The Porch in Indy

The Front Porch Republic held its conference in Indianapolis over the past weekend. They sat on a front porch for good food, good drinks, and good conversation.

From Front Porch Republic

By Jeffrey Bilbro

FPR continues to gather wonderfully contrarian people.

We enjoyed a rich and encouraging Front Porch Republic gathering in Indianapolis this weekend. Robb Greene hosted us in style at the stately Indiana War Memorial & Museum. Friday evening, after Jeff Polet’s opening, Chestertonian talk, many of us gathered at The Antelope Club for drinks and conversation. (Thanks to John Murdoch for the photos.)

Alexandra Hudson talks about the history of porches.

Saturday was full of good talks, ranging from the practical to the philosophical. Joanna Taft described her work with the Harrison Center, Alexandra Hudson, Amber Lapp, and Jeanne Schindler reflected on how we might build neighborly communities in different contexts, despite technological and political challenges.

In what I believe is a first for FPR, we had two sitting politicians speak, and both Robb Greene and Hunter Smith made compelling cases for the ways that serving in political offices, at least local ones, can genuinely help our neighbors. This was certainly the first FPR conference graced with the presence of a Super Bowl ring, although I think that fact was less central to Hunter’s Porcher street cred than his authorship of a new state law that empowers farmers to sell food products.

Bill Kauffman closes things out.

Patrick Deneen’s keynote gave an incisive history of FPR and drew lessons about the necessary tensions that animate our localist conversations. He described some of the early disputes among Porchers and the different criticisms we’ve received over the years (are we libertarian? Marxist? Fascist? Dangerously apolitical?) He challenged us not to settle into a complacent middle age but continue to debate local, practical approaches to building vibrant communities and debate the possibilities of government policies that reign in big money and big tech and make space for local flourishing.

You can write the caption for what Hoyt is saying to the Greenes.

The program wrapped up with Jeremy Beer reminding us that even Eugene Debs’s neighbors, who disagreed vehemently with his socialist politics, thought it mattered that he was a “nice person” and cared about him accordingly. Jeremy also announced that Creed and Culture would be publishing the authorized Wendell Berry biography as soon as Jason Peters gets around to writing it. When he spoke, Jason Peters waxed sentimental about the value of “ordinary people living extraordinary lives,” and Bill Kauffman concluded with Batavia-centered reflections on the possibilities of living as neighbors.

The Hudson’s hosted us all on their generous front porch Saturday evening, and it was the perfect place to enjoy good food, good drinks, and good conversation. Sometimes I wonder if organizing these conferences amounts to more trouble than their worth, but after a weekend like this one, I remember how vital it is to continue to gather in person, renew old friendships, and start some new ones. FPR continues to gather wonderfully contrarian people. And, of course, the recently departed great contrarian was often and fondly recalled.