... And not just on the endless Republican self-centered policies that, by design, serve and strengthen their own interests at the expense of all others, and therefore weaken democracy.
For most people it is not possible to understand how so many have gone so far, in lock-step, from the center, from reason and even from their own (claimed) values that originally justified their beliefs and policies. Regardless of the issue, whether it be guns, gays, race, religion or etc... The goal posts have been and continue to be moved so far afield in the unending quest to "win", absolutely, by any and all means, that, quite simply they are no longer on the same field or even playing the same game. One day, maybe not soon, but there will be a day that they will run out of things to look forward to and will be forced to look back. By that time, whether there is anything left to see, is hard to say.
But at this time, there still is.
And as much as we each and all have to go forward and do what we can in the ways we believe to be the best, at this time, so too (as unequivocally proven by the alternative described above), we must also, always, look back. For all the reasons why it is necessary to know where you are and how you got there, to know how best to proceed. (and of course also, at least periodically, to likewise be sure you can still see the goal posts).
I have been reading this blog daily for at least 18 years. I haven't written a diary for at least 10 and it was so long since I logged in to post that I didn't even have the email address to recover my password. But, for whatever reason, I remembered it today.
I know my writing skills pale in comparison to the countless many here that amaze me daily both in content and clarity of expression of issues that are what affect us all. There are more authors on this blog than I can count that I constantly look forward to reading their next post. And so too are there so many who are new, or just write a few, that have, over the years, been just as informative and important.
I do not expect this diary to be either, as it really is about nothing more (at least to me) than common sense and respect.
So, that brings me to the purpose of this post. Of course I call BS on all that is obvious, of which most here will agree. But this is something less obvious, but not any less BS...
... What (I feel) needs to be called BS here, daily, in many if not most comment sections, is the unending BS comments by many who get stuck and cannot see past their own point of view and find it necessary, regardless what the topic of the diary is, to devolve the conversation into some rehash of some past finger-pointing, pie-fight, meta (as in pointless) debate over a difference of opinion to (for no other reason I can see) justify their own or score "points" with others who share their view.
I call BS on that BS.
Because, it is. Most recently it was people calling out those that voted for Jill Stein in that diary today, but honestly, (and as I said, I've been lurking here for nearly 20 years), the same BS has been going on and will continue to unless we start calling it what it is. BS.
It is one thing to have an opinion and share it. If not all agree, then it is important, to all sides, to learn why and to discuss what matters to each. It is something else entirely to deride, dismiss and make derogatory comments about another's opinion, or who they supported in the primaries, 18 months ago now, or any other similar regressive BS that does nothing to move the conversation forward, and in fact, it does everything to hold it back.
The truth is, there has been so much of this on this site over the past few years that I firmly believe it was instigated by outside influences for the sole purpose of creating discord and distraction. It is no different than the efforts made to do so on Facebook and Twitter and everywhere else and, unfortunately, it seems it works almost as well on progressives as those that are not.
Personally, I, at times, have found it so disturbing to read the BS, whether in comments or diaries from new posters... and even veterans, that I literally could no longer read this site. Although (it appears), much of that is over, it also appears that many still have learned nothing from it and continue to find it necessary to point out whose opinion was “right" or wrong in debates that haven't mattered for over a year.
It is total BS.
The fact is, everyone's opinions evolve (or should), and if yours haven't and you have nothing to say that contributes to the evolution and progress of each of us, thus all of us, than don't waste our time distracting us with your repetitive and regressive point of view.
In almost all ways Democrats are the polar opposites of Republicans, which means we are inclusive not exclusive.
We are the "big tent" party. Our strength is our diversity in every way, including our opinions. We each have our own, which some often claim is our weakness because we do not "fall in line" to vote like republicans do. Well, I for one, do not want to follow that line away from reality driven by fear and faith which can not and will not end well.
Likewise, I do not want to be distracted from what matters and divided by what doesn't by (what I can only say are many) who cannot see past their own point of view, much less respect others that do not share it. It is not those who voted for Jill Stein or any other particular individual decision that causes Democrats to loose elections.
It is those that hold past decisions against one another, that do not respect (and appreciate) that we each have our own opinions, that choose not to try to include these differences in views and evolve, but instead choose to use these differences as excuses and to exclude... It is these who cause us to loose.
So whenever I come across this here and elsewhere I will call it out for what it is:
BS.
Now is the time to, and I hope others will too.