Thank you for this post. I will be sending emails/letters accordingly.

I honestly sympathize with you. I strongly oppose efforts to privatize LSP and will vote against it/support politicians who oppose it, but I don't see much wrong with a group of private citizens assembling at a brewery to advocate for a political cause, even if I disagree with that cause. And I don't think you're unethical for hosting them either.

Sometimes the walk sign will count down as the train pulls up, and you get within inches of the train. More disconcertingly, sometimes the sign will flash orange but the conductor will wave at you to cross the tracks anyway. It's well intentioned, but a part of me always worries a little bit.

Haha it was so cheap that I figured it was worth at least trying

Just bought one online for twenty bucks. I'll give this a try -- thanks for the rec!