught my attention.

It was hardly the first time a public official had used the term. Without a hint of irony, Felon 47 and his MAGA cult have long labeled anyone who calls out their hatred as “haters.” New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who recently traded his freedom for that of thousands of immigrants in his city, claimed to keep a list of his critics and often said, “All my haters become my waiters when I sit down at the table of success.” That was before becoming the first mayor in the city’s modern history to be indicted.

And then there’s Parker and her peeps, who always seem to find a way to call out people who disagree with them in one way or another, whether calling them naysayers, doubters, or my personal favorite, “expert articulators of problems.”

It’s become, if not a winning strategy, a common one used to deflect legitimate concern and criticism.

Did you celebrate Parker’s historic win as the first Black woman to lead our city, but caution we should wait to see what she actually gets done before going all in? Then you’re probably in my weekly articulator of problems coffee klatch. Did you push back against the Market Street Sixers arena before it embarrassingly imploded in our mayor’s face? Chances are you were pegged as a doubter and a naysayer with a lack of vision. Not feeling the Parker administration’s questionable hiring choices, including the spouses of City Hall insiders and several former elected officials who are current convicted criminals? Well, how dare you …

Those well-paid ex-cons, by the way, include former Traffic Court Judge Willie Singletary, who was convicted in 2014 of lying to the FBI about fixing a ticket but is now employed as a deputy director in the managing director’s office at $90,000 a year. It also includes former State Rep. Leslie Acosta, who pleaded guilty in 2016 to taking part in an embezzlement scheme involving a mental health clinic, but now has a community outreach job within the Department of Commerce at $70,000 a year.

Then there’s Movita Johnson-Harrell, who was found guilty of theft and perjury in stealing $500,000 from a nonprofit but was hired as a public information officer making $75,000 a year by Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, the Queen of Haters Gonna Hate.

At the time of these hires, the official comment was: “The Parker administration supports every person’s right to a second chance in society.”

Most recently added to the public dole is former State Rep. Kevin Boyle. The seven-term state representative lost his bid for reelection in April following several public controversies, including an outburst inside a Montgomery County bar that was caught on video. Boyle was hired to work in the managing director’s office as a deputy director of external affairs, making $100,000 a year to help advance the administration’s initiatives for people with substance use disorder through a new city-operated recovery house in Northeast Philadelphia.

The former legislator has spoken openly for years about his mental health struggles, including after his arrest for harassment in 2021 for appearing at his ex-wife’s home in violation of a protection-from-abuse order. In a letter to his constituents, he said the incident was a result of psychosis.

No doubt Boyle should be shown grace for being so open with issues many of us are dealing with. I don’t even necessarily disagree with Managing Director Adam Thiel’s statement that Boyle “will bring an important perspective” to the job.

But here’s the thing: There are thousands of people in this city in need of a second chance whose imperfect backgrounds would also bring important perspectives to jobs they could only dream of.

Most of our neighbors who could use a helping hand aren’t lucky enough to be a Friend of Cherelle, or chummy with Register of Wills John Sabatina Sr., who vowed to “restore public trust“ in the office only to — psych! — fill at least half of new office hires with people with ties to party politics, including three ward leaders, 10 committeepeople, and two wives of committeepeople.

Extending grace by giving second chances is admirable, so long as it’s applied transparently and fairly.

When it isn’t, don’t be surprised by the negative response.

Here’s some advice to Parker and public officials everywhere: Don’t want to deal with people’s anger and frustration and disgust? Then show a lot more respect for the people who elected you, the people you work for.

Understand that questions, pushback — and sometimes even boos — don’t usually come from people who want to see their city, or their country, lose, but from people who want better, who expect better, and usually deserve better.

That’s not hate, that’s love.

And as anyone who watched our Eagles Super Bowl win, sometimes love hurts.