When I was growing up, my dad was not what I would call a political activist. Voting was important, issues were discussed, but my parents didn’t attend rallies or have political discussion groups at all. It took the Supreme Court overthrowing the 2000 election between Al Gore and George W. Bush for my dad to start turning his full attention to politics, and since he lived most of his life in reliably-blue Oregon, any time he got together with his friends they tended to agree on most things.
When Dad and my second mom retired, they moved to Kentucky, where Mom was from, he found the environment to be quite different. The extreme right-wing “Tea Party” movement had gained national attention and many of his new neighbors were infected with that mindset. Out of frustration and need for sanity, Dad started a chapter of the Coffee Party. Unlike the Tea Party, the Coffee Party was an environment for rational discussion of issues without the divisiveness of political party talking points. By focusing on issues, Dad firmly believed, could once again find common ground and work together to change things.
I live in Dallas, Texas, but I was a frequent visitor to Dad’s home in Owensboro, KY, and I watched that small group grow from Dad and another lady meeting in a small downtown coffee shop to a large and growing group meeting in the nearby Museum of Science and History. When Dad died last year his group had grown to more than 30 people meeting every Saturday in an even bigger venue, adding a layer of activism and participation in local and state politics that would make Dad proud. Much of the national Coffee Party had long since disbanded, by the Owensboro Chapter is doing work that is more important than ever.
I was recently contacted by one of the primary Coffee Party organizers, Steven Mantz, who knew of my dad and is interested in bringing back the national group. I wasn’t aware of the circumstances of the demise of the national Coffee Party, and once he explained what happened I wasn’t even surprised. The national organization strayed far away from the core principles upon which the group was founded and by which Dad’s chapter has always operated. I explained the current status of the Owensboro chapter, of which I am an active online participant, and what they were doing in the community. Steven was immediately interested, and asked me to be a part of the rebirth of the national Coffee Party under the principles and practices which have helped Dad’s chapter to grow and thrive, even in his absence.
Sounds good to me!
We live in a country that is increasingly divided, but which has nothing to gain from such division. I believe, as Dad did, that we must come together as communities and work to solve problems, both locally and nationally, through civil discourse and by moving past our differences to focus on our similarities. There’s a lot of money to be made by splitting people down party lines and keeping us fighting over extreme issues, but when rational people get together and have civil conversations we can actually change our world for the better. We can elect people who represent us instead of just corporate shills. We can even help to identify strong local candidates for office and put together an infrastructure not unlike Obama For America to help them get elected.
Above all, Dad didn’t believe in giving up. He believed in speaking out and standing up for what he believed in. The Coffee Party 2.0 will focus on those same core concepts to once again build a national coalition of people who are tired of talking about Republicans vs. Democrats and start rebuilding our once-proud nation.
Care to join us? Just click below to join the conversation. We’d love to have you!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/coffeepartythinktank
-Bill Ingram, National Chair
Bill Ingram is a college professor in Dallas Texas, with a background in NBA media, TV, radio, and political messaging. He is looking to carry on the proud tradition of his father, Roger Ingram, in an effort to make the world a better place for his daughter, Riley, whom Roger adored.
Ishmael's Legacy 