Hi! Welcome to your Labor Day edition of the Daily Briefing.
Go to the fair, eat fried food and solve political division in America
Greetings, folks:
This is David Plazas, the opinion and engagement director for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee and The Tennessean.
I am a big fan of county fairs: the attractions, the animals, and, of course, the fried food. I have learned to pace myself to eat just a few things and I justify my unhealthy, but oh-so-delicious, culinary decisions by walking a lot.
These fairs also create an opportunity for residents of different backgrounds to share space with each other peacefully and respectfully. There’s something quintessentially American about events that allow people to have fun and sustain our democratic traditions at the same time. We need more of this!
When I attended the Wilson County – Tennessee State Fair recently, that idea led me to write a column about how county and state fairs can help solve the political divisions in the U.S. today, especially during a presidential election year. Obviously, it takes more than one fair, but showing up and connecting with fellow neighbors is a start.