About
THE REPUBLIC OF ATHENS is a vital circle of scholars, farmers, bakers, bobcats, painters, writers, rabble-rousers, great blue herons, Frank Solich*, and a plethora of great rock bands, all enveloped by the green grandeur of Wayne National Forest. The Appalachian enchantment that is Athens, Ohio, is both a landscape charmed by the (often contentious) preservation of its natural splendor and a dynamic model of forward-thinking politics and arts in action. The “republic” bit is intended as a celebratory spin on a term used bitterly by some reactionaries to describe the decidedly progressive, free-thinking, even (gasp) anti-imperialist bent of many Athenians. The implication seems to be that, with such a prevalent disdain for poverty, needless wars, animal cruelty, environmental devastation, and the like, this radical little band of Athens folk might as well form their own dang country.
In reality, most of us don’t consider that to be a necessary course of action, to say nothing of the logistical concerns that secession would entail. There are surely a bunch of forms or something that would need to be filled out. Plus new flags to be designed and sewn, bold and sentimental songs to be written, and a whole host of other tedious formalities we’d prefer to avoid.
In fact, we’re quite proud of our little piece of southeastern Ohio. We welcome your thoughts and creative feedback, both from inside and outside of our own community. Like in the republic evoked by Plato’s Athens, minus all of the marble columns, philosophy best-sellers, and luxurious beards, our aspirations lie in the advancement, sharing, and challenging of ideas. So bring ‘em in, bring ‘em on, take ‘em, leave ‘em, compost ‘em, marinate your organic tofu cubes in them. From across the river or across the universe, welcome friends and foes. Welcome to the ghost hunters and kayakers, healers and hermits, naysayers and soothsayers, change-seekers and fire-breathers. Leave what you can. Take what you need. Welcome to THE REPUBLIC OF ATHENS….
Instigators
Sarah Filipiak owns a dog training business, believes in the existence of possibilities and gets many of her best ideas from The Raconteurs.
Troy Gregorino enjoys rousing rabbles and writing songs for The Jarts.
