HARDWICK – As people in our community and around the world call for change (many with groups like Indivisible and 50501, and some coming out in peaceful demonstrations in the streets/public places/town hall meetings, as well as the huge rallies being held by Bernie Sanders and AOC all around the country), I find myself feeling a bit stifled, being more or less confined-to-quarters by a broken leg and knee injury. I can’t easily go, on Thursdays, to the local peace vigil which I often attended. I didn’t go to the rallies and can’t drive to any of the town halls.
However I have been blessed, in that I’ve had the time (and privilege of computer and phone availability) to be able to choose to follow events from my seated position, even while keeping my leg and foot elevated.
It is very trying at times to keep finding myself exposed to troubling info in the news (especially when the few sources who are willing to take the deeper dives on the issues start to become a bit more polarizing than is their norm). Yet I persevere. Why? Because, I feel that willingly being out-of-the-loop is simply not an option. I may be limited, but I can still reach out to those around me; my neighbors, family, friends and you, my fellow Hardwick Gazette reader.
So, I am writing today in hope that I might encourage and inspire others to stay engaged in ways that my mentor/teacher friends have helped me to keep at it over my many years spent in activism.
Here are a few suggestions that spring to mind:
Look for and support a variety of well-vetted and trustworthy news sources. Locally we are fortunate to have: the weekly news, from the Hardwick Gazette; daily info shows, from WGDH, 91.7FM/WGDR.org (Central Vermont Community Radio); and shows of local interest from HCTV (Hardwick Community Television), available online as well as Cable Access Channel 1080 on Xfinity. All are supported by donations.
Put more trust in news sources who correct their errors than in those who refuse to do so. Every source will make an occasional error. None are perfect. Not correcting errors should be a red flag.
Keep having civil dialogue with others in our/your own community. Aim for better understanding, not solely 100% agreement.
Compare and contrast the news coming from different sources and be cautious and aware of bias, especially in corporate-owned and operated media.
Keep working to move out of the polarized orientation which the propaganda has pushed us into with one another.
Look for the good and praise it, in addition to making legitimate complaints about what’s not working.
Do your part wherever and however you can, no matter how small or insignificant it may feel. You can never know what ripple you may start, or how far out it will spread.
Celebrate each and every step forward, even if that is followed by a half-step back. We need to mark our success with and for each other. It is very important. What we put attention on grows.
Stay focused on peaceful resistance. Practice taking a breath before an action and look for the common humanity you share with those who may be being seen as the other or the enemy of your cause.
I am open to discussion with others as my time allows. I hope we will all start being more willing to have peaceful dialogue around the very troubling issues our democracy is facing. I hope we can all become better informed and have more clarity by sharing our understanding of things with each other.
I’ll start.
I appreciate this video from our U.S. Congressperson Becca Balint who held a town meeting recently in Bellows Falls. Will you give it a look or listen? I’d love to know what you think after you have considered what is presented. The video can be found under the title “Rep. Becca Balint Bellows Falls Town Hall Conversations: April 14th, 2025.”
I’m happy to take email responses privately, but far prefer to engage the larger community in the discussion, if possible. Maybe you will feel like writing a letter to the editor.
Let’s talk. Let’s compare info. Let’s undivide.
Mary Gagnon is a resident of Hardwick.
