It would be really great if I could blame this diary on too much eggnog but I hate the stuff. Not even the wine which I love — but only had a couple of glasses. Nope — just a result of perusing the wreck list for awhile and finding precious little regarding candidates, outside of LieparDestin and Lysis’s diaries, which provide serious policy discussions and plans of action to GOTV which starts with get out the education and registration forms.
Back in 2007 I read MyDD because it was on the DKos blogroll (where the fuck is that now?). At first it was interesting and then went totally PUMA whacked encouraged by the owner, Jerome Armstrong. It was a teaming bed of racist hateful CT shite. Thankfully, we haven’t gotten there completely because the racist shite isn’t a factor.
I’ve written this sentiment before this week: The wreck list looks like tiger beat teen fan mag material. It is embarrassing. Lots of CT and mutilated “facts.” Lots of gushing nonsense which would make most young voters laugh with disdain. I read over and over and over again — “why should I vote? You have to earn my vote. Give me a reason to vote.” And yet — not one fucking legitimate alternative (other than Jill Stein). Not one action suggestion from the non-voting class here. Not one actual advocacy of down-ballot candidates in lieu of leaving the President block blank. Fucking privileged bullshite from people who never had to jump through hoops to vote or wouldn’t be affected by a total Republican Reich.
LieparDestin and Lysis are the gold standards on this site for advocacy. I basically skim the comments but focus on their diaries. I learn from both of them because they are fierce advocates, postive and honest. I hone arguments pro and con. Thankfully both temper the wreck list.
If real issues are corrupted by immature writers, we all lose. I find myself most often fighting against ugliness in diaries about my preferred candidate and am called a liar, fraud, fake, etc. Ok, that part is hilarious because I really don’t know those people so don’t give a shite.
What I do give a shite about is day to day, face to face talking with citizens in my community. Talking about the importance of voting. Talking about why I think it is important to vote for Bernie but never trashing HRC or Martin or the Democrats. If someone tells me they prefer HRC I ask why and every damned time they give a good personal reason. I give them a registration form and the address of their polling place. I tell them that we have a neighborhood breakfast before voting — all supporters invited because it is fun. This November (local elections) we even had Republicans join us — which allowed for a robust, non-rancorous event.
I don’t have the luxury or desire to be contemptuous of people who might vote for HRC (no one in my town knows Martin) or a Republican. I need to talk to them as citizens in a beloved but crap assed economically depressed town with pathetic job opportunities and listen — then tell them about the power of voting. I accept their snorts but continue my pitch — for days and weeks and months. That’s because I walk my neighborhood and know pretty much everyone either by name or sight.
Back to my title: I’m no fan of censorship or banning unless someone egregiously violates the site rules. What is disturbing to me is that there is precious little to find here that actually builds either a revolution or the Democratic party.
If we want a revolution — it doesn’t happen here. Same if you want to build a party. Neither happens when you have contempt for potential allies. Sure, we can all have contempt for those who are malcontents ad infinitem — that’s standard. Revolution always happens in the streets, with real people. They are not successful immediately or sometimes ever but often enough to change the discourse if not the reality (see, e.g. anti-Vietnam Conflict protests, anti-nuke protests, anti-pollution protests, OWS, BlackLivesMatter etc.).
I’d like to see the Bernie revolution in the streets rather than internet or speaking venues. Not on DKos. In the streets. My biggest fear is that twitter has replaced feet. I find that truly disturbing.
I don’t ever recommend DKos to folks interested in engaging in politics. Most are beyond teenage fan stuff and mean girl/boy playground shite. They have real life problems, solutions of which can’t be found on the top right hand side of the page.
And with that, my New Year’s wish is that we don’t fall down the MyDD rabbit hole of hell. Advocate with zeal and intelligence but also remember to educate about your state’s registration and voting laws.