On November 27th, Fairmont MN rescinded it's previous endorsement of the Department of Peace legislation after a small but vocal group of citizens protested. Below is a story from Mary Jane LaVigne, MN State Coordinator, about the public forum in Fairmont before the city council. 

 

It was foggy driving down to Fairmont yesterday.  The pavement promised to turn slick if it slipped a degree or two colder.  My daughter and son used the 2 1⁄2 hour drive to promote family opportunities for puppy ownership.  

The Fairmont City Hall, is a modern municipal building on a downtown plaza.  The 5:30 meeting was in full swing when we arrived at 5:40.   The man at the mic was talking about the Supreme Court, and how the Department of Peace legislation dismantles it and puts the UN in charge.  

A Fairmont Police Officer gave up his chair so my daughter could sit.  There was no formal process of recognition, whoever popped up first got the floor.  It was orderly.  After the first anti-peace speaker dominated the mic for 15 minutes, most people kept themselves under five minutes.  Most weren’t people who spoke often in a meeting, though some of us clearly enjoyed hearing ourselves talk.

What are they afraid of?  It was a remarkable, open hearted, fair and safe chance to listen. They are afraid of losing their dignity.  They are afraid of being dominated by evil and of losing their freedom.  They are afraid that their hog operations will come under scrutiny.   They are afraid of losing the right to own guns.  One young man stated his concerns about his high school this way, "In science we’re taught we come from the apes.  How much purpose can you feel if you come from an ape?"   They are afraid military service past or present will no longer be honored. 

Now I can go back and substitute “we:” for “they” and really learn something. 

After several anti-peace speakers stood there was frantic eye contact all around the peace group.  By applause and sight half of the group were Department of Peace supporters.  That’s just not who was standing up to speak.  Here’s when I learned something about us.   We don’t like conflict.  It’s hardest of all when it’s our neighbors.   

Patty Kuderer, a Fairmont native made a clear, calm presentation dispelling much misinformation.  Judi Poulson, the leader of the Fairmont DOP effort spoke movingly about the many good work the Fairmont peace group has done in the four decades they’ve been meeting.  Patty's sister stood as well, her voice authentic and courageous in the presence of the leaders of her city.  I talked about democracy as a form of non-violent conflict resolution.  When I sat down the woman next to me who had spoken of the dangers of a society in which only criminals had guns, reached over and poked my knee saying  “We don’t have a democracy.  We have a republic. Remember that.  I’m a former school teacher you know.”

Then the woman on my right stood.  Her knees and voice were shaking.  She spoke of her childhood in occupied Holland.  The terror she still remembered when the Nazis searched her house and beat her father.  “You don’t know war like this,”  she said. "I know war and I still carry it with me."

Many apologized for “having to be talking about this at a city council meeting.”  But I beg to differ.  There was something perfect about that night, that city, this discussion.  Sometimes with just a small thing you can feel the world pivot a notch.  So it was last night in Fairmont, Minnesota.  I can’t say what changed, but something did.  

In the end the Fairmont City Council voted 2 to 3 to rescind their resolution in support of the Department of Peace.  And you know, in a funny way, that was probably o.k.