Notes on Minneapolis
A note from the Chair, HCDCC Vacancy Announcement, and Upcoming Events
A Note from the Chair on Events in Minneapolis
At the protest in Bel Air shown above, a U.S. citizen who was born in Mexico stopped, lowered his window, and thanked the group for signaling to our immigrant communities that what ICE and Customs and Border Patrol agents are doing is not ok. He reported that he had been carrying his passport with him and felt vulnerable as a driver for one of the ride sharing services. Having spent time in German schools, where education about the tactics of the Gestapo was embedded throughout the school curriculum from early ages, I felt a pit in my stomach.
We now have agents of the federal government marauding through American neighborhoods, profiling our neighbors, and killing two peaceful protesters - Renee Good and Alex Pretti - who sought to protect the sacred constitutional rights of their fellow Americans or document the actions of those employed by those whom they serve. And then the highest levels of this administration tell us to disbelieve our eyes and ears and spreads outright lies about the events and the victims. At best, it’s what Maine Sheriff Kevin Joyce called “bush league policing.” At worst, it’s authoritarianism masquerading as law enforcement. And that mask is slipping daily.
Let me be clear:
An America where citizens must show their documents on demand is not the America we want.
An America in which citizens fear its government is not an America we want.
An America whose agents murder citizens with impunity is not the America we want.
We live today in an America in which the administration, at the highest levels, is infected with an ethic that can best be described as “The cruelty is the point.” That ethic has taken root in Harford County, where the Harford County Sheriff’s Office is being sued by the NAACP, the ACLU, and others for “deliberate neglect” of those in its custody who were at risk of suicide. And while the human costs of having a jail with a suicide rate five times higher than the national average cannot be measured, the taxpayers of Harford County will once again pay the price of litigating the malfeasance of its public officials.
We each can play a role in changing the status quo in this county. Run for office, volunteer to help a campaign, help us register voters this summer, host a house party for Democrats in your neighborhood, or just start by attending one of our meetings. There are many opportunities for all abilities.
We are not the first to encounter an America that does not fulfill our expectations, nor will we be the last. But we can hasten the day of that America’s coming, by taking those small steps now to fulfill the oath that Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes prescribed in his work “Let America be America Again:”
“O, yes, I say it plain, America never was America to me, And yet I swear this oath— America will be!”
HCDCC Seeks to Fill Vacancy for Female or Non-binary Member
The Harford County Democratic Central Committee (the Committee) is seeking a female or non-binary member to fill a vacancy on the Committee beginning on March 1, 2026 and continuing until the end of the current term in November 2026. The successful applicant must be a registered Democrat and a resident of Harford County. Applications consisting of a current resume and a statement of interest with a summary of political experience, are due on Wednesday February 11, 2026 and should be e-mailed to the Chair at chair@harforddemocrats.org, cc’ing the Secretary at secretary@harforddemocrats.org.
Local committee bylaws stipulate that the vacancy must be filled by a registered Democrat of either the same gender or by a non-binary applicant within 45 days of the date of the vacancy. Eligible candidates will receive invitations to in-person interviews with the full committee, which will be held at a special public meeting of the HCDCC on Wednesday, February 18, 2024 at 7 p.m. at a venue to be announced at a future date.
The Committee is seeking applicants with experience and interest in local political activities and campaigns (including persons with experience in localities other than Harford County), who are willing to help the Committee build the Democratic Party, organize Democratic voters, and ultimately get Democrats elected to public office in Harford County.
The current vacancy will be created by the departure of member Alicia Myers-Pope, who will be resigning due to her increased professional workload. The Committee is grateful for her excellent service to the Democratic Party of Harford County!
For further information please contact HCDCC Chair Henry Gibbons at chair@harforddemocrats.org or at 443-401-7041 or Secretary Rico Albacarys at secretary@harforddemocrats.org.
Upcoming Events
VAN and Field Operations – Thursday, Feb 5, 6-8 pm – Justin Butler, Party Affairs Coordinator for the Maryland Democratic Party, will be offering a free online session for Harford County Candidates for local and state offices. Register here to attend: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/WoqU4t_rSDqrfWAht-9A_g
Harford Democratic Club Meeting - Wednesday February 7, 7 pm, Aberdeen Holiday Inn Express. The theme of the meeting will be “The Power of Community: Unveiling the Importance of Local Government”