Boxford Democratic Town Committee

As part of its regularly scheduled meetings, on Thursday, June 18, the Boxford Democratic Town Committee will hold its first annual Strawberry Shortcake Social at 7 pm in the Boxford Community Center (4 Elm St., across from the library).    Boxford’s delegation to the state convention in Springfield on June 6 will report on the convention, and we will have brief reports on other activities.   Rsvp to Sharon Heller by email (skheller@comcast.net) if you plan to attend.

The next meeting of Boxford’s Democratic Town Committee will be held on Sunday, May 17 at 11 am at Wayne’s Community Store in East Boxford center.  It will be a breakfast meeting (BYOB – buy your own breakfast!) with a brief agenda of business.    Our special guests at this meeting will be the two Masconomet seniors who are doing their State House Internships as we speak.  We’ll have a chance to meet one of our interns,  Kenneth Sargent of Boxford, in person and get his impressions of the program, which our committee is sponsoring again this year.

This year’s Democratic convention in Springfield will occasion the ratification of a new state party platform. Like the one drafted before the Denver Democratic National Convention last summer, our state party platform is a statement of the party’s mission, goals and most important issues.

The process by which the platform is drafted, revised and eventually voted upon is an open one, but one not widely known or understood by most Democrats.  This year, greater outreach is planned so that more people participate in the process and voice their views on what the platform should contain.

Platform hearings have always been a crucial part of the process, but this year many more platform hearings are being planned to further democratize the early stages of platform development.  In our area, the 1st Essex-Middlesex Coalition will hold a platform hearing at Ipswich Town Hall on Wednesday, March 18 at 7 pm.  Anyone with an idea to express for the platform is welcome to attend and voice your views.  For more information, email platform drafting committee member Elizabeth Kilcoyne at elizabethkilcoyne@hotmail.com.

The next meeting of the Committee will be on Tuesday March 10 at 7 pm in the meeting room at the Boxford police station, 285 Ipswich Road.

The threat of an impending snowstorm didn’t dampen inaugural spirits  as about 50 people from towns all over the North Shore tripped the light fantastic at Boxford Town Democratic Committee’s third annual dance party on Saturday January 10, 2009 at the Gould Barn in Topsfield.  An inaugural theme graced this year’s event:  the committee borrowed “Yes We Can!”  from the Obama campaign slogan.  Live rhythm & blues music from “2120 Michigan Avenue” rocked the house — including several songs with lyrics adapted for the Obama presidency.  On the menu were items like Chicago-style hot dogs and cookies in the shape of the Democratic donkey.   Several attendees posed for pictures with The President-Elect — a life-sized stand-up likeness of Barack Obama.  The raffle of a museum-quality print of the rock legend BB King, donated by committee member and band leader Charles Sawyer of Boxford, was won by Sandra Skinner, also of Boxford.

The annual dance benefits ongoing community services of the Boxford Democratic Committee, involving youth outreach and civic engagement.

The Boxford and Georgetown Democratic Town Committees together hosted a movie and discussion series beginning with a screening of The Ground Truth on Friday, March 23 at the Georgetown High School Auditorium, with about 25 people in attendance, and followed by a unique event Saturday, March 31 at the Boxford Community Center.  Approximately 30 people attended this second event, a discussion on the Iraq War billed as a “Citizens’ Circle”, and yes, all participants physically sat in a circle to have a face-to-face conversation about their thoughts, feelings, and reactions to this war.  People of all ages attended, including at least one teenage boy who came with his father.  Many towns besides Georgetown and Boxford were represented as well, including Topsfield, Middleton, and Ipswich.

The discussion was mediated by local attorney, Anthony Adamoupolos with most all voices agreeing that the war was a mistake and that the United States’ troops should come home.  There were; however, many differing viewpoints on how and when the troops should be removed from Iraq.  Interesting discussion also ensued about the role of media in the public’s understanding of the war and issues surrounding it.

The event was videotaped by Brad Sweet, and can be seen on Boxford’s local cable outlet (channel 10).   U. S. Rep. John Tierney was aware of the event and had planned to participate in the circle discussion but ended up having to miss it due to last minute travel plans that could not be changed.  His office has since asked for a copy of the tape for the Congressman to review.

Through both events, the Boxford and Georgetown Democratic Town Committees have given our citizens opportunities for civic engagement about one of the most important national issues of our time on a local and personal level.  And our citizens are responding!

The Dems in the 1EM made a real impact in this election. Boxford, which in 2002 was literally the Reddest Town in the state (highest % vote for Mitt Romney), saw its Democratic vote increased by 54% in this election over 2002’s. In fact, all the towns in the district saw dramatic increases — the district’s Dem vote overall increased by 50%.

Elsewhere in the 1EM, the district as a whole went for Deval, winning the plurality in seven towns. In 2002, not only did the Senate District go for Romney but so did all 16 towns.