Reality steps in, or Finding hope

Life has a way of reminding us of what's important.

I came to dKos today and scrolled through the diaries list.  I have my list set to 50 but it was
Hillary
Obama
Hillary
Obama
Obama
Hillary
Hillary
Obama
all the way down.  I even ventured into one, only to back out hastily when I found little of value there.

***

A few hours later, my husband tells me that a friend of ours just got terrible news.  He just found out that his child has cancer.  We're pretty sure they have insurance but even so, it's devastating news.  With a flurry of calls and emails, our network of people becomes a network of compassion, offering incredible things in the hope that this child of a man most of them have never even met will get better and be able to grow up.  

No politician really gives me this kind of hope, not like these kind hearted everyday people do.  What can they really do after all?  Politicians have all sorts of opposing forces fighting against them, and even if they succeed, there is no guarantee that the reforms they implement will have an effect on normal people like us, or a positive one at that.  It's this child that is important, not imaginary accusations of racism and sexism.  Not even Daily Kos is all that important.  Especially lately, my life has been much better when I'm not here.  I drop in sometimes, to show solidarity with my friends here, to try to dig up a little of the hopefulness I once felt in abundance here, but the petty squabbling has become almost too overpowering.  It's people like the ones who are helping my friend - who show such kindness in the face of great pain, directly and without question - that give me hope.

•  I'm going to bed,

  but I'll be back to see if there are any comments in the morning.  I just needed to get this out there.

  by tryptamine on Mon Jan 14, 2008 at 10:46:50 PM PDT

  •  This is a good diary

    tryptamine.  It's better out there than it is in here.

    Unfortunately, I've been trapped at the office, working 16 hour days, prepping for a long business trip.

    We're also working on a local political thing, if it works it would be good.  We're trying to move our local schools out of the neighboring school district and into the school district that's actually in our own city (a radical idea, I know).  Petitions, school boards meetings, parent meetings, etc.,  

    Way better than fighting over who is a racist or a sexist.

    by DMiller on Mon Jan 14, 2008 at 10:50:07 PM PDT

    •  I'm surprised there isn't any of that last bit

      involved. Our schools tell us a lot about who we are.

      by andgarden on Mon Jan 14, 2008 at 11:02:53 PM PDT

•  Hope that the future will be bright

  for your your friend's child -

  many blessings and best wishes.

  by sara seattle on Mon Jan 14, 2008 at 10:51:27 PM PDT

•  Prioritize.

  Nothing on this blog will ever be more important than what you share with people face to face, without computers.

  Remember that, and nothing here will take away your sense of what's real.

  Best of luck to the family.

  by haruki on Mon Jan 14, 2008 at 10:57:51 PM PDT

•  A "network of compassion." Exactly.

  Thanks for this, tryptamine. We need more networks
  of compassion here and . . . out there. Sounds as if you
  have already created a circle of compassion.

  I'm so sorry for your friends and hope their child is blessed
  by good treatment and life.

  by begone on Mon Jan 14, 2008 at 10:59:02 PM PDT

•  Were that we had a government

  that could be so helpful.

  Thanks for the moment of sanity.

  by andgarden on Mon Jan 14, 2008 at 11:02:04 PM PDT

•  Great diary, and great reminder of what politics

  and politicians can and cannot accomplish.

  Perhaps the reason for all of this vitriol is that people expect all the wrong things from politicians -- opportunists by birth or experience -- and politics -- a messy, messy business at best.

  Best to have realistic expectations and to remember what is important.

  My best to your circle of compassion.

  by Joelarama on Mon Jan 14, 2008 at 11:12:06 PM PDT

  •  But Politics CAN Accomplish This Kind of Thing

    in civilized countries.

    Per a recent diary, around 100,000 Americans die every year of not-being-French.

    by Gooserock on Mon Jan 14, 2008 at 11:51:35 PM PDT

    •  I was less than clear.

      Here's what I meant.  Things like universal health care do not get accomplished by placing all one's hopes in one politician, right here, right now, to do the right thing.

      One person or one election is not even going to be a panacea.  These people have to be pushed and pushed, and corrected when they (inevitably) give in to moneyed interests.

      Unlike in a dirigiste French system, in the U.S. a perfect single payer health care scheme is unlikely to arise with one great bill.  It's simply unlikely in our political system.  I ferevantly believe we need a single-payer system, but I believe we won't achieve it immediately -- it will be the usual incremental, American trial and error that produces such a system.

      My broader point is that the power is with us, not with any one politician.  And as to politics in general, one should look realistically at what the political process can accomplish, rather than being a romantic.  Being a romantic about politics only leads to discouragement and disappointment -- what's needed is realism and perseverance.

      by Joelarama on Tue Jan 15, 2008 at 12:07:12 AM PDT

    •  Besides seconding what Joelarama said,

      I believe that the size of our country and the size of our population seriously prevents us from doing any massive reforms.  We have over 4 times as many people in a country that is 17 times bigger (if I did the math right) than the French.  It's hard to get the attention of the politicians who represent you when not only is your singly vote so heavily diluted but they have to travel huge distances just to find out what everyone wants.  So when the politicians finally do get to hear what we have to say, how to we make sure they actually do it?  

      by tryptamine on Tue Jan 15, 2008 at 07:02:04 AM PDT

•  my reaction lately

  :: groan::

  yesterday, tho, there were a couple of good ones which said what i've been thinking - namely that dKossians are turning into Freepers.

  but as for the rest? same song, different verse no matter who's singing it. the aruments they have against each other are even exactly the same.

  i'm with you, tryptamine.

  by Runs With Scissors on Tue Jan 15, 2008 at 03:36:09 AM PDT