I came into dailykos back in 2008 looking for a place to keep track of the Presidential election and hang out with like-minded folks. What I found were some rabble rousers, old beatniks, techies, environmentalists, dirty hippies, statisticians, pundits, comedians, activists, more dirty hippies, scientists, poets, writers, astro-physicists, charlatans, misfits, artists, teachers, preachers, philosophers and dreamers. My kind of people.
Early on I jumped in and commented here and there, published a few diaries every now and then, took a few breaks, but always I came back. This was the place to be if you wanted to know what was going on in the world, not just the political world, but the bigger (and sometimes more important) world. The diversity of talent and viewpoints and level of knowledge and expertise I found here I could not find anywhere else.
Next thing you know I'm checking it every morning. And when I get home. Not just during elections mind you, but everyday I come here to see what's goin' on. And I ALWAYS find something interesting to read about.
My last few diaries have hit the right notes for some people on this site and now, this morning, I awoke to this email:
Congratulations! An anonymous benefactor has purchased you a one year gift subscription to Daily Kos.
Message from An anonymous benefactor:
I really appreciate the excellent diaries you've been publishing, and look forward to seeing more. Happy Holidays.
I can't tell you how that makes me feel inside, but it's kind of like someone taking your feely section inside your chest and throat and giving it a great big hug, with a dash of humility, a pinch of embarrassment, but a whole lot of sunshine beaming through so that I feel warm and well, part of an amazing, compassionate, caring and considerate community that I have yet to see replicated elsewhere in the blogosphere.
This place is truly unique folks. We need this place. And now that I see the site without ads for the first time it is somewhat "soul-cleansing" as Hunter pointed out. That alone, my anonymous benefactor, has boosted your karma, which judging from your kindness, doesn't seem to need the boost at all.
So, to you, the one who took that amazing step and gifted me a subscription to this incredible site, I say thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You are EXACTLY the reason people like me come to dailykos and stay.
Originally I came here for the politics, but I stayed for the community. Let's keep this going. Our side is winning. Truth will always defeat lies. And this site is a great counterweight to all the beltway silliness the American public has been subjected to for decades. This site is, as Markos wanted to do, crashing the gate. And they can't stop us. Not now. Not tomorrow. Or the next day.
Let's continue to make the Joe Scarboroughs and Liebermans of the world squirm in their pampered seats. I have been gifted a subscription so the pressure is on me to do my part. And I will try as best as I can.
And I know you will too. Because it's the reason I stayed in the first place.
*note-- I have to go help dig up about 400 feet of potatoes. But I'll be back in the afternoon so if you care to leave a comment I promise I'll read it.
Update: This diary was published the morning of the tragedy of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. My happiness of having received an anonymous gift subscription was quickly dashed when I came home and read the news. My thoughts are with the people of Newtown, CT. today. Maybe now we can have a discussion in this country about guns and violence and re-establish the Assault Weapons Ban as a starter.
Peace