has become the rallying cry for far too many @ KOS. It has reached a hate speech intensity that is absolutely crippling this sites ability to perform as an arbiter of opinions, argument, dissent, and perhaps as a forum in which Progressives can bring their ideas to fruition in the form of a Presidential victory.
To look at the number of times the word b**** has been used to describe our potential candidate (from our side !!), is to recoil at all the lost opportunities for change that may be brought about. For make no mistake, if we continue to brand Hillary in this misogynistic fashion, what do you think will be the response of many Democratic women, who just happen to be over 50 % of our base ?
Continually and without remorse, many here on this site attack her in a fashion that would make Chris Matthews blush. What's most troubling, is the responses I've been getting from many purposefully provocative comments. Instead of wit, stats, or genuine argument, there is the smug and obvious knee to the groin that resembles more a Fixed-Noise broadcast, than a Progressive blog. Mention, that 'because of certain demographic realities and trends', should Hillary win PA she may likely get the nomination, many act as if one had just killed Santa Claus. I think in several replies all the commentator came up with was 'bullshit'. Now I was the biggest smart-ass growing up and I probably lead the league in snark comments this year, and I've given far more shots than I've taken here, but comes a time when ad homs get old and arguments need to be addressed, because it looks like this contest may well go to Denver. MI and FL re-contests are looking like a real possibility.
I am one of Barack Obama's big supporters here, see my 'Barack hits Milwaukee' diary, but as a Democrat, I'm ready to support the nominee, no matter who wins and at all costs. To be a Democrat is to believe in coalitions, it may come down to Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton, or something else, Al Gore anybody ? Either way they have my support.
I love what Obama stands for, an opportunity for a new transformative politics, Hope and Change combined, the 50 state strategy, lobbyists not setting the table, actually believing that what a politician says is what his heart believes...folks (especially those GW students) I'm on board the Obama Express. I don't like the cheap attack politics between Democrats, but I begged Obama to throw a punch, just because if you speak of a new politics it doesn't mean you can't fight back.
But I also see how my Mom looks at Hillary when she speaks, how she represents all the hopes and dreams for so many struggling to make ends meet and raise a family. Not only women, but especially women. As mom would say, for all the times when they said that she had to be a nurse, because only men become doctors, even though she could have operated circles around 95 % of them. But I also see Hillary connecting with young women also, who see in her the promise of a better tomorrow.
So instead of winding down, we ramp up to to MS, ID, PA and beyond. But I believe the stakes are too high to sit this one out. John McCain and even just 4 more, let alone 8 more years, is just too much for the imagination to handle, real people need us in November to produce a Democrat. Imagine real health insurance for people who don't have it, an end to an occupation (Our troops won the war, the Neo-cons are screwing the peace), we're talking about life and death matters.
Democrats never win by losing, our coalitions don't have off-shore accounts or golden parachutes to ease the burden of republican rule.
We don't need to carry water for the republicans this November, they already have plenty of help.
So although I'm a first amendment absolutist, I would urge that we back our candidates with the full measure of devotion that our Democracy requires, but that we end the vituperative and destructive language that leads to places no Progressive should tread. I will be the first to follow my own admonishments.