But it was all for good cause. I spent yesterday afternoon in good comradeship with many of fellow right-of-center bloggers at the Badger Blog Alliance picnic. Politicians and local celebrities were discussed at length, while nearby the blogger children played in the volleyball court sand and by the bubbler. A couple of the blog spouses actually were able to meet the political geeks we correspond with regularly.
A couple of beers, a couple of hot dogs, some blog philosophy, some blog technology and just a lot of fun people. Patrck at Badger Blogger has a list of bloggers and non-bloggers in attendance.
Occasionally bloggers may throw a sharp elbow or two in debating and personalities may clash, but I think there is some respect (grudging or not) for what each of us are trying to do.
Last night I watched the end of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington for the 20th time. We're not the Jimmy Stewart character, or the Jean Arthur character, but we're the boys running around town with the free newspaper telling the truth about Senator Smith and taking on Boss Taylor and his goons.
In Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Senator Paine reminds Smith that their state has the lowest unemployment and the highest amount of federal spending in the country. That's not enough for Smith, who pursues the truth instead. That should be the inspiration for blogging.
Jefferson Smith: You see, boys forget what their country means by just reading The Land of the Free in history books. Then they get to be men they forget even more. Liberty's too precious a thing to be buried in books, Miss Saunders. Men should hold it up in front of them every single day of their lives and say: I'm free to think and to speak. My ancestors couldn't, I can, and my children will. Boys ought to grow up remembering that.
