Just like all those others, I came to dKos for the politics, mainly those leading up to the Bush election of 2004. I needed to see if others were suffering the same bewilderment and anger that I was suffering during that foolish election. I was hoping to find some explanations, although I don’t think I really found all that I needed, mainly because I didn’t register and participate.
But after the election, I found myself lurking around here for MaryScott O’Conner- her scathing, vulgar diaries seemed to warm my diseased heart that had shriveled away to a prune during the Bush years, and sometimes her diatribe left painful welts on my frontal cortex that seemed to make me forget my own anger at the past election. I wanted to believe I understood her pain, but really, as much as we might try, none of us understands what others are really suffering through- do we?
But that is ancient history and I finally decided to stay, not so much for the “community” that I don’t participate in too much, but more for the trolls and H.B. Gary-Bots! What could be more fun than trying to figure out who is real and who is a paid freeper, or who is a computer generated personality sent by the US Military/Bank of America/Chamber of Congress/DNC?
Okay, maybe I have also stayed for incredible front pagers like Laura Clawson and her Daily Kos Workers emphasis (my Dad was a United Steelworkers union organizer in the 60’s-70’s, when it actually mattered). Or the sheer intellectual power of writers like Meteor Blades or Hunter might have kept me here (I am not worthy). Even to read the occasional terse blessing from the Orange Satan himself can sometimes change my brooding outlook on life for a day or two. And now unbelievably, to have Tom Tomorrow cartoons to look forward to every Monday, it makes me tremble with anticipation, and "my heart feels like an alligator!" as Hunter S. Thompson might scream.
So now that I will be here for a lifetime, perhaps I will increase my participation and as we grow older, I may help provide some psychedelic eyesight, insight, and foresight to make a more just and equitable world for you, even if you are just a troll or a bot.
Well, that’s my loving first diary this Christmas Eve- a plug for subscriptions. What will be your reason to purchase a lifetime subscription to dKos and support this incredible forum?