Why some might love purple again, even after Barney destroyed it for the rest of us.
Ilya Shapiro explains what it means to be "a purple person" in these days of red, white, and blue. According to Shapiro:
"Purple America is not so much a place as an idea, or more precisely a confluence of values from Red America with tastes from Blue America. It believes in personal responsibility, discipline, civil society, spontaneous order, ordered liberty, and that the best thing government can do is not get in the way. Yet it craves independent films, fine cigars, Belgian ales, and South American fútbol -- along with a good baseball game (preferably without the designated hitter).
Purple America demands independent creativity grounded in a solid moral core, and its inhabitants develop an inevitably thick skin, being attacked for its Godless "hedonism" on one side and its politically incorrect "insensitivity" on the other. If I had a nickel for every time an urbane acquaintance marveled at how someone so "nice," so "cultured" could sympathize with those ghastly and crude Republicans, I'd be able to build that bridge to the 21st century. Conversely, a cobblestone for every time a good ol' boy sneered at my choice of drink (wine or imported beer), car (Japanese sedan or German sports car, never a truck or SUV), or clothing (mostly Italian, except my favorite Seersucker) would lead me to that shining city upon a hill.
But do not be confused: We Purple Americans are decidedly not metrosexuals. I couldn't imagine getting a manicure, waxing my chest, or using skin products, and while I want to look good, I hate the shopping that you have to do to get there. I may like my Perrier, but I'll drink it with my Monday Night Football, thank you very much. I read the Economist and Atlantic Monthly, but also Sports Illustrated and Maxim."
Where are these Purple people, apart from the corridors of Harvard Law School and the streets of Orange County? When will David Brooks pen the exhaustive book about them? Should we take them seriously as a political grouping? The answer to the former is probably "yes"-- these are the bright young people who reject the Federal Marriage Amendment, adore Virginia Postrel, and yet will still be voting for President Bush come this November. And it should come as no surprise that many of these purplekind are heading towards our nation's district in pursuit of politics, pleasure, and some shiny boots. Shapiro writes:
"So where does that leave Purple Americans? Those physically located in Red America can reside in the imagined communities of the blogosphere and the alternative media, keeping busy and interested via constant travel and immersion in work. Those in Blue America can take a virtual leap into Galt's Gulch, divorcing themselves from all cocktail party discussions of political philosophy and public policy (as in Ayn Rand's world, this is easier to do if you care about nothing beyond your own immediate interests). I'll be trying a third route by moving to our nation's capital, which arguably contains the highest proportion of Purple Americans."
Bring it on gentlemen. Let's talk about the decline of the moustache over mohitos and Michael Sandel-laced jokes. This promises to be yet another wonderful DC summer. My eyes are peeled for the purple ones...
