Dear Mayor Pugh,
I am writing to you as a young progressive who just experienced a colossal disappointment in her first election.
You may think that I am referring to the victory of Donald Trump; well, you’d be partially correct. Donald Trump’s victory deeply upset me, because it confirmed that close to half of our country was willing to vote for a man who is an openly racist sexual predator.
But to be honest, his victory wasn’t my only disappointment. You see, growing up I always looked forward to engaging in what I thought was the democratic process. And yet I don’t feel as though I have yet been able to fulfill this dream, because this election felt anything but democratic. Though I voted for Hillary Clinton in the general election, it was clear that the DNC had picked her as the nominee from the very beginning, leaving candidates like Bernie Sanders at a complete disadvantage. The obvious pandering of Democratic politicians (both nationally and locally) made it clear to many of us that what Democrats really care about is being elected, not making impactful change.
So why am I writing to you? Here’s the thing: I have lived in Baltimore my whole life, and Democrats have been in charge in Baltimore the entire time. I was raised with the belief that Democrats are good, and Republicans are bad. And yet, over my lifetime I have seen the Democrats in Baltimore do the following:
-Increase the militarization of the police
-Further criminalize non-violent offenses, therefore contributing to mass incarceration
-Be forced to step down due to blatant corruption and illegal behavior
-Turn a blind eye to the issue of lead poisoning
-Continually value neighborhoods in the White L while ignoring those in the Black Butterfly
-Invest consistently in the two H’s – Hopkins and the Harbor – while neglecting poor neighborhoods
-Fail to bring justice to the family of Tyrone West, who was brutally murdered by police officers in 2013
-Do close to nothing to eliminate the food deserts throughout the city
-Stand idly by as the conditions of Baltimore City public schools continue to crumble
And now, I read this article in the Baltimore Sun regarding the city’s trepidations about reaching a consent decree before Trump’s inauguration, and it only contributes to my suspicion that there is very little distinction between red and blue; only between the powerful and the powerless. I appreciate that this process is complicated and difficult. You say: “The stakes are too high to get it wrong.” I agree, but might I add – the stakes are too high to wait around. The stakes are certainly too high to allow the Trump Administration to derail its progress by failing to hold the city and police department accountable.
To be quite frank: don’t think we can’t read you. We know diplomatic talk when we hear it. When you say that you’re concerned about the cost of police reform, what I hear is that you care about money more than you care about people. When you say that you want to take your time reaching a consent decree, what I hear is: “We want to wait as long as it takes for the public to forget and turn a blind eye, so that we aren’t forced to create real change.”
Am I wrong?
Prove it.
Because young people like me aren’t going to stick around if we don’t start seeing definitive proof that the Democratic Party actually cares about the people it claims to support. We will not be used as props to prove that your establishment is “diverse” or “forward thinking." For we are quickly learning that party does not determine progress; the will and actions of the people do.
I sincerely wish you the best of luck in your term as our Mayor. I hope to see you promote social justice and equity to the best of your ability, and collaborate with the people of this city to improve the lives of the disenfranchised.
If not, we will be watching. No matter how much time you take.
Sincerely,
Sheridan Merrick
