I crossed a line a few hours ago and hide rated a tip jar, a practice I personally deplore, but I had just reached my limit of what I could tolerate today (and that is a general statement about everything from the Zimmerman trial to shit canning of our democracy to racism and every other -ism out there). Why other people are allowed to hide rate a tip jar eludes me. It should be impossible in my opinion, but there was no other way for me to 'vote' my repulsion.
I just happened to be the first person to read and comment in the diary which is now at the top of the rec list.
I reached my limit when I read:
I'm sure I'll get flamed again, possibly HR'd by the thought police around here that demand that I adhere to the belief that Snowden is some form of renegade James Bond hero, releasing his information in carefully selected (and often barely sourced) articles written by his publicity agent, Glenn Greenwald.
But I find his actions vile.
I find this diarist vile to name Snowden/Greenwald vile.
I've watched dozens, maybe hundreds of diaries I felt valuable have there tip jars hiderated. I had just had enough. There is a point when you can't swallow one more outrage.
This site, like so much of the world around us, not is about convincing others by rational debate. The struggle for justice and decency has nothing to do with rational debate once a society (now global in very many senses) reaches the level of dystopia we are now living under.
For weeks, I have watched a cadre of right wing advocates (and make no mistake, they are right wing and may even be paid -- See GOP is paying trolls to "blog attack" -- enter every diary which supports Edward Snowden and Glenn Greenwald in any way and post a first comment after which they do everything they can to derail any meaningful discussion about the HUGE issues we are facing as a nation and as citizens of this planet.
I'm too old and too tired for an incremental fight that leaves the corporatist state in control till I die.
The simple fact is now is the time to stand up. It isn't that I haven't voted and worked all my life for a better world and that I didn't understand that all of this takes time. It is simple: we have run out of time to sign petitions and wait for the next voting cycle.
If we don't take courageous action now, we are going to be shit out of luck.
Below the orange signpost, if you have any interest.
It isn't that I have any absolute answers, but I know any meaningful action is preceded by careful planning that is the result of, not debating whether one's analysis is correct but rather, debating how to take action. I know my analysis is correct in its outlines. I'm not interested in convincing you. I'm interested in having a fruitful discussion with others who are of like minds.
People who come here to develop their political opinions can do that until the cow comes home, but that isn't going to make the world a better place.
The world becomes a better place when people act on their commonly agreed upon analysis
I know how to recognize allies: I'd be dead if I didn't. I make mistakes, but that is just part of the game.
When Daniel Ellsberg declared his unalloyed support for Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden, I didn't need to hear any more. I didn't need to personally meet either or spend a lifetime arguing whether Snowden should have taken this plane to that country or not to know where to stand. It is damn easy, when you know the history of the Vietnam War and the struggles against it because you were there, to know where to stand when a man like Ellsberg stands up.
I agree with SouthernLiberalinMD
We are just kinda wasting our precious time
if we don't spend our time planning what we are going to do and SOON.
Basically, we can either caucus together and honestly assess our situation and come up with strategies and tactics, hopefully some innovative ones, that will enable us to advance toward our goals, or we should really give up the fight and go pursue whatever joys we can, whatever gives us love and pleasure in this life, for as long as we can. Because the way we're currently doing it is a waste of our precious time.
I don't give a damn about the latest Republican or Democratic outrage. I don't care what Rachel is opining about on her latest show. None of it matters until we make a plan and begin carrying it out.
I'm retiring soon. I have to make a choice as to whether I just go off and try to have the best old age I can before there is nothing left to enjoy on this planet, or continue to commit the last years of my life to the struggle I have waged to date.
It never occurred to me that it would be impossible to have a productive conversation on the goals we need to make NOW because vile and evil people would be allowed to dominate every attempt to discuss those goals. It never occurred to me in the 60s that we would sit here with our collective thumbs up our asses while the oil boils.
Life is short and hard. I don't want to waste my precious time dreaming of a better world when people can't even have a discussion about how to fight back and act on it.
And I am going to reject all the stuff that hasn't worked in the past thirty years. Petitioning for redress of grievances is not working in the past thirty years. Signing a petition is weak tea when every aspect of our lives it at stake.
Arguing whether the USA is a third world country is my idea of changing the subject.
I have long, long thought that we are in much worse shape than we realize. Using the old rubrics for poverty and injustice is just plain wrong headed. We have built ourselves a very nice looking soul and body prison, but it is a prison with a life sentence of suffering attached with or without our 40" flat screen tvs.