I honestly never expected that I would be posting this. Even when the campaign was going terribly, I was somehow able to remain optimistic that the American people would do the right thing. I couldn't let myself feel any other way; the alternative was just too depressing to imagine. But It looks like my faith in the wisdom of the American people was misplaced this time. Funny, I was just thinking the opposite myself. America my beloved country, how could I have ever doubted you?
But I still have faith in the members of DU. This is an amazing group of people. You have been a great source of sanity and support during the last four years. Um, a great source of sanity? Amusement perhaps, but definately not sanity.
This election loss heralds the beginning of a new era on DU. People are angry and depressed, and rightly so. I fear that things might get pretty ugly on this discussion forum for a while, but I remain confident that we will eventually pull through this, just like we always do.
Oh, I doubt it. Prob'ly you'll you'll fall into a deep depression. The world will seem even grayer than it does today. There won't be any hope. Eventually you'll OD on some sort of cheap narcotic or turn to prostitution. Too bad. You had such potential.
This is a pretty diverse group of people, and it's clear that people are going to deal with this election defeat in different ways. Some members are going to come to DU looking for a shoulder to blubber cry on. Others are going to come here looking to bitch and moan for a fight. Still others may have completely different feelings entirely. We believe that it is understandible and healthy for people to feel angry or sad or whatever. We do not think it is possible for us to force people to deny their feelings right now, and we're not even going to try (except in the most extreme cases).
"Trying to control yourself is so bourgeouis."
However, it is clear that certain types of emotions do not mix well on a busy message board like this one. We have decided that the only feasible solution is to enforce a segregation between the people who want a shoulder to cry on, and the people who want an ass to kick. I live in Berkeley part of the time and the next DU person who wants "an ass to kick" I meet will be the first.
With this in mind, the two General Discussion forums have been re-named. The "General Discussion: Help and Support" forum is for those people who are looking for help and support. If you feel sad, or if you are the type of person who thinks that we're all in this together, then that is the forum for you.
That's assuming you get your jollies weeping and listening to other people whine.
But if you are feeling very angry about the election, or if you are feeling like pointing fingers and placing blame, you should post in the other GD forum, the "General Discussion: Fighting and Acrimony" forum. Beyond pathetic.
We know that it is not possible to make everyone happy, but we hope that this rough split will provide people with a choice so you can decide what type of message board experience that you need right now. All you have to do is decide which forum to post your topic in. I think everyone here is capable of making that choice.
What if somebody feels like kicking a blubberer's ass? How's that work?
Please be aware that the moderators will still be enforcing the message board rules, including the rules against personal attacks and flame bait. We expect all of our members to continue to observe the message board rules. And we want to remind everyone that we are all still on the same side here. You may be angry, but remember that the people here are supposed to be your friends and allies. ....so please try to remember that as you turn upon one another like a pack of rabid weasels over the next few months....
And if you ever feel so angry that you want to disrupt or pick fights, or deliberately piss people off, I strongly advise that you turn off your computer and turn off the cable news and go do something else that will make you feel better. Nobody ever got banned from DU because they took a break. Nope. You get banned if your politics are anywhere to the right of Stalin's.
#2
But It looks like my faith in the wisdom of the American people was misplaced this time.
That is code for "We believe in Peoples' Democratic Republics, not this nonsense about democracy."
Posted by: Don ||
11/03/2004 18:17 Comments ||
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#3
Shouldn't DU just name them the Prozac and Lithium boards?
Posted by: ed ||
11/03/2004 18:25 Comments ||
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#4
What if you are participating in a thread in the Help and Support category, but somebody pisses you off? Start a thread in Fighting and Acrimony? Crosspost?
Stupid f*cking socialists never get it - you can't organize human behavior like cargo bins.
#5
I enjoyed quite a few of the comments in LGF's Moonbat thread. You will find links to almost anything - even the LiveJournal Pagans. Some very funny shit floating around the 'Net... and some typical LLL threats to get randy. Funny thing is, they just talk. Talk. Talk. Talk. Talk. Talk. Talk. Talk. Cheesedicks.
I wish it was otherwise - this shit needs sorting. Now would be a good time. Now is always a good time. Let's get it on, already.
#6
This was the funniest thing I've read or heard all day. LOL. And, it was a tough contest, because I've been grinning all day. My only disappointment was that Coors didn't win (oh, OK, and prop 34, but that's a vocational thing).
These people are trying so hard to be enlightened, and have no idea how grossly stupid they've become. They are a spectacle.
#7
cingold, if you thought that was funny try this little number from LGF's Moonbat thread (thanks for the hat tip .com):
Magical Election Ta pering: SHUT IT DOWN!
Ok, I can understand the restlessness I've been feeling since yesterday. There's a lot riding on this election, and passions are running high on both sides, so naturally eceryone and their naked brother who has an ounce of Power and no clue about Shielding is leaking energy like a hair dryer in a bathtub. So it's Shields Up for me, but I'm still getting enough bleedover to make me jittery and a little manic if I don't concentrate. That's all to be expected.
What wasn't expected was that once I filtered out all that background noise, I started hearing a calm, resonable, and powerful head-voice saying things like "Kerry doesn't have the experience we need in these troubled times." and "Give Bush a chance to make it better."
Anyone who knows me KNOWS these are not my thoughts! And besides, I voted last week. No, there's no way in Hades these are my thoughts.
Gods-damn it! The f*cking Republicans have got Magical help pumping out a clear, unified, focused broadcast, and you can be sure, every sensitive is picking it up. These are the people most likely to vote Kerry, and I'd like to think they are resolute enough not to be swayed by telepathic subliminal advertising, but it's such a rarely-done thing, and so few people are properly trained these days, that I fear it will be more effective. Just watch and see who says "I was going to vote for Kerry, but for some reason I changed my mind at the last minute."
Who would be doing this for them? Gee, who are the Mages driving around in those black Mercedes and Lincolns with the tinted windows? The ones who live in the mansions with the hell-hounds in the yard and the 7-foot tall hairless black doormen? Every town has some, the bigger the town, the more of these "High Magi" you will find.
I have no idea what their agenda may be, but you can be damn sure the welfare of the common human on the street is not a part of it.
So shield, people, shield. And screen. And if you can shield a polling place, do it! I'm not saying to try to interfere with people's choices, but rather prevent them from being interfered with.
This is important, people, and it may be too late already.
This isn't some sort of coincidence, no my friends Bush, Haliburton and the military industrial complex have had this figured out months ago. You think these ignorant, right wing, religious nazi fuckers could vote their way out of a paperbag? Funny how every state went to electronic voting machines isn't it. Don't tell some high altitude electronic warfare aircraft weren't flying missions yesterday to electronically alter the vote! The CIA has been doing this for decades to change the votes in central and South America.
#11
I forgot who posted it earlier but we should gather a bunch of sharp objects and send them as a care package. I watch the devolution of DU all night. Yesterday afternoon they were talking about appointees in the 'New Goverment.' Then there were rumors of voter fraud, rejection of the vote totals, a charge of ballots boxes being hijacked in Ohio, a call to arms, a class of 'counting votes for dummies' this morning, more calls for ligation/uprising, and finally dispair over the final outcome. The word 'sore loser' doesn't begin to describe these people. I am guessing that they never kept score in any sports they played (no winners/losers) and never really delt with that reality.
#12
Oh Secret Master! - your first post blew me away!
I've been out on the beer tonight - I've been very good in not taking the piss out of Kerry supporters (maybe he does have some honour in conceding the race).
Simply this - congratulations America!
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
11/03/2004 19:24 Comments ||
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#13
One of the funniest things I read, mebbe it was at DU, was a call for a massive march Jan 20th at the inauguration. Uh, huh. Yewbetcha. That'll fix everything. The March of the Clueless off the nearest cliff continues. Faster, plz.
#15
Sorry, boys and girls. Guess you'll have to get back to work on freeing Mumia and solving the Wellstone asassination. Maybe do some maintenance on the Big Giant Puppets.
#17
The f*cking Republicans have got Magical help pumping out a clear, unified, focused broadcast, and you can be sure, every sensitive is picking it up.
#18
You have been a great source of sanity and support during the last four years.
Their matter-antimatter containment fields are not aligned. This causes stray tachyion pulses to be emitted, and we all know how stray tachyion pulses cause distortions in the space-time continuum...
#21
The Power bleed is not from the lack of Shielding, it's just the backwash from the Zionist Death Ray testing currently being conducted in Paris. A nice phat bongo beat will help to sync up the chakras, if you can't get the chi flows in alignment...
Some thoughts on the morning after.
Posted by Skinner
Added to homepage Wed Nov 03rd 2004, 10:48 AM ET
I cannot possibly put into words how disappointed, angry, and perplexed I am right now. The reported results coming out of Florida and Ohio simply make no sense to me. I cannot comprehend how we could have such a massive increase in turnout and not win the election. To paraphrase that little weasel Tucker Carlson: You don't wait in line for five hours to vote for more of the same. Who knows, maybe some people really would wait in line for more of the same. But my impression is that something just stinks here. As EarlG told me this morning: The result is either massively fraudulent or deeply disturbing.
Are we going to Ohio? As it became clear last night that this race was not over, I posted this Call To Arms. I talked to EarlG and Elad last night, and we all agreed that we have a moral responsibility to do whatever we can. If the Kerry campaign needs warm bodies to protest, stuff envelopes, make coffee, or generally raise hell, then we are going to go to Ohio and help do it. I hope lots of other Democrats join us. But before we go charging blindly into war, we need to figure out what the heck is going on. We are keeping our eyes on the TV and the Internet to find out what the Kerry campaign and folks in Ohio (and maybe Florida) have to say about the situation. If we think we can help in some way, then we're going to go.
What happened? I have no clue what happened. As I said above, I find the result to be extremely hard to believe. In my disappointment, I find myself drawn to a number of possible explanations, some of which raise legitimate questions that need to be answered, and others which may just be the result of wishful thinking. We've got an incredibly smart and motivated group of people here. We need to consider all of the possibilities. If any particular idea has potential, then we need to pursue it. I have already seen many very compelling theories put forth on this message board, and I'm sure we'll hear lots of other ideas coming from other bloggers. Hopefully some of them will pan out. But I would caution everyone to avoid jumping to any conclusions. As much as we don't want to believe it, it may turn out that--to put it bluntly--the other side got more votes.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/03/2004 1:57:48 PM ||
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Link ||
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#1
Are we going to New Orleans Rantburgers?
I've talked to my shoe and the shoe sez the fix is in!
On to Nola! Rally at Jackson Square. LA belong to US!
Posted by: T Jefferson Esq ||
11/03/2004 14:19 Comments ||
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#2
(Note to disruptors and flame-baiters: The moderators are as angry and disappointed as I am right now, and their tolerance for the usual crap is very low.)
Is that the "usual" usual crap or the "unusual" usual crap, because all I see when I infrequently venture over there is crap. How will I be able to tell? I'd ask a moderator, but I hear their tolerance is very low today.
#4
If the Kerry campaign needs warm bodies to protest, stuff envelopes, make coffee, or generally raise hell, then we are going to go to Ohio and help do it.
That's going to make an exciting story for the grandchilluns. "Grampa, tell us again how you made coffee at the People's Uprising of '04!"
#8
You don't wait in line for five hours to vote for more of the same.
They still don't get it, do they? These people were waiting in line because the security of their country and their family was dependent on the outcome. I'd wager there were fewer actual Kerry supporters and simply more Bush haters that turned up to vote for Kerry--and I can't picture people solely motivated by hate waiting in line for very long.
Posted by: Dar ||
11/03/2004 16:59 Comments ||
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#9
To paraphrase that little weasel Tucker Carlson: You don't wait in line for five hours to vote for more of the same.
I merely drove 12 hours across 4 states (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana before getting back to Illinois) to vote for more of the same strong leadership and unwavering resolve. The wait in line was quite short, actually.
#10
Perhaps you should have voted more often then. My understanding is that they have liberal attitudes about that sor tof thing in Illinois.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
11/03/2004 17:16 Comments ||
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#11
it may turn out that--to put it bluntly--the other side got more votes
Moonbats entering their version of the Renaissance??? Or is this one of those examples where a billion monkeys banging away at a typewriter for a billion years, might eventually hammer out something sensible? (kinda like me actually)
Posted by: Rafael ||
11/03/2004 17:26 Comments ||
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#13
Thanks for the support and care. (*grin*) I found a new thing called "valerian" which works a touch like Valium... tastes like utter crap, though. I was poppin' those suckers like popcorn Tuesday night. Despite my stated goal of not paying any attention to that which I cannot affect, I was up until 3 CST. Even got on the Hugh Hewitt election night extravaganza with my stellar and reassuring analysis of remaining votes in Ohio. :)
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