I've noticed something different recently

[lunatica]

I feel good. I feel positive and hopeful again. For years it's hurt to be an American. All through the Bush years and especially in the last couple of months when I could feel the knot of rage returning in my stomach. But In the last few weeks that's all changed. I read DU and I smile. Every photo of the demonstrations is like a breath of clean air.

Thank you DUers. And especially to those who have uploaded the photos. The people in them are my fellow hard working Americans. I'm very proud of that.

[PeaceNikki]

1. I personally thanked the 14 WI Senators for helping me regain my momentum and giving me REAL hope

after the soul-crushing defeat in November. :loveya: fab 14!

[babylonsister]

2. Rec'd! What you said, lunatica! nt

[notesdev]

3. It'll pass

You'll get screwed again soon and everything will be back to normal.

[lunatica]

4. Unions are alive and well, and that isn't going away

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Your cynicism is noted.

[Chorophyll]

9. So why bother even moving your fingers to type a comment?

[MedleyMisty]

6. I felt like that too

But then yesterday, after looking at pictures of the martyrs in Libya and realizing what we would be up against if our military and mercenaries were turned on us....

I'm feeling better again today, though. The display of support nationwide and the Madison police joining the protest helped a lot.

[Gregorian]

7. It feels good.

Wikileaks has me giddy. Like knowing your next four moves of chess are all safely yours. Like pulling the rug out from under a bully. We were down. Now there's hope. Big hope. It's more than just the union stuff, but the bigger picture. There's a ton to be unhappy about, but this is a glimpse of daylight.

[pacalo]

11. How about a shout-out to Anonymous, too!

They've got their eyes on Wisconsin. :)

[Chorophyll]

8. I'm with you, Lunatica.

It's great to see the country waking up. Maybe we won't win every battle, but we won't just let the right steamroll us anymore.

[pacalo]

10. Like Alan Grayson said, "our sense of justice has been offended" for 11 years now.

I'm grateful to the state workers who had the gumption to stand up collectively in answer to a despotic governor.

I'm grateful to the Fabulous 14 who courageously walked out of a contrived legislative situation, preventing the RepubliCorporate tools from hurting their own state workers.

I'm grateful for Ian's Pizza who showed us another heart-warming facet of solidarity.

I'm grateful to the Madison police & fire departments for recognizing right from wrong & standing with their citizenry.

I'm grateful for Ian, the Koch impersonator, who made the call to Walker & let him bloviate for 20 minutes about how devious & slimy he could be against his own state employees.

And I'm grateful to see all the nation-wide support for Wisconsin today.

Yes, I feel good, too!!!

[lunatica]

12. He's right.

I can still feel the crushing disappointment of Bush being selected as President by the Supreme Court and so many times during his Presidency. The wars, the Patriot Act, the torture, the tax breaks to his 'have mores'.

But now we're seeing Americans hitting the streets in the middle of Winter rallying while it snows and sleeping in the Capital Building knowing they're holding the fort. But more than anything else the Democratic Senators and the State police doing the right thing makes me very grateful.

Alan Grayson will be back. That's why he keeps emailing us. He's not going quietly at all.

[pacalo]

13. Love your OP -- it expresses how I've been feeling lately, too.