The Boston Massacre

237 years ago today, not far from where the old state house stands, the Boston Massacre occurred, along with the story of Evacuation Day, it's one of my more long winded stories I hope to tell my daughter and drag her around the Freedom trail with my less than willing nieces and nephews alongside. Well, except maybe Jeremy who may follow in his Uncle's dorky fascination with all that is American History.

The real story to me of the Boston Massacre, other than the effect of drunken Boston mobs and snowballs with rocks have on the history of the United States is John Adams, and more to the fact why I love to live in Massachusetts. That is the true meaning of this entry.

For political reasons, mostly to avoid moderates from being disaffected from the Patriot movement, Adams with others elected to defend the British soldiers accused in the "massacre" One of the things that makes me proud is that instead of rule of the mob and being tried in the media, these "lobsta backs" were tried in a fair court of law and received relatively light sentences for their actions. Apparently it is difficult to be a member of an occupation army where you are not wanted. Where the fog of war and confusion and an unabashed media can makes things difficult for an average soldier who is just trying to do his job and survive to the next day.

Which brings me to tonite's dinner. We were invited by an "older" couple from church to dinner at their home. (I'm defining older as anyone older than my mom) They invited another "older" couple as well. Jim, the owner of the home was a cop in Cambridge for 24 years, and like many of us at the church, a "recovering Catholic", his wife is a CPA, the other couple consisted of a IT headhunter who is a Vietnam veteran and his wife who is a pre school director. Jim is the guy who "brings the banana bread." A euphemism a Catholic friend came up with as parishioners at First Congregational Melrose will stop by new attendees houses with baked goods and a follow up visit after you first attend services. (we've been members of this church for a little over a year)

I had to admit, I was a little nervous at first, you never know when a conversation is going to get out of hand, where Amway is suddenly going to be brought up or a plan to blow up a family planning clinic may start. On the surface, the idea of meeting with a Vietnam vet and a ex-cop and their spouses on a Sunday evening after church may appear to be the beginning of Karl Rove's core constituency, but suffice to say, the rest of the evening is why I love Massachusetts.

Very progressive and thoughtful Christian people with hope for the future and their children and grandchildren. Folks who want to be educated and be engaged in a positive future.

Bill, the Vietnam vet, at one point talked about John Kerry, "hey no matter what you feel about the guy, he was saying what a lot of us were thinking when we got back from the war", and he got persecuted for it. He also said it wasn't enough being antiwar but quoted Mother Teresa, "I was once asked why I don't participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I'll be there."

Four hours later, it was time for Elena, mom and papi to go to bed as papi has to get up at 4:30 to go to Worcester but the conversation moved from education to politics to the War in Iraq to the man in the White House. Our core values were part the idea of our shared Christian faith, where we are allowed to worship devoid of the driving hate, that has become the calling card of many evangelicals, our secular altar was cut in the spirit of Franklin Roosevelt, Martin Luther King and others who have followed.

Massachusetts values are family values. The right wing needs to get over it.