There are times when I share news or articles I've come across here that people get upset and unsubscribe from my newsletter, or sometimes even take it a step further and take the time to actually write in and let me know how bad of a person I am for sharing such a thing.
This is probably going to be one of those times.
But my mission here as I see it is to share the good, the bad, and the ugly, and 89.3% (not a real number but probably pretty close) of my readers appreciate that.
This week, The Villages was profiled in an article for Politico Magazine, titled “Generation Pickleball: Welcome to Florida’s Political Tomorrowland”.
How bad could it possibly be?
Let's just say that before I had even seen the article myself I had readers writing in saying they were unsubscribing and to please do not email them again. Oookaaaay?!?!
Regardless of what you may think of the article, this part really resonated with me:
“It’s hard to say how much the company’s conservatism attracts conservatives, and how much it’s just catering to conservatives who already are here; the company wouldn’t comment. But most Villagers don’t specifically flock here for the politics; they come for the free golf, the gardening and hula-dancing clubs, the Frankie Avalon concerts, the Leave It to Beaver setting with age restrictions ensuring that Wally and the Beaver can visit for only 30 days a year.”
In the decade or so that I've been selling my book and running this website, I can't remember one person telling me they were moving to The Villages because of the politics.
On the other hand, I have of course heard from people who aren't moving here, because of the politics.
In any case, I dedicate a section (just a few pages) of my book talking about the political climate here. Check it out if you're interested in learning more about that.
When I was growing up asking someone if they were a democrat or a republican was like asking somebody how much money they made. You just didn't do it.
But maybe that was just my household. My parents always voted, but I couldn't tell you whether they were democrats or republicans. They got divorced though, so maybe one was a democrat and the other was a republican 😉
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it might be nice if we could get back to a time where we don't feel like we need to have our political affiliation written across our forehead.
Anyway, check out the article for yourself, but remember that I didn't write it, so put the pitchforks down!
In other news…
Still with me? Great, onwards we go…
One way to relax and decompress from all the stress from 24/7 365 politics: Yoga!
Residents celebrated the first day of summer and International Yoga Day with “Yoga on the Square” at Lake Sumter Landing Market Square.
Speaking of Lake Sumter Landing, check out this awesome 4k flyover video someone posted to YouTube this week:
