Last night's "Rock the Peaks" event for Howard Shanker (http://www.howardshankerforcongress.com/) was a blast. As recent posts have shown, Zymurgian and I have very different attitudes toward politics (but Zymurgian left before the party started) , but this event was a different kind of politics. It was a party. People were having FUN!
There were two major reasons that made this happen. One is Howard's relaxed style. He's much more comfortable talking casually with people than making speeches, and he spent most of the evening interacting directly with the community.
The second reason was pure rock and roll: Blackfire. (I know I'm repeating myself, but go here: http://www.blackfire.net/index2.shtml , and listen). The band flat out rocked, and had the dance floor packed.
One of the first things that attracted me to Howard's campaign is his genuine warmth. He's not a salesman, but a truly sharp guy who enjoys exchanging ideas with people. Yeah, he and I agree on most issues, but even where we disagree his focus is on what's best for the people. Judging by the reaction of a lot of people I talked to, what first impressed me about Howard impressed them too. Literally, people I talked to who began with no opinion came away saying "he's got my vote-that's the kind of representative I want in Washington".
That's why this was a fun political event. It was truly grassroots. A couple of hundred regular folks from the community talking about what matters to them, having a beer, and dancing. It might not be enough to save America, but it's a hell of a nice way to start.
(Oh, and sorry that I forgot to bring my camera, so no pics. I promise not to repeat that mistake).
No comments:
Post a Comment