I’ve been around this place for a long time. I’m an occasional commenter and a rare diarist, but I was a regular reader for close to two years by the time I joined in February 2006. Over the years, I’ve witnessed the pie fights and meta wars, and there’s nothing like a hard fought Democratic primary season to bring those out. I’ve seen good people come and go. And I’ve generally admired the way kos has moderated over the years.
More impressive to me than his moderation of the site, however, has been his writings: incisive, insightful, no bullshit, often acerbic and, even more often, funny. I regularly read others as well, but I’ve never closely followed diaries of others like I have yours, kos. I still do—for now. I don’t know how much longer that will continue because lately, kos, I don’t find your diaries any of the things I’ve described above. I’m hopeful this is a temporary aberration, but it sure doesn’t look like it.
The first sign of trouble to my mind was this diary.
[I]f Sanders eats into Clinton’s big delegate lead by March 15, then we carry on. But if he doesn’t, then on March 15 this site officially transitions to General Election footing ….
Kos can be a little heavy handed at times, and mostly I figure it’s his site; he can run it how he sees fit. And some of the nonsense that goes on here can use a little heavy handed discipline from time to time. Sometimes there isn’t even enough of it. But even so, that early March diary was a little more than eyebrow-raising to me. And way the fuck premature.
I distinctly remember diaries kos wrote during the 2008 primary season extolling the virtues of a protacted contest because it prepares the eventual nominee for the main event. I tried to find those diaries recently but I wasn’t able to locate them. I chalked that up to my lousy research skills. But lately I’ve been wondering: did they disappear? I hope that’s just paranoia, but the way things have been going here lately, I wonder. I sure would like to read them again. I agreed with kos then about the value of the process, and I still adhere to that view.
What I mean by the way things have been going here lately is the increasingly strong rhetoric and shrill pitch from the founder himself. I expect that from a lot of folks on here. Not from kos. Over the last week we’ve been treated to the following:
- Bernie Sanders and ... Bill O'Reilly? ... really want a debate on Fox News
- 11 reasons why Bernie Sanders lost this thing fair and square
- Bernie is for superdelegates, after he was against them
- The problem isn't Bernie Sanders' supporters. It's Bernie Sanders himself
- Amazing—Bernie Sanders still can't tell his most crazed supporters to stop acting like Trump goons
- Bernie or Trump supporters? It shouldn't be this hard to tell them apart
I’m a Bernie fan. I’m also a realist. I expect to be casting a ballot for Hillary in November, and doing what I can between July and November to make sure she trounces Trump. I wouldn’t have been a regular reader of this site for the last 12 years if I weren’t a died in the wool, lefty, pinko, progressive liberal. I get the stakes. I know as well as any other fan of this website what the stakes are in November 2016. You have no monopoly on that conviction, kos. We Bernie supporters get it, too.
But I will say this: if the trend I’ve seen here continues (see the diary titles above), I won’t still be a regular reader here by the time I vote for HRC. If it continues, I probably won’t still be a regular reader here by the time Clinton’s name is placed in nomination. I’ve made so little impact here in 12 years that nobody will notice I’m gone. I don’t write this diary because I expect anyone to give a damn about whether I leave or stay. I write this diary because I’m sure I speak for a lot of people, not just myself. Do you really want to piss off people like me, kos? Why the fuck would you want that?
Lately your diaries have been downright caustic, abusive, and dismissive. True, that is part of your inimitable style and charm—when it’s directed outwardly at the Party of Dumb. Circular firing squads, however, are just plain stupid. Offensive. And I’m sure in your own mind you can and do justify and rationalize what you’re doing. I know, I know: it’s not really a circular firing squad. You’re not aiming at anyone here. You’re just skewering a guy a lot of us here happen to love and admire and who we wish would be our nominee. I don’t actually doubt that you love the non-crazed Bernie fans who contribute to this site. But even though your diaries of late aren’t aimed at us, the distinction doesn’t do much for me. As one of those non-crazed Bernie supporters, I have to tell you, it’s not been easy feeling the love back lately.
Just to be clear, I’m not saying that Bernie Sanders is above criticism or that he hasn’t made mistakes. But for fuck’s sake—the tone? Do you really have to write about him like you do Republicans? All I’m saying is tone it way the fuck down, please. And maybe don’t diary daily about the latest stupid thing you think Bernie’s done.
I’ve been here a long time. I’m not a “crazed” Bernie supporter. I’m one of the sane variety. I come to this site virtually daily and have for over 12 years. But I’ll be goddamned if I’m going to stick around here much longer just to log in and see diary headlines like the ones above day in and day out. Peace out.
