It is incumbent upon me to write about Netroots Nation 2017 for Top Comments tonight.
NN is an intense experience. Quality time with like-minded activists, frequent, lengthy political discussions, time spent at the heart of things, not defining terms, not educating on common history, not seeking the beginnings of common vocabulary, not explaining who our heroes are and where they’re from.
More below.
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My excitement and anticipation about the event began with the announcement before the conference that Elizabeth Warren would do a plenary keynote. When she walked onstage yesterday morning, my emotions simply ran over. Like they had not done since the election was called in 2008 for President Obama. Though I have never voted for her, though she is not a Senator for the state I live in, nonetheless, she is MY Senator. When she casts her votes, they are votes for me. In accordance with MY political wishes and morals. For causes I believe in, for people I care deeply about.
Seeing her in person was a pinch myself moment. Can this be real? Can that really be HER, standing RIGHT THERE?! Not so far away at all? With her fine passion and commitment, with her deep intelligence and moral clarity?! With her brilliant smile and fine energy?
Sure enough, it was. And she articulated to us all the clear progressive vision that is the liberal promised land. The hope, the INTENTION, the focus … All right there. A gift. A blessing. A call to arms. A commission. For myself, for all those I love, for those I don’t love, even. For our country.
And despite the sky-high expectations, I left with the satisfaction of seeing them fulfilled. How many times in life can we say that? Never enough.
I took a couple of pictures from our table in the fourth row - none meet the standard of what I see in my mind, so I am not posting them. CNN posted a good story about her visit, please look at their picture from the link, and imagine my diary enhanced by its inclusion.
The article talked about the return of progressive ideas and standards, of progressive morality, a distinct move away from some of the centrist Democratic trends of recent years. Per CNN:
In the aftermath of last year's election, the centrist old guard is out and progressives have won the battle for the soul of the Democratic Party, Elizabeth Warren declared Saturday.
How is THAT for leadership?! At a time when the party seems to lack an obvious leader, a visionist, a voice, Elizabeth Warren boldly steps out and sings the music we’ve waited so long to hear!
"We're not going back to the days of being lukewarm on choice," she said. "We're not going back to the days when universal health care was something Democrats talked about on the campaign trail but were too chicken to fight for after they got elected."
CNN highlighted one of her most impactful statements of her speech.
Warren broke out her biggest applause line mid-speech, saying Democrats don't need permission from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell -- a reference to a clash between her and the Kentucky Republican earlier this year.
"He would probably tell me to sit down and shut up," Warren said. "Nevertheless, I would persist."
You’re DAMNED right she will persist. And so will we!
Thank you, Senator Warren. I STILL have hot tears in my eyes at the fresh memory!
If you would like to watch the speech, it is archived on the Netroots Nation FB page. I don’t seem able to direct link it, but it is the second video after clicking the ‘More’ button from this page! I don’t know if a FB account is required to view that, I hope not.
A transcript of her entire speech is posted here, at Boston dot com. I don’t think you will be disappointed!
Before closing I would like to say that the most dramatic developments in Charlottesville took place after Senator Warren took the stage, so she did not know of them. Otherwise, as I am sure you know, she would have commented about them. She wasn’t oblivious, or insensitive. Heather Heyer still walked among us when she spoke.
And a note to the special folks in attendance with me. I love you and I carry you in my heart ALWAYS. I can’t wait until we’re once again united in the same geographical space! I am comforted by a fact that I know as an absolute truth - in every moment of time between now and then - our unity and togetherness will PERSIST.
On to tonight’s comments!
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From Yasuragi:
I love this guy!
From Jen Hayden's piece on Lost Jobs and a father disowning his son, WalterNeff grabbed himself a soapbox and shouted this about a Nazi/White Supremacist asshole!
From Wee Mama:
I am nominating this comment by False equivalency about false equivalence!
Abbreviated Pundit Round-up: White nationalism, enabled by the WH, on display.
From Besame:
This meta comment by Wee Mama.
from a sneaky spam diary I am not linking. The context of Wee Mama's glorious analogy begins with
my comment. Being in that thread is how I discovered her apt summation and everyone else who commented in support of my initial "isn't this spam?" remark deserves credit too.
Top Mojo ala mik!
For Sunday, August 13, 2017, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on the subject.
2017-08-14, courtesy of jotter!