I am watching, before my very eyes, something I am seeing, but having a hard time

[Ninga]

understanding.

I don't know how to guide, or advise, or encourage, or support any of you. Because you are a faceless group of people who are only known by your screen names.

if I were to give my first and last name to you, and you googled it, you would find several pages of information about my public service, the meetings I have chaired and the organizations I have supported, given money to and stood in public and supported. You would read about the first time I ran for public office and lost very badly. But you would also read about 2 elections I won.
All my failures have been memorialized on the internet. In black and white. For the whole world to see.

I have political battle scars, and my ego has been bruised and battered. But I still can not understand the overwhelming defeatist attitude which is pervasive.

I am a white woman, who just turned 64 last week. i took to the streets in protest of Vietnam, and watched TV in horror as the fire hoses turned on the peaceful protest in Selma, Ala.

I have been in the car, when a Harvard lawyer, was pulled over and profiled by the police in the very town I live it. It was a horrible experience. Just recently, as I was canvassing, my partner who was a woman of color, had a homeowner open the door and send out dogs as she walked up the drive way to drop lit.

My father was a union man, and I am his daughter. i went to Detroit and walked the picket line when the writers and employees of the Detroit News went on strike. Talk about people who had the right to be bitter, the union tried to break them, and rather than capitulate, they walked away from their jobs. In droves. Strangers like me, had to feed them and raise money so they could buy diapers, and toys at Christmas. Wives had breast cancer, and children needed health care, but they believed in what they were doing and would not let the company break them.

I have had the privilege of watching such commitment and passion first hand. And I have tried to learn from my American brothers and sisters how to get up and start all over again.

Tell me what I would find, if I googled your name. I want to know what you have done personally, that has shaped your opinions.

Are your opinions based on experience, or just emotional over bloating, hidden by your screen name.

I believe that for as much good the internet does, it can be destructive.

The insidious nature of being anonymous, produces alter egos in forums such as this, just like the Wizard of Oz. When the curtain is pulled back, the wizard was not the giant of his big booming voice, but a little man.

I take the risk of saying this now, because it is not stopping.

The crying and protesting and degrading just goes on and on and on. I watch in wonder as people mired in self pity offer no solutions, no brainstorming, no kind words for the other side, and have escalated personal attacks. They feel empowered and are encouraged to continue by others who take vicarious pleasure in watching how the attacks land blows.

I recognize this as a very gamy situation, that has turned inward, and ugly.

[Catchawave]

1. Did you post this in GD-P ?

Not sure why this is here :shrug: Can we just be pissed off Edwards Democrats for awhile longer?

[LiveLiberally]

2. I appreciate very much your post. Ninga

And no, if you were to google my name, you would not find a long list of public service, for which I admire & applaud you. (You have some years on me

so I can still strive to do more.) What you would find is a teacher, who strives each year to teach 600-700 college students about

political democracy, human rights, and the ways in which the divisions of race, class, and gender have historically hampered the extension of both,

both in the U.S. and globally. It is his emphasis on poverty & socio-economic inequality -- particularly from the perspective of the working-class

-- that first drew me to John Edwards. That priority, alas, is now being neglected by the remaining contenders and the race has sunk into a

a morass of charges of racism and sexism that demeans both of them. And we "underground" are being flooded by the same partisan muck, encouraged by

our anonymity to adopt a sink-or-swim mentality that eschews rational discussion in favor of the blog equivalent of 30-second sound bites (emphasis

on the bite!)

And yet, I confess, I remain optimistic about this election. I find my DU home in this forum (and not on either of the other two candidates' forums)

because I still believe that Edwards best embodies my principles and I am convinced that he still has an influential role to play in this election

and in the next democratic administration (irrespective of who wins the nomination.) I am inspired by my students, who are typically so apathetic to

politics, both in life and in the classroom. (My favorite student comment on an evaluation: "The professor makes the material much more interesting

than it really is.") This election, they are engaged, they are mobilized, and I am convinced -- again, irrespective of who wins the democratic

nomination -- they will vote. And I am remain inspired -- and somewhat comforted at this point in the primary campaign -- by my study of past

efforts to reshape the dynamics of power (even in relatively modest ways). It has never been easy; it has never been without rancor (if not open

revolt.) The internet and 24-hour news cycles have just exacerbated the process by giving all of us front row seats and lots of rotten

veggies to throw at the contenders. Especially here in DU. Which does not inspire me. Well, that's not entirely true. Posts like yours do. Thanks

for sharing.

[Two Americas]

3. interesting Ninga

You and I have may have crossed paths, since your story is so similar to mine.

I am not in favor of outing people, because there are many who are at risk or vulnerable in so many ways. I do see the phenomenon you are talking about, and I personally know people here who are quite accomplished and experienced - as opposed to credentialed or necessarily "successful" - yet who are treated like dirt. They are often treated like dirt by those with the most impressive liberal credentials and resumes. To some extent this goes to the heart of what we admire, or what we consider to be successful or worthy of recognition. Some of the people who have made the greatest contributions over the years have paid a heavy price for that, since often success and accomplishment in gentrified liberal circles is contradictory to actual meaningful accomplishment.

The crying and protesting and degrading just goes on and on and on. I watch in wonder as people mired in self pity offer no solutions, no brainstorming, no kind words for the other side, and have escalated personal attacks. They feel empowered and are encouraged to continue by others who take vicarious pleasure in watching how the attacks land blows.

Not sure whom you are talking about here. If you are talking about that hatefest going on over in GD-P then I know what you mean and agree with you.