Many of you who read my blog, or whom I've had the privilege of working with around town or within the wider Quaker community, have been very supportive of me recently as I slog my way through the mire and mud of local politics. ( See previous posts or Story in Standard Times) Words here cannot adequately express how grateful I remain to all of you! In the last 8 days I have received 98 emails, all positive (the ones that came to me anyway!) and this doesn't include the blog posting on the local rag's online forum at the Standard Times. There's been a few times when I was about to respond to this or that posted item and before I could find the time and clear my head to compose something, I'd receive an email from one of you who had already fired off a letter and sent me a copy! Check, done, amazing!
I've received copies of letters that friends, Quakers, colleagues, rowing buddies, family members, religious leaders and even clients [have]sent in every direction that seemed effective. One friend, Julie, carried on a "stimulating" and pointed email exchange (okay, it was war...but very polite!) with one town official (and as an elected official should have acted more responsibly) from across the Atlantic Ocean in England! All I had to do is stand back and "watch!" (Such a gift!) I received cell calls from Florida and California and an email from someone I know in Canada. Lord knows how my Canadian friend head about all this, but he did. And then there was the Face Book force, where close to 300 people from all over (but mostly students at Dartmouth High) had joined the group "Save our Youth Advocate, which produced more letters and supportive notes to me as well. Last Monday night I sat home and watched the weekly Dartmouth Select Board Meeting on local cable TV as some thirty silent vigil supporters of me walked in wearing hand prints that said, "stop the witch hunt," "stop the smear," "we support Kevin." After 20 minutes they got up and silently walked out. Talk about the power of sheer presence! Gandhi would have been proud.
