From Pride to Shame in Fairhaven
I moved to Fairhaven 25 years ago. My husband and I wanted our sons to be raised in a safe, kind and nurturing community. We had been married and had our children in St. Petersburg, FL. When we arrived here there were ZERO people of color in any position of authority. A child with a skin tone of less than snowy white saw no adult whose face reflected theirs.
I title myself an Agitator/Activist. Agitator: I call attention to issues in my corner of the world that are morally bankrupt. Activist: I follow up with action. Remember Fairhaven’s Got Pride!, archive (FNN 7/15/21 issue)”? I WAS SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF OUR TOWN. Nearly 3 years later, I AM SO INCREDIBLY ASHAMED OF OUR TOWN.
Hateful, Ignorant, Racist Graffiti On The Rogers School Wall And In A Boys Bathroom At Hastings Middle School. Town Officials Made To Feel Afraid That Harm Could Come To Their Family. The Attempted Intimidation Of Two People Of Color, Who Combined Hold Two Of The Highest Offices In Town, Is Nothing Short Of REPREHENSIBLE.
Fairhavenites, it’s time to educate yourselves. “White Fragility” an absolute must-read. BUT I would like to recommend “Death of Innocence” by Mamie Till-Mobley as a first read and/or (preferably both) the historic film “Till”. The lynching of her 14 year old son on 8/28/1955 ignited the spark of the Civil Rights Movement. When Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus on 12/1/1955, she cited Emmett Till’s lynching as her driving force. I defy anyone to watch Till and not be moved. If you are not, you have no soul.
For a month my son, 28-year-old Zachary, and I have been on the steps of Town Hall on the evenings of Select Board meetings with signs (activism) to draw attention to (agitation) the overt racism caused by the scum who’ve oozed out from under their rocks. We have now been joined by two fellow citizens who are equally as disgusted in the behavior of Fairhaven’s citizens.
As you read this it’ll just be a few days before the last meeting for Select Board Chair Leon Correy. Two years ago after an exhausting campaign of knocking on the doors of 100s of our fellow voters, Leon Correy was voted into office, finishing within a few dozen votes of the senior incumbent. I have been BEGGING people in town to give me a reason as to WHY he is being chased out of office.* CRICKETS
I will continue to make “Good Trouble” (John Lewis – google him) in Fairhaven because this is My Corner Of The World. If all decent citizens would do the same, what a wonderful world this would be.
Diane Hahn, Fairhaven
*Mr. Correy chose not to run for re-election citing racism in Fairhaven as his main reason.
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