It wasn't very hard to go back under a rock after posting my first/last (I guess I lied about the "last" part...)
diary, however today is another day that I feel like I need to say a few things. Hopefully you guys will find it interesting or worth your time and not a waste of space.
As I mentioned in the title, my girlfriend doesn't read Daily Kos. She works her tail off in a professional job so that I can pursue creative endeavors, keep tabs on the world, and hopefully improve our family's quality of life at the same time. When she's at work, she uses the internet for work, when she's at home, she likes to relax and avoid the computer completely. If she goes online, it's to check out "fun" stuff or get quick information.
That being said, throughout her life she has been far more politically inspired and active than I ever was, or am. She worked hard on both of Ann Richards' campaigns for Texas Governor and saw the ground level impact of the lesbian whisper stunt courtesy of Rove. And she has continued to do whatever she can, whenever she can, wherever she is.
She also has been far more educated about history and America's role in the world, reading Zinn, Chomsky, Diamond, and Menand. She is the one who told me that Christopher Columbus killed Indians and wasn't a hero. And that changed my life.
It is hard to feel like you are ignorant, or an uninformed citizen, if you read periodicals, watch the news, and generally pay attention to the world around you. And it is especially hard if you consider yourself to be a top 1%er or even a top 10%er in the academic/intellectual arena. It is an affront, believe me. My girlfriend didn't want to tell me about Columbus. She knew I would be upset. I had been a firm believer, and staunch defender, of all the pre-packaged America is Great! history fed to me. And I don't want to admit this, but it took at least a year, along with a chance viewing of the Columbus Day graves on the San Diego State campus, for the concept to become real to me.
So - what's my point? I'll get there! I promise! :)
My girlfriend doesn't read Daily Kos, and probably never will. She depends on me to tell her what's going on in online news, what actions we need to take, what new ideas are out there, what issues are percolating.... My girlfriend didn't know that I had posted a diary awhile ago and I was too chicken to tell her. (That's how far outside my comfort zone it was!) Well, I told her about a week ago and she was really excited! Even though she's not even an infrequent lurker, she knows Kos. She knows from bits and pieces - from other articles she's read, from things on the radio, and mostly from me and my daily news briefings over dinner. Anyway, she knew it was a big deal. So I showed her my diary and of all things - she cried! (I didn't expect that....) She was moved by the great support of the community, she was moved by my heartfelt Thank You, she was moved by all of the relationships - known or unknown - that Daily Kos has fostered. And she was moved by how far I've come in terms of my own awareness, my own informed citizenry.
AND - she was mad at me. Boy was she mad at me. I hadn't told her about Yearly Kos. :o How could I have not told her about Yearly Kos? And why didn't we go?! It turns out that I have been a pretty good filter of information, but not the very best.... She trusts me completely, and I try hard, but even then, the grapevine is what it is - and it isn't perfect.
So, to wrap this up, and the reason why I am here today is because we got our Newsweek in the mail last night. My girlfriend opened it up and said in a very happy excited way "Hey! Daily Kos is in here!" (I hadn't told her about the article....) And it made my heart hurt. She knows of Kos because of what I tell her every day and she knows of the community because of the great things you guys said in my diary. She knows the truth - as I see it. But now, in the only major periodical that we semi-trust, there was this unfamiliar caricature. And it broke my heart because it made me realize (again) how little I can trust from the grapevine of media's information pipe and I was disappointed. I had enjoyed reading Newsweek and now it makes me feel sick - and sad. Have I been duped on other articles, like people are being duped on this one? Who have I slighted based on Newsweek's perception of reality? And who will slight the Daily Kos community - without knowing any better?
The bottom line of this ramble is that blinders are hard to remove - and they can grow back. No matter how intelligent or educated - or politically, socially, or historically aware one may be, creeping complacency and subtle ignorance happens. And it happens innocently enough - the second that you lose your tendency to question everything and consider motivations and be actively informed. It takes work to be an educated citizen. And you can't trust others to do it for you. (At least not 100%!)