Every so often I do something where, in retrospect, I know I behaved badly. Two days ago I noted that I would not be attending the Redneck Festival in Weissport in future years and said that I was uncomfortable with the confederate flags and the assault rifle raffle by the 9/12 group.
Duane Dellecker, a main organizer of the Redneck Festival and a good friend of mine, sent me an email saying that I should have spoken to him first before going public with my complaints. He noted that there was an empty space next to the Republican booth, and we could have set up our booth there.
He’s right, and I know better. When you have a complaint about an event, you speak quietly to the organizers. If you get no satisfaction, then you go public.
I also know that the Redneck Festival funds go to the Weissport Recreation Fund, and Weissport, a low income borough, does need assistance.
I should explain that our booth at the Festival was not an official Democratic Party booth. Linda and I paid the fee and ran the booth from the first year of the festival.
Here’s what I will do. In future years I will pay the vendor fee, knowing that it benefits the young people of Weissport, but we won't have a booth.
Bottom line: I should have talked to Mr. Dellecker before I took down our tent. Nonetheless, I'm no longer confident that this festival is in keeping with my values as a liberal who supports racial equality, gay rights, reasonable restrictions on assault weapons, and environmental protection.
I would also note that the back of my neck is red from working in the truck patch. You want to see a real redneck, drop by.
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