Like many here, I have been both dismayed and inflamed by the ramped up rhetoric between Democrats and the splitting of the once unified forces of Kossacks and MyDD-ers. I confess to having gotten into the fray myself on a few occasions. And then hated myself for becoming that which I despise.
However, there is change in the air thanks to the cross-posted diary of Angry Mouse and the recent decision by the moderators at MyDD to ban some of the most inflammatory diarists. Suddenly, more Dkos posters have joined forces to check the anti-Hillary posts here.
I have seen more positive debate cropping up on both sites and a mutual realization that we must join together if we are to defeat John McCain which should be the goal of every person who calls themselves Liberal, Progressive or just plain human. Our country cannot withstand another year let alone four of this war, this economic inequality, and the systematic destruction of everything we love about this country.
So let me add my olive branch to those already extended to Angry Mouse, to the disenfranchised and disheartened "strikers" and for anyone whose comments or diaries I may have ignored or dismissed because I may not have shared their point of view.
I started as an Edwards supporter, before I discovered Senator Obama. Like many here, I too was a long time Clinton supporter and defender. My subsequent anger at some things that have gone on during the campaign is with the behavior of the Clintons. However I should never have directed that at their supporters. You should not be expected to share my feelings. And I should respect yours.
I hope we can continue efforts begun by Deoliver47 and Angry Mouse to openly discuss and debate our differences without name-calling, foul language and dismissive intolerance. Sure, some people may deserve it, but I find that when inflammatory posters like Universal and Jacob Freeze can't get the attention they seek, they tend to disappear. As many of you already know, Universal has been banned from MyDD. I have no doubt that he'll be back again to try and create chaos here, and I would hope we can resist the temptation to flame him as this only feeds the beast.The best way to deal with him is to ignore him.
For many of us who work from home and need community, blogs like Dkos and MyDD provide insight, knowledge and friendship. It is how I start and end my day. And, like the war in Iraq, the war between the two communities has gone on too long with too many casualties. It's time to stop the bleeding.