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The letters bearing no return address began arriving over the past few weeks via U.S. mail, each one addressed specifically to me by name and title at my newsroom office. Because my address appears on a meticulously typed computer label, I suspect I'm not the only person who's been receiving them.
The first time I received one of the letters, I had glanced quickly at the envelope and noticed that in place of a return address, it said only this: "You are invited to the Center Party!"
At the time, that didn't strike me as suspicious since I often receive invitations to various community events.
Using my letter opener (incidentally, a beautifully engraved gift from my mother-in-law -- but I digress), I slit open the envelope. Inside I found a handful of small white cards -- similar in size to business cards that one hands out during business introductions. But these cards contained no company logo, no address nor phone number -- not even a person's name.
Also enclosed was the only clue to the sender's identification, three handwritten words on a yellow sticky note: "Approved by Mary."
Each of the small cards was identical. They obviously had been professionally printed on both sides, containing a picture of the American Flag and these words: "Come together right now. It's your country. Vote the Center. Thank you."
Odd, right?
It got my attention for a moment, but as always, I was busy, and so I set them aside and didn't ponder it much more.
About a week later, another letter arrived. Same format. Similar enclosed sticky note. Same type of cards. This time the cards, again printed on both sides and containing a picture of the American flag, said this: "A flag does not a patriot make. It's your country. Vote the center. Thank you."
OK, I was starting to get the point.
Then a third letter arrived about a week later. The latest cards really may have been made specifically for me. They said: "Power to the Press! It's your Country. Please vote the Center. Thank you."
This time, I began to search the internet, but I could locate no organized effort to encourage voting the center. Certainly, however, someone was going to a lot of effort to encourage it.
Truly, that struck me as particularly unusual because routinely, emails, letters to the editor and "soundoff" submissions sent to the Tribune Chronicle typically demonstrate efforts by readers to convince our newspaper and its readers that their way -- either the liberal left or the conservative right -- is correct and the other side of the aisle has it all wrong.
In the past few weeks, for example, we've published letters with these headlines: "Thank a Democrat for things we enjoy," "Republicans only fight for the wealthy," "Ryan presidential bid means more of same," and "Trump tweets are better than liberal drivel."
Web commenters at www.tribtoday.com debate issues over what problems started under Republican or Democratic administrations, what party benefitted more from the Trump tax cuts, whether the Democrats were wrong to call for an investigation into whether Russians interfered in our 2016 presidential election, and it goes on and on.
But isn't this shortsighted "my political party only" way of thinking continuing to create seemingly unsolvable division in Washington and in our nation? Shouldn't our elected representatives learn to compromise and, well, vote the center rather than voting only along party lines? In fact, shouldn't we all consider the issues and candidates individually, and not just vote based on our party affiliation?
I've heard the argument that perhaps political parties should be eliminated, forcing Americans to vote about issues and their beliefs, rather than party lines. Maybe that is the correct answer.
Or maybe Mary's got it correct about voting the center to save our country.
In the meantime, I'll be waiting for my next letter and possibly just a bit more explanation.
blinert@tribtoday.com