This IS a site dedicated to getting Dems elected to office – am I right? I just thought I’d check that to make sure I was in the right place because I’ve been seeing some seriously vicious attacks on other mandarins simply because of who they support in next year’s primaries. It makes me wonder if I’d accidentally wandered over to RedState or something.
Seriously folks – we have GOT to quit attacking each other over this shit. Post diaries that sing the praises of your chosen candidate. Vet the others if you feel a burning desire to out them over something but for FECK SAKE quit attacking fellow progressives on the personal level. That shit gets us nowhere and it only serves to drag good Dems down. It also divides this community needlessly.
Life’s too damn short for that shite and it diverts us from our main goal – to get Dems elected to office and push for progressive causes. So I’m takin’ a pledge and I challenge the rest of you to sign on too...
So here’s the deal – first I want to apologize for any times when I might have taken part in the derailment of a diary over this shit. Second – I’m going to clean up my side of the street by pledging the following, and I challenge others to sign on as well...
I pledge to:
- Post diaries that try to convince others to support my chosen candidate WITHOUT tearing down the other DEMOCRATIC candidates;
- Steer clear of any flame wars that others may have started;
- Treat others here with respect – as if we were talking face to face rather than hiding behind our computer screens;
- Stay on topic in a discussion. If they’re not talking about what I’m interested in then I’ll move on;
- NOT act in a trollish manner, or divert a discussion to suit my own agenda; and
last but not least...
- Remember that the real enemies are the neocons and BushCo – not fellow progressives!
I know this may sound a little sappy but I think we need a reminder every now and then that we’re all on the same side here.
The idea here is progress, not perfection. I’m sure we’ll all forget our manners, or the main goal of this place (you know... to get Dems elected?), but we’ve got to start somewhere dammit. The back & forth personal attacks and aggro are getting old.
UPDATE
Hat tip to LunkHead for suggesting I add DEMOCRATIC to point number one in the pledge.