I'd be the first to admit that this isn't a particularly deep revelation, and certainly not a subtle one. But it's worth remembering as the Democratic party pulls itself together over the coming month to take on McCain and the Republicans, and people are tempted to "punish" supporters of the other candidate, ESPECIALLY by withholding votes / support for our nominee.
To illustrate this point...
I volunteered for the late Paul Wellstone's campaigns here in Minnesota, back in the 90s. He wasn't a perfect guy, but in my mind he was pretty damned close. He's as close to a political hero as I've had, for some time. (And he was no less so, in person.) However...
Without getting into details, there was one person I worked closely with on Wellstone's campaign who seemed to be the antithesis of everything Paul stood for. This person happened to be my supervisor in the volunteer work I was doing for the campaign, and he/she (yeah, I'm totally wimping out on the specifics, but that just isn't the point) succeeded in frustrating and alienating many earnest, hard-working people who were charged up about Paul's candidacy.
This person, to put it bluntly, was an asshole. I never learned whether he/she was retained by the campaign, or let go, or otherwise. My point is that this was one of the most hopeful positive candidates and candidacies -- and later, Senators -- that I've ever encountered in my 40 plus years. But still, Paul Wellstone -- one of the nicest men I've ever met -- had a real jerk working for him. At least for a while.
By contrast, take my parents. They're lovely, polite people who wouldn't think of starting a ruckus in public, and certainly not about politics. I think most people would recognize their kindness and essential good will right off the bat.
And they're diehard rightwingers. They only vote Republican, and in the few times we've broached the subject of politics at Thanksgiving, for example, their main disappointment -- quietly expressed -- is that the Republicans aren't conservative enough.
So...
It's a complicated world out there. Like life, politics isn't easy to figure out. Though it's more the exception than the rule, it's sometimes frustrating to me that I intensely dislike some of the people who share my political viewpoints, and have a real affection -- and even love (my parents) -- for people whose political viewpoints I find repulsive.
How does this apply to right now?
We have Democrats who are threatening not to vote for our Presidential candidate not necessarily because of something he has said or done, but because of how his supporters on BLOGS have behaved. Not even the campaign itself, mind you -- but fellow anonymous posters on message boards.
This is not a mature reason to vote against your own political beliefs. It's wholly emotional, and while one can't deny honest emotions, you don't also have to sink into the darkest of them.
There are supporters of Obama who are complete assholes. Sure. Ditto for Clinton. Ditto for John Edwards, the candidate I originally supported. That's life.
And then there's the trickier reality that most of us behave like assholes every now and again. I certainly do. Sometimes I recognize it right away, sometimes I have to be called on it. But I'm more than capable of asshole-ish behavior.
However, even if you feel in your heart of hearts that this or that candidate's supporters had a greater percentage of assholes -- which is unprovable -- this is not a mature or sane person's reason to vote against what you believe in.
I planned on voting for Hillary Clinton if she were the nominee. I made that clear whenever I could, over the last long months. I didn't care for her behavior during the campaign, and I loathed some of her supporters' behavior. Not all of her supporters, of course... my mother-in-law was a fierce supporter of Clinton, and while she never gave an inch in our debates, she's a model of rationality and perspective.
I suspect that most of the bad feelings will die down as we get further away from the primaries, but... IF you are thinking about voting for McCain, or sitting the election out, because of the worst of what SOME of Obama's supporters have said -- especially on a damned BLOG! -- then you need to do some serious thinking about your priorities.
Obama supporters need to do the same. We have to take our share of the responsibility for unity, and if we keep holding on to the worst of what SOME Clinton's supporters have said on various blogs, and keep that from meeting Clinton supporters in general halfway, then shame on us.
No candidate is the worst of his/her supporters.
(No candidate is even the worst of his/her SELF. )
As someone who can be an asshole, I urge Clinton supporters not to make my worst behavior on a blog a reason to vote against Obama. I promise to do the same when it comes to embracing the best of Clinton and her supporters, as weeks go on and the hurt feelings fade.
That's all I got, thanks.
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