Reflections

I want to take a moment to focus on an issue which I have not highlighted yet--the ICE raids which are occurring all over the nation.

First and foremost: I.C.E is a new agency, only created in 2003. It is not inevitable and we the people will dismantle it. This is the moderate position.

Both parties, serving the same evil corporate interests, have recognized I.C.E. as an important tool of control, division, and fear. They want it to be normalized, for you to believe that I.C.E has a place in our society; that without it, “criminals” from other places will sneak into our nation, use our resources, and tear us apart. They want you to think that our cities are being overwhelmed and that there’s not enough to go around. 

It is all a lie, designed to divide us, and blame each other for the failures of our politicians. Our immigrant community has always been the backbone of this country, giving more than they could ever take. The people who do not realize these truths and parrot these violent talking points are at best misinformed and at worst vile.

As city councilor, I would be a strong advocate for a Lowell which is serious about protecting all its residents, including our vulnerable and increasingly threatened neighbors. It is disappointing that we did not declare Lowell a sanctuary city when we had the chance in 2019. As city councilor, I would bring this issue back to the table and with even stronger protections. 

Not only do we need to make Lowell a sanctuary city, there needs to be a clear set of guidelines which demand our police to do what they are here to do - protect our residents. In no world, should it be possible for I.C.E agents to walk into our courts and kidnap a neighbor of ours, and police officers should be expected to step in and restrict I.C.E’s actions. We have also seen the police forces of many so-called “sanctuary cities” betray their duties to their public constituents by collaborating with ICE and for this reason, we must also add consequences for those who wish to aid or abet in the growing war against our immigrant community. Any city councilor who cannot stand behind this motion should be ashamed of themselves and voted out.

On a lighter note, as I walk around, people keep asking if I have a card or flyer. I am working on designing some palm cards for handing out and would love feedback on how my first page should look! The second page is attached for reference. 

Second, printing can be expensive, so please consider donating when our link is live! This would be an immense help to a very low budget and community-based campaign and would allow us to have materials available for our neighbors to reference and read. This is especially important as our opponents have already begun handing out their literature and are prepared to spend upwards of $20,000 or more for this election season.

And as always, I leave you with a quote, this time by Toni Morrison, whose words remain just as vital as they were when first written:

“If you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.”

Neighbor, Son-of-immigrants, and Believer-in-a-better-world,

Marcos Antonio Candido Jr.