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What’s that saying about history? If you don’t learn from it, you’re more likely to repeat it?
These days, you don’t need to look too far to spot intolerance and nativism – the attitude that no one “different” belongs here and immigrants or others are to blame for any and all harm. Plymouth No Place for Hate is presenting a talk at the Plymouth Public Library on Monday, Oct. 21, to educate the public about these tendencies – which have deep roots in our history – and what can be done about them. The presenter, Pater Gottschalk, is a professor of religion at Wesleyan University. His talk, “Unacceptable: Themes of Religious Intolerance in American History,” will provide lessons from American history that can help us be more resilient against hate in the current climate.
From the experiences of early Irish Catholic immigrants to today’s persistent threats of antisemitism and Islamophobia, Gottschalk will discuss the common threads of bigotry and religious hatred that have prevailed in American society throughout history, and the community responses that show strength through our ability to stand together against hate.
Gottschalk is the author of American Heretics: Catholics, Jews, Muslims and the History of Religious Intolerance, and co-author with Gabriel Greenberg of Islamophobia: Making Muslims the Enemy. His work explores how assumptions of mutual antagonism form between groups, despite evidence of commonalities.
The talk will feature a lot of graphics depicting incidents of hate in history, including outrageous cartoon images of groups that were considered “other.” Some of the events that occurred were violent and destructive. Today we find this unacceptable, but there is a through-line to current attitudes toward certain groups. Witness the treatment of Haitian immigrants that has inundated the news lately.
Importantly, Gottschalk will not only delineate religious intolerance and nativism—he will offer up historic examples of how communities responded to make change for acceptance and tolerance. When the Irish Catholic community was under attack, city councils, police, and community groups acted, providing a map for ways to make change in today’s climate.
The event will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Fehlow Meeting Room in Plymouth Public Library. The event is free, and anyone can attend. Refreshments will be served afterward.
Monday, October 21
Plymouth No Place for Hate is sponsoring a talk titled “Unacceptable: Themes of Religious Intolerance in American History.” See the lead item in today’s listing for more details.
Thursday, October 24
The League of Women Voters of the Plymouth Area is hosting a Candidate Forum at 7 p.m. in Plymouth Town Hall’s Great Hall. It’s a chance to hear from the candidates for county commissioner, state Senate, and state Representative (Plymouth 1st and 12th districts). For more information, go here.
Calling all Swifties! Let’s Sing Taylor – A Live Band Experience will celebrate the music of “Queen Taylor” at Memorial Hall, starting at 8 p.m. The show promises lively covers to sing along with from Taylor’s extensive catalog. “It feels like one of those nights!” Tickets are $29 and $59 and you can buy them here
Life and Lyrics Concert and Podcast Series with Cara Brindisi at The Spire Center. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. with a concert, followed by a podcast. Cara’s podcast guest this time out is Vanna Pacella. Tickets are $15. Find out more here.
Friday, October 25
Spirit of Plymouth walking tours will produce “Murder, Mystery and Mayhem” on Oct. 25 and 26. It’s a 90- minute downtown stroll filled with stories about “gruesome legends, grisly murders, and fascinating falsehoods.” Meet your guide at the corner of Main and Court streets at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25, with a $5 discount for first responders, military, and seniors. (Vampires walk for free?) You can buy a ticket here or by calling 508-517-8355.
Craving a little country? Check out a performance by Pam Tillis at the Spire Center. A Grammy Award winner (and member of Country royalty as the daughter of Mel Tillis) she has had 13 top 10 hits, six number ones, and over seven million albums sold in a career spanning three decades. A proud member of the Grand Ole Opry, she won a Grammy for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals in 1999 for “Same Old Train” and the 1994 Country Music Association Award for Female Vocalist of the Year. Her music style is defined by her singing voice and her country, pop, and jazz influences. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $61.20 and $68 and you can buy them here. The Spire Center for the Performing Arts is located at 25½ Court St.
Saturday, October 26
The Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St., will hold a Halloween Spooktacular for “goblins” ages 4 to 8, on Oct. 26. The kids can decorate their own “haunted house” and pumpkin, get a fake tattoo, and have their face painted. Costumes are a plus. Choose a time slot of 10 a.m. to noon, or 2 to 4 p.m. (Rain date is Sunday, October 27.) Tickets are $10, and you can buy them here.
The Shanty, 16 Town Wharf, will host a Halloween karaoke, dance, and costume party on Oct. 26, from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., featuring DJ Jeff Baker.
New World Tavern, 56 Main St., will hold a “Bad Decisions Halloween Party” on Oct. 26, from 9 p.m. to midnight. Before you go home, make good decisions – consider getting an Uber if need be. Tickets are $10.
Can you dig it?It’s Massachusetts Archeology Month. To celebrate, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is bringing its Archeology “Collections on Tour” to towns around the area, and the collections will be in Plymouth on Saturday, Oct. 26, on the waterfront at Pilgrim Memorial State Park. It’s an opportunity for visitors to experience hands-on archaeology activities, explore DCR’s archaeology collections, and learn about the rich history of Massachusetts state parks. Discover Plymouth archaeology with DCR and UMass Boston Fiske Center. (If the weather is bad, the event will be canceled.)
Sunday, October 27
Rock out for a good cause at Allan’s Rockin’ Revival, a concert in honor of Allan McClay and to support suicide prevention, at Memorial Hall starting at 5 p.m. McClay died in 2020, and his family has since put its energy into helping others affected by the suicide of a loved one. The family formed Foundation 33 to further that effort. Tickets are $40 and are available here.
Thursday, October 31
It’s the original trick-or-treating night and small-size goblins and ghouls will be haunting the town during Downtown Plymouth’s Annual Halloween on Main. More than 70 merchants participate in the trick-or-treating sugar rush. There will also be free activities, including face painting, pumpkin decorating, a costume contest for children and dogs, and more. For more information, go here.
Uva Wine Bar, 46 Main St., has found a happy medium for Halloween. It’s hosting a Halloween Spirit Medium Dinner with medium Candace Dalton. “Get into the ‘spirit’ of the season and possibly connect with loved ones who have moved on to the Spirit World,” Uva says. “Candace brings lightness and laughter to the atmosphere with her light sense of humor and kind heart.” The doors open at 6 p.m. and charcuterie and flatbreads (included in the $85 ticket price) will be served from 6 to 7 p.m. Dalton’s reading starts at 7 p.m. The event is limited to 48 people. You can buy tickets here.
Burn off some of those empty candy calories during Dirty Water Distillery’s first ever Halloween Costume Run on Oct. 31, from 6 to 9 p.m. It’s being presented along with Marathon Sports and Kingston House of Pizza. “We encourage folks to go back to basics and choose basic costumes that truly embody the spirit of classic Halloween,” Dirty Water says on its website. “Let’s see some witches and ghosts and vampires out there.” The run, a 21-plus affair, is a costume-friendly mile around Cordage Park, followed by food and drinks in the taproom, 49 Cordage Park Circle. For more information, go here.
Improper Bostonian Shows presents national hip-hop star Chris Webby, with Ryan Oakes and Greives, at Memorial Hall. Webby brings his famous annual Halloween show to Plymouth where it all started for him 15 years ago. Doors open at 6:30, show begins at 7:30 and ends at 11 p.m. Tickets are $32 to $250 and you can buy them here.
Saturday, November 2
Ever wonder what kind of educators young Plymoutheans had to put up with in the early days? Meet futzy schoolmarms, feisty schoolmasters, and the teachers who inspired true learning on a live walking tour – Marms & Mentors – Plymouth’s Early Teachers: Walking Tour of Burial Hill – a free event guided by Donna Curtin, executive director of Pilgrim Hall Museum. Join the group at 1 p.m. at the top of Burial Hill (Plymouth’s ancient burial ground) for this one-hour tour. Wear comfortable walking shoes and check the museum’s Facebook page for weather-related cancellations or postponement. Pilgrim Hall Museum partners with the Plymouth Antiquarian Society to present an ongoing, free public history-themed tour series. Tours meet live and in-person on the first Saturday of every month at 1 p.m., February to December, at the top of Burial Hill, Plymouth’s ancient burying ground.