since I am almost 69 ½ years old, and I will be getting up no later than 5:30 (if the cats let me sleep that late) to get ready to head for school.
But I have a few things on my mind that I want to at least put out there.
Last evening I posted a diary about why I was supporting Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. The diary got tons of traffic, but I was bothered by more than a little of it. And it is not just what happened in that diary. It is the entire phenomenon of the primary pie fight yet again — we saw it in 2003-04, we saw it in 2007-08, and it is getting old, and part of what turns many people off.
There were people who wanted me to address the very forceful and critical comments I made about Clinton in 2008. Yes, based on her campaign not disavowing things like the horrid statements towards Obama by the likes of Robert Johnson, founder of BET, led me to state that such a campaign made her morally unfit to be president, and even if she got the nomination I could not see myself voting for her.
The person who had the most right to be offended by things like that was Barack Obama. Instead he offered her one of the most important positions in his administration, in which she served with distinction for four years, leaving office with such a high approval rating that as we now know the Benghazi Committee was set up with specific purpose of driving her poll numbers down because otherwise she would be unbeatable.
Clinton is a different candidate this time. She has grown in positive ways. So have I. I am no longer quite as prone to such extreme statements, in part because teaching as I do high needs children I know how many times I have to forgive them and give them more chances, lest we lose them and/or they give up on themselves.
I have not attacked Bernie Sanders, nor will I. That I chose not to do an issue by issue comparison is my choice, it is how I choose to make my decision. I operate strongly by my extroverted intuition, perhaps even more than I do by rationality. Although I may make very cogent and rational arguments, it is usually after the fact, that is I can come up with a rational explanation even though I did not make the decision based purely on cogitation.
I have also not attacked Martin O’Malley nor will I.
If others want to do compare and contrast as a means of trying to persuade others, that’s fine, but the kinds of argumentation I saw on the thread of my diary bothered me, and that is from people on both sides of the primary divide. There are far too many people interested in finding “gotchas” or focusing on the latest perceived gap or supposed smoking gun.
Another important point, one that cuts another way. Yes, I have been here a long time registering in November 2003. Some of my diaries have gotten lots of recs and comments. Some people perhaps respect what I have to offer, perhaps on education, perhaps on other topics. And yet there are those people who come into my diaries precisely because they expect to disagree with me. I understand that.
That I am a long-time member and some people may hold me in high regard does not mean I should be immune from criticism. Hell, I have put up some real stinker diaries. Perhaps one might suggest that given my track record in this community if you have an initial reaction that is negative, you might want to inquire before you blast me. I would respond that such an approach might be relevant to anyone that you have not already determined to be trolling and instigating. Sometimes people are just awkward with their expressions, and a polite inquiry or gentle prodding leads to a far more salutary outcome for all.
The purpose of my diary was to explain myself, what my decision was and why. Some people totally ignored one key part of the posting, which was when I was talking about not expecting perfection and relating my experience with the monks on Mount Athos in Greece. Others totally misinterpreted the point of my mentioning what I jokingly said to a friend. Please note — the key thing in that passage is that i was making a joking remark, not actively seeking a benefit of any kind for myself.
One reason I have not been posting as much has been because of how much the site has been consumed by the primary pie-fight. Having been through that twice before, I decided I was not inclined to spend much of the declining time I have left engaging in such exchanges.
I have not yet read all the comments. I have been through the first 650 or so, but I find the current set-up not conducive to gaining access just to those comments I have not previously read. I do not know how many more of the remaining several hundred I will get to reading.
I am not complaining about how people reacted. I am noting that there were several things going on that I did not view as productive.
Vote for whomever you want, for whatever reason you want. But remember I am not you, I do not think like you, my priorities as to what is important may not be the same as your priorities. I am prepared to give others beniefif of the doubt when we disagree. When I note a statement that is erroneous, I may well just write something like “umm, I think you are wrong, and here’s why:...” that leaves open the possibility of further dialog.
Oh, and one more thing — I react very negatively to those who insist I undertake some kind of exercise that they are proposing — a “homework” assignment as one person said. Agree with me or not, that’s your choice. Advocate forcefully for your candidate. Compare and contrast if that is how your mind works. But again, I am not you, so please do not attempt to impose your way of thinking on me.
I am not offended. I am amused. I did say early in the thread that I suspected I might get flamed. So be it.
I am more concerned by how this may affect casual visitors to this site, people who might be turned off to progressive ideas and candidates based on how their advocates treat other people. Keep that in mind.
And now, my race (for the evening) is run, and I am going to bed, where I will appreciate the warmth and the white noise of a purring cat or two.
Peace.