I have been a part of the dailykos community since pretty much its inception. Long before big yellow and through some incredibly divisive fights. The primary wars were some of the worst. During that time we had a few diarists who became very prominent very quickly for posting the "party line" of their camp. Those of you who were here remember well. Those who werent.. let us just say this. Those diarists arent here anymore. They were either paid shills or bizzarely twisted one issue lunatics. We do not mourn their loss.
But i have never seen such emnity. I have never seen so much open dishonesty and blind hatred. I have never been revolted more than by the actions of many of the dailykos community.
Ive seen some pretty repulsive anti-obama diaries. The ones i found repulsive were the ones that just blindly hated Obama. Not because of his choices. Or even his style. Just a mindset where the person had been disappointed once and decided that Obama was pure evil with nothing but bad intentions. That he was literally a corporate manchurian candidate. Or a "jewish plant". Or a tool of the MIC. They were all pretty repulsive.
Most diaries criticising our Elected Leader werent and arent that though. They are legitimate criticisms of the administration (as opposed to the man named Barack). Unfortunately even in those some commentors took it too far. And pasted just pure blind hatred of the Man rather than critique of the president. I tried to counter that as best i could.
But far more destructive, hateful, blind.. and mostly dishonest are the others. The blind worship diaries. We have become, once again, infested by a small group of one 'issue' zealots here in the heart of the progressive community. And its time to end this
I have never seen more dishonesty on dailykos. From flat out spin to positively delusional spin. It is shockingly reminiscent of the blind worship Bushistas exhibited. YOu'll note there arent any Bushistas now.. they vanished when he did. You would be very hard pressed to find anyone who will even admit supporting Bush now. Yet they were the megaphone in the room when we was in power. They.. and you if you are one of the authoritarians.. remind me of addicts. Ex alchoholics or reformed fundamental religionists going from one addiction to the next.
We've all seen it. The reformed alchoholic who is now an extreme christian. Branding all who do not share his precise addiction as servants of hell. The exsmoker deriding smokers as a disease on mankind who have no rights. The ex authoritarian communist who becomes and extreme right winger (ahem.. sullivan). The ex limousine liberal who becomes a raving far right bush supporter.
So is that who you want to be?
Do you want to feed your emotion addiction at the cost of our nation? Our children? Because thats where we are headed. At this moment in time americans would prefer a generic republican would defeat Obama in a re-election bid. That is simply shocking. In addition it is likely that not only will the teabaggers/republicans take back the house they may do it with a substantial margin.
And why is that? Is it because the evil msm is after the President? Is it because humans are stupid and evil and just not intellectually and morally enlightened like you and I? I think not
You see americans want a few things from a leader. It is why they elected Reagan. It is why they elected Bush. It is why they keep giving democrats a shot then kicking us out of office.
They want leadership. They want honesty. They want someone they can trust will make the right decision. Mostly they want someone they know will fight. Even if he knows he's going to lose.
And right now President Obama is doing fantastic from his perspective. He only gets feedback from a few places. His center right cabinet. Emanuel the corrupt political hack who got him where he was. The msm.. and noone.
You see thats the problem with authoritarianism. Right now Barack Obama isnt getting any feedback from the left. As he said "make me do it". And those who are screeching down any criticism are stoppign us from doing that. I want the first Black president to be remembered alongside FDR and Teddy Roosevelt.. not Bush1 and Hoover. I want Democrat to become the default party of the working class again.
And when you start these flame wars. When you start the snarky, informantion bereft, hate filled attacks on anyone who dares criticise your selected authority figure you stop that from happening. And when critics do the same thing to you they stop becoming helpful and become simply a negative force.
So lets all stop this. We need to criticise this president who has indeed made some bad decisions. We need to praise him when he does well. And we need to stop taking "side". Because there are no sides. This president isnt a progressive. He is from the Clinton school. But he is also not a infallible. To pretend either paints you as simply a thoughtless fool.
So lets both get together and show some self-awareness. That Obama has made done some things very wrong. And some things very very right. And that only through pressure.. and appropriate praise can we help lead him to what the american people need and want.