|
Edited on Fri Jul-16-04 01:40 PM by Sean Reynolds
Sean, I'm surprised. You step in all the holes as if you intended to.
You see, not being sold on Kerry is ok. Hell, I'm not "sold" on Kerry either. Like you, I supported Dean through the primaries. But the fact is that it doesn't matter now. Dean supports Kerry very enthusiastically. Because of Dean, I support Kerry, and so should you, even if we can't match Howard Deans energy (but then, who can?).
This is what should make America great. I shouldn't have to be forced to support Kerry, and I'm not. So I won't. It's my opinion to not like Kerry, it's my belief to not vote for him in November. You and Howard Dean are afforded the right to think otherwise.
But just because we aren't as enthusiastic as Dean, or because we recognize that Kerry is imperfect, doesn't mean that Kerry is evil. What a crock of shit!
In my eyes, Kerry has done some evil things. Things that I can't easily forget.
And laugh all you like about my "spew." With every word you reaffirm my original post. You scoff at the idea of--how did you put it? Oh yeah, of being "expected to bow down to John Kerry like he was the next Messiah, totally undermining the true existents (sic) of this board"
Now tell me Sean, where have I expressed an expectation that anyone would bow down to Kerry?
--I have not. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Hm, I didn't catch that flub, thanks for pointing it out. ;-) Anyway, you expressed such thought by making a post. In a way, my reply wasn't about you, rather the collective whole here at DU. I've been attacked many of times because I don't conform to the notion of ABB. Which is fine, I guess. Here at DU you're expected to support Kerry. Anything less can get you banned -- ask a lot of people. Is it right? Who knows....but it's the truth.
Where have I indicated that I thought Kerry was messianic?
--I never did. I said Kerry was not evil, just imperfect. If you see that as messianic, you are deluded, or purposefully subverting the content of the debate.
Again, a generalization on my part. Talking more about the collective whole here at DU. People here attack conservative Democrats, albeit not as badly as Republicans, for saying stuff John Kerry says all the time. Yet when it comes out of John Kerry's mouth they just chalk it up to being a smart move by the Kerry campaign. That pisses me off and it does make me think some people here look at Kerry in a totally different light.
And where did I chastise anyone because they don't "adore" Kerry?
--The correct answer is "Nowhere." But I do chastise those who can't tell the difference between the fact that they are personally disappointed that Kerry beat their candidate ( I was there, I know it sucks) with the false meme that Kerry is evil, just less evil than Bush. That is one of the big lies of this campaign season, and I'm surprised that somone of your intelligence buys into it.
I never said it was you that chastised anyone. But there is a large hostility toward people unwilling to support John Kerry. I don't think that is warranted. See I guess I think liberals are an open minded group of people. People willing to rationally sit down and debate the justification of both sides.A lot of the times rationality is thrown out the window for personal attacks. I'm not just saying it's the supporters of Kerry that do this, it's cleary a double sided event. But many are vilified here for not supporting Kerry 100%. Even people that support Kerry, but have questions and aren't fully sold on him, get attacked too. I don't like that.
In the end, you are right Sean. It is about expectations. I acknowledged that in my original post. But your expectations are your responsibility. John Kerry is not perfect, but he is damn good. He is not a messiah, but he can save the country from four more years of Bush, IF we get behind him and give him a chance.
Damn good to you, damn disgusting to the next. It all rests within that person's expectations. I have different expectations than you, and you have different expectations than the next person. That is why I firmly believe you should vote your hopes and your beliefs. If you can't support John Kerry because of it, you can't support him. If you think he's the lesser of two evils because of it, he's the lesser of the two evils. Of course, if you like him because of it....well vote for him because of it.
I can't.
I won't.
I'm not a compromising voter. So if he wants my vote, he'll have to earn it. Which says I'm not going to get behind him until HE gives me a reason to get behind him. He's trying to sell himself to ME, not the other way around. That is HIS obligation as a candidate. My obligation as a voter is to look through each candidate and vote for the guy that addresses MY issues the best. If Kerry can't do that, Kerry can't get my vote.
But as long as anyone expects perfection from a candidate, they will be disappointed. Get mad at Kerry for being imperfect and falling faint before your hopes and dreams if you like. I think it's a damn poor strategy for building a better country.
Perfection? No. Hope? Sure. Kerry doesn't give me hope, so why should I entrust my vote with him? It's obvious he connects more with other people -- a lot are compromising their vote to John Kerry. A lot genuinely do like him, I don't. I say let them support Kerry, I'm not going to attack them or call them wrong. Just as I hope they'd not attack me or call me wrong because I could possibly support a candidate I genuinely like. I don't think that is a piss poor strategy at building a better America. John Kerry and I share two different Americas.
I'm not going to endorse his America, until he accepts MY America.
And isn't THAT the real reason behind this forum?
You're right....and that is exactly why I'm here.
|