(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Dear Editor,

I wanted to write to commend Nicholas Salerno, Chairman of the Elections Department and his staff for what has served as a well-organized and welcoming process that was an “Independence Day” for me.

For the past 55 years, I have been an American. I knew little to nothing as a child about racism. As a teenager my mother began to have these talks about the real world and how to be careful as to whom we interacted with and how we conducted ourselves in public as we; all eight of us were her representatives while in public.

I learned as a teenager about the 1965 Voter’s Right Act that gave me and people like me the “Right” to vote. To be a part of the political process as a freethinking America. A process that cost lives on so many fields of battle requiring civil and military action. Where African blood was shed just as Europen blood. As a matter of fact even to this day members of my family have served in the military. My Uncle Omar Sharif Ali was in the U.S. Navy serving during World War II and my Uncle Claude “June Bug” Vann, who was chased out of town because he dared to love a white woman and later married a white woman, my Aunt Rose Mary Vann, who I loved dearly, fought during the Korean War. Today, my niece, Khalilah Metze is a Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force. My little sister has served as a member of the Youngstown City Council in Ohio. I too have served and continue to serve my community, state and this nation.

I appreciated the work of the City of Somerville Election Department because in this day and age there are those Americans working to deny other Americans an opportunity to have a say in who shall lead in their community, in their state and this nation. I think I, My family and many in this nation has paid their price for this right. How many more cards, identifications will we need to carry around? Once you complete the registration process that should be it. I thank God that I can do my duty as a citizen of this city, state and this nation without going through more hoops to have a voice in who shall have the privilege to lead us.

Again, great job in making Early Voting process so easy, so professional and so FREE.

Respectfully,

Hon. Kevin A. Tarpley I.
Former Ward 2 Alderman