This was a week of political division of colossal proportion. A week that started with uber-conservatives accusing our president of trying to brainwash our children after he had the audacity to want to speak to them directly while they were in school. Sure the speech proved perfectly reasonable, completely innocuous and highly motivational. But that didn't matter. Obama's a Democrat. He's "wrong." By midweek, the division widened on the night that "You Lie!" rang around the world. To South Carolina's Rep. Joe Wilson it didn't matter that he was a symbol of his state and its people, that the leader of our country was speaking and that the entire world was watching. Obama's a Democrat. He's "wrong." As a parent, and a Democrat, I had just about had it by Friday. So it was a nice change of political pace this sunny Saturday afternoon in Podunk, Pennsylvania.
Actually, we're called Lansdale. We're a borough of about 16,000 people in the Philadelphia suburbs of Montgomery County. We have a train station. We have more banks and pharmacies than a town as a right to or a need for. And we have plenty of political division of our own on local issues. But on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 12, 2009, those divisions were put aside for an hour to raise funds for our local food bank, Manna on Main Street. Candidates in the upcoming races for borough councilmember and mayor decided to settle things old-school, Sumo style. I don't know how things will turn out for real in November, but today in the park, blue-helmetted Democrats kicked red-Republican tail. And they all still managed to shake hands in the end, as one candidated invited everyone in the park over to his place for a beer. We may be small political potatoes here in Podunk, but I think we could teach the Senate and the rest of the country a thing or two.
Now turn off the playlist on the left and enjoy the video...
Actually, we're called Lansdale. We're a borough of about 16,000 people in the Philadelphia suburbs of Montgomery County. We have a train station. We have more banks and pharmacies than a town as a right to or a need for. And we have plenty of political division of our own on local issues. But on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 12, 2009, those divisions were put aside for an hour to raise funds for our local food bank, Manna on Main Street. Candidates in the upcoming races for borough councilmember and mayor decided to settle things old-school, Sumo style. I don't know how things will turn out for real in November, but today in the park, blue-helmetted Democrats kicked red-Republican tail. And they all still managed to shake hands in the end, as one candidated invited everyone in the park over to his place for a beer. We may be small political potatoes here in Podunk, but I think we could teach the Senate and the rest of the country a thing or two.
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