An All Souls day in Boston schools

As a woman who was rased in South Boston and a very proud "local" my advice would be to avoid researching the locals when drinking in a bar. Mike MacDonald is an amazing man, a brilliant writer, and a brave soul. South Boston and those of us who were raised there are complicated. It is a place that is beautiful because no where else on earth will you be taught to be so loyal and unquestionably supportive of your neighbor. It is truly a village where everyone tries their hardest to care for one another.

It is also a place that has been ravaged by drugs, addiction, suicide and violence. These are not easy things to talk about nor are they easy to read about. It does not surprise me that the "locals" would respond this way. I am a local, however, and when I read Mike's book it makes me weep. why, because I like most in my generation, have seen dozen of young men and women die with out explanation, have experience the hooror of addiction first hand and understand his story. But be clear, All Souls is not the story of South Boston. It is Michael's story. His family's story. It is the truth about what can happen when the FBI gives a madman a free pass; when heroin is cheaper than a six pack; when drugs and violence become normal in everyday existence; when poverty and the lack of education are ignored; and when the line between the good guys and bad guys is at best blurry.

Mike's story is his own. Each person in that bar has their own story. Some will understand and feel liberated by Mike's book because it helps end the silence. How do we fix our community if we can't talk about what's killing it? Mike and All Souls are about telling the truth...Your individual truth and the truth of the community. I feel liberated by Mike's book but I understand that other don't and never will connect with his story. South Boston "locals" are a diverse bunch...please try to see that.