Commentary

For the past dozen years, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) has been introducing legislation in Congress to create a national green bank — a mechanism to provide some level of government support for the private sector to develop clean energy projects as the climate crisis worsens.

Transportation in Central Maryland has been top of mind, and at the forefront of the news recently. But it’s an issue that we at United Way of Central Maryland have seen systemically, and historically, affecting underserved communities.

On Saturday — the day before he departed for  Uvalde, Tx- President Biden told University of Delaware graduates: “In the face of such destructive forces, we have to stand stronger. We cannot outlaw tragedy, I know, but we can make America safer.” He also warned of the “oldest and darkest forces in America” preaching hate and “preying on hopelessness and despair.”

The gun lobby is already going into overdrive with comments we have all heard ad nauseam after these frequent occurrences. These include the bromide that guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens make our country safer. With about 400 million guns owned by civilians in this country, the United States should be the safest place in the world if this reasoning were sound. It is not. We are not safe in schools, supermarkets, churches, synagogues, mosques, cars, out in the street or in our homes.

The gleaming white marble. The massive columns. The huge statue of a man sitting straight up with purpose and solemn dignity. The face is wise and weary and staring resolutely ahead. The hands — one clinched and the other relaxed. The inscribed speeches calling us to find our better angels and forge ahead.

On the third Saturday in May, a national spotlight shines on Baltimore for the running of the Preakness Stakes. The true meaning of this annual occurrence sometimes gets lost on all of us who care deeply about the city. But it is an opportunity for us to show the country what the real Baltimore is — welcoming, resilient, vibrant and incredibly diverse. Some have said that it’s like having the Super Bowl every year at the corner of Haywood and Belvedere venues.

With the passage of the Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021, the Maryland General Assembly replaced the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights with a new disciplinary framework mandating that all Maryland counties create a citizen-led police accountability board, an administrative charging committee and a trial board. The intent of the bill is clear: we need more community involvement in the investigation and discipline of police officers accused of misconduct, and we must remove unwarranted impediments to administrative discipline of police officers who commit misconduct.

“Mom. We’ve been doing drills for this our whole lives,” my 15-year-old said when I tested his mood after the classroom massacre in Texas this week. “We know this stuff happens,” he said, barely containing an eyeroll before slinging a backpack over his shoulder and heading toward the metal detector at his school entrance in Georgetown, one of the wealthiest enclaves in America.