Politics And Festival

Labor Day weekend in my neighborhood is celebrated by the annual Fall Festival at Nativity Parish. You participate by standing around, giving out money to the children for the rides, maybe gambling or bidding at the booths, enjoying a mettwurst and drinking a beer or two while the sun sets and the music thumps away from in a nearby karaoke booth.

The politicians turn out for this seasonal rite with their buttons, and signs, and volunteer undergrads in poli-sci from the local university. And David Pepper turned out, looking poised and a little campaign-weary; although he did remember our previous meeting, and said hello. Chris Bortz had campaign staff left and right plastering everyone with stickers. David Crowley seemed confused and distracted, but otherwise enjoying himself. And Paul McGhee was there with his trusty campaign truck, which can often be seen with the big green 'McGhee' on the streets of my neighborhood. He, of all of them, seems to have an honest passion for public service.

Funny how party affiliation breaks down at the local level. The more I meet and discuss with these characters, the more I want somebody honest, competent, and tireless in their support for this city. Those are the primary qualifications for service.

I like to live in a place that's small enough that politicians can be seen - at least during election season - drinking a draft beer at a community event. I try to be evenhanded in my discussions about the neighborhood-versus-subdevelopment issues that pervade this region (and many others) - but it's events like a parish festival that sway the balance for me. The city belongs to the homeowners who stayed for long hours afterwards to sweep up, and it belongs to the little old lady who asked me for a dollar as I was walking back to my car.