I love organizing, but I really miss being able to walk into kindergarten classrooms on a daily basis. When I was teaching in Mississippi, the kindergarten classrooms were on the way to the photocopier, and occasionally I would pop my head in and wave a hello. I was always greeted with smiling faces and eagerly waving hands, and every now and then I would get a loud, "Welcome, Ms. Twofoot," if the students happened to be seated on a carpet for reading. At the time, my twenty-two year old mind attributed the children's polite welcome to southern hospitality, but working in schools in Indiana and Maine showed me that kids everywhere are quick to pick up a proper, welcoming greeting.
At
yesterday's march in Portland to honor Dr. Martin Luther King , I thought a lot about warm welcomes. The debate around immigration reform is contentious, and no doubt both sides raise real concerns that must be addressed. That said, there's absolutely no reason we cannot treat one another in a welcoming, neighborly way.
Governor LePage's first action sent an unwelcoming message to immigrants and refugees, but he has the opportunity to choose a different path and move us all towards a welcoming Maine.
In that spirit, if you have a moment, drop Governor LePage a postcard welcoming him and his family to the Blaine House. Let him know you're an ACLU of MAINE supporter and you look forward to sharing your civil liberties ideas and concerns with his Administration. His address is:
Office of the Governor
#1 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0001
Video footage from the march in the Portland Forecaster.
Some photos from the march:
