Letters to the Editor

Can youth exhibit help build a safer city?

Regarding the Banner’s article about the “Guns, Youth & Architecture” exhibit at our Designery (“Hub students aim for peace, answers in ‘Guns’ art exhibit,” Feb. 7, 2008): I am so proud of these young people for putting on this exhibit, and I wish more people would go by and see it.

I attended the exhibit, and what I felt from the young people was the feeling of a lack of protection from gun and street violence. Ricardo Rosa, one of the students quoted in the Banner’s story, addressed the crowd and said that every young person in attendance knew someone that has been a victim of violence. That hurt me. We are supposed to protect our young people. How do we do that today?

Gregory Mumford
Deputy Director
YouthBuild Boston

A small victory for Mass. voters

The people are speaking — and our leaders are listening. Last week, the state Legislature’s Committee on Elections Laws reported favorably S.446, An Act Relative to Election Day Registration, a bill that would bring Election Day Registration to Massachusetts for the first time.

It allows Massachusetts citizens 18 and over to register to vote on the same day for two elections: this year’s general presidential election, and the November general election in 2010. It is not a perfect bill, but it would be a major step forward for voters.

There is still a long way to go. The bill will need to win votes in the state Senate and the state House of Representatives before it can move on to the governor’s pen. But this committee vote represents a big step forward.

Here at MassVOTE, we salute the House Chair of Committee, Garrett Bradley, and his Senate counterpart, Ed Augustus, for their leadership, and thank the members of their staffs, including Geoff Richelew and Josh Krintzman, who have worked carefully on the details of the law. We also thank Secretary of State Bill Galvin, and his staff, including Michelle Tassinari and Michael Maresco, who have brought their expertise to the issue. Without lead sponsors Sen. Cynthia Creem and Rep. Gloria Fox, we wouldn’t be here today, and we have been lucky to have the help of dozens of other legislators.

Most of all, we are grateful to many organizations and hundreds of individuals who have made calls, sent e-mails and visited their legislators: Thanks for your help.

Avi Green
Executive Director
MassVOTE