I love this project because it gives me a chance to not only explore the city of Pittsburgh but also to find interesting elements that many tend to overlook. What I love about doing this blog is finding the stories and possible meanings behind these stickers. When I take my photographs I generally have no clue what the sticker is about, it just happens to be in an interesting location or one that I really haven't seen before. It's not until I go to post them on here that I start to delve into the story behind the sticker. A large portion of this is so I can give credit where it's due, linking to the creator's site when I can, but it also gives me a chance to see a little behind the curtain.
Continuing with my political theme for the month I have this campaign bumper sticker for John Heinz. Now I'm not originally from the Pittsburgh area, growing up in a small town on the other side of the state, but I was a frequent visitor since my dad is from West Mifflin. So I really didn't make any connection with this name, I just liked the worn aspect of the sticker. But doing some research it looks like this sticker has been on this pole since either 1976, 1982, or 1988, the three years Heinz ran for election and re-election in the Senate. Beyond the impressive age of the sticker, considering there's a very good chance that it's older than I am, I feel like it's quite the poignant find. John Heinz is actually H. John Heinz III from the Heinz family that started the infamous corporation here in Pittsburgh. After working in the financial arena for a few years and a short stint teaching, he went into politics in 1971 as a member of the House of Representatives. He devoted his attention to three specialties (the elderly, international commerce, and the environment) and was truly active in getting his state's opinion. He continued to be an important influence in politics when he moved over to the Senate. His time in office was unfortunately cut short when he died in a plane accident in 1991. I realize that this is a very brief synopsis of his career, but check out the links for a more in depth look at him. I feel like this sticker's story was an impressive case of perfect timing. After a divisive election and a political atmosphere that most people are tired of, it's nice to be reminded that politics isn't always the monster it seems to be. Heinz was the heir to the family's fortunate but felt that his time was better spent in a political career helping others. As a moderate Republican he worked hard to protect the rights of the elderly, promote trade laws that would help the declining steel industry and played a big role in protecting the environment by serving on multiple boards and committees. He made sure that he knew what the residents of Pennsylvania wanted out of him and was so popular here in Pittsburgh that he carried every ward in the city for his first Senate run. For me he shows that politics doesn't have to be a stalemate between the two parties, that there is a middle ground that can be worked in. We just need to remember that things really aren't black and white, that it's shades of grey.
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Maggie Ondrey
An amateur photographer and writer capturing a small portion of the city. Archives
August 2017
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