General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Is it time for a "fatwa" from Skinner? [View all]Samantha
(9,314 posts)I was a Republican into the 90s but left right before the 2000 election. I have never been a conservative. The Republicans advertised themselves as having minimal goals when I first joined: the government should do basically three things -- protect the borders, collect taxes and I cannot remember the third! But its overall statement of policy was there should be as little involvement in the citizens' personal lives because that was not the role of government. Key the Clinton impeachment.
During that time I became so ashamed of how Republicans conducted themselves, I could no longer allow my name to be associated with the party. So I joined the Dems and learned I should have always been a Democrat. I was really tuned into Election 2000 to the point I spent about 2 to 3 hours each day studying every detail of Gore's progress. When everything turned criminal and George W. Bush* was annointed by the Supreme Court, I was outraged. And then I found DU.
I arrived here attacking the Democrats and their failure to take a stance on the legal issues involved. I faulted them almost as much as the Republicans for their failure to take a stance.
Attacks? I cannot tell you how much I was attacked by railing against the Democrats, especially the Democratic Leadership Conference, known as the DLC. But I was just so upset I just kept making my points and hardened my backbone. Eventually, many people here then started agreeing with me.
On a personal level, it was one of the best things I have ever done for myself. I am not a fighter by nature, but I can handle just about anything now. Nothing and no one political intimidates me.
So here I am 14 years later still here, and nothing would make me leave.
There are many, many very intelligent people who belong to this site. It is not easy for newcomers to pick up on that because many of them no longer post here. I believe they have just grown so tired of the asinine shennigans they no longer bother.
But DU did not come easy during those early days. Not for the people who started it and not for the people who railed against the outcome of Election 2000. There is no other site I know of with a history like DU's. And certainly no site with as many intelligent, educated, sophisticated people as this one. You will see that during critical moments in politics and government, but in between those moments, you will see vanity posts, trolls abounding, people acting as if -- you fill in the rest.
I hope you stay around and post. You sound like someone we need. After awhile, you will build a coterie of DU friends, and they will show up when you most need them.
Sam