After spending a couple years simply as a reader of the content on DKOS, I’ve decided the time has come for me to write my first diary. In the past, DKOS was where I received my daily fix of news as I do not trust or believe MSM and love the fact that people source the facts they use in their journals so almost every statement is based on real data (hopefully) using a scientific approach to help one wade through the mess of misinformation we are fed as a general public on a regular basis. I always felt as though what I was reading came from people with integrity and a shared vision of what our society should look like and how it should operate.
This diary is my reaction to something I learned from reading through the endless HRC vs. Bernie pie fights. In nearly two years, I had no clue this was a Democrat website. I always assumed it was inclusive of all progressives as that was how the vast majority of journal authors labeled themselves. A few days I read a reply in a post that quoted Kos “Daily Kos is dedicated to building a stronger, more progressive Democratic Party from the outside. We are not a party committee, we are base Democrats pulling the party to a more populist mainstream orientation.” The bolded statement was left out, which to me, changes the entire context of the sentence. That’s neither here nor there as my intent is to expand on how this revelation impacts how I view this site with the knowledge that it is in fact an openly partisan site that does not welcome views deemed harmful to the Democrat party.
After reading the quote above, I believe that I am exactly the type of person Kos in referring to when he says he is trying to build the party from the outside. I also take him at his word when he states he wants the party to move to a more populist mainstream direction. What confuses me is why do I feel as though anyone who does not blindly drink the kool aid from the powers in control that HRC is inevitable and any criticism of her is wrong is not welcome here and attempts are made to minimize their worth on the site? I fully understand that many of the diaries and posts within are reactionary response to a perceived slight, but it’s getting old for me.
I grew up in Massachusetts which is a Democratic stronghold. My Uncle was a state senator, my grandfather on the state Democratic committee. Both of them worked in the Kennedy camp (my grandfather in 52 on his first Senate run and both in ’58 & ’60. My Uncle also participated in RFK’s 68 campaign and still tears up when he recounts the story of how he was sitting next to Teddy at dinner in a San Francisco hotel when he received the call RFK had been shot. It’s heartbreaking to see the hurt on his face when recounting how the plane ride back from CA was the most somber, sad experience f his life. He grew up during the great depression, lost a child in infancy and lost his arm as a 12 year old, so that statement carries weight. My point in relaying this personal experience is to illustrate the fact that I was brought up in a strong Democratic household. What I love about my familial elders is that they always encouraged open debate, never forced their views on us, or ridiculed us when we disagreed. They were more concerned with developing critical thinking skills and making our own decisions.
When I registered to vote in 1992 at 18, I did not feel like either party represented my views and because I lived in MA I did not have to choose a party. On primary day, I would decide which party primary I wished to vote in, did so and then left as unenrolled once again. Over the course of my life I have voted for many more Dems than Repubs, but have never felt any allegiance or loyalty to Dems regardless of my familial ties to the party. I will never vote for someone solely based on the letter next to their name on the ballot. Anyone who does should be ashamed because they are shirking their responsibilities as a citizen to inform themselves of the issues than vote according to who best represents those views. Labels of any type are a divisive force in our society. Parties in general are a cancer to our political system. Contrary to popular belief, the constitution was not created as a two party system. It was created as a no party system, but the Oligarchy of the time decided they didn’t care for this equality amongst men thing and decided to band together to keep the plebes in place. John Adams did many great things, but the creation of the Federalist Party is not among them. In response to Adams’ party creation Jefferson and his allies created the Democratic Republicans. Since then there has always been two major parties whose fighting has been detrimental to the citizenry as a whole. While I am not a huge George Washington fan (I believe he gets much of the credit Paine deserves for the creation of the first modern secular state), he was crystal clear about his opinion of political parties when giving his farewell address from the Presidency when he said:
“I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.
This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.
The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.
Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.
It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another. “
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.asp
Personally, I accept that I am not allowed to advocate for any party besides Dems on this site. However, never will I blindly support a candidate that I do not believe has the best interests of the country as their priority or simply does not understand what ails our current society. Please do not expect others to do this either. My favorite natural right is not codified in the Constitution or its amendments, but was the driving force behind the creation of our secular government – freedom of conscience. You and I may not always agree, but I respect your ability make choices based on your belief system and moral foundation, please do the same for me and others.