ByeBye to DU2

[Mass]

This place has been a sunny place for the last six years. I just got a look at the DU3 website and am not sure I will make the transition. Too hard for me to use, and without the history of the last 6 years, too much data lost.

So, bye bye.

[karynnj]

1. I have to agree with you

I hadn't realized that they would not archive the history - that really stinks. I have found in recent years, that many things lost elsewhere exist in the 4 paragraph excerpts. A lot will be lost. I wonder how long access to this version will exist.

I also hate that there is a forced merger of GD and GDP. Split, they have developed entirely different characters. Combined, I fear that the negative flaming anyone not the flavor of the month as DINO or DLC will prevail.

[Luftmensch067]

2. Wow. I hadn't realized it would be so sudden!

And on JK's birthday, too. Hope he's having a good day (do you think he's still in Egypt?) If people like Mass and Karynnj don't transfer over to DU3, I won't see much point in it! And it would be a shame to lose our history. I wonder if there's way we can preserve it using some internet tool... At least what's here right now, since they seem to have closed the Archives.

I hope we can find another place to gather if DU3 isn't it. I don't know if I can get through 2012 without all of you!

[karynnj]

3. I will post there - at least I can't imagine not doing so

I mainly am very unimpressed that there are any real improvements - and I think the foirced merger of GD and GDP. It did not take a genius to see that they had two very different cultures. GD was far more to the left and far more mercurial with people living to be outraged. GDP was a place where you could have a reasonable dialogue - which is why I along with many others posted everything there - even if I could not justify the connection to the President. One problem on GD was that any serious thread sank far too fast to really reach enough people interested in it. But, there have been people already calling for two forumns earlier this week.

The Kerry group is not really changed. The question is whether there will be enough of us who see a reason to be there if the rest of DU becomes not that interesting. As it is, there has been dimininished activity here. What has been unusual is not that the group is far less read and posted on, but that it has been a strong group for 7 years now. What is remarkable is that it has served so many purposes over that time - from early days where we all recovered from the pain of the 2004 loss and the heartless way the Democratic party treated the Senator to a year when it looked like there was a long shot chance for 2008 to backing Kerry in a Senate run, mavelling in how strongly he supported Obama. Then the joy of the 2008 election - that for me were coupled with the idea that DU JK was over - as he likely would move to the Secretary of State job. These last years have been a roller coaster of emotions.

The amazing thing for me is that my respect for Senator Kerry increases seeing him continuing to serve even when prizes that should in all fairness have been his went to others. I am not sure I would have noticed had it not been for finding this group. That, in itself, means something as the norm for elected people are that they disappoint by not living up to what they were supposed to be. (This even though I know part of the problem is that sometimes they never said that they were what we wanted them to be.)

Beyond that, this group was and will always be important to me. I have been continuously impressed by the people from here when I get a chance to meet them. There has been something about the group that has drawn very good people who want to understand the issue and disscuss it honestly - even if some of us sometimes find our position not in agreement with Senator Kerry's.

At any rate, I hope the group does continue on the new site. I also noticed that if you click "search" on the new site, it takes you here. That may now be just a holding place, but I hope it means that they will include the last decade plus in their searches. It is odd, but there are actually many topics where searching DU is better than anything else in finding what was said real time on various events.

Forgot to say that I actually missed that it was Kerry's birthday! I hope it was a good birthday and that this year will be a good one. We do know one future happy event - he will become a grandfather. Speaking of Kerry with young kids, I noticed that a juvenile diabetes group posted this story of meeting the Senator. http://jdrfpromise.org/meeting-summaries/18004 I had seen this a few days ago, but thought it was not really news - just another good meeting with his constituents, but the comments were just too good to ignore.

Here is the best one<

on JDRF Promise To Remember Me Campaign last month

Senator Kerry was one of the most caring, warm and patient Senator we have ever met. Our daughter Allie was one of the children who were fortunate enough to meet him. He took the time to listen to each child speak and accepted a GREAT big hug from Allie and gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek as he thanked her for the drawing that she made him. Senator Kerry followed up with a letter promising to remember Allie and that he was going to hang the picture up in his office. Thank you Senator Kerry for taking the time to listen to all of the children and their families. It was truly an honor to meet you. Thank you for all your support.

http://disqus.com/guest/c2bc1a7cf5989a94fdbcdfc2d66b6958/

So, in addition to the distinguished statesman, this is who he is.