Public libraries serve the whole community. Every public library operates under the Library Bill of Rights, established by the American Library Association, in part to guarantee freedom of speech and patron confidentiality. Most libraries include those rights in their particular policies. Patrons and members of the public can feel free to express their views, often […]
On May 28, I attended the first of a two-part workshop, “But I Don’t Feel White: Let’s Talk Race,” co-sponsored by the Wilmot Public Library and Wilmot United Congregational Church’s Racial Justice Steering Committee. In response to recent letters that were critical of this event, written by three people who did not attend, I wish […]
As the authors, we were saddened and disappointed to see our book, Let’s Talk Race: A Guide for White People (New Society Publishers, 2021), characterized in a letter in the August issue of The Andover Beacon from Brianna Marino, Kathy Prieto, and Jessica Fraioli, as “the very embodiment of critical race theory (a divisive and […]
As members of the Racial Justice Committee of the First Congregational Church of Wilmot, we are deeply saddened to have read the letter in the August 2021 issue of The Andover Beacon, pages 7 and 8. The signatories of the letter objected to a workshop co-sponsored by the Wilmot Public Library and the First Congregational […]
“White privilege. White fear. White guilt. Ingrained, systemic racism is being revealed and yet many white people have been unable or unwilling to talk about it. The conversations need to start now. Let’s Talk Race confronts why white people struggle to talk about race, why we need to own this problem, and how we can […]
In her June 2021 Report from Concord, Louise Andrus writes that she has many times asked herself why we have so many laws and why we keep passing more and more laws. She states that it is her “belief that every time a law is passed, the law takes away someone’s rights.” I am aware […]
Now that I am vaccinated and go without worries to the Transfer Station on Saturday mornings, I am paying attention to our local farm stands. I highlight three that cater to my single-item needs. For crusty homemade sourdough bread, I stop at Crow Tree Farm, at 72 Main Street; Malora Moore and Joe Rice, owners. […]
The past year has been a challenge to us all in many ways. Though we are recently starting to see some semblance of our former normal lives, it will take time to build back up to where we were or would like to be. I would like to highlight one example of an organization on […]
Just when you thought life couldn’t get any better, along comes more good news. You can now recycle bottles and cans at the Andover Transfer Station. That includes beverage containers of all kinds, as long as they’re glass, tin, or aluminum. Oh wait, we’ve been doing that for several years now. So, save those beer […]
Last month’s Beacon published a petitioned warrant article that will be on the warrant at the upcoming Andover Town Meeting. It asks Congress to pass a bill for Medicare for All (M4All). M4All would have tangible, positive results: ● Freedom from the worrying expenses of increased deductibles and premiums that have risen annually. ● Freedom […]