The Doctor.
The Doctor.'s Journal"If You Don't Want to be Reminded of an Unpleasant Reality, Don't Ask to be Reminded"
I'm just trying to be helpful here and explain why people will respond the way they do to anti-Obama sentiment on DU.
I expect that we're going to hear more about how awful, unworthy, and what a big 'mistake' it was to vote for Obama now that the NDAA is going to the President. I'd be willing to bet, as it turned out with the HCRA, that upon inspection we're going to learn that it is not the catastrophe people are making it out to be. Happy about it I am not, but Obama has shown us a track record that proves he is doing the best job of holding up the interests of The People that he can. Now that's just my opinion, and I know this issue is going to get beaten to death in the next several weeks, but that's not the point of this post...
First things first: There has been a high level of dishonesty on the issue of supporting Obama, so I'm going to head off possibly the most dishonest tactic first: I'm not telling anyone to 'shut up' or 'keep your opinions to yourself'. I can always tell I'm standing on the correct side of an issue by how much the “other side” has to go out of their way to mischaracterize, conflate, and create strawmen. The "You just want me to shut up!" claim is perhaps the most dishonest tactic used. So let me be crystal clear here;
I don't want anyone to 'STFU' or withhold their earnest opinions. I would like everyone to express whatever facts, reason, logic, emotions, dreams, theories, bi-polar disorders, studies, faith, he-said/she-said, information, misinformation, disinformation, inclinations, opinions, maxims, poems, or zen koans that they wish to subject to the scrutiny of the DU community. Period. Anyone can say anything here that they want and then whine to their heart's content if what they say is subsequently hidden.
To the point: Obama is the President. He is also a Democrat. This message board is called 'Democratic Underground'. Next year we are going to have a national election where President Obama will face a Republican challenger. Obama has made progress and done significant good for the American people. The Republican challenger will very likely be one that will undo much of that good. Also, they will likely slash safety nets worse, roll back more regulations, allow for greater pollution, less competition and overall give more control of the government to corporations than anyone can even accuse Obama of.
We all on the same page?
Doesn't matter, this is the reality. If you really think that a Republican will not do worse things to this country than Obama, then you probably should ask yourself what you are even doing here. Again, to head off the inevitable BS: that applies ONLY to those who really think that Obama is no better than any of the Republican candidates or otherwise expresses no intention of voting for or supporting him. So please, if that isn't you, then save it. I have my disappointments in Obama, but I'm not detached enough from reality to think a Republican would be a better choice.
Right now, we are seeing the beginnings of a movement to fix what is truly broken in this nation. We know what that is: corporate control of the government. Both Republicans and Democrats seem to be in the thrall of corporations, lobbyists, and above all... big banks that somehow always get what they want. This movement is a very good thing and it means there is real hope of restoring control of the US to The People.
But that hasn't happened yet.
So, for the time being, and while we are doing many other things to change the paradigm, we only have two viable Parties and two people to realistically choose between for the presidency next year. Sorry if that is disheartening, but barring some sort of vast miracle or catastrophe, it's an inescapable fact.
Heading off the next strawman; I am not telling anyone how they should vote or who they should vote for. You can vote for whoever or whatever you want. Naturally, I am here because I believe that the best choice for office is Obama, as I presume is the reason most everyone else is here as well.
It is reasonable to assume that the candidate who receives the most support and performs the best will likely win the election and become or remain President. Here, on Democratic Underground, it is expected that we will all get behind the Democratic nominee.
Now for the next piece of BS to head off: No matter how you feel about that point, it is not 'authoritarian' to suggest that part of being on Democratic Underground is the expectation that one will support the Democratic candidate for President. To call such a suggestion 'authoritarian' is as asinine as saying that it's 'authoritarian' for a Pacifist Group to expect its members to be non-violent, or a basketball team to expect its members to play basketball rather than soccer on the court. Anyone who calls the assumption that people on Democratic Underqround should support Democrats 'authoritarian' has all the sense of someone that thinks they can bring baby-back ribs and veal to a vegan convention. We're on a Democratic message board where we're allowed to say what we want up until we voice opposition, tacit or deliberate, for Democratic causes. Supporting and re-electing Obama is one of those causes.
It's really that simple.
So here's the deal:
IF you do not want to be reminded that a Republican could win the White House if Obama does not have enough support, then do NOT say you refuse to support him or otherwise try to undermine enthusiasm or support for him here.
If you cannot restrain yourself, then when you are reminded of the above reality and whine that you're 'being told to shut up' or 'how to vote', or that you're 'being repressed by authority', please try to remember where you are. Because until undermining support for Obama is no longer tolerated on Democratic Underground, such complaints are just childish. Not that I have any expectation that everyone will actually take a step back and think about this. In fact, it is my experience that people love a good excuse to put on some righteous indignation and outrage.
But I have hope that, despite my 'tone', the vast majority of Duers are adults and will understand the substance of what I have said.
“If you don't want to hear it, don't ask for it.”
On edit, none of the Obama detractors seem to have grown up yet. (That doesn't mean 'earnest critics', but the underminers will still try to possess that label.)
My Favorite New Rule 'Adjustment' So Far...
From this:
To this:
Now isn't that just logical.
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Member since: Thu Jun 3, 2004, 09:00 PMNumber of posts: 17,266
