I've vacillated over writing this diary for months, but can finally no longer justify my continuing participation at D-Kos after today.
Between the roiling candidate diaries, the general ignorance concerning our Constitution, the nasty gang attacks on most anyone who has "less than nice" things to say about "certain country" and some of its fascistic right-wing neocon supporters, here and elsewhere, but most importantly, the complete and abject failure to understand and prioritize actions this nation and our political system desperately need, I've reached my limits of tolerance.
After the break, I shall explain further....
I've been here five years. I came to this site right after Markos got started, and after we exchanged e-mails about his future plans for it. I lurked for a couple of months before finally signing up. Prior to that, the Democratic Underground used to be my "home", and I was a "front pager" there (under another screen name), but left for D-Kos after observing DU's heavy-handed censorship regarding "certain" subjects, which are now regularly discussed, ....without censorship.
While here, I've seen many things and people come and go, and have loved this place. Still do, to a degree. But, there sometimes comes a time when, if something provides more pain than pleasure, it's time to let go. I'm no masochist. I have enough to deal with. I'd like to tell you why I've made this decision, but first, a little background;
I have lived through the assassinations of JFK, RFK, MLK, the Vietnam War, Nixon, and all the rest. I've been a proud progressive and liberal Democrat for over 45 years, working campaigns before I could even vote. I was active in Nevada, California, and Arizona. I have given speeches at state Democratic functions, lectured at colleges and universities (concerning press freedom and politics), and been a member of the Democratic Writers Guild.
One of the first campaigns I ever worked on, was Sen. Harry Reid's first statewide run for office in Nevada. I also campaigned in Nevada for McGovern, was beaten by a gang of red-necks for my trouble, and saw all my candidate signs torn down around town. I was beaten (twice) while demonstrating against the war and the killings at Kent State. I was video taped, harassed, and worse, by the local and federal constabulary. I've paid my dues, and know what it's like to fight for democracy, and this nation.
I'm not as active as I used to be though, but not by choice. You see, my "benevolent" government "nuked" me when I was a young man, with nuclear weapons testing in Nevada, conducted not far from where we lived. Over the years, I've seen many friends, and families that I knew, removed from the face of the earth because of this. As for me, I got cancer (twice), was infected with Hepatitis-C tainted blood during one of the surgeries, and subsequently, have had a laundry list of related and continuing illnesses and problems. I am tired. The thought of undergoing chemo yet AGAIN makes me want to curl up into a little ball and .....go away.
One of the things that has kept me going the last few years, has been D-Kos. Though physically I can no longer participate in the process like I used to, D-Kos has allowed me to participate in other ways, and with groups like Blue Majority and MoveOn, still be able to have an impact.
But things have changed.......
Here's my major bone(s) to pick:
First, and most importantly, is the prioritization of issues on this site. To me, the absolute most important issue ANY of us has, and this nation has, is that we are currently being ruled by a gang of immoral war criminals. They stole the 2000 election, immediately started spying on the population, and then lied the nation into an illegal war.
It is my feeling, that ANY other issues (economy, FISA, the elections, etc.) are secondary to seeking justice for the crimes these criminals have committed. To me, EVERYTHING else comes second. How in the hell can we even think about elections (and possibly electing someone who support(ed) this war and the war criminals?), without first taking care of "old business"?
The world watches as the news tells of the 900+ lies the Bush regime used to foment its illegal invasion. (Link: http://news.yahoo.com/... ) It watches as the news articles telling of the lies disappear, buried under news of another missing blond woman, the unfortunate death of Heath Ledger, and economic news. It watches as the population of the this nation continues to sit on its fat, scared asses, while the regime catapults the nation into bankruptcy, both economic and moral, and possibly into another war. It watches, as we do nothing to the war criminals running and ruining our country.
The failure of D-Kos and the rest of the netroots to make this issue THE overriding issue of the day, EVERY DAY, is a failure we all have, and are, living with. It's like cancer....... It spreads to a Congress (a Democratic Congress no less!), via our failure to hold them accountable, that refuses to put impeachment ON the table, that stifles investigations that might reflect badly on someone or someplace they have a connection to (Waxman/Edmonds), and that continues to allow this regime to spend trillions from our nearly empty treasury on its war machine.
This morning, Cheney announces he wants the "surveillance law expanded". (Link: http://news.yahoo.com/... ). That's how brazen these criminals are. They will not stop, until they are forcibly removed. They know our Democratic Congress will roll over for them. Where are the candidates' comments about this new outrage?
WTF?
To me, this election DOES NOT MATTER. It means nothing, unless, and until, we clean house and bring to justice the criminals in our midst. Ignoring this issue will NOT make it go away. And notice, NOT ONE of the candidates running for office has promised to bring this regime to justice. NOT. ONE. They don't want talk about it. Their failure to discuss it, is our failure, and in the process, we are failing our children, this nation, the world, and common decency and morality. I can't deal with that. I simply can't.
There are other issues I could discuss here, other things I am not happy with, but they pale in importance to the above. It's not my intent, after all, to whine.
With that, I bid you all adieu. It's time for me to focus what little energies I have left on my own personal health, and on whatever efforts I can make elsewhere to see this regime is brought to justice. It's too bad that D-Kos is not the place for this, ....perhaps it never was.
Peace to you all....
Hornito