Impeachment talk got you down? Unashamed Lefties giving you heart palpitations? Having a hard time herding the cats lately? Congratulations, you have attained a state of Rovian enlightenment. Choke on it.
What a place this has become. It makes me incredibly sad to pop back in here and see the sorry state of affairs... the general's dutiful lieutenants torpedoing the credibility of anyone who dares "step out of line." There was a day when we didn't hold our ideals in such contempt. There was a day when we didn't hold each other in such contempt. There was a day when the attempt to marginalize fellow Democrats by calling them Rovian Plants and Republican Tricksters only came from the rabble down here as opposed to from dKos lieutenants disguising them as innocent diaries. Fuck that. It's different when it comes from the vaporous powerbook-toting laurel-sporting toga-wearing digital demigods, and you know it. The specific instance I refer to is but a small symptom of the disease that threatens to hobble this community.
Shame on you for casting dispersions (okay, aspersions, but I won't fix it because it makes me laugh) on those who aren't up to your standards by saying outright that they sit on their asses and do nothing for country and party. There's a sweeping generalization for you. Shame on you for using your almighty power to besmirch other who are on your side. (This even happened at least once in a concerted effort to drive traffic to another blog. It's fucking disgusting.) The organized effort to drag everyone to center and to marginalize those who cling to their ideals is troubling. It's a hollow victory indeed when we get there by forsaking our principles.
These types of things occurred many times leading up last November, but damned if they didn't go into overdrive when we were handed our asses. So much hard work went into that effort. People here poured their entire souls into the work of sending Bush back to the depths of whatever hell he came from. After all the anguish and the tears I suppose it was only human to look up, dry our eyes and start searching within our self-loathing ranks for a scapegoat. "Damned liberated women. Fags. If only we'd been less liberal. Maybe those Republicans are on to something." You think this idea is ridiculous, even as you subtly herd your minions in that direction.
The penalty for not falling in line? Public humiliation/vilification. Banishment. Un-recommended diaries. A stern talking-to and a bloodlust driven mob scene. Maybe even a troll-rating here and there. Ouch. Say it ain't so. The reward for scenting the blood in the water at dKos and high-fiving each other and pretending we're clinging to a higher ideal when we're actually clinging to nothing? Have a 4. Let me recommend your diary. Here... have a reason to exist. Say something else. I like you. Handjob, Heather?
Bite me.
Whether or not censorship is occurring at dKos is irrelevant. I'm not addressing that. The real crime is happening when we're tearing each other down. You. You reading this now. Your motives are questionable. You will compromise yourself into irrelevance.
Perhaps our boat is slowly sinking, but take care when you start looking around for things to throw overboard. You might need these people someday.