I have been a member here on Daily Kos for ten years, have written only a handful of diaries, and a lot more comments. I bring this up to opine that I suppose my two cents don't ultimately matter much, but I am someone who actively engaged during the heated primary and managed to not get into trouble (mostly because I walked away when *I* got heated). I’ve been reading the many meta diaries about recent events here, and the ideological divide that has permeated this site more recently has been weighing on my thoughts. Yes, I’ve made a comment or two (or three or four) that has taken some pokes at the ideology—and my history will show it—but I’m trying to dig deeper here, be more reflective and fair. I want us to work together because I believe that we all genuinely do want the same thing at the core. I believe that we are all on the same team when it comes down do it. But how do we work together when we are so not in a good place right now? That is the questions. Well, I haz some thoughts.
The Recent Bannings... Personally, I don't think that Kos and the administrators owe it to the community at large to let us know why anyone or any group of people were banned. It's none of our business. If I was banned; I certainly wouldn't want anyone else to know why. If I chose to tell people, I would want it to be that exactly: my choice. I know, I know, the rallying cry then will become, 'Well, the banned have made it clear they want everyone to know...'
Firstly, no, they've made it clear they want to know why. If the community knows as well, it's apparent they don't mind at this time. Secondly, and more importantly, it sets a precedent for any future bannings. 'Well, admins told us why so-and-so was banned, why can't they tell us why this person was banned.' I just feel personally that it simply is no one's business but the banned individual. Meaning, that yes, in this recent purge, I do think the banned individuals should have been told why they were banned.
With that said, the route chosen to find out that information was not one that was conducive to finding out the answer. Instead of taking it privately to the admins and waiting for a response, it was taken public... very, very public. And then it created a meta shit-storm on Daily Kos with not one, or two or three, but quite a few meta diaries on the subject (hey! Including this one) about the bannings. I may not agree with all of those who were banned but I do wish that they chose to respond differently. It may have given them a better chance to find out the reason as to why. Or maybe not. We may never know at this point. *sigh*
Re-litigating The Primaries… Here's the thing and this is tri-fold.
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The 2012 primary between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton is still being re-litigated in comments (obviously not as much, but yes, it's still happening).
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Telling someone to stop posting what they want to post—as long as it's not breaking any rules and is not offensive—is not fair. Yes, you have the right to tell that person to stop posting and/or commenting just as they have the right to re-litigate the primary but instead of letting the comment stand and die alone or even perhaps create some meaningful discussion, all a 'Stop re-litigating the primaries!' does is lead to pie. And pie is delicious on a plate but on Daily Kos it becomes a headache after all and makes the site less enjoyable.
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This is more for diaries on the subject as opposed to comments, but there are diaries posted on many subjects so posting on a political subject especially when both parties are still active to various degrees in the political conversation on a political blog makes perfect sense. Most of the diaries about this subject have been about trying to figure out the divide, what caused issues, how we can work together in the future, overcome such problems as a party, etc. (Note, I said “most.”) Coming into any diary that hints at re-litigating the primary with 'Stop re-litigating the primaries!' cuts attempts at genuine discussion that some truly may want to have on the subject. And, again, not fair. Your right, but their right too. So, not fair.
The State of the Union… Where we are as a country is a disaster. We all know that. Yes, we need to focus on that. Yes, we need to rally. Fighting about what happened in the 2016 primary will not help bring down Trump and Republicans. However, understanding the divide and how to come together because of the fighting in the 2016 primary could help which is why discussion of the 2016 primary is important. Discussion of Hillary Clinton versus Bernie Sanders is important not as in one is better than the other, but as in their differences and their similarities and how we bridge the gap for their supporters so we can all work together. That is the 're-litigation of the primary' that is important and that is why it matters. It's not the pie, it's the hearty meal that comes before it that we need to dig into. We need to dissect and understand out differences as a party and come together.
The Republicans stand as one party even with all of their differences because they put party first. We, as Democrats, need to come to the same conclusion, but in a different way, one that puts country first. We need to learn together that, like America, what this United States is built upon, it is our differences that makes us great. It is why we have always been great. We are the melting pot of the world. We just need to learn to listen to our differences and work together with them. Not fight about them, but learn from them, take the good, take what is do-able NOW and work from there.
We are on the same team; we are in the same race. We may be at different points in the race, but we are in the same race. Yes, we have lost some people—some great people—along the way. And, yes, we don't know why we lost some of them. Hell, they don't know why they were pushed out. And that SUCKS! We can keep fighting about that. We can let our anger over a really, really crappy situation that bottom-line just doesn't make a whole helluva lot of sense distract us from our purpose here. Or we can gather and do in respect to what those people we've lost were fighting for. Our country. Our freedoms. Our rights. Our differences that together make up this great country of ours.
We are on the same team. Let’s figure out how to work as a team. Fight as a team. Win as a team.