PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Three years ago activists from all over Berkshire County joined together on the mission to fight for Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms."

 

The political groups formed the 4 Freedoms Coalition and on Sunday reaffirmed its commitment to preserving freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

 

At Berkshire Community College on Sunday, some 22 organizations provided information about themselves and art, music, and speeches were given to re-energize the hundreds or so people in the audience as the organization enters its third year of existence.

 

"When we started this movement in the hours and days after the very bleak day in November 2016, it wasn't brand new. The new part of the coming together of different organizations and the new organizations that were forming. It came together in a very big way on Jan. 7, 2017. We thought maybe 300, maybe 500 would come to downtown Pittsfield," said state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier.

 

"But the energy was underestimated, the frustration was underestimated, when more than 2,000 people marched in the street of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, of Berkshire County, to say no way."

 

Farley-Bouvier praised the action of activists all over the country for marching and protesting. She said the number of issues in the last three years can be exhausting but yet, the 4 Freedoms Coalition has remained energetic in its political action.

 

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal served as the keynote speaker. Neal particularly focused on immigration, making the argument that the United States needs more immigrants to help the economy.

 

"Fertility rates in America has declined substantially. The average family now has 1.8 children. What does that mean for labor participation and workforce numbers? The post-war norm about generally about 66 percent of the American people got up every day and went to work. Today it is closer to 62.3 percent," Neal said.

 

"Part of it is that we don't have a steady supply of immigrant aspiration. They want to take their place in American society through hard work. The idea that all of a sudden this is about their social welfare, no. Their interest is in their economic welfare."

 

Neal said Congress had come to a consensus on six of seven issues when attempting to negotiate a spending plan. That issue of border security became the holdup, and ultimately that led to the government shutdown.

 

"The only issue that was contention, in the end, was Homeland Security. Within the Homeland Security bill, both sides staked out a position. Our position was that it was better to build bridges than to build a wall. The position became intransigent because of the hollering on the other side. Just because we holler in an argument doesn't mean we won the argument on the basis of substance," Neal said. 

 

Neal refuted President Donald Trump's argument that there is a crisis on the border saying "there is no invasion of American on the southern border" and said those describing it as such is using incendiary language. 

 

"It's people who come to America, generally legally, and overstay their visas. That's overwhelmingly the issue. They come here and say 'hey. not bad' and they decide to stay. That's the real issue," Neal said.

 

Citing former President Barack Obama, Neal called on the group to get off social media and take action. 

 

State Sen. Adam Hinds heralded Neal's position as chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee and said Neal will be holding hearings to find out the exact impact the 2017 tax plan is having on the country and will push for Trump to release his taxes.

 

Hinds also admonished those who use the gang MS13 as an argument for the border wall, saying that causes distrust of all Latinos. 

 

"This is why at this time we need to make sure that distrust does not separate us from the values we hold dearly in the country," Hinds said.

 

Hinds had recently gotten engaged and his fiancé's grandfather had immigrated to America from Mexico and now his granddaughter is a college professor. That's a story of successful migration, he said.

 

District Attorney Andrea Harrington also spoke during the event, saying the values of the four freedoms are "alive and well" in the office.

 

"We are going to bring the values of four freedoms to the district attorney's office. The core values of this organization of fairness, equality, and equity are alive and well in the DA's office and we are doubling down I can assure you," Harrington said. 

 

"We are enacting the reforms we need for smart 21st-century prosecution. We will continue to push to aggressively prosecute those who prey on others but we will also build a culture in Berkshire County where victims are believed. For true public safety, justice requires more than just prosecuting dangerous people. It requires a commitment to public safety that  looks at the underlying reasons people get involved in the criminal justice system."

 

Harrington said the office will have a juvenile diversion program. She promised to consider immigration status when choosing what to prosecute to "help friends and neighbors avoid deportation," and to move away from punishing poor people with excessive cash bail or fines that they cannot afford.

 

"Do not mistake reform for weakness. Fairness and safety are not a trade-off, they complement each other. Understand that in a Democracy people tend to value and uphold the law when they perceive it as fair," Harrington said.

 

Shirley Edgerton introduced Harrington and said "the tough-on-crime stance has failed" and praised Harrington for making reforms to how the prosecutor's office operates.

 

"The tough-on-crime stance has failed. There are those who actions demand incarceration and others needs compassion, wisdom, and alternative services," Edgerton said.

 

"The people of Berkshire County realized these concerns and took action thus there is a new day in our justice system. Our district attorney brings hope, new strategies, integrity, and equity."

 

Harrington also cited the importance of the activist's work. 

 

"This is the silver lining to the Trumpocalypse. We are now in our third year of activism. We have seen the 4 Freedoms Coalition stand up for immigrants and dreamers and our LGBTQ community, those how have been victimized by hate crimes. We have stood up for health care for all, for Muslims, and for the very rule of law," Harrington said. 

 

The event also featured a poem from Maya Bahl, MacArthur Awardee Deborah Meier spoke on education reform, WAM Theater and some of the founders of the coalition put on a performance to tell their life stories, Wes Buckley sang, Otha Day performed drumming and was introduced by Dennis Powell, Rabbi David Weiner gave the innovation, Rev. Sheila Sholes-Ross gave the benediction, and Colin Ovitsky gave a welcoming address.

 

Other elected officials attending the event included state Reps. John Barrett, Paul Mark, and William "Smitty" Pignatelli and North Adams Mayor Thomas Bernard.