I do not condone vulgar, sexist, racist, extremist language on Daily Kos. I do not minimize another’s view point, and I do not make assumptions about their moral code because they might have used an impolitic word.
Lately, the Boebert incident has called into question the judgment of several otherwise decent—you see I give people the benefit of the doubt when I can—posters on Daily Kos. In this instance, many of these posters have lost their credibility by making absolutely horrendous posts.
I have never dropped a flag on another poster, but then I do not have the time to read every single diary and every single response tho those diaries. Likely, I have missed a lot of unacceptable comments that were deserving of a flag.
My mistake, based on my experiences and my own way of handling problems was to use the word “snitch” to describe dropping a flag on another poster. If I believe that another diary or post is completely out-of-line, I admonish the poster on- line, believing that even the best of us can come off as extreme, if—in a moment of passion—we hide behind a pseudonym with a key board at our fingertips. Often, i regret things that I have said; I have apologized; and I hope that I have learned that everyone does not want to hear the first thing that comes to my head when I am emotional and likely to be impolitic.
Suddenly, because of “snitch,” I am anit-community, perhaps lacking moral fiber.
Now, I admit that I am just a small town boy from nowhere. I have been a life-long liberal Democrat, however, and have spent my 71 years trying to learn, grow, and expand my horizons, while trying to stay sane amid all kinds of winds in my face. My story is not exceptional, but my hopes for the future and my belief in the goodness of other people is more valuable than I. It is there that I place my heart and soul.
To be howled down on this website is disheartening to say the least. Some folks here scrutinize every post, every word, every moment and set themselves up as judges of another's worth. They, in fact, know nothing of me. Nothing whatsoever. What’s worse, like the worst cyberbullies, they do not want to know.
I must re-consider whether Daily Kos is a community at all. I realize that all kinds appear on this platform, and I try to give an ear to them all. Favor not returned. After all my offers of solidarity and friendship to many on this board, I find myself at odds with people who believe that they speak for some kind of greater good—an ideal that I am apparently unable to appreciate.
So, I am going to sleep on this. I do not wish to be precipitate or unfair in my characterizations. Those who know me, who have developed a relationship with me (albeit on cyberspace) should know that I love animals, smile a lot at strangers, hold fast to family, and send good wishes to the world every day.
I do not live in a state of perpetual agitation, perpetual doom-saying, and perpetual by-the-book thinking down to the last syllable I utter before I go to sleep. I love poetry, baseball, dogs, and young people. I send all my vibes to those who have been oppressed, overlooked, minimized, and abused—hoping that I live to see the day when the meek really do inherit.
Please look at my record. If I have not told the truth here, call me out in the loudest possible terms. I do not want sympathy. I want to set the record straight. Right here. Right now.
