Redistricting excludes community members

I want to remind the residents of Baltimore County that they have the right to know what work the County Council is doing on their behalf, especially as it relates to redistricting.

The federal court’s decision to block implementation of the county’s plan was a huge win for the people — especially Black voters who were not equitably represented in the Council’s map proposal (“Judge strikes down new map of Baltimore County Council districts, saying it would disadvantage Black voters,” Feb. 24). The council was ordered to submit a new plan in compliance with the Voting Rights Act by March 8th. Even in that process, they decided to exclude their constituents to draw the new map, which will determine your political power for the next 10 years, in secrecy.

Instead, the County Council has left their constituents digging through court documents, news articles and even reaching out to advocacy groups for information on the new map.

I’ve been monitoring the redistricting process throughout the state, and it’s fair to say that Baltimore County has had the least transparent process compared to other jurisdictions. Residents still have no information on the criteria used to draw the new map and no justification as to why the new proposal does not include a second majority-Black district, just like before the lawsuit.

Baltimore County residents deserve better. Redistricting should prioritize the needs of communities, and that just is not possible when they are being shut out of the process.

— Aleksandra Petrovic, AnnapolisThe writer is redistricting coordinator at Common Cause Maryland.

Most exciting part of St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The most exciting and best presentation at the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade was from Charm City. The Baltimore All-Stars Marching Unit really excited the crowd. Thanks, Baltimore, for sending your troupe to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection and for their participation in a grand American tradition.

— Wayne E. Williams, Camden, New Jersey

Shame at where we are politically and morally

I am responding to the juxtaposition of two articles and photos. One was about the wounded woman in Mariupol, Ukraine, stroking her belly and unborn baby she was in the process of losing, captured in a heart crushing moment, as she screams “Kill me Now!” (“Pregnant woman, baby die after Russia bombed maternity ward in Ukraine,” March 14). The other was about our former Creep in Charge, one Donald J. Trump, who infamously declared anything he didn’t like “fake,” was visiting South Carolina and “teasing” the crowd about running for president again soon. In between these two articles is this little tidbit: “Russia’s ambassador to the U.N. and the Russian Embassy in London falsely called the images fake.”

I hereby insert my two cents: both the Russian Foreign Ministry and Donald Trump have earned my undying hatred. The idea that Mr. Trump could possibly run again, whether he could win or not — just the notion that Americans of sound mind and body would even consider the prospect favorably — thoroughly disgusts me. We the people, both individually and collectively, are judged by what we say and do. I for one am feeling shame at where we are politically and morally.

— David A. Kennedy, Baltimore

Permanent daylight saving time? That’s insane

It’s mildly amusing, but sad, that the Senate passed a law extending daylight saving time to the entire year in order to improve the mental health of Americans. (“Here’s how a permanent daylight saving time would impact sunset and sunrise times in Baltimore,” March 16).

The reason it’s sad is that the United States Senate has such a high percentage of duly elected crazy people. One can hope that if such a law passes — and if it does, indeed, improve mental health — it will have a salutary effect on the sanity of the Senators themselves.

The last time this law was passed, it was rescinded quickly after newspapers all across the country printed pictures of cute little children waiting in the dark for school buses. I suggest that newspapers retrieve those pictures from their archives and send them to the members of the House of Representatives and to the president.

— Henry Farkas, Pikesville