Political Quotes

“Vermonters needn't look far to see evidence of the deep French roots running through our State. From towns such as Montpelier and Isle La Motte, to the apt naming of Vert Mont, the Green Mountain State, generations of Vermonters were raised in homes where the native language was not English, but French. Deep ties to our neighbors to the north in Canada continue this rich culture in Vermont communities today. It is no wonder then that I have such strong memories of stories about the ``Merci Train'' in Vermont. In the aftermath of World War II, Vermonters, like people across the country, rallied together to provide supplies for war-torn communities throughout France and Italy. Vermonters sent food and other gifts, through Burlington and Rutland, down to Boston, where they became part of ``the Friendship Train,'' a convoy of rail cars that traveled through France as part of one of the more remarkable humanitarian efforts after World War II. I well remember my mother and father bringing my older brother and my youngest sister and me to see it. As children, we may not have fully understood what it meant, but for years thereafter, I would go past it, being more and more aware. As a Montpelier native, I join with everybody else with in having pride having that the Merci Train was there. The Merci Train was France's response, a year later, thanking Americans for their support.…”