I was talking back and forth with a friend who's also interested in Dryden, local issues, and the politics that seem to come with all of that, and was delighted to hear something that I've been thinking about for a while summarized:
I think "radicals" forget that if we are going to succeed EVERYONE must succeed, even conservatives, even shoppers, even boneheads. And some very non-alternative people might just be leading the way. whew. some radicals might find that a little humbling!
One of the things I've enjoyed most about focusing on local issues is seeing people work together even when I know their political views are at opposite ends of the spectrum. I know there are limits to how far that can go - I've encountered them myself at times - but it's something I think we might all pause to appreciate. We have a lot more in common than we often realize.
Posted by simon at September 5, 2007 5:50 PM in why
I'm far from a radical, but I've often been surprised at the coalitions I join on the BOE. People who for sure don't share my politics agree with me on things like spending. In earlier times, some of the folks who were closest to me in politics were farthest away on issues involving the small schools. Local politics tends to blur conventional boundaries.