Letter to the Editor

To the editor:

On August 14, The Crimson published a letter (“Why Students at Harvard and Beyond Should Vote for Maura Healey”) about the Democratic primary for Massachusetts’s state attorney general. This letter overlooked the impressive credentials and progressive policies of another great candidate, Warren Tolman, whose priorities closely align with those of the Harvard community.

In my three years at Harvard, two issues touched the collective nerve of the Harvard community more than any others: campus sexual assault and gun violence. Warren’s campaign has stood out because he has made these issues two of his top priorities.

This past academic year, Harvard had a serious discussion about the prevalence of sexual assault in our community and the actions the administration took in response to these incidences.

We need to effect a cultural change on our campuses. Tolman will use the power of the attorney general’s office to require university administrators to take sexual assault seriously by increasing transparency, accountability, reporting, and comprehensive education programs on all campuses.

Similarly, in the wake of the Newtown shooting, there was an active dialogue on campus about the role of guns in our country and the availability of mental health care. Warren has committed to enforcing mental health and substance abuse parity requirements to address some of the root causes of gun violence.

Importantly, Tolman is willing to take a stand against the NRA and propose bold reforms to tackle gun violence. The attorney general in Massachusetts has the authority, under the state’s consumer protection law, to require smart gun technology, including fingerprint recognition trigger locks, on all new guns sold in Massachusetts. Smart gun technology prevents unauthorized users from firing a weapon, and Tolman is the only candidate, Democrat or Republican, who has committed to making this lifesaving reform.

Progress on campus sexual assault and gun violence requires broad-based strategies that engage our communities in addressing these crimes. A great attorney general can achieve true change by making the case for progressive values in classrooms, boardrooms, and living rooms —as well as the courtroom. Tolman is the kind of leader who can leverage the power of the attorney general’s office to make the case for progressive values.

The attorney general also has a very important role to play in protecting women’s health care and promoting equality for the LGBT community. Tolman has a proven record of progressive advocacy on these issues. Earlier this year, the United States Supreme Court struck down the most recent version of the Massachusetts buffer-zone law, which protects the safety of women entering an abortion clinic. While in the state senate, Tolman was a leader in the fight to pass the original buffer-zone law, and he is committed to achieving a solution to protect women from harassment when entering clinics.

Years before the Supreme Judicial Court ruled in favor of equal marriage in Massachusetts, Tolman was sponsoring legislation to authorize domestic partnership benefits for same-sex couples and hate crimes legislation that expanded the state’s hate crimes law to include crimes against gay and lesbian people.

Warren Tolman, throughout this campaign and his career, has presented a bold vision for progressive leadership. Warren has been willing to fight the tough fights. He has consistently stood up to protect our communities, promote equality, and support working families. On September 9, I’m voting for Warren Tolman. Please join me.

Andrew London

HLS ’14