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PRINCETON: Spreading harmony

By Stephanie Vaccaro, Staff Writer
   Princeton resident Melvin Bernarde is concerned about the deepening reservoir of thought between the political left and right and is certain that the way forward is for opposing sides to work together more harmoniously. So a couple of months ago he and some friends designed T-shirts that visually say just that — and he’s hoping the message will spread.
   ”I re-thought and reworked an old image of two donkeys that finally learned the benefit of cooperation, rather than pulling in opposite directions and each getting nothing to eat,” Dr. Bernarde said. “Those donkeys pulling in opposite directions struck me as exactly what’s going on in the country today. So substituting an elephant for a donkey made good sense and neatly told our story.”
   The Cooperation Nation T-shirt required the creative and artistic abilities of Dana Lichtstrahl and Jake Landau, of Landau’s on Nassau Street, he said.
   ”The four of us, my wife Anita included, realized that our country had become so polarized that little would get done by the political parties to further the many needs of the public,” he said.
   ”This T-shirt was our way of sending a strong message to state legislatures and Washington, that pulling in opposite directions was not in our best interests, and that cooperation was needed.”
   The shirts are sold at about cost with the hope that people would be more likely to purchase a high quality shirt at a low cost, he said.
   ”And we believed that the more people wearing the shirt, the stronger the message sent. And most assuredly a strong message is needed.” They’re sending shirts to television personalities and members of Congress.
   ”We sent a shirt to Oprah but have yet to see her wearing it,” he said.
   At present, only a few shirts have been sold, he said. The Cooperation Nation shirts are available at www.headstrongtees.com.