Listen, fellow Kossacks- I've not been here as long as you have. And maybe this is the medication and pain talking. But I'm sick to my stomach about how this "community" is coming along.
I came here before the 08 elections as a lurker. Why, hot damn, a freaking political site that was focused on issues and qulity writing! Signed up in 09, and registered as a Democrat. This blog convinced me that Democrats were for the people, and that the only way we could see a salvation for the whole nation, not just the moneyed elite, was to help elect more. I was an indie turned 'D'. So much for the whole "Only Democrats read this blog, not indies or Republicans". If you remember, the Texas Republicans cribbed from the SSP maps!
So don't tell me the rec-list pie fights don't matter.
You know, we see it day in and day out; people being defamed for expressing their opinion on a blog site. And to those who wish to report on current events? Well you're damned if you are any bit sensational or creative in your title or language.
Oh, and discussing an issue with someone? You'll get the standard "strawman!" "shill!" or whatever else is popular these days.
If you read on, I'm going to issue a warning for some strong language.
The first thing that really set me off this week was the fact that people actually HR'd kos' fucking Tip Jar for his Iowa corndog pictures.
They were funny! This mentality that we have to be oh so nice to the Republicans when they come after us constantly in the dirties most despicable ways possible could be the stupidest thing I've ever laid my eyes on.
It didn't hurt anyone. It wasn't defamation. It was what anyone who has a single funny bone in their body would have done with ANYONE in those pictures.
LIGHTEN THE FUCK UP.
Don't worry, I have several more examples I'd like to share. I ain't out of rage-o-hol yet.
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The fact that diaries like this are needed at all is YET ANOTHER symptom of how tone deaf this site is to expanding to people of color. Any time someone brings up race or ethnicity, it is either a) picked to shreds by the "But, I'm not racist" crowd, or worse b) Completely ignored.
You dare to present a viewpoint that isn't white American progressive (whatever the fuck that is) and all of a sudden you're an Obamabot, or just support Obama because he's black. That's Red State and Freeper shit right there. And don't you dare call people on that, because of course "progressives" can't be racist in criticizing Obama. They just use the same Freeper arguments but frame it as "not left enough" instead of "not white enough".
And, hell, if you don't write according to the perfect "midwest American grammar", you'll get picked apart by the grammar nazis too. NEWSFLASH: America isn't just the midwest. I'll write in whatever colloqiual style I need to to get my point across.
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Let's change gears, and talk about I/P. I'm newish to Israel/Palestine, but I've tried to be as fair minded as I can. I've spent hours reading histories, finding background so that I can have the information I need to at least be of some use in a discussion.
But, like volleyboy1's signature says: (I'll paraphrase) Sometimes people just like to piss in the hummus.
Specifically when it comes to one of the authors on this site who I think has done a great job in getting the I/P community from a dark no mans land of flamebait into the mainstream.
The Troubadour.
Since his second or third diary on the I/P issue, this guy has been dogged by some of the most malicious attacks on his character I've ever seen. I'll put some examples out there:
This comment on July 13, 2011 that accuses the author of using red meat extremist positions to incite "Israel Derangement Syndrome" brigade.
Another comment on July 13, 2011 which hints again that IDS accusations are merited. The fact the diary author even had to write the diary this comment was found on is disgraceful.
And then we culminate in this fucking awful comment:
You've provided yet another ideal forum for hardcore antisemites to peddle their deranged and hurtful rhetoric:
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Of course you can't control what other people write. But you had to have known comments like these would happen. You could have weighed in against this rhetoric in your diary. One line in the tip jar maybe, or an update. Or you could have weighed in in the comments once it actually happened. I noticed you responded with comments lots of places, but didn't take the time to criticize any of this dual loyalty hate speech, in your own diary. It would have been powerful coming from you. But you didn't.
But hey, alls fair as long as it gets you incrementally closer to that book deal, huh?
Not to mention this one.
Its fucking sad that you have to try to bring down a good writer on this site because you don't have the prowess to get your own ideas across, instead hiding behind charges of using an IDS brigade to move up the rec list to sell his book.
And in case you're wondering, there's EVEN MORE. Go look at his old diaries.
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Another thing that is pissing me off? People like atdnext are working fucking tirelessly to promote the special elections (in his case, NV-02's Kate Marshall). So is raatz for HI-SEN's Mazie Hirono. Not to mention a hell of a lot of other people.
Groups like MCM of Daily Kos are working on REAL action to stop draconian cuts to veterans' benefits.
The Eyes on Egypt and the Region group is kicking ass getting us info on Syria and the rest of the middle east, while Exposing ALEC is putting out loads of information on that threat to OUR republic.
And what the fuck ends up on the rec-list, day after day? What do people who are Democrats or Indies that come here for the first time seeing? They see fucking pie fights about whether or not Obama's latest choice in condiment is a betrayal to Democratic / "progressive" values.
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When I found DailyKos back in 08, I thought I found an online home for activists to talk and organize. I did. But this devolutiin to self destruction through continued defamation and indulgence in "Shit that just don't matter™" has made this place as bad as Fark and Reddit comments. No, those are more civil at times.
I'm just getting sick of seeing such good work brought down, drug through the mud, or just plain ignored.
If I get HR'd and bojo for this, so be it. I love most of the people here, but this is becoming the left's Red State all too quickly.
The last thing I want to do is quote Meteor Blades, because he always had the right idea:
Of course, Daily Kos is not a platform that has eliminated human nature. Pettiness, personal grudges, jockeying for power and attention, preening and pretending that only the other guy's shit stinks make daily appearances here. All too frequently, respected individuals are viciously attacked because their attackers can't read or simply to score points with their pals. Labels are attached on the flimsiest of excuses or none at all.
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In fact, much more would be accomplished if just half the energy that goes into this internal battling went into the real activism that we see recounted or proposed in diaries every day. Some of the viciousness would probably be undermined if the "Preview" comment button were replaced by one saying "THINK!"
NOTE: Go Tip and Rec a better diary. Obama just called on Assad to step down, Hamas probably blew up a bus, and the Dow plunged 450 pts.
Just start thinking about what a pie fight accomplishes, and quit trying to tear people down. Maybe we'll grow out of this stupid infighting shit.