Four Freedoms Forums begin at Norman Rockwell Museum

The first Four Freedoms Forum, a town hall meeting titled “Sickness, Wellness and Social Responsibility—A Community Dialogue,” will be held Thursday, Jan. 27 at 5:30 at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass. The new discussion series commemorates the 70th anniversary of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s renowned Four Freedoms speech, which inspired Norman Rockwell to paint the iconic quartet of paintings. The second and third meetings will take place Feb. 17 and Mar. 24.

 

“Freedom of expression is the fundamental root of our American democracy, as Norman Rockwell so eloquently portrayed in his painting ‘Freedom of Speech,’ notes Norman Rockwell Museum director/CEO Laurie Norton Moffatt. “The privilege to share one's own opinion requires respectful listening to the points of view of others. Rhetoric has become very strident today; we hope that our Four Freedoms Forums can serve as a model for civil dialogue on important issues of the times—to learn, listen and share one's views in a town hall forum that helps our community tackle big important issues of the day.”

 

Thursday’s community dialogue, which is free and open to the public, will examine the topic “Sickness, Wellness and Social Responsibility.” Here in Berkshire County, the effects of rural living, escalating health insurance costs, and the accessibility of affordable health care are all topics of concern. Join Mark Pettus, MD, FACP, chief of medicine at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, New York; Lisa Fletcher-Udel, LSW, director of collaborations and prevention activities at Berkshire Area Health Education Center in Pittsfield, Mass.; and Jennifer Michaels, MD, medical director of the Brien Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse in Pittsfield, for a discussion on the timely topic of affordable health care for all. Laurie Norton Moffatt will moderate and a reception will follow.

 

The second Four Freedoms Forum will be titled “Freedom From Want: Food, Farmers and Families—A Community Dialogue” and will be held February 17 at 5:30 p.m. The third discussion in the series will be “Four Freedoms for All? A Community Dialogue About Immigration,” to be held March 24 at 5:30 p.m.

 

Norman Rockwell Museum is located on Route 183 in Stockbridge, Mass. For more information, visit www.nrm.org.