The America I envision? Let me tell you the people in Maple Faucet. They were amazing. They took your traditional county fair, and turned it into something political. I remember when they first did it in 2019, it set the whole nation on its ear.
You walked in thinking it was just another fair, what with the Ferris wheel, the helicopter rides, and all. Lot's of bands, and there were a couple magicians, and a two or three comedians.
But, that isn't what this fair was about, and that wasn't what most people came to see. No, they came for the politics. You've never seen such a gathering, such a production, such a discussion of all things political. If you wanted to discuss and learn about climate change, that was in the main auditorium. For abortion, you'd go to a tent set up on the west side. The Trump discussion? That was also in a tent -- a large tent -- over by the east fence.
Now, you'd have to know these people in Maple Faucet. Decent folk. Not many cities would pull off an event like this without a lot of rancor and bickering. After all, in most places, that's what politics are all about: fighting and feuding and demeaning each other. Not so, in Maple Faucet. Most every one of the issue discussions began with an informative video. Then, when they did open the floor to discussion, it was even-handed.
"Max, what do you think about this?" one person would ask. And, Max would offer his thoughts and no one would jump all over him. They weren't there to fight with each other, but to learn from one another.
Only in Maple Faucet, I guess. Or, as Maple Faucet represents an imaginary America in my story, only in America -- the America I would like to see.
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