Last Saturday morning, April 12, I co-led with Court Dorsey a mini-nonviolence training in Montague. If you remember that morning you woke to cold weather, snow or rain, a most unappealing day! Despite the weather about 100 people came to the meeting hall. They came, some said because they wanted to stand with our neighbors, our most vulnerable neighbors. They did not come as partisans, they came because they have the right under our Constitution to speak out on the issues of the day.

As I looked out at the assembled, Norman Rockwell’s painting of one of our freedoms, “Freedom of Speech,” not only came to mind but I saw it made tangible! Remembering the scene last Saturday morning brings tears to my eyes. Not so much tears of sadness over what is happening in our country, but tears of deep emotion, a love of the people of our country I do not often experience.

There in Montague were the Patriots! People standing up for the rule of law, standing on the United States Constitution. My faith in, “We the people,” was given a boost. So to all you readers who may becoming more cynical, despairing, take heart! The Franklin County Continuing Political Revolution (FCCPR) had the foresight at the talk by U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern a few weeks ago to get the names of people who want to support our neighbors, sent out invitations, and the result was a coming together as a community, a community of concern.

The United States hosts an aspirational people, a people of vision, it is what informed us in our homes, schools, and in our communities. We aspire to a more just society. On Saturday, April 13, in Montague, our aspirations moved closer to reality.

May we each and all continue to walk the walk.

Paki Wieland

Greenfield