When Worlds Collide, or Something Like That

By Deborah King-Eichholz

It would seem as if The POT Party has a following of readers and citizens who like our name, as well as our determination to be stand up with our fellow citizens and be heard. We are not well funded. Come to think of it, we aren't funded at all, but we have made do with imagination, a great deal of personal time and a few bucks of our own.

We have, I will admit, had a few helping hands along the way and we've also had time to help the other groups who are standing up and speaking out on on behalf of our community. In the last twomonths, we've found friendships and partnerships. Cooperation and community. Just when you begin to wonder if there is any spark to Ol' Muncie, you will find embers burning bright under a little ash. You simply have to look for them and help them to breathe and catch on.

The POT Party was never expected to be anything more than a pithy thread in a small town newspaper, perhaps catching a little attention and casting a little light on peoples' fears regarding the latest hike on the tax bills. As it turned out, with passion and anger and frustration quickly rising to the surface, POT suddenly became a two woman show and gathering more than a few hits on the StarPress Forums.

We seemed to write thoughts and impressions which rang very true to a number of people. Without personal agends or grand schemes, our ideas and ideals seemed to catch on and gather steam. No one was more stunned than two the two middleaged ladies, each in their respective homes, trying to figure out what to do with the interest.

No, we didn't want to be a political party, as such.

We weren't a one note operation - we didn't like what was happening to our fellow citizens, but we refused to be pigeon-holed into one, and just one, solution. We thought we should address why the Hell this happened, work towards a long term, viable solution and consider what we could do - all of us - to rebuild a broke and broken local government, for all our sakes.

So, there we were - holed up at the IHOP, pounding out a manifesto, as it were - in between multiple carafes of coffee and the occasional crepe or funnel cake.

Two improbable survivors of civil disobendience from 30 odd years ago, trying to make sense of something that never would make sense. The thing is, it started to make perfect sense. We, the people, were getting screwed and we weren't going to bask in any afterglow.

So, two months in and looking at an election in a month, we know we have to really turn and burn - to motivate Muncie residents to become involved and empowered voters. There will be alot at stake over this year and next. Indeed, the next few years. Our outrage and frustration can give birth to something real and tangible and life altering, not just for ourselves, but for our kids and grandkids.