I've been watching the goings on, here at Dkos, for the past several weeks, with a mixture of dismay and sadness. I've commented on a few threads, trying to make note of a reality that I see, that I believe others are either missing, or are willfully ignoring. I've noticed more than a few other members suggesting that they too, see a trend that seems to be moving full speed ahead in spite of the same reality that I have tried to make note of. I've seen multiple threads where some of our long time members have made reference to "this happening during every Presidential election cycle", citing specific historical events from the history of the site. I've shied away from "joining the fray", preferring to engage in discussions of specific policy agendas, rather than engaging in the debate over the "identity politics" of a specific candidate. This is not to say that I am ignorant of an individual or groups identity, or how that affects their preference in a policy agenda, or their preference in a candidate, it simply hasn't been where my focus is. My approach has saved me a lot of time and effort, as well as anxiety, by keeping both myself and many of the discussions I've had, away from the kinds of issues that seem to fuel the normal arguments that sometimes occur. I don't have the time or energy to engage in "pie fights" and I've been able to avoid them by staying with the issues and not the personalities.
Until today.
Join me beneath the orange squiggle and I will explain.
Today is a new day because of a comment I received in reply to a comment I made.
Today is a new day because I somehow offended someone I have met in person, and who I had a nice discussion with when we met, but when I made a comment that did not comport with their world view, on a thread yesterday, they called me a lying liar.
There is a level of animosity present on this site, in this Community that I never expected to see.
I'm not a particularly "thin skinned" individual. I spent 20 years as a Non-Com in the U.S. Army, and it has a way of hardening your hide that generally necessitates that you learn to accept criticism and "move on". Still, I don't much care for bullying and name-calling. Those kinds of behavior will generally illicit a response from me because I find it unnecessarily offensive, boorish, immature, and ignorant. One of the attributes of this forum , that I found attractive, was that the community seemed to be quite good at "calling out" this kind of behavior and shutting it down, allowing for the discussion of different views and opinions without the kind of bad behavior that is present on the vast majority of other public forums available.
Apparently, we choose to throw all that "out the window" during Presidential election cycles.
Which brings me to my question: Who are you Dkos?
Are you a community who shares a basic philosophy, but recognizes that some might have a different perspective or approach to achieving the goals implied in that philosophy, that deserve as much deference and respect as your own? Are you a community that exists to discuss and debate the issues, but always reasonably and rationally, ever mindful that the human being that you are engaging with has as much right to their perspective as you do to yours? Are you insistent that discourse be conducted in an environment that accommodates disagreement, but also insists that it be done with maturity and respect?
That is who I thought you were.
I've been on many other forums over the years [full disclosure: decades] and I have never had a better experience than I have in my short time that I've been here. I would hate to lose that. I've been challenged here. I've been educated here. I've been enlightened here.
Just recently I've been name called here, mocked here, and insulted here.
Mostly, it seems to be "new arrivals". Recently joined, and by all appearances, full of bad intent. Those are easy to ignore. They likely will not be here long. They are coming here to sow the seeds of division and hate, and some, even some who have "been around" as I have, are taking the bait. They engage in a dispute; let themselves get riled up; and then, when commenting elsewhere, they let their emotions get the best of them.
Why? Why would you allow yourselves to be so easily manipulated? Why would you allow yourselves to be pulled down to that level of discourse?
You are all [the community I've come to know and care for] so much better than this.