Producer Katie Ball visits a child’s lemonade stand in her Orlando neighborhood. After a cool drink and good-hearted conversation with the Edgars family Ball notices that they had deliberately removed and/or covered their McCain campaign signs so as not to risk offending any would-be customers.
This spoken word essay, set against a musical backdrop, reflects on political intolerance within a battleground state and within her own heart.
AUDIO LINK BELOW
Song “Turn to Reality” by Simon Baisley from the cd, “This is Azid Jazz” (Music House label).
This piece was licensed by the PRX Election Podcast, Nov. ‘08
Comments 13
The lemonade stand piece was great! There has been this great divide since 2000 and it is a shame. No one wants to give even a little to the other side. I feel that I am middle of the road, socially more liberal, but still wanting small government. But even I feel alone, not belonging to either the right or the left. I truly think that who ever wins the election will do his best to move the country forward. They will do so with the checks and balances that our form of government has used so well throughout history. The more that I look at history the more that I admire the founding fathers for their foresight. I find that neither Obama and McCain have said all the things that I would have wanted them to say, but each has said some good things. In the end I hope that we as a country will work it out for what is best for all the people. While it might be rough at times, I think that it will.
Posted 04 Nov 2008 at 10:44 am ¶So true, Rick! It was tough for me to face my own part in it - and it’s sad that so many people feel unheard and uncared for. This country needs to keep looking for common ground, and I figure openly talking about it is a start. Thanks for taking the time to listen and for your insightful remarks.
Posted 04 Nov 2008 at 10:59 am ¶-kb
Great piece Katie - I’ve been trying to point out some commonalities to my republican dad, but it’s so hard to get through. Thanks for putting this together.
Posted 04 Nov 2008 at 2:44 pm ¶Julie Norris sent me the link and I loved it. It has that “This American Life” vibe and I love that! I believe you spoke to many generations on the issue of the great division. Given a questionnaire on the issues faced by Americans today, I would bet that most of us would feel the same way about things, but because we have a party system regular folks are coerced into picking sides. I choose people before corporations - whatever party that is.
I appreciate the kernal of absolute truth at the end when remind us all that the president only has so much power. Thanks for your work. I really enjoyed and look forward to more.
Allison
Posted 04 Nov 2008 at 4:37 pm ¶Wow! What an insightful point of view. You are one talented girl.
Posted 04 Nov 2008 at 5:31 pm ¶Go Obama!
Julie, thanks so much for taking the time to have a listen, and for spreading the word! It’s true that we’ve got to pull together as a nation, no matter who is named President. Good luck to us all, eh?
Posted 04 Nov 2008 at 6:10 pm ¶Sandy, You have always been encouraging to me in every avenue I choose to pursue. It’s always appreciated and never forgotten!
Posted 04 Nov 2008 at 6:10 pm ¶Hey there Allison, Thank you so much for stopping by and having a listen. And I’m so glad that you felt a connection with the piece. Sometimes it’s scary putting myself out there on the line instead of trying to go for a more neutral stance but that visit to the Edgars’ lemonade stand just sort of crystallized how much we all need to find some common ground. Thanks again for checking it out and taking the time to comment!
Posted 04 Nov 2008 at 6:13 pm ¶Very intriguing piece and at an angle that I had not thought of. I have to admit to being intolerant to the pro-8 campaigners here, it’s been painful to see my neighborhood awash in those signs, people holding rallys and cheering on the corners and nearly every car that sweeps through my childs school has a pro-8 sticker. I don’t know how I can work with these people to make our future better. I see them and I don’t even want to smile at them. It was a wonderfully introspective piece, thank you, and excellent music choice too. Regards, Jessica
Posted 18 Nov 2008 at 1:26 am ¶Thank you Jess for taking the time to listen and for offering your thoughts on this. It is tough. Just as I was thrilled with Obama’s election I was so disappointed that Amendment 2 (Florida’s eight) passed by such a sweeping margin. I’m still reeling from it and saddened not just for a number of my friends but for our country. Basic civil liberties are still being denied to a large population - we’ve still got a long way to go. Step by step I guess.
Posted 18 Nov 2008 at 11:22 am ¶We as a country have never been what we purport to be. We all give high talk of liberty and individual rights, but in the end we, as a country have never lived up to the promise. Founding fathers, who spoke of liberty, owned slaves and would not give the women their political rights. We then moved to kill off a whole race, when we wanted the land of the Native American, we then denied the very people who we freed of basic political and social rights. But then we survived a great Civil War to make our Union stronger, we then give the women the right to vote, and now we have a man of color going to head our country. Progress, but never near enough. Through it all, it seems to get better, though never fast enough. In the end, what is worthwhile is never easy. I know that in the end, we will overcome our social ills and inequalities and while I may never live to see it all, I know it will come. I cannot believe otherwise.
Posted 23 Nov 2008 at 10:03 pm ¶Interesting to hear this piece Katie, as a British person observing the U.S.A. elections, I hadn’t realised it was so divisive, I guess a lot gets lost in translation! I saw McCain’s speech after he lost and he seemed very respectful to Obama so I’d imagined that was the general tone, so your piece was very informative to me. At least Americans still seem to feel passionate about politics, I think most of us Brits have all lost the will to care much about it these days!
Posted 15 Dec 2008 at 9:51 am ¶Hi Josie, thanks for having a listen. And it’s just as interesting to hear your perspective. Appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Posted 29 Dec 2008 at 6:55 pm ¶Post a Comment