I've Learned Some Important Lessons This Week On DU. You Should Have Too.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

For example:

Fighting over Cynthia Mckinney isn't the problem... ...The MSM is.

The battle over immigration is not the issue... ...having too lax laws and loopholes that encourage and enable corporations and sleezeballs to take advantage of immigrants by being able to not follow wage laws, labor laws, insurance laws and hiring laws is the issue.

Scalia giving an obscene gesture is not the problem... ...Having a lack of laws that thereby enable companies and entities to fire someone who thinks the truth is important, is the problem.

Fighting about whether Feingold's censure resolution was appropriate, well planned, well executed, or well intended, is not the issue... ...the fact that probably 80% of americans don't know a fiftieth of the reasons why * should be censured, is the issue.

Forging scathing bitter battles about why men should or shouldn't be allowed to debate the abortion issue is not where the problem lies... ...Having legislatures that are allowed to use religious malarky as the basis of their laws, is.

Fighting over the heritage of the confederate flag isn't the problem... ...Realizing that racism is every bit as prevalent now as then, North, South and in between, is the problem

Fighting over who will be our candidate in 08 and if they'd be worthy, is not the issue... ...wondering if regardless we'll have voting mechanisms that actually record our votes accurately without compromising the very fabric of what democracy is, is most definitely the issue.


See, I've learned a lot this week. I've learned we can lose focus realllllly quickly in these trying times. But lets take a breath and think things through for where the focus should be. We need to take back both houses. We need congress in 06, period. Not much time left. No matter how much we fight, bicker, and be all around petty on here, at the end of the day we have the same fight and goals for the most part. You are all my DU brothers and sisters in arms and I'm proud to fight alongside with each of you. We need to remember, it is not us, and it is not our party, that are the biggest violators of crimes against humanity and overall global destruction, deceit, criminal acts, and greedy behavior while forsaking the needy. That's them. We need to take them out. We all need to help. I hope we all refocus, as it is already April and there is not much time left.

Good night DU, God Bless You All, And Please, Remember with each daily battle we fight here, what the real outcome and focus of that battle should be.

[ThomCat]

1. Um. Well said.

That's all.

[QC]

2. I learned that disagreeing with certain people here makes one a heartless,

cruel "rethuglican" xenophobe.

I certainly don't want to be one of those, so I am going to start running my opinions past that enlightened little crew of loud-but-gentle souls before expressing them. One can never be too safe.

[Mythsaje]

4. You know what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like this...

"Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke."

[Memory Container]

15. And if that doesn't work...

"Joke 'em if they can't take a fuck."

[Minnesota Libra]

19. I like that - alot - and I agree too - unfortunately I don't see much....

....difference between how DU deals with disagreements and those flames wars go over at that other neocon place.:puke:

[sweetheart]

28. knowing what you mean

When people are heartless thuggish trolls,
ambient mortals mean no harm, time awaiting,
people who've not known a hard life, utterly droll,
the rhetorical war, election's outrageous baiting.
Framed the enemy in a thousand sights,
its necessary to cut it up for the reader's taking,
when you're comfortable with free ideas and rights,
no man or woman's mutterings leaves your heart shaking.

Yet between the poles of fearful engagement,
and utter despair, we prefer the political *anything*
even if its mutterings given the state of electoral enragement,
so let's beat each other (time and again) over time, belated thing.
Take no personal feelings to heart with the remarks,
spent bullet casings, practice at a targeted watermark.

[ContraBass Black]

31. Or a "troublemaking" "assole".

Glad you've learned your lesson. Get back in line.

[Pacifist Patriot]

32. Then there are those of us...

who are so oblivious we wouldn't notice if dogmatic idiots proclaim us to be rethuglian xenophobes or not.

Cheers!

[Mythsaje]

3. I've been forced to take a bit of a break...

My schedule change has put me in a totally different time frame to post, and I've not wanted to either beat a dead horse, or post positive stuff while people are busy throwing flaming venom around for shits and giggles.

I know who my enemies are and they're not here.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

6. Agreed. Quick Question Though,

May I ask what you do for a living? (schedule change)

[Mythsaje]

7. I lost my regular job as a delivery driver...

picked up a (hopefully) temp to hire job in a supply warehouse in a local hospital a few weeks back.

Frankly I prefer this job. It pays a little better, doesn't eat up our dwindling fuel supplies, and I'm doing something that helps people more or less directly.

My ultimate dream is to make it writing, but, until that happens, I'm doing the daily grind like everyone else.

[druidity33]

12. speaking of writing...

I've been waiting for you to assemble your journal as i've often enjoyed your posts and sometimes want to quote you... have you been working on it? Is it part of your plan? Kudos on the new gig... hope it works out.

[Mythsaje]

33. My journal's together...

I've posted most of the things I thought worthy.

[sandnsea]

5. Very true, good post k/r

[Hekate]

8. Well said! Excellent post -- K&R

:hi:

We need to keep our eyes on the prize.

Hekate

[Trevelyan]

9. Well said but... left out the year long covert repig battle to get rid of

term limits for prez introduced and sponsored by repig judiciary chairman sensenbrenner who thwarts Conyers at every turn.

WILL WE HAVE AN "ELECTION" with or without diebold in 2008? or will it be cancelled due to "terrorism created new conditions" a latest breaking news yesterday is this bush campaign reported in wapo. Not an April Fools joke and really the most important issue.

[file83]

10. K&R, OMC - Well put buddy.

[NMMNG]

11. Bravo, very well said!

:applause:

[cali]

13. Eloquent and spot on.

Thanks, my friend.

cali

[Heidi]

14. I hope we can keep this thread kicked

for as long as it takes for all of us to remember who we are, what we stand for, and who the _real_ enemies of freedom are.

Thank you OPERATIONMINDCRIME. :thumbsup:

Nominated.

[frustrated_lefty]

16. Well said. k&R.

[kiteinthewind]

17. Great post!! Thanks.

[stickdog]

18. Don't forget, nitpicking each other is not as much fun as net hammering

Kaloogian!

[file83]

26. This week, I learned that Istanbul is NOT Baghdad.

;-)

[mzmolly]

20. Very nice.

:toast:

[WHAT]

21. Thanks for saying that...

after a few posts, the talk degenerates to spamming.

:thumbsup:

[Land Shark]

22. In each example in the OP, one general thing is common to all

The real issue is that the process is corrupted or that we need to police the process more, including the processes of providing quality information via the media, etc.

with better media, for example, religious malarkey would not be totally absent (freedom allows it) but it would have a very short shelf life in almost all cases.

[IndyOp]

23. A *most* excellent post --

And I will add that I think the extent to which we think "Dems are spineless" also hinges on media -- Dems will stand when the people know what is really happening...

The corrupt media is key...

Consider signing up to get email from (or donate) to:

Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting
http://www.fair.org/index.php

Media Matters
http://mediamatters.org/

:kick:

[robinlynne]

24. Thank-you for saying this.

well put.

[whatelseisnew]

25. k&r

[robertpaulsen]

27. OMC, I've always liked your posts. This is one of my favorites.

I not only agree completely with what you say, I most wholeheartedly appreciate how you say it. Everyone with an open mind and an open heart should have their sense of focus recalibrated by reading your post. I know I did.

Thank you, OPERATIONMINDCRIME! Let's keep fighting the good fight!

[LeahD]

29. "We need to take back both houses. "

Absolutely! We need to dig in our heels and work for the Dems in our states.

[goclark]

30. Blow me over with a feather and K and R !

As a school teacher it is the ultimate joy when LEARNERS see things in a way that they had not seen them before ~ hopefully,they see issues with a new perspective - that perspective could even be wearing a "tin hat" like Einstein wore, willing to keep an open mind, seek to understand.

I am not calling myself the teacher in this instance, I have always considered myself a LEARNER even when I was standing before a class of students.

I wish to be a LIFE LONG LEARNER, always open to new ideas, always willing to express my opinion(goclark never had a problem doing that at all :)) but always trying to see both sides of the issue.

And, when the political future of America is concerned, I always want to keep my eye on the prize!

I want to see the Democratic Party as a rainbow of ideas and people. I want to see the World that way, IMO that is the only way that we can coexist on this planet in the 21st Century and beyond.

I want to see a world of push/pull but still a world of compassion for others. I believe that most Democrats see the World this way, if not, we would all look alike and act alike, like Republicans do. :)

I realize that others don't see the world through African American eyes so I try to help DU to understand the point of view from people with a different hue.

Granted,unless you've lived inside the soul of our ancestors,it must be mighty hard to see the passion that we bring to the Political Round Table.

But please THINK a bit before you touch a key to say that Cynthia McKinney is crazy today when you loved her for standing up against the WAR last week.

I can feel the passion of the Hispanic workers who wanted to come to this country to seek a better life. I have not lived their pain but I sure do feel it.

And, it hurts like a thorn to hear and read what the public is saying about Hispanic People, some of whom may have wiped the brows of our loved one before he/she took their last breath while in hospital care.

I am reminded of a Hospice worker who was cleaning the room of my dearest uncle when I walked into his room the last day of his life. She was cleaning that room like it was a palace for a King!

When I thanked her from the bottom of my heart for what she was doing, she looked at me gently and said," Everyone is put here on earth for a reason, I am an artist , an artist that uses my hands to paint the room beautiful."

I will NEVER forget what she said and I can't tell you how often I remember her saying that to me. We never know who will be there to help us, or our loved ones.

We just need to live our lives like artists, painting pictures of passion, compassion and loveliness for the world.

PEACE

[Brazenly Liberal]

34. 90% agreement. K&R

I think the "debates" serve a good purpose, but beyond them, ya gotta remember how to find and hold the focus overall.

[lildreamer316]

35. Kicky.

[Singular73]

36. People on DU/Freepers are naive

It isn't about Truth.

Politicians know that.

[VelmaD]

37. I learned that if a woman doesn't want...

her husband to fuck her while she's unconscious that she must not be putting out at all and that men should have the right to sex from their wives whenever they want it. Who knew? :shrug:

Oh and to piggy-back on one of your points...on the abortion thing...it isn't just legilatures using religious malarkey to make laws that's the problem...it's that sexism is just as prevalent as it ever was.

[Swamp Rat]

38. Personally I don't give a shit if Mckinney called him a white trash honkey

piece of monkey dung on a cracker and punched him in the balls causing permanent damage.

I WANT OUR LEVEES FIXED AND UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE!!!

[autorank]

40. Swamp Rat, I think she left out "monkey" -- Right. Fix the country now!

[Swamp Rat]

41. HEY!

How's TIA?

[autorank]

44. HEyHEY

Last word was from his sister here.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=621028#735123

I'm assuming that is good news and we'll just have to wait to hear more. It was three weeks between his last post and the first contact with me so patience is a virtue here.

Hope you are well.

Now go recommend this puppy;)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2548260

[autorank]

39. Excellent!!!! Recommended!!!! n/t

[Amaryllis]

42. K and R

[Name removed]

43. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

45. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[omega minimo]

46. Such a rallying cry

is weakened if it excludes a specific segment of DU or certain issues.

"...misunderstood the OP to imply we couldn't have opinions that weren't 100% focused on issues all the time always no matter what"

This misrepresentation underlines the fact that certain issues (by some) are seen as non-issues or fair game. That is a problem, fer sure, if those same "non-issues" and those they concern are treated differently because of the attitude.

If we are honestly going to draw together and find common ground, not only with each other, but among various issues, we will find ourselves also treating each other in a respectful manner that reflects our common goals and priorities. It's called integrity.

To cover mistreatment with platitudes discredits the unifying message and accusing others of one's own tactics is disingenuous, to say the least.

All the issues that affect all of us are interconnected. The sooner that is recognized and respected, the better the spirit expressed in this thread will be manifested.

:think:

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

51. I Thank You For Agreeing With My OP And Am Glad To See You Do.

What you just wrote above is very much in agreement with what I wrote to begin with. I'm pleasantly surprised to have your support with my message.

The only point of note I'd make is that debating, bickering, battling, disagreeing and discussion of a wide array of issues is a huge part of what makes DU as amazing as it is, when done within reason. I don't see anything wrong with those concepts and disagree that those things shouldn't exist at all; but at some point we need to look past them and find the common ground. My point was that the battles and bickering should be temporary and never taken so seriously to lose sight that we are all on the same page and generally fighting towards the same goal. Judging from the responses and recommendations of this thread it appears it was a strong and well received message. The overwhelming majority of DU'ers know exactly why they're here and what's most important, and I'm proud to not only fight right beside them and face the challenges together with them, but also proud to know they are right there with me too.

God bless.

[omega minimo]

52. The question was how that attitude is consistent

with the attacking post example provided. Your only answer seemed to be:

"...misunderstood the OP to imply we couldn't have opinions that weren't 100% focused on issues all the time always no matter what"

Again, this misrepresentation underlines the fact that certain issues (by some) are seen as non-issues or fair game. That is a problem, fer sure, if those same "non-issues" and those they concern are treated differently because of the attitude.

It would help if you can address that in/consistency.

thank you

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

53. Honestly? It Makes No Sense.

Not sure where there is any reference to certain issues being non-issues or fair game, so I'm uncertain as to your intent or desire.

[bpilgrim]

47. there's plenty more where that came from...

:hug:

peace

[goclark]

49. There will always be people that sit under bridges nt

[Tsiyu]

48. And I've learned that on DU there is a lot of

sexism, racism, fantasy thinking and a lack of desire to change any of those traits.

I don't need preaching. I don't need a patronizing dismissal of all that is wrong with my country.

I ned to see people who will understand REALITY and take a good, long look at themselves to see where they are part of the bad part of that REALITY.

I'm not going to shut up. I'm not going to back down. If your opinion sucked yesterday, I'll be sure to tell you it sucks today, tomorrow and every day after that UNTIL IT SINKS IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[madokie]

50. I've learned and relearned that there is just some opinion you want to

keep to yourself unless you have very thick skin. But I don't mind I'll just be glad when I have them all figured out so I won't have to put on the old asbestos suit so much. All in all DU rocks
:yourock:
glad to be here