Signs of Peace: Park Square Vigils Mark 20th Anniversary
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A lot has changed in the city over the years but one constant has been the peace vigil at Park Square on Thursday evenings.
Last week marked 20 years since Donald and Merry Lathrop held the first vigil on Oct. 3, 2002, when the Iraq war was about the begin.
Though the war concluded some years ago and the United States ended its "combat mission" in Iraq last year, there are still a number of worldly causes to advocate for, they said.
The couple, who are now in their 80s, return to the park weekly to hold signs with slogans such as "World cooperation, not world domination" and "Our leaders must have integrity."
"A lot of people think that standing there week after week does nothing. But my feeling is it doesn't do any harm and we just keep reminding people that these are issues to think about," Merry Lathrop said.
"I don't think I'm telling anybody anything to do. I'm telling them what I believe as a witness on my part. I'm not saying you have to think differently, or you have to do differently. I'm saying this is what I believe and we get mostly really positive responses."
The Lathrops have stood in the park through all types of weather and have seen the city change over the years. Merry reflected on a time that the group watched the first cars drive through Park Square's new traffic reconfiguration more than a decade ago.
"We just haven't ever found a time to quit," she said.
Don Lathrop said there is no question of what they should do on a Thursday —- it's always spending an hour in Park Square. He was all smiles when talking about the event's long legacy in the community, reflecting on a time when one of the neighboring churches would bring them hot chocolate.
"It's what you do on Thursday afternoon," he said.
Don was one of the first three full-time faculty members of Berkshire Community College in the early 1960s and Merry graduated from the college as student of the year in 1985.
The couple has had a long history of activism within the college and throughout the wider community.
"Don and Merry Lathrop have been an essential part of BCC since its beginning," an article on the college's website reads.
Twenty years ago, the two were running BCC's Global Issues Resource Organization when a colleague suggested that they start a vigil against the buildup for war.
The drumbeat for war had begun after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 as then President George W. Bush launched the Global War on Terror. Unfounded allegations that Iraq was producing weapons of mass destruction formed the rationale for the March 2003 invasion.
The first one had about 55 people and a band.
Now there are about seven people who come regularly and hundreds of signs to hold.
"There's no end to the issues," Merry said, noting there are issues with the environment, health care, human rights, and the conflict in Ukraine.
A crowd comparable to the first vigil attended for the 20th anniversary last week. The organizers were glad to see so many people come out.
"We're a small part of the conscience of the country," sign holder Joe Hamling said.
Fellow sign holder Sandra Blomberg said every tiny bit helps.
"People think that just standing out with the signs about peace is not really helpful," she added.
"I try to think that it keeps in mind when people are driving by and they will maybe feel inspired to help more in the world."
Merry and Don plan to continue hosting the vigils as long as they can. When asked if she hopes that a younger generation takes over the event, she said, "we need young people, it's your world" while recognizing that they may have other ways to activism.
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