“Hothouse Flowers Are We” or...As the time ticks down to the shift to a “GE” Forum
I'm reminded of what happened here eight years ago as the Democratic Primaries came to an end and DU shifted to General Election mode.
I'm reminded because the same bitter divisions wreaked by the primary season have recurred this time around, just with different principals (although a surprising SOME are the same), but the same forum tactics manifesting themselves.
A LARGE group of DU'ers—albeit NOT a large group of the voting public (much to our chagrin, we tend to think of ourselves numerically as more than we actually are) felt increasingly isolated and embittered back then and went on “strike” against the site, decamping to another custom, closed built forum designed to specifically support their favored candidate and foster HATE for the then presumed nominee. They returned after their boycott after the presumptive nominee was declared and proceeded to b*tch and moan and mewl about vote theft, shady plots and bias, and yes...not only threatened to not vote for the Democratic nominee, but actually say HERE on DU that they would vote for John McCain to punish the party.
Then, the days counting down to the site's shift to a GE footing were dwindling to a scant few and the aggrieved seemed to throw all caution to the wind, penning a series of 'I'm leaving' posts, bragging about new, second-tier sites where they would be decamping to...which many of them did.
Those sites ceased to exist years ago as President Obama was elected and re-elected. In fact, some of those bitter folk are ironically here now—threatening to leave again as their new standard bearer's unfair treatment has left them no alternative. Never mind the fact that many of these folks previous candidate of choice is the one they NOW cannot abide.
In the end, it did NOT matter. DU as awesome as it is, is a small sampling of a hyper-activated group of concerned voters. There's a reason why the site is called “Democratic UNDERGROUND”. We, for all of our self-thought awesomeness are more than just a bit like hothouse flowers: spoiled just a bit, highly cultivated, more than a little “rare” and unusual, not quite the classic garden variety, often beautiful, but in much need of “special” circumstances or environs to thrive—i.e. this great site.
We represent the cutting edge of things, but certainly NOT the whole blade...yet we too often forget.
We will be FINE. Some will go off to other places and vent, some will stay here and self-immolate after years of contributions. Some will grave-dance and live, and others will go to far and join their opponents on “Boot Hill”. And yes, some will return after a time and we'll find THEM inexplicably trashing the candidate/champion they so love right now (as some did 8 years ago).
The only “purges” that will take place will be those forced on one's self. The rules are clear. Trying to fudge 'em or feigning misunderstanding or playing passive aggressive games will earn you the martyr's badge and maybe your 72 delegates in the message board hereafter. Those that are smart will observe the rules, remain here and operate like the site's name says—as an “Underground” operation designed to defeat the enemy, aka the GOP and their presidential nominee.
I've been a member since '04 and hadn't posted this year until now because of all the awful and terribly familiar venom I've seen here in General Discussion: Primaries.
The sincere hope is that as it did two terms ago, it ends as we move forward to the General Election and the new forum General Discussion: Presidential Election.
I'm sure it will. 
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