A Kerry-hating group I used to be in has died. Is it wrong I'm happy?

[BlueIris]

Poll question: A Kerry-hating group I used to be in has died. Is it wrong I'm happy?

Some context: as I may have mentioned here before, a grassroots organization I volunteered for regularly during the campaign days of 2004 contained more than a few folks who didn't love John Kerry. I didn't know that when I started volunteering for them. I figured it out as the summer and fall of '04 wore on, and after the election, when the members started turning every meeting into an open-mike bash-fest about Kerry's "mistakes," often basing their complaints on half-truths or lies, I couldn't take it any more and bailed. I was fine with the fact that not all of them supported the Democrats 100% 24-7, or that not all of them loved Kerry specifically, but I didn't feel their hatred for the man was justified, and I stopped feeling like their approach to supporting Progressives would work if they didn't at least generally support ALL Progressives (including those who are still liberal Democrats, let alone our best ones). Also, the lies about Kerry bugged me; I felt the leaders in the groups had an obligation to represent...reality. How can you be effective as a Progressive anything if you don't even have basic facts about key members of the Senate? I had also had stressful disputes with several members of the group, including those who took information I asked not be given to anyone except members of that specific branch of the organization and basically flung it to the four winds. One year after I last attended any meeting, I am STILL getting phone calls at my unlisted number for candidates I have zero interest in supporting (not all of whom are Dems). It is my opinion that many folks in this group had issues with anger management, respecting others, teamwork, women, authority figures and general maturity (this despite the fact that the average member was 45+ years old). However, I acknowledge that there were at least a few people there I really liked and admired, whose hearts were in the right place, and the decision to leave them was hard for me because I feel the group is (or, as I have just discovered, was) one of the only groups in my region getting any substantive work done to oppose Republican hegemony.

After checking my e-mail tonight, (I still maintain contact with one group member and I remain on their mailing list) I found out that the group essentially imploded last week. The reports are still a little sketchy, but it appears that there was some kind of a schism between, I'll guess, the Democrats or at least Democrat-friendly, and the aggressive Kerry/Dem haters. Conflicts erupted, chaos ensued and I doubt the group with recover. I'm trying to feel bad, but I can't. Collectively, there was basically no Kerry support, and I can't reconcile not supporting Kerry with effective Progressivism.

Is it wrong that I'm kind of glad the group dissolved?

[MH1]

1. Had to say "other"

I think it's fine for you to be happy about it - sounds like this may be a group that was doing more harm than good. Except that you say it "one of the only groups in my region getting any substantive work done to oppose Republican hegemony." Well who was doing that work? Probably not the ones doing the lying and complaining. And if it was them, well maybe they will learn something about teamwork now, and do a better job with the next groups they join, start, or take over. And if the liars and complainers were just dragging the group down, then I'm sure the more effective people will get another group together soon and continue the efforts, and maybe do a better job next time of squashing the b.s.

I think it's possible to have a positive progressive group that doesn't support Democrats in general or even the better of certain Democrats (like Kerry). But it's a very small niche - they'd really have to be working on specific issues. And if they spend all their time tearing down Democrats, then they're probably counterproductive. But I have no real problem with a group that says, "we believe x, and the Democrats won't do squat for us, so we're on our own and we'll do it without them." Then as long as they go do that, i.e. actually work to further their declared issue rather than spend their time tearing down others, I have no problems with them - other than that I probably disagree with their position on the issue.

[BlueIris]

2. Oh, yeah, I guess I should have clarified that the organization

wasn't one that represented any specific public policy or social issue (ie; any issues of choice, GLBT rights and support, environmental concerns). They want "Progressive candidates in office." They were using the broadest possible definition of Progressivism so as to rope in as many anti-Republican people as possible and involve them in awareness-raising activities, as well as voter-registration, meetings with the community interested in finding out about anti-Republican movements, and the campaigns of "Progressives" this fall, (most of the candidates they're supporting this time are actually Democrats). I guess I should have also clarified that yes, I felt it was doing more harm than good, if it wanted to be Progressive, but contained a few members actively opposed to and antagonistic toward the Democraty Party.

[sandnsea]

3. Email group

Now that you mention it, the Oregonians4Kerry email list has sort of died too. I get one occasionally, but not like during the election and the flip to Dean right afterwards. It was always kind of brutal towards Kerry too. Maybe I should go ahead and start using the list for Kerry and other Dem info. Never thought about it, but since it's not being used anyway, I guess that wouldn't be considered a hostile take-over.

[ginnyinWI]

4. I guess I take a Darwinian view--

If a group isn't working well, it should die. And probably a better one will take its place--there are a lot out there. If there is a felt need, there will be a group for it.

I agree with you point about respect for facts. I always thought liberals stood up for the facts and for using reason--in other words, their brains. Sometimes Dems/Progressives drift off further and further left, and get into the land where emotions seem to drive things. I mean, it's fine to feel passionately about an issue or a cause--just don't let emotions into the driver's seat. Let it ride shotgun, with rationality at the wheel.

[_dynamicdems]

5. Nothing wrong with being happy the group dissolved. It doesn't sound

like it was a very productive group if you had members sitting around carping on Kerry and other Dems. Progressive is only progressive if you actively seek progress. Now the members who actually had a desire to accomplish something are free to form a new group with like-minded individuals.

You are probably feeling guilty because you wanted something to fail, but there is nothing wrong with wanting to see something that isn't working go away. Isn't this how we all feel about the Bush Administration?