MLK National Day of Service

As mentioned at last week's Membership Meeting, the LDTC will be holding an informal Zoom meeting on Monday, January 18, at 7:30 PM as part of the National Day of Service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  We learned about the National Day of Service from Longmeadow native Eric Tallman and decided to honor Dr. King’s legacy with a discussion of the impact of white supremacist groups on American politics.

The National Day of Service is associated with the Presidential Inaugural Committee and focuses on public service projects that bring Americans together.  As racial injustice is one of the issues targeted by the effort, the LDTC chose to discuss the issue of domestic terrorism as this phenomenon threatens our ability as a nation to work together.

Monday’s informational session will be led by Professor John Baick of Western New England University and Professor Jerold Duquette of Central Connecticut State University, who will begin with presentations about how historians and political scientists view the causes and consequences of racism and racist violence in contemporary American politics.  After those brief presentations, the audience will determine the direction of the discussion.  “We will go where the people want to go,” said Professor Baick, “so bring your questions.”

We wanted to discuss white supremacy groups due to the the January 6th events in Washington, DC when flags, tee-shirts, and other equipment identified with supremacist groups were evident in the attack on the Capitol.  Though questions were raised by onlookers regarding the identify of these groups, Professor Duquette noted that no one should have been shocked that those groups were there as they’ve been a part of American life for some time.

The meeting will officially begin at 7:30 PM and end at 9:00 PM, though the Zoom link will open at 7:15 PM for those who would like to share their concerns and questions early. 

The event is free and open to the public and the press. In order to gain access to the Zoom link for the event, please register with the Longmeadow Democratic Town Committee at the following address:  longmeadowdems@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you at this discussion which should prove to be a highly informative one—and a starting point for further education.