Well, I did it.

[Berry Cool]

Posted my lengthy essay on the Tim Russert crap to GD.

Please, after they stone me to death, don't any of you say anything but nice things about me at the funeral. Remember the good things about me...the way I didn't hog ALL the Clubhouse drinks on Fridays, only most of them...that I didn't ALWAYS refer to Keith in terms of lustful sexual innuendo on blog threads...there were times when I actually showed signs of having listened to the show.

Bot and Sharon have met me in person. They know I cast a shadow, and can be seen in mirrors.

Please keep all this in mind.

Thank you.

[DeepModem Mom]

1. What ugly replies, so far -- but also recs, and support.

How do people live, mired in such anger and hatred? What kind of life is that? Does it ever, at some point, turn toxically inward?

[Berry Cool]

2. I don't know.

I have decided, without looking, that I'm really better off not reading the replies. I have already been amazed enough by what I've seen during the past week.

I really didn't want to know this about DU, or Daily Kos, or any place like that. I knew we had anger, and we have every right to be angry after the past seven years, but I wanted to believe I had finally found people who shared basic core human values with me. I know, now, that with the exception of a small circle of people in this Clubhouse, maybe, for the most part, I was wrong.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that. I do know I don't intend to quit the KOEB. But I do have the feeling, right now, that I could let all the rest of DU fall away, and never read it or participate in it again, and I would not be missing a thing.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. I really stepped back during the primaries...

and may again. It's ironic that hope and a good chance at change brings little or no change in the spirit of so many here.

There are many here I enjoy interacting with, but sometimes I do get dejected as you are now. Then, like you, I retreat into my own purposes -- like informing myself, sharing info without comment, and keeping up my Journal, which I share with family and friends in the "outside world."

[bleever]

4. It was a really good effort.

Sorry for the reactions you got.

[Patsy Stone]

5. By the time I got there

it was locked. :(

[SharonRB]

6. Linky?

I'd at least like to read it.

[CC]

7. Here it is

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=3496283
Skip the comments if you are smart. You might lose respect for someone you used to respect. I know I did.:cry:

[Berry Cool]

9. Locked, eh?

Locked because I was intentionally trying to incite flames, or locked because it was inciting so many flames?

The mods haven't complained to me about it.

Well, I guess that tells me all I need to know about DU, doesn't it? I thought, it'll probably sink like a stone, but at least I can say what I need to say, and answer that self-righteous nitwit who made the statement about how not a single one of us put any time or thought into an OP expressing our point of view, and how that just went to prove what a bunch of stupid-ass nincompoops we were and how utterly indefensible our position was and how morally and intellectually superior their position was. Instead, it incites a host of flamage and gets locked.

This is the state of DU, post-primary, 2008.

Just when I was starting to get comfortable with the idea of no longer being on the fence, and coming down on one side and saying "OK, that's it, I guess I'm a Democrat," I see this shit. And I don't mean today, I mean the shit I've seen all this past week. Eat-the-rich shit. Corporate-hatred shit. Media-hatred shit. I-hate-everyone-who-has-anything-I-don't shit.

And I thought maybe after the primaries were finally over, things would settle down just a weeny bit.

I've decided something. I don't want to spend any more time discussing anything or sharing anything with those people. Most of them are WAY not worth my time. The Clubhouse? Yeah. The rest of them? Forget it.

These people are no better than Fred Phelps and his God-Hates-Everyone-But-Us family. They're funeral picketers, just as sure as any of that clan. To them, honoring the dead is nowhere near as important as hamming home their political agenda, and their agenda is "Let's be happy the person died because he enabled Evil." The only difference is, they're a bunch of cowards whose only picket line is online.

They're going to reap what they have sown someday. But when that day comes, and they get all defensive and protective and outraged and tearful and start hurling invective at all who have offended them and saying "How COULD you say such things??", I'm just going to remember this and think "This is how they could. Easy."

In the meantime, instead of "saving my compassion for those who truly deserve it," I intend to "save my contempt for those who truly deserve it." Because I want to have a large supply of compassion, to the point where I don't have to ration--and a short supply of contempt, so I do have to dole it out only to those who fully earned it.

I'm not wasting any more time in their company.

[Patsy Stone]

11. Because

they saw it as calling out a DUer since you mentioned a poster by name in your OP. I don't think it had to do with the OP otherwise, or the responses.

[Berry Cool]

12. So we can't call anyone by name, even to address what they said

as opposed to just using their name to say nasty things about them or say "J'accuse!"?

I don't get that.

[CC]

8. Great job!

A lot of the comments suck and I swear there are some that search for threads just to shit in them. Not sure how you were calling anyone out though, just answering someone's request but maybe it is better locked after reading the comments.

[Berry Cool]

10. Oh, so the mods accused me of "calling someone out"?

Why? Because I addressed what "Time for change" said? How is that wrong?

I gave a response to ONE post by ONE member. I wanted to address what that member said and do it fairly. I don't see how that qualifies as "calling out."

To me, "calling out" would be if I did a search of every post "Time for change" ever made and said "Oh, you say X and Y and Z, but in this post you made months ago, you said A and B and C!" Or if I itemized every single thing all the various funeral-picketers had said and called them by name: "So-and-So said this, "Whatzisface said that." I didn't.

Ah, but oh well, it figures. Now I know where things stand. I now know whose attitude is supported here. And it's sure not mine.

[bleever]

13. Remember, it was just one mod.

It doesn't necessarily reflect more than that person's interpretation of "calling someone out".

Don't take it too hard, Berry. It really was well written and thought out.

[Berry Cool]

14. OK. It just doesn't strike me as well considered.

Especially given that I have no reputation for it, but then again a mod probably won't know my reputation.

[Patsy Stone]

15. Give the people what they want!

If you'd only posted another link to that "Integrity is for paupers!" quote, you'd be on top of the Greatest Page right now.

If fact, if I were you, I'd go post some other unverifiable, he's such a RW tool, anti-Russert statement on a blog. Then, in a few days, someone will post it here as the stone gospel truth -- and you'll be FAMOUS!

Stay here and don't go out there. Or, better yet, meet me at The Olive Garden.

[Berry Cool]

17. Yeah. Despite the fact that there wasn't shit to prove Russert EVER said it.

I guess I'll be meeting you for unlimited salad and breadsticks. Then we can go watch American Idol.

[Patsy Stone]

19. Please see my post below.

Right on schedule, someone found a link between Kalitta's family and government contracts. Therefore, any time spent thinking about his family and their loss, or mentioning how much you admired his racing skills means you are NOT a good Democrat.

[Patsy Stone]

16. Timmeh may be off the hook for a bit

See, this NHRA drag racer died today -- and we all know he deserves no sympathy, because drag racing is so, well, un-progressive.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3498393&mesg_id=3498393

[Berry Cool]

18. A DRAG RACER died?????

Oh, well then. I have NO sympathy. All he did was burn up precious gasoline, and for what??? All for our sick need for entertainment. Yada yada yada yada yah. :-)

But seriously, I have nothing BUT sympathy for those who lost him.

[ailsagirl]

20. I'll quote this again because I think it's worth it

This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose
recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly
worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being
a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of
ailments and grievances complaining that the world will
not devote itself to making you happy.

GBS
Epistle Dedicatory to Arthur Bingham Walkley
“Man and Superman: a Comedy and a Philosophy”

[ailsagirl]

21. Hey BB-- your lengthy essay yielded 9 recommendations!!

I tried to add one but was barred. :(

[RevCheesehead]

22. Not only did you do well....

you spoke your heart. God bless you for that! :hug:

[Gogi]

23. Great essay!

Firstly, there were times I liked Russert's interrogations and times I did not and when I did not I fully realized it was because of my political prejudices. As the late great Carlin put it, "Every radio and every TV has an off button" DUERS, though, I do believe, a great many people on DU would benefit from listening to opposing viewpoints. Secondly, Russert was a journalist not a political hack and he would probably be happy to know the absolutists on both sides are howling.


Cards lost but, my god, what a great game! It was sooooooooooooo good I did'nt even CARE that they lost! It was so great the Cardinal players gave the Bosox a round of applause! Toe to toe, baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:woohoo:

[Berry Cool]

24. Thanks, you guys.

George Carlin was a very smart man in many ways. And yes, he believed in the power of the OFF button and the channel changer. If only more people thought to employ these devices. As many a sanctimonious DUer keeps reminding us, there is no law saying you have to own or watch a TV. Don't like what Russert says? Don't watch. Actually, it would be my philosophy toward Fixed Noise, if it were not for the fact that I think it's deceptive for them even to use the word "News" in their name. I don't question their right to exist (although I'd love to see their ratings drop so low that they were forced to move their viewpoint away from the far right in order to survive).

Just when you think DUers can't get more hypocritical, they always find a new way to show off their hypocrisy. And boy oh boy, did a lot of them do that in the past week or so.

[ailsagirl]

25. More fools they. It's pathetic n/t