Callicoon was in the national spotlight, albeit indirectly, this week when longtime resident and actor Mark Ruffalo was honored with an Emmy for Lead Actor in a Limited Series for his dual performances as brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey in the HBO series “I Know This Much Is True.”

Of course, the Emmy Awards were virtual this year, and all the recipients had their Emmys hand-delivered to them. Wish I had been there to see Mark's Emmy being driven to Callicoon!

Mark was as generous and lovely as you would imagine in accepting his award, with his beautiful wife Sunrise Coigney sitting next to him. His acceptance speech was equally epic.

He began, “I'm coming to you from ancestral lands of Lenape and Munsee native people in upstate NY.” Fantastic shout-out to our historic valley.

After praising his fellow nominees and the entire cast and crew, Mark continued, “This story is about family; it's about a man who's fighting for his brother who's living with mental illness. It's a story that's common throughout so much of the United States and the world today.

“And it asks a big question: How are we going to deal and honor and take care of each other and our most vulnerable people? And we do that with love, and we do that with compassion, and we do that by fighting for them. And that's what we have to do today. We have to come together with love for each other, and if you have privilege, you have to fight for those who are less fortunate and more vulnerable — and that's what's great about America. Our diversity. The one thing I've learned from my family…is that we are stronger together when we love each other, and we respect each other's diversity.

“And so, we have a big, important moment ahead of us,” the actor continued. “Are we going to be a country of division, hatred, and a country only for a certain kind of people? Or are we going to be one of love and strength and fighting for those, all of us, so all of us have the American dream and the pursuit of life and liberty and love and happiness in this great country of ours? That's what we're facing right now. So get out and vote. Make a plan and vote for love and compassion and kindness.”

Mark, I'm right there with you. I am hoping that all of you faithful readers will join me in making a plan and voting in this very important election and that you will heed Mark's advice and vote for love and compassion and kindness.

Mr. Ruffalo, congratulations on your very well-deserved award (two phenomenal performances) and thanks for using your moment to urge us to action.