One of the reasons I stayed away from this site for months after that horrific day last November is because I had no stomach for the Bernie/Hillary civil war. I figured that after 7-8 months, the squabbling would have died down.
I have been amazed and chagrined at how the battles continue to rage. And now they’re flaring up again.
Now, I get it. The struggle between Party traditionalists and dissenting progressives is real, it’s significant, and it has enormous implications for the future. There is no way to bury it all under the sand and hope all will come out right in the end. There is a place for a critical review of Party processes.
However, I don’t know who could deny a crucial assumption: a Democratic Party divided by internecine bitterness will never beat the Party of Evil. Whatever you think of last fall, surely it proved this.
I implore Kossacks and all Dems and Progressives to keep their eyes on the prize.
- The other side in our family feud is NOT YOUR ENEMY!
- Your side NEEDS the other side.
- Attacks on the other side will be instantly met with resentment and defensiveness.
- It is very easy to attack offensively without consciously realizing it.
- Critically mentioning Hillary or Bernie is like striking matches near a gasoline can.
- All critical review of the Party needs to be energetically committed to the project of finding a way to work together.
Are you clear? I am aiming at ALL OF US! Neither one side or the other. If we do not work together, we will never beat off one of the most evil and destructive movements in human history.
Of course, this is a tough ask. Each side is deeply scarred by the other, and both KNOW (correctly) that the necessities they see are crucial. It just seems so HARD to let go and find a bridge …
But God in Heaven nothing less will do. A healthy Democratic Party MUST draw on a wide array of often deeply conflicting perspectives. This used to be standard in both parties: an alliance of ideological wings with very often little in common. I think that we today have far less genuine difference than Progressives used to have with Dixiecrats in the old Democratic Party. Let’s grow up and figure out how to work together.
Please. Let’s not fight the Hillary/Bernie battle again.
And when we see that battle flaring up on a site like this … please. Think several times about joining in. Just say no!