Stephen Handwerk’s weekly opinion piece, LeftBlog, is anything but partisan this week. Instead celebrates the way the community came together to win the fiber fight. He’s right about that, and has earned the right to his pride.
What might be surprising to some, is that Stephen’s weekly “opponent,” Don Bertrand, author of RightBlog could pretty much write the same piece. Both were active members of Lafayette Coming Together (LCT), the grassroots organization that did the groundwork for the referendum campaign. LCT was responsible for most of the visible campaign outside of Huval and Durel’s own public appearances and most of the last week’s television. Members walked door to door, sent mailers, ran an online video competition, cut and bought radio and print advertising, gathered endorsements, worked email lists, and in the guise of Stephen and Don, coordinated the political machines of the two local parties.
Stephen talks about the differing reasons that motivated people to get actively involved:
Some wanted to leave a better city than what they found. Others were goaded to make this leap after hearing what our city founders did with bringing electricity here. Others still were pushed into action realizing that we can and we must address the digital divide that is only fracturing our country even further.
Not a bad summary. Here’s the closer:
Lafayette has a lot to be proud of, and coming together to pass this ultra progressive plan for growth is at the top of the list.
Indeed.
