Haverhill City Councilor Andy Vargas addressing delegates last Saturday in Worcester. (Courtesy photograph.)
When Massachusetts Democrats gathered last Saturday in Worcester for their annual convention, they heard from a 23-year-old Dominican-American from Haverhill.
Haverhill City Councilor Andy Vargas, the city’s first Latino elected official, lobbied delegates to make civic education in schools and reducing barriers to voting among the party’s top goals.
“I stand before you today as a product of an immigrant family—fully understanding that there are few places in the world where our story is even possible—the story of my father working in the last shoe factory in Haverhill to then raise a son who would one day become the first Latino elected official in that city,” said Vargas, according to his prepared remarks.
He advocated for the passage of civic education legislation as championed by Senate Majority Leader Harriette L. Chandler. The legislation would make understanding how federal, state and local government works a student graduation requirement. “We must prioritize this legislation—for civic education is perhaps the best investment we can make in our democracy,” he said.
Vargas also railed against efforts across the country to redraw voting districts to favor the political party in power, reduce voter locations and increase barriers to voting.
“Democracy is not just a word. It is a promise. The promise of a government and society that sees us as truly equal. The promise of a society that offers opportunity to all of its people,” the city councilor said.
He urged the party to oppose voter identification laws which, he said, “disproportionately disenfranchise low-income, minority, disabled, elderly and new voters.”
“We do this not out of party interest, but out of American interest. Because we know that a government that reflects its people is one of the greatest measures of a healthy democracy,” Vargas said.
Acknowledging the divide between Democratic and Republican party voters, Vargas argued, “it is imperative that we recognize valid debate and dissent without retribution, as the cornerstone of healthy progress within our party, Commonwealth and country.”
vargas is a looser. lets boot him out of office this year. save Haverhill.
Vargas agenda is the reason Haverhill is turning into Lawrence. Killings on the streets. Illegal immigration. Welcome to Andy’s Haverhill.
LOL. Look at all the ultra rightwing snowflakes commenting. Boy, Donald sure has empowered the bigots! Come one, come all! Come out of the shadows, let your bigotry flow freely!
Vargas, I’m not a Dem, but keep doing what you’re doing. Commonsense Haverhill residents are better than this echo chamber of ignorance, intolerance and outright hatred that exists in HAV forums.
I am so glad to hear Vargas spoke in Worcester because I can tell you there are fewer and fewer of us Latinos listening to this alleged community organizer around here-he has become Haverhill’s biggest faker !
Está de broma nadie!
Kathy, it would be interesting to hear why you say that….
Kathy…your google translater needs a little help.
Andy, how about calling yourself an American-Dominican? Since you are a member of Haverhill’s City Council and have lived primarily in the United States, wouldn’t that be more appropriate than the other way around? Or do you not consider yourself to be an American.
Regarding voter ID, just how many potential or actual voters do you think would be, “disproportionately disenfranchised” because they are low-income, minority, disabled, elderly and new voters.” One needs an ID to buy smoking materials, liquor, to get into the court house, visit any large building in Boston, the list goes on and on. How do you suppose these people function now????
Well there it is! Finally ! Acorn Andy admits publicly that he is, in fact, an Anchor Baby. Only a liberal can talk about their parents breaking the laws of this country as if it’s some kind of significant personal accomplishment. No wonder you committed treason recently Andy when you used social media to inform criminal trespassers illegally in Haverhill to seek safe haven because the Federal Government and ICE were in the city doing their job. You are absolutely right Andy…only in the USA can criminals sneak into our country to have babies and those children be rewarded with the gift of citizenship. Every other country in the world has stopped that insane national public policy.
You’re not complaining about voting rights in Haverhill, are you Andy? There isn’t a better place in the country where there are absolutely no restrictions on voting, especially for those people in the country illegally. There are so many non-English speaking criminal trespassers from other countries illegally voting in Haverhill that the mayor saw fit to print up “Yo Vote” stickers (which means I Voted) to thank them for their support. They’re your main constituency Andy, you know that. But let’s not talk about that little secret, right?
Voters in Haverhill need to understand what your agenda is and who you represent, Andy. People think that your constituency is the Spanish, and young people in the city. Anyone paying attention knows by your actions and inactions, that isn’t the case. When a young Spanish girl your own age was dragged into the woods at a city park and raped by two criminal trespassers in this country illegally what did you do and say? You said nothing! No support for the young girl and no outrage at the criminals for the vicious crime they committed. You defaulted to doing what you naturally do as a far left wing liberal….you supported the trespassing criminals.
When young people your own age are being wiped out by drugs brought to this city by criminals here illegally from other countries what have you done? Nothing! You’ve done nothing and said nothing. That’s because to say something would go against your agenda of providing whatever kind of aid and safe haven for these criminals that you can.
As a city councilor you’re not all about inaction. You did attend a Haverhill School committee meeting last year and translate comments from Spanish to English for a criminal trespasser in the city illegally who had absolutely no legal rights to be participating in that public meeting in the first place. But there you were Andy, right there to provide help to yet another criminal illegally in this country.
Your support of criminal trespassers in the country illegally all makes sense now, Andy.
Their story is your story, isn’t it?