Throughout an interesting life I have been fortunate to have had a lot of fun. I made my living at a job I loved. I traveled for years, seeing a world that fascinates me. While there were many things I did not because I wanted to, but because I had to, participating in this blog has come under the heading of "fun", no matter how angry some of the diaries made me.
When I say "angry" I'm not referring to feelings about posters. I mean the diaries themselves, which are so often full of information we need to know that the traditional media completely ignores. Kagro X is the classic example. How could we possibly understand Congressional procedure without him? The list of others is endless...gchaucer, bondad, mcjoan, Grey Hawk, Meteor Blades, joanneleon just head the top of it.
That's changed over the past several weeks. I've watched with increasing alarm as the level of intolerance here rose to a point where I was actually embarrassed to be a member.
For a time I've heeded the advice of long-time Kossacks who said, "Hang in there, it's always like this during an election."
Well, I came here initially during an election. At that time I found a place of support which, in Markos Moulitsas' own words was "dedicated to electing Democrats." This blog was a huge source of information and reinforcement during that election. You Kossacks turned me into an activist who registered Democrat for the first time, made phone calls, contributed cash, monitored polls and even went to Washington to march. For that I will be eternally grateful. I'll never return to my former apathy.
But...and you knew this was coming...the site isn't what it was then. Many of you deny the change. That doesn't mean it isn't there. Savaging each other and our candidates has become a blood sport. Until yesterday, though, I thought the problem was with the Kossacks themselves. I was wrong.
Markos, when you wonder where your members have gone please look back to your diary of yesterday trashing Hillary Clinton. When you do that, please know that many of us who are not committed supporters of either candidate (check my comments) believe you have gone too far.
This blog has ceased to be fun. Dodging the candidate diaries has become a chore. Ignoring the off-topic whacks at candidates requires more forbearance than I want to exercise.
So I'm saying good-bye. Anyone who wants my piano is willing to it.