Palmer turns out for science

PALMER — Across the globe, people used the opportunity of Earth Day to March for Science, and against, what many see as a growing war against empirical data.

Per capita, few places on the planet could match the turnout in downtown Palmer on Saturday afternoon as nearly 400 listened to inspirational speeches and music from Chickaloon Village members at the Town Square before walking a one-mile loop around downtown, carrying signs and chanting alliterative phrases like, ‘Science, not silence!’

Not only was the turnout in Palmer impressive, the enthusiasm of each marcher was, too, reflected in the creativity and time spent making signs, full of puns, and digs directed and President Trump, the most popular probably Hillary Clinton’s campaign slogan, “I’m With Her”, illustrated with a picture of Mother Earth.

So why Palmer?

There’s a history behind it, said Ruth Hulbert, a fourth-generation Palmer resident. Hulbert took the crowd on a 100-year tour in a rousing pre-march speech that traced the history of her family in the Valley, starting with her great-grandfather coming out to the Matanuska Experiment Farm in 1917.

Her great-grandparents from the other side of her family came to Palmer in 1935 as Colonists.

“The Colony wasn’t just an agricultural experiment, but an experiment in social science, in economics, in city planning – a whole smorgasbord of New Deal ideas tested in the laboratory of Alaska,” Hulbert said.

Hulbert went on to describe generations of scientists — both professional and of the citizen-scientist variety, who shaped Palmer through the decades.

“Now think of all those scientists living and working here in Palmer, sending their kids to school, getting involved in the PTA or the Fair, helping to shape the character of the place. Inquisitive minds spark other inquisitive minds. I think having such a robust science community here, for generations, has made Palmer the place it is today,” she said. “I’m thankful that my hometown is relatively resistant to that pernicious myth that science is a conspiracy of elites somewhere off in an ivory tower. We know better, because science happens here. We should take pride in our history as a science town, and I hope to see that dedicated, curious side of Palmer keep growing.”

During the walk, organizer Michelle Schuman managed to combine the jobs of cheerleader and traffic cop, directing traffic as marchers crossed at Colony and Fireweed, into one ball of science-mad energy.

“This is a small community and they know the history of this town and what’s happening in our own backyard… I think we’re sending a message,” Schuman said. “After I read the bills that passed the (U.S.) House, I’m afraid; I’m very afraid... People should be afraid.”

Paul Morley was among the 364 who completed the walk. A handful of others were drawn away shy of the finish line to take part in the science stations along the way that featured more than 30 local scientists sharing details of their specialty.

“It’s an unfortunate situation where we feel a need to defend scientific reasoning,” Morley said. “It’s really an unfortunate state of affairs that it’s reached that point, but we do what we have to do.”

Already in 2017, Palmer has shown an uncanny ability to draw big crowds to marches. The January Women’s March that coincided with Inauguration Day, and inspired the science spin-off, drew nearly 1,000 marchers, and a Pro-Life rally in February had more than 300 in the streets.