Yesterday was a very special day for Democrats in DuPage County. DuPage Democrats gathered in 7 parades to celebrate our freedom and our right to voice our opinions, engage our passions, and encourage others to do the same. Operation: Turn DuPage Blue did just that by mobilizing 150 marchers in the 7 parades. We marched hand-in-hand with other Democratic township organizations, and we marched in other parades as the only representatives of the Democratic Party in DuPage. Yesterday, we were all Democrats marching together. Tomorrow, we will continue to be ALL Democrats working to bring change in DuPage County by electing local Democrats. And, it’s working as never before.
The freedom we enjoy that allows us to disagree, dissent, debate and challenge each other has resulted in activity that has been absent in DuPage County for years. OTDB and the DuPage Democratic Party have been engaged in ways that will allow us to make a difference in 2008. Democrats are grabbing headlines as we become more active and more vocal in our desire to see DuPage change to a 2-party system of government.
OTDB received an e-mail yesterday from a parade watcher in Glen Ellyn which says it all about what we are trying to accomplish.
“Thank you for marching in the Glen Ellyn parade today. …I was disgusted once again and quite frankly, seething, after watching Republican groups once again march in astounding numbers through the parade with absolutely no representation of the “other side”. However, my attitude changed a little while later, when I saw your group marching through. …I just wanted to thank you, though, for standing up and being counted for those of us in such a minority in DuPage County, and I wanted to tell you that if you had not walked in the parade, I would never have known about you. Keep up the good work and I will be seeing you soon, I am sure….”
Few things stir passions like politics, and OTDB owes its existence to people, like the person who wrote the e-mail, who are passionate about improving outcomes for Democratic candidates in DuPage County. At times, OTDB steering committee members, participants and non-affiliated supporters have voiced their passions in ways that may have struck an uncomfortable nerve with others within the DuPage Democratic Party. But while animosity has never been on our agenda and we regret hurt feelings among well-intentioned individuals, we will not apologize for “voicing our opinions, engaging our passions and encouraging others to do the same”. We will continue what we’re doing, with proud purpose but with lack of malice—despite any insinuations to the contrary. We invite anyone who shares our passion for furthering Democratic progress in DuPage County to assist us in facilitating success in 2008.
Bob Peickert
Chair, OTDB
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