For me, and undoubtedly, for quite a few of you, Presidential elections bring about a great deal of stress and anxiety. This has been apparent since Sanders and Clinton entered the race. Both candidates were met with enthusiasm, albeit for different reasons, but they also showed a division in the Democratic Party that has been bubbling underneath the surface for quite some time. One is an idealist and the other a pragmatist. They seem to have similar goals but different ideas on how to get them accomplished. The problem has been, and always will be, a combination of the candidate's message and the supporters that stand behind the message.
With that said, the tone on Dkos has taken a turn for the worst and I blame both Bernie and Hillary supporters alike. I, too, have adopted a negative tone because of the vitriol i'm seeing on this site and quite frankly, it's exhausting. It's like being a child with abusive parents. They want what's best for you, so long as you do as they say and when they say it. As a parent, one of the things I try to instill in my 3 yo is that he can make his own choices, even at his age. Sure, I can guide him along the way but I cannot control the outcome of his actions. Will he throw his food on the floor? Will he poop or will he hold it in for a week? Will he take a nap or struggle to stay awake? Will he have a tantrum if I don't buy him a particular toy? I learned not so long ago that scolding and shaming him does very little to change his behavior, in fact, it does the opposite. There are times I get frustrated and make this known to my son, but then I have to take a step back, talk myself down and tell myself that i'm getting worked up for nothing. And sometimes, I just need a break from the challenges of being a parent.
For this reason, I have decided to sit out the 2016 Presidential election and not vote for the first time in my adult life. I'm simply too fatigued from the scorn and derision i've witnessed here and I no longer wish to participate in an endless debate over who's right and who's wrong. The constant guilt tripping, vote shaming, and manipulative diaries that continue to proclaim the end of the world if you don't vote for MY candidate have become so commonplace that I can longer stand by and watch everyone tear each other down to make a point. So I put it to you, fellow Dkos members, will you continue to drive a wedge between yourselves and alienate one another because of idealogy? If so, you've already lost.
