I'm not really sure where to begin here. All I know is that over the last couple weeks, I've started to notice how out of control everyone here seems to be. Yeah, yeah, I know, primary wars and so forth...I wasn't around for the 04 wars so maybe I just "don't understand". And I suppose maybe there is an element of that. But you know what? This is getting absurd.
No one can make any statement - statement of fact, statement of preference, anything - without being attacked for it. For Obama supporters, everything Hillary does is bad. For Hillary supporters, everything Obama does is bad. I suppose that part is natural. Unavoidable. The part that bothers me more, however, is when supporters are attacking other supporters. Apparently - and I guess I missed the memo - but Hillary supporters are apparently closet racists, are in denial, hate progress and hope and horsies and rainbows, aren't really Democrats, or something, according to some people here. And I must have missed the Obama memo too, 'cuz Obama supporters are apparently sexist, and cultists, and are going to make us lose in November if they don't get their way, and whatever else, according to some people here.
This kind of stuff - all of the above, and other things as well - is useless. Saying things like this accomplishes nothing at this point; it's not going to endear any neutral parties to you or change the mind of anyone on the other side. It is not going to make anyone take you seriously. It does nothing except make people more angry. There are lots of things to be angry about, but this really shouldn't be one of them. We need to come together.
You guys realize we're all still on the same side, right? Just because someone supports candidate X, doesn't mean they are your enemy, that they hate everything you hold dear. We are pretty much all Democrats here. Fitting, since this is a site that supports the Democratic party. And you know, by default, everyone here is doing that if they're supporting a candidate in the primary. There are other races in which I'm sure these same people who you are having a blood feud with today, will be agreeing with you and voting with you in the general.
And that's really the point here. We're all on the same side, and we're killing each other right now. We ought to tone it down. This site is becoming ridiculous. Everything not about the primaries is great...unless the primary wars bleed over into that too. But the epic battles over the primaries are getting stupid. Everyone seems to refuse to see the other side's viewpoint, and the vitriol is eating away my monitor.
My fear is that we're going to rip the party apart. Which, considering the way people feel about the "other side" in this race (regardless of which "side" they're on), is what people have been saying anyway if candidate X wins. Regardless of the outcome of the primaries, I expect there are a lot of down-ticket races we have a good shot in, and in every state - and we need to hold together for those. While I have strong feelings about this race, I've tried very hard to keep them in check, and I know there's too much at stake to have the party torn asunder because of all of this.
So, please. Just chill. Before you post something angry, stop and think. Everyone simmer down just a little, and let's have an actual debate, instead of a couple of dueling mobs. Maybe I'm not going to change anyone's mind either, but I suppose I have to try and say this.
And if this makes everyone turn the flaming on me instead of each other...well, that's okay too.