[Music] I grew up in a community where we knew
I grew up in a community where we knew
I grew up in a community where we knew everybody right up the street we played
everybody right up the street we played
everybody right up the street we played in the street the manhole was first base
in the street the manhole was first base
in the street the manhole was first base the neighbor’s mailbox with a second
the neighbor’s mailbox with a second
the neighbor’s mailbox with a second base the tree at the end of the line was
base the tree at the end of the line was
base the tree at the end of the line was maybe the end zone we walked into our
maybe the end zone we walked into our
maybe the end zone we walked into our neighbor’s house like it was our own we
neighbor’s house like it was our own we
neighbor’s house like it was our own we open up the refrigerator door like it
open up the refrigerator door like it
open up the refrigerator door like it was our own our neighbors were on and
was our own our neighbors were on and
was our own our neighbors were on and uncle so-and-so even though we weren’t
uncle so-and-so even though we weren’t
uncle so-and-so even though we weren’t really related that was a tight-knit
really related that was a tight-knit
really related that was a tight-knit community I grew up in a town where when
community I grew up in a town where when
community I grew up in a town where when I was nine years old my little league
I was nine years old my little league
I was nine years old my little league baseball team won the championship that
baseball team won the championship that
baseball team won the championship that year and my picture appeared in the
year and my picture appeared in the
year and my picture appeared in the Berkshire Eagle a local artist called my
Berkshire Eagle a local artist called my
Berkshire Eagle a local artist called my mother and said your son fits the
mother and said your son fits the
mother and said your son fits the description of a painting and I have to
description of a painting and I have to
description of a painting and I have to do to commemorate man landing on the
do to commemorate man landing on the
do to commemorate man landing on the moon in 1969
moon in 1969
moon in 1969 can you come down and pose for me went
can you come down and pose for me went
can you come down and pose for me went down on a Saturday pulls for this local
down on a Saturday pulls for this local
down on a Saturday pulls for this local artist for about two and a half hours
artist for about two and a half hours
artist for about two and a half hours wrote me a personal check for $40 what
wrote me a personal check for $40 what
wrote me a personal check for $40 what do you think of nine-year-old does with
do you think of nine-year-old does with
do you think of nine-year-old does with $40 well I couldn’t cash because my mom
$40 well I couldn’t cash because my mom
$40 well I couldn’t cash because my mom made me go to the bank and put it in my
made me go to the bank and put it in my
made me go to the bank and put it in my savings account but boy I still wish I
savings account but boy I still wish I
savings account but boy I still wish I had that check that check was signed by
had that check that check was signed by
had that check that check was signed by Norman Rockwell and I became the boy
Norman Rockwell and I became the boy
Norman Rockwell and I became the boy astronaut which commemorated Neil
astronaut which commemorated Neil
astronaut which commemorated Neil Armstrong taking the first steps of man
Armstrong taking the first steps of man
Armstrong taking the first steps of man landing on the moon I grew up in the
landing on the moon I grew up in the
landing on the moon I grew up in the town when I graduated high school at the
town when I graduated high school at the
town when I graduated high school at the age of 17 my first job out of high
age of 17 my first job out of high
age of 17 my first job out of high school for the summer was a special
school for the summer was a special
school for the summer was a special policeman in the town of Lennox I go
policeman in the town of Lennox I go
policeman in the town of Lennox I go into the old chief swears me into office
into the old chief swears me into office
into the old chief swears me into office hands me uniform and gives me a gun I
hands me uniform and gives me a gun I
hands me uniform and gives me a gun I couldn’t imagine for the life of me why
couldn’t imagine for the life of me why
couldn’t imagine for the life of me why I would need to carry a gun to be a
I would need to carry a gun to be a
I would need to carry a gun to be a special policeman which really meant we
special policeman which really meant we
special policeman which really meant we directed traffic for Tanglewood concerts
directed traffic for Tanglewood concerts
directed traffic for Tanglewood concerts he was an old-school chief and he says
he was an old-school chief and he says
he was an old-school chief and he says it’s part of the uniform Smitty make
it’s part of the uniform Smitty make
it’s part of the uniform Smitty make sure you wear it
sure you wear it
sure you wear it I said well chief I don’t know all the
I said well chief I don’t know all the
I said well chief I don’t know all the laws of the Commonwealth but I said I’m
laws of the Commonwealth but I said I’m
laws of the Commonwealth but I said I’m only 17 and I won’t be 18 until August
only 17 and I won’t be 18 until August
only 17 and I won’t be 18 until August and I think you need to be 18 to carry a
and I think you need to be 18 to carry a
and I think you need to be 18 to carry a gun in Massachusetts he looked me square
gun in Massachusetts he looked me square
gun in Massachusetts he looked me square in the eyes of Jesus Mitty just don’t
in the eyes of Jesus Mitty just don’t
in the eyes of Jesus Mitty just don’t shoot anybody till August so I spent the
shoot anybody till August so I spent the
shoot anybody till August so I spent the whole summer carrying a gun it wasn’t
whole summer carrying a gun it wasn’t
whole summer carrying a gun it wasn’t loaded but we looked official but it
loaded but we looked official but it
loaded but we looked official but it made what this float made Lennox special
made what this float made Lennox special
made what this float made Lennox special I grew up in the town where General
I grew up in the town where General
I grew up in the town where General Electric was employing about 13,000
Electric was employing about 13,000
Electric was employing about 13,000 people in Pittsfield paper mills were
people in Pittsfield paper mills were
people in Pittsfield paper mills were abundant the paper mills in Lee alone
abundant the paper mills in Lee alone
abundant the paper mills in Lee alone employed over 4,000 people
employed over 4,000 people
employed over 4,000 people Sprague Electric and North Adams
Sprague Electric and North Adams
Sprague Electric and North Adams employed over 3,000 people think about
employed over 3,000 people think about
employed over 3,000 people think about where we’re at today General Electric is
where we’re at today General Electric is
where we’re at today General Electric is gone there’s one paper mill left in the
gone there’s one paper mill left in the
gone there’s one paper mill left in the town of Lee and all of southern
town of Lee and all of southern
town of Lee and all of southern berkshire county employing 150 people
berkshire county employing 150 people
berkshire county employing 150 people Sprague Electric has closed and at that
Sprague Electric has closed and at that
Sprague Electric has closed and at that time 50% of the employees who lost their
time 50% of the employees who lost their
time 50% of the employees who lost their job at Sprague Electric didn’t even have
job at Sprague Electric didn’t even have
job at Sprague Electric didn’t even have a high school diploma it was a
a high school diploma it was a
a high school diploma it was a generational mill mentality here in the
generational mill mentality here in the
generational mill mentality here in the Berkshires my grandfather worked at the
Berkshires my grandfather worked at the
Berkshires my grandfather worked at the mill my father worked at the mill
mill my father worked at the mill
mill my father worked at the mill chances are were out work at the mill
chances are were out work at the mill
chances are were out work at the mill and then my son or daughter will work at
and then my son or daughter will work at
and then my son or daughter will work at the mill so education wasn’t important
the mill so education wasn’t important
the mill so education wasn’t important the previous speaker was so special
the previous speaker was so special
the previous speaker was so special about reading or else that’s what’s
about reading or else that’s what’s
about reading or else that’s what’s going to change the course of her
going to change the course of her
going to change the course of her activities not only here in the
activities not only here in the
activities not only here in the Berkshires but everywhere in the
Berkshires but everywhere in the
Berkshires but everywhere in the Commonwealth and beyond think about
Commonwealth and beyond think about
Commonwealth and beyond think about where we’re at today
where we’re at today
where we’re at today we don’t really know our neighbors we
we don’t really know our neighbors we
we don’t really know our neighbors we don’t know him really well
don’t know him really well
don’t know him really well we certainly wouldn’t walk in their
we certainly wouldn’t walk in their
we certainly wouldn’t walk in their house we certainly wouldn’t open the
house we certainly wouldn’t open the
house we certainly wouldn’t open the refrigerator door but there’s no reason
refrigerator door but there’s no reason
refrigerator door but there’s no reason why we shouldn’t get to know our
why we shouldn’t get to know our
why we shouldn’t get to know our neighbors social media is a powerful
neighbors social media is a powerful
neighbors social media is a powerful tool we need to utilize it Twitter
tool we need to utilize it Twitter
tool we need to utilize it Twitter Facebook email these are all things that
Facebook email these are all things that
Facebook email these are all things that we didn’t have when we were younger I
we didn’t have when we were younger I
we didn’t have when we were younger I have been able to connect with high
have been able to connect with high
have been able to connect with high school classmates of mine of 40 years
school classmates of mine of 40 years
school classmates of mine of 40 years ago from all over the country and we
ago from all over the country and we
ago from all over the country and we haven’t missed a beat
haven’t missed a beat
haven’t missed a beat we didn’t have those tools when I was
we didn’t have those tools when I was
we didn’t have those tools when I was growing up here in the Berkshires but
growing up here in the Berkshires but
growing up here in the Berkshires but that’s where we’re at today so when we
that’s where we’re at today so when we
that’s where we’re at today so when we think about our community what do you
think about our community what do you
think about our community what do you want your community to be like yeah
want your community to be like yeah
want your community to be like yeah there’s times I would love to go back to
there’s times I would love to go back to
there’s times I would love to go back to play ball on the street and yeah we’d
play ball on the street and yeah we’d
play ball on the street and yeah we’d move when the traffic came but to have
move when the traffic came but to have
move when the traffic came but to have the manhole as home base and the
the manhole as home base and the
the manhole as home base and the neighbors mailboxes first base that was
neighbors mailboxes first base that was
neighbors mailboxes first base that was a unique opportunity in our childhood
a unique opportunity in our childhood
a unique opportunity in our childhood but families aren’t having as many
but families aren’t having as many
but families aren’t having as many children as they once were it’s getting
children as they once were it’s getting
children as they once were it’s getting watered down each generation but how do
watered down each generation but how do
watered down each generation but how do we interact with our fellow human beings
we interact with our fellow human beings
we interact with our fellow human beings we don’t pick up the phone like we used
we don’t pick up the phone like we used
we don’t pick up the phone like we used to
to
to we’ll shoot a text message I love going
we’ll shoot a text message I love going
we’ll shoot a text message I love going into schools and I tell the young people
into schools and I tell the young people
into schools and I tell the young people send a written note don’t send me a text
send a written note don’t send me a text
send a written note don’t send me a text message
message
message I keep boxes of notes and letters I’ve
I keep boxes of notes and letters I’ve
I keep boxes of notes and letters I’ve received over the last 30 years that may
received over the last 30 years that may
received over the last 30 years that may be my daughter son or my Jan children
be my daughter son or my Jan children
be my daughter son or my Jan children we’ll look at those someday and say yeah
we’ll look at those someday and say yeah
we’ll look at those someday and say yeah dad you did some pretty good stuff look
dad you did some pretty good stuff look
dad you did some pretty good stuff look at these nice letters he’s gotten from
at these nice letters he’s gotten from
at these nice letters he’s gotten from people or no cards believe me nobody
people or no cards believe me nobody
people or no cards believe me nobody prints out a text message people really
prints out a text message people really
prints out a text message people really don’t print out emails but I love
don’t print out emails but I love
don’t print out emails but I love handwritten notes that means you took
handwritten notes that means you took
handwritten notes that means you took the time you made a connection you made
the time you made a connection you made
the time you made a connection you made it personal make it personal that’s
it personal make it personal that’s
it personal make it personal that’s what’s so special about community I
what’s so special about community I
what’s so special about community I always say be the community that you
always say be the community that you
always say be the community that you want it to be just don’t sit back and
want it to be just don’t sit back and
want it to be just don’t sit back and complain take charge of it I’m an
complain take charge of it I’m an
complain take charge of it I’m an elected official I’ve been for 30 years
elected official I’ve been for 30 years
elected official I’ve been for 30 years 15 as your state representative it’s a
15 as your state representative it’s a
15 as your state representative it’s a very humbling and honorable job that I
very humbling and honorable job that I
very humbling and honorable job that I have but I get so frustrated with what’s
have but I get so frustrated with what’s
have but I get so frustrated with what’s going on in Washington or let me say
going on in Washington or let me say
going on in Washington or let me say what’s not going on in Washington but
what’s not going on in Washington but
what’s not going on in Washington but I’d say we can make the changes that we
I’d say we can make the changes that we
I’d say we can make the changes that we need to make by taking the power back to
need to make by taking the power back to
need to make by taking the power back to your community maybe it’s your
your community maybe it’s your
your community maybe it’s your neighborhood maybe it’s your town maybe
neighborhood maybe it’s your town maybe
neighborhood maybe it’s your town maybe it’s your state or your county or your
it’s your state or your county or your
it’s your state or your county or your country it’s gonna bubble up I talked to
country it’s gonna bubble up I talked to
country it’s gonna bubble up I talked to a young girl she grew up in Pittsfield
a young girl she grew up in Pittsfield
a young girl she grew up in Pittsfield single mom
single mom
single mom daughter of a single mom dad wasn’t that
daughter of a single mom dad wasn’t that
daughter of a single mom dad wasn’t that heavily involved went to college
heavily involved went to college
heavily involved went to college graduated and she says I think I want to
graduated and she says I think I want to
graduated and she says I think I want to get in politics Smitty I go why would
get in politics Smitty I go why would
get in politics Smitty I go why would you want to do that and I was very
you want to do that and I was very
you want to do that and I was very sincere and genuine whether I said no
sincere and genuine whether I said no
sincere and genuine whether I said no solve your problem what what is your
solve your problem what what is your
solve your problem what what is your expertise the previous speaker talked
expertise the previous speaker talked
expertise the previous speaker talked about reading he’s carved out a niche he
about reading he’s carved out a niche he
about reading he’s carved out a niche he is changing the world one person one
is changing the world one person one
is changing the world one person one book at a time that’s what young people
book at a time that’s what young people
book at a time that’s what young people should be doing today and then when you
should be doing today and then when you
should be doing today and then when you get that experience that life experience
get that experience that life experience
get that experience that life experience and you can build it up to maybe run for
and you can build it up to maybe run for
and you can build it up to maybe run for office to make a bigger change that’s
office to make a bigger change that’s
office to make a bigger change that’s what we need people to do don’t get
what we need people to do don’t get
what we need people to do don’t get frustrated demand more of our government
frustrated demand more of our government
frustrated demand more of our government officials just don’t sit back and
officials just don’t sit back and
officials just don’t sit back and complain about them demand that they’re
complain about them demand that they’re
complain about them demand that they’re held accountable for every action they
held accountable for every action they
held accountable for every action they take that’s how we can change the
take that’s how we can change the
take that’s how we can change the dialogue but in the meantime whether
dialogue but in the meantime whether
dialogue but in the meantime whether it’s literacy homelessness poverty lack
it’s literacy homelessness poverty lack
it’s literacy homelessness poverty lack of education those are things that we
of education those are things that we
of education those are things that we can control right here at the local
can control right here at the local
can control right here at the local level so I grew up in the community
level so I grew up in the community
level so I grew up in the community where the county was very vibrant there
where the county was very vibrant there
where the county was very vibrant there was a lot of stuff going on and oh by
was a lot of stuff going on and oh by
was a lot of stuff going on and oh by the way we had this place called
the way we had this place called
the way we had this place called Tanglewood just down the street that
Tanglewood just down the street that
Tanglewood just down the street that changed the course of activity from the
changed the course of activity from the
changed the course of activity from the 4th of July to Labor Day as a little kid
4th of July to Labor Day as a little kid
4th of July to Labor Day as a little kid I loved sitting on the wall at Boston
I loved sitting on the wall at Boston
I loved sitting on the wall at Boston University Tanglewood Institute on
University Tanglewood Institute on
University Tanglewood Institute on rowing at 183 just to see the traffic
rowing at 183 just to see the traffic
rowing at 183 just to see the traffic change we would do the license plate
change we would do the license plate
change we would do the license plate game well come Labor Day ok enough
game well come Labor Day ok enough
game well come Labor Day ok enough please go home
please go home
please go home that was our mindset back then because
that was our mindset back then because
that was our mindset back then because we had a vibrant economy but we need to
we had a vibrant economy but we need to
we had a vibrant economy but we need to embrace and feed the beast of our
embrace and feed the beast of our
embrace and feed the beast of our economy that’s going today but how do we
economy that’s going today but how do we
economy that’s going today but how do we do that I think we do it one person at a
do that I think we do it one person at a
do that I think we do it one person at a time
time
time one neighborhood at a time one community
one neighborhood at a time one community
one neighborhood at a time one community at a time don’t wait for the people in
at a time don’t wait for the people in
at a time don’t wait for the people in Boston don’t wait for the people in
Boston don’t wait for the people in
Boston don’t wait for the people in Washington you take charge of it that’s
Washington you take charge of it that’s
Washington you take charge of it that’s how it’s going to change your community
how it’s going to change your community
how it’s going to change your community is no longer a zip code social media has
is no longer a zip code social media has
is no longer a zip code social media has wiped away their zip codes I talked
wiped away their zip codes I talked
wiped away their zip codes I talked about my high school friends they’re in
about my high school friends they’re in
about my high school friends they’re in zip codes all over the country I can’t
zip codes all over the country I can’t
zip codes all over the country I can’t name one of them
name one of them
name one of them but they’re instantaneously there for me
but they’re instantaneously there for me
but they’re instantaneously there for me when I reach out to them that’s unique
when I reach out to them that’s unique
when I reach out to them that’s unique there was a gentleman when I first got
there was a gentleman when I first got
there was a gentleman when I first got elected to this current job it’s
elected to this current job it’s
elected to this current job it’s something that’s it’s a creed that I try
something that’s it’s a creed that I try
something that’s it’s a creed that I try to live by and I encourage every each
to live by and I encourage every each
to live by and I encourage every each and every one of you to do the same he
and every one of you to do the same he
and every one of you to do the same he says Smitty when I put my head down at
says Smitty when I put my head down at
says Smitty when I put my head down at night knowing that I’ve helped even just
night knowing that I’ve helped even just
night knowing that I’ve helped even just one person I’ve had a good day let that
one person I’ve had a good day let that
one person I’ve had a good day let that process for a minute and he put his
process for a minute and he put his
process for a minute and he put his hands on mine and he says Smitty I hope
hands on mine and he says Smitty I hope
hands on mine and he says Smitty I hope you have a lot of good days this young
you have a lot of good days this young
you have a lot of good days this young man who was a state representative who
man who was a state representative who
man who was a state representative who went on to become Speaker of the House
went on to become Speaker of the House
went on to become Speaker of the House long before I got elected was an
long before I got elected was an
long before I got elected was an alcoholic but his community helped him
alcoholic but his community helped him
alcoholic but his community helped him and when we needed help in the
and when we needed help in the
and when we needed help in the berkshires dealing with people with
berkshires dealing with people with
berkshires dealing with people with alcohol and substance abuse we reached
alcohol and substance abuse we reached
alcohol and substance abuse we reached out to the Speaker of the House and he
out to the Speaker of the House and he
out to the Speaker of the House and he picked with the phone and said my
picked with the phone and said my
picked with the phone and said my community helped me I want to help his
community helped me I want to help his
community helped me I want to help his community the maguey unit in pittsfield
community the maguey unit in pittsfield
community the maguey unit in pittsfield is named after former Speaker of the
is named after former Speaker of the
is named after former Speaker of the House Tom McGee
House Tom McGee
House Tom McGee imagine what kind of community what kind
imagine what kind of community what kind
imagine what kind of community what kind of country we would live in today if
of country we would live in today if
of country we would live in today if each and every one of us goes home
each and every one of us goes home
each and every one of us goes home tonight and when we put her head on the
tonight and when we put her head on the
tonight and when we put her head on the pillow we can reflect on what we did
pillow we can reflect on what we did
pillow we can reflect on what we did today did we help even just one person
today did we help even just one person
today did we help even just one person or we selfish in our daily activities so
or we selfish in our daily activities so
or we selfish in our daily activities so something I try to live by every day I
something I try to live by every day I
something I try to live by every day I try to tell that to my children it could
try to tell that to my children it could
try to tell that to my children it could be a simple thing once in a while I
be a simple thing once in a while I
be a simple thing once in a while I probably shouldn’t say this publicly if
probably shouldn’t say this publicly if
probably shouldn’t say this publicly if you’re behind me at the drive-through
you’re behind me at the drive-through
you’re behind me at the drive-through with McDonald’s or Dunkin Donuts
with McDonald’s or Dunkin Donuts
with McDonald’s or Dunkin Donuts odds are I’m gonna buy you whatever
odds are I’m gonna buy you whatever
odds are I’m gonna buy you whatever you’re ordered then I’m gonna drive away
you’re ordered then I’m gonna drive away
you’re ordered then I’m gonna drive away pay it forward help somebody else open
pay it forward help somebody else open
pay it forward help somebody else open the door helped a little lady cross the
the door helped a little lady cross the
the door helped a little lady cross the street help a young person to read I
street help a young person to read I
street help a young person to read I occasionally go visit people at the jail
occasionally go visit people at the jail
occasionally go visit people at the jail something my dad started years ago he
something my dad started years ago he
something my dad started years ago he found out who from the tunnel Linux was
found out who from the tunnel Linux was
found out who from the tunnel Linux was incarcerated for a very short period of
incarcerated for a very short period of
incarcerated for a very short period of time
time
time and I would tag along with my father go
and I would tag along with my father go
and I would tag along with my father go visit them what got you to this point
visit them what got you to this point
visit them what got you to this point what were the problems over the
what were the problems over the
what were the problems over the struggles what do we have to do as a
struggles what do we have to do as a
struggles what do we have to do as a community to avoid you coming back here
community to avoid you coming back here
community to avoid you coming back here again that’s what we all can do and
again that’s what we all can do and
again that’s what we all can do and that’s what makes community special so
that’s what makes community special so
that’s what makes community special so whether you’re hoping a local hospital
whether you’re hoping a local hospital
whether you’re hoping a local hospital helping the Breen Center helping the kid
helping the Breen Center helping the kid
helping the Breen Center helping the kid how to learn how to read being a mentor
how to learn how to read being a mentor
how to learn how to read being a mentor we have hundreds of thousands of kids in
we have hundreds of thousands of kids in
we have hundreds of thousands of kids in this state that don’t even have Mentors
this state that don’t even have Mentors
this state that don’t even have Mentors I was blessed with mentors within my own
I was blessed with mentors within my own
I was blessed with mentors within my own house but it doesn’t have to be a family
house but it doesn’t have to be a family
house but it doesn’t have to be a family member it could be a neighbor it could
member it could be a neighbor it could
member it could be a neighbor it could be a coach could be a teacher I’ve
be a coach could be a teacher I’ve
be a coach could be a teacher I’ve learned from people all throughout my
learned from people all throughout my
learned from people all throughout my life you are the teachers don’t take it
life you are the teachers don’t take it
life you are the teachers don’t take it lightly take it seriously and when you
lightly take it seriously and when you
lightly take it seriously and when you put your head down at night when you
put your head down at night when you
put your head down at night when you think about what kind of community you
think about what kind of community you
think about what kind of community you want to live in I hope you put your head
want to live in I hope you put your head
want to live in I hope you put your head down a nice saying I had a good day
down a nice saying I had a good day
down a nice saying I had a good day because I helped at least one person be
because I helped at least one person be
because I helped at least one person be the community that you want your
the community that you want your
the community that you want your community to be thank you so much and
community to be thank you so much and
community to be thank you so much and God bless
God bless
God bless [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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