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By JOHN PARADIS

On May 9, I will hold a white rose at noon at the intersection of King and Main streets in Northampton.

By U.S. SEN. EDWARD J. MARKEY

Western Massachusetts farmers are used to facing and overcoming challenges — from late frosts and damaging storms to droughts and soil erosion, and more. What they’re not accustomed to is the president of the United States standing in their way of earning a living and bolstering our local economies.

How did it happen that diversity, equity and inclusion became a mark of being anti-American and a reason to withhold funding from business and educational institutions? I thought that these three values were the bedrock of what makes America great. We have always been proud of the Statue of Liberty with its inscription “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free.” All the major religions support the concept of welcoming the stranger.

When I was five and got my own library card, I enjoyed being entrusted with grown-up responsibility as much as I enjoyed the “kerchunk” sound of the machine checking out my book. I didn’t know this was my introduction to civic engagement.

By OLIN ROSE-BARDAWIL

Regardless of where you stand politically, it is hard to deny that what Cory Booker did on March 31 was amazing.

By JONATHAN KAHANE

For 238 years, the Gazette has been informing Pioneer Valley residents of the news of the day, and while doing so has provided the medium for readers to share their earth-shattering (and not so earth-shattering) opinions concerning the pressing affairs affecting them. For years now during the modern (and not so modern) era, I have enjoyed participating in this exercise.

How should Northampton address its school funding crisis? The simple answer: Increase the budget. The harder question: Where does the money come from, and at what cost? We need to discuss this issue without reducing it to accusations of not supporting students and educators.

In today’s news is announced widespread elimination of an “alphabet soup” of divisions and programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Georgia. When government agencies and scientists are categorized as alphabet soup, I know ignorance is on parade. Eliminated has been the Division of Violence Prevention, part of the injury center at CDC. I know the people wielding power do not know, nor do they care, about the leadership of this division across all forms of violence from suicide to elder and child abuse, domestic abuse, sexual violence.

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) infiltrated the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) on March 20. In the flurry of raids and dismantling of government agencies you probably overlooked this egregious act. Don’t. IMLS is the primary source of federal support for U.S. libraries and museums. The agency supports them through grants, research and policy development. The agency has about 75 employees and half of them will be terminated. I live in Easthampton and the local library has been instrumental in providing not only books but courses, book clubs, story times for toddlers, and computer workstations. Over 3,000 people use this library each year. Although books are not being burned literally, conceptually they are being obliterated.

By TOLLEY M. JONES

“Soon ah will be done with the troubles of the world, goin’ home to live with God”

By JOE GANNON

When I saw the above-the-fold headline about a school meeting (“Northampton schools probe staff response to student’s unfulfilled IEP,” Gazette, March 31) I thought, ah jeez, here they go again?

This past week saw two unsettling videos come out within 24 hours of each other. In the first, RumeysaOzturk, a Tufts University graduate student and visa-holder, is dragged off the street by masked, plainclothes ICE agents. Like Mahmoud Khalil, a lawful permanent resident also targeted for anti-Zionist activism, she is held in detention without facing formal charges.

I had the pleasure of attending Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra’s re-election campaign kickoff at the Iron Horse. The energy in the packed room was palpable — supportive, energized, and hopeful about Northampton’s future. There’s no denying that Northampton is currently in an extraordinarily difficult financial reality. Among other challenges, and similar to many other communities, we are dealing with the long-term impacts of municipal funding challenges brought by Proposition 2½, the broken state level school funding formula that leaves communities like Northampton behind, and the millions of dollars we pay in sending tuition to charter schools each year.

By KAREN GARDNER

There were thousands, perhaps millions, of people in the streets on Saturday — in towns and cities in every state of our union. It was big! Not like the 11 people who showed up to demonstrate in front of Northampton’s City Hall on Inauguration Day, when the flood of illegal, unconstitutional executive orders began. No, it was bigger.

By MICHAEL ALBANO

I was at the State House in January 1983 when Gov. Michael Dukakis announced his intention to file legislation creating a “right to shelter” law. At the time, I was representing the Parole Board and the Department of Corrections in hopes that incarcerated women at MCI-Framingham, many with children awaiting their release, would be included in the legislation and have a home to go to when granted parole, or, after completing their sentence.

This year, more than 226,000 Americans will die from lung cancer — the No. 1 cancer killer. We need to stop this. When people think of lung cancer, they relate it to smoking. That is not accurate in many cases. Lung cancer does not discriminate. It happens to people who have never smoked in their life, who lived a healthy life, and it struck them hard. For what? It is beyond unfair and unexplainable.

I hate war. I mean, who doesn’t hate war? It’s basically young healthy people fighting to the death over causes and political positions they don’t know much about. And they die. And the people they are sent to fight against also die. And all of the innocents, they die, too. Since the brutal attacks of October 7th, survivors occupy my mind daily. First, as a Jew, I cried for the brutal killings of innocents, in the name of holiness. Now, every day has been a new barrage of news with all its perspectives and positions, and more innocents dying.

It is a new year and seniors are on the chopping block. Housing is the worst. We cannot find anything. CHAMP (Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Programs) and many housing offices offer help but really give nothing. It is time to change the system. Seniors are people too. Seniors matter.

The millions of people who participated in protests across the nation on April 5 showed that “We the People” have a powerful voice as we exercised our First Amendment right to peacefully assemble and petition the government. I encourage all of us to continue this in an ongoing basis. One next step will be to join the Hands Off Social Security Rally this Thursday, April 10 at noon. If you work nearby, come on your lunch break. Address is 1550 Main Street, Springfield. The mobilize link is below. This issue impacts or will impact all of us.

As our Easthampton High School We the People (WTP) civics team prepares to compete this week in the national WTP civics competition in Washington, D.C., the Easthampton Democratic and Republican committees offer our joint appreciation and support for the team.

Congratulations to all those recognized by the New England Newspaper and Press Association. Your readers and viewers (of photography) know how good you are. Very nice to see it recognized by others.