Yes, this is a GBCW diary. I know, the oldest and rankest cliché in all of Kos-dom. Some personal thoughts and insights, nothing ground-breaking or incendiary. It’s as self-indulgent as most GBCW diaries, and probably even more boring, so I won’t be offended if no one reads it.
I’ve been a member here for a little less than a year. I am a registered Independent voter who leans Libertarian. I always had a mild/moderate interest in politics, until Bush and his "War on Terror." For the past 5 years, I’ve been a staunch Bush opponent, arguing against the Patriot Act and the invasion of Iraq to anyone who will listen. Invading and occupying Iraq was one of the stupidest strategic mistakes a US Commander-in-Chief has ever made, as well as (obviously) being reprehensible and tragic on a moral level.
I supported Kerry in 2004, though I frankly don’t think he would have been a very good President. I started reading this site in early 2006, when I was hoping for Democratic victories in the mid-terms, in the hopes that they would end the war and (even more importantly) not authorize any new wars. The site has led me to a number of truly engaging discussions, some good laughs, and even a few real-life meet-ups, including an opportunity to attend a big-money campaign event for Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) last year that would have otherwise been unaffordable.
I am also a proud Ron Paul supporter. I think he is an intelligent, honest man who would be a great President. Most of his positions on the issues are similar or identical to mine. There’s no point in boring anyone who’s been polite enough to read this far with a detailed argument on Dr. Paul and why support for him is not contradictory to membership at this site. That argument was the topic of my last diary, which you can easily look up. But I must emphasize that I have no connection with Dr. Paul’s campaign or with any other supporters who post at this site – in other words, to the extent that there is a Ron-Paul-troll-conspiracy, I am not a member (at least not wittingly). All I’ve done is be honest with my opinions.
Anyhoo, the last few days have really cleared it up. If I may say so without sounding bitter, the comments have gone from "Ron who?" to "oh yeah – he’s anti-war, but otherwise I don’t like him," to "Ron Paul is a Nazi bastard" to "RON PAUL SUPPORTERS MUST BE DESTROYED – YOU CAN ALL SUCK MY DICK!!" You think I’m making this up? Run a search. I don’t want to call anyone out by name.
In the unlikely event that anyone is still reading this far, a few words of advice from someone grossly un-qualified to give them: for such a politically-involved bunch, Kossacks can be almost eerily tone-deaf. Think back to the day after Bush won re-election in 2004. Think about not what you felt about Bush, but the sober realizations you reached in terms of the American people – what they were willing to believe, what they were willing to support, what could realistically be accomplished. Do you honestly believe that progressive, liberal Democrats that agree with you on every issue make up a majority of this country’s voting population? Do you not see any value in combining the power of progressive Democrats with people of different political stripes to oppose something we all hate? And, more importantly, do you have any plan to reach out to those who are dissatisfied with both major political parties (more than you would believe, I assure you) and try to find common ground with them? Or – how about this – at least a plan to not actively and deliberately drive them away?
At any rate – no hard feelings, I completely respect your right to restrict the make-up of your community.