Some Regrets - A Sad Day For Du Members

[AuntPatsy]

I regret that I ever took the time to check out those sites used in attempting to discredit Andy, but after reading Will's thread that contained such rage from he himself as well as so many others, I needed to find an understanding of the out and out hate filled posts many wrote since it honestly bothered me, this intense rage...

I had no idea the depths of depravation some had become lost in by actually reveling in such as what has been transpiring behind the scenes as Andy fought for his right to life and the seemingly uncaring that exists even after knowing he lost that fight, what has also left me with regret is the claim that many of the members on that one site are du members, I hope it is untrue...

Not that I in all honesty believe all DU members to be exempt from such behavior but in that it seems to have left me with an unclean feeling that not only freepers are capable of such blind ignorance and inner hatred that one would intentionaly hurt another human being who was obviously incapable of trully fighting back..

I would not advise anyone to visit those sites seriously that are contrary to whom Andy was according to those that knew him best, I do understand Will's and Benburch's rage as well as Beth's since they seem to have made it their mission to attack their credibility as they attempted to do to Andy.

I also regret as I believe many americans will one day have is that the energy it took to create such an avenue of misplaced anger was not used for the better good of all Americans but was wasting on hurting one person while serious issues of importance namely the war, famine, high medical costs, lost employment etc etc etc did not take a front seat in thier seemingly outrageous claim that they are attempting to ensure the law and morality remain a valid commodity so to speak for all Americans...

I also regret not having the chance to get to know Andy better, I didn't know Andy hardly at all but I did feel a jolt of true sorrow when I read he had passed away, in fact I tended not to read all the threads on him after so many began questioning his cancer at the beginning, it made me sick and uncomfortable then and it does now considering he needed aid and I figured it had to have been hard for him to ask for such and not easy when people began questioning him about his need, so I had to ignore some since some came from long time Durs and I was and am still a newbie and had no wish to upset the applecart since I value this site so much and had no wish to get into an argument for disagreeing too loudly..

Sorry for the long rant when so much is going on today..

[Wetzelbill]

1. I feel the same way....I didn't really know him

I know who he was, because his posting name was one of my favorites. (GodBushCheney, I think) I haven't been on DU much for the last several months until recently. It's like a kick in the gut, that just knocks all of the wind out of you. I just feel utter sorrow.

No, you're words are appreciated, and we are all entitled to a rant every now and again. I had one myself this morning. :)

[madaboutharry]

2. I did not know of this slander

until today. I somehow missed the entire controversy. I find it rather stunning that such a misrepresentation actually took hold since the facts could so easily be verified. I hope that Andy may rest in peace.

[Wetzelbill]

3. I missed it all too

I can't believe how awful people can be.

[Radio_Lady]

22. I was away on a pleasant vacation in May -- and missed most

of the dissention. I can't believe the venom that can come of exchanges of ideas and information on the Internet.

Sadly, this is not the only place where this has happened. On Usenet, I had to stop posting movie reviews because of threats when I didn't "agree" with other members.

Now we are seeing it in an 80-member web site of people who live in an Oregon single-family community of 262 homes. My husband is the unpaid president and he is taking such venom because of a few resolutions about how people are taking care of their property, parking RVs in front of their homes, etc. etc. You'd think that people would be neighborly, but I can assure you... they are not.

I wonder if we would have the audacity to SAY these things to PEOPLE'S FACES if we got together. I think not. It's the supposed anonymity -- however, in an 80 member web community, you can look up the address and telephone number of most people.

So what is causing this? I can't even hazard a guess this late at night.

[Wetzelbill]

32. oh even on here I've seen it get ugly

A guy who is a frequent poster and has been a member for a long time made a post about Bush being our president and how he respects the office not necessarily the man. Well, he just got ripped up, called a Freeper, everything in the book. People got ugly with him, and here we're supposed to be a progressive community. It was bad.

I imagine you would get it bad on a movie review site. If you have the temerity to disagree with a film snob - I have a video degree and know many - then you'll get attacked.

I don't know what causes the venom in your community. You just get some people who will get combative and pushy over the internet, but whether you look them up or not, they still feel they can do it. Never to your face though. Never.

[OzarkDem]

10. It was sad

It didn't seem to matter how much evidence of Andy's situation was offered up - it was never enough for those who wanted to attack. It was incredibly rude, inhumane, vicious.

It certainly says a lot about the nature of our opposition.

[Wetzelbill]

31. I'll say it does.

I couldn't comprehend being that cold and evil myself. Nobody is perfect, but to do something like that is beyond my comprehension.

[Booster]

4. A very nice post and you are not alone in your feelings. I, too,

would not go to any of those sites to see what they were saying. I didn't know Andy either except from DU, but as I followed his posts and other posts about him on DU, I began to really like him. It's almost impossible to believe that people can be so callous about a man they didn't even know simply because he was a fighting Dem. How sad for them. Thanks for the post.

[wtmusic]

5. Everyone could use a little venting today

although I have to say that I have been "conned" before and it never really bothers me. You do your best and have to assume that at least some of the money or time you devote to a cause is going to benefit who you think it is. The rest is out of your control.

I wish I had known Andy better too. We exchanged posts a few times here on DU and that's about it. I'm angry but I can't direct it at any person or evil deed--it's just an anger borne of these miserable twists of fate.

[EFerrari]

6. With respect, no one here has seen rage from me.

If they had, I'm sure our great DU mods would have enforced our rules and deleted my posts.

This has been a very tough day. And I thank all you DUers that sat up with me today. A large piece of my heart went missing. But you all remind me how big hearts can be.

:grouphug:

[OzarkDem]

11. You've been great

a voice of reason and comfort to all. You deserve to vent, too, if you wish.

[sojourner]

13. Today I read Will's post that questioned Andy's illness (prompted by..

erroneous information from others, apparently). Your posts were respectful and clear, and evidenced a maturity that some here could emulate; they are a reflection of the person you are - one for whom I have the greatest admiration. (Actually all the "researchers" from the Wrinkles threads are heroes in my humble eyes.)

I am here to attest that in that thread, there was no rage, though knowing how involved you were with Andy's care even at that "early" stage, I could well understand had there been.

Peace.

[troubleinwinter]

16. She is a lady of incredible

grace, honesty, dignity and strength.

It has been one more generous blessing from Andy to have led me to get to know sfexpat over the last several months.

[sojourner]

20. He attracted people together like a magnet...

You expressed it well: he brought with his smile and his large heart many blessings. I know he was blessed by the friendships he found here, as well.

One should be so lucky as to touch as many lives in a lasting and meaningful way as Andy did. Yet he did so much more than that...he left behind a trail of passion and activism that we must not let die off.

[understandinglife]

14. Always here with you, my friend. Peace.

[merh]

18. Oh heck, there was rage

and they deleted my posts. But I don't have the restraint you have, my friend. You have taught me a great deal through all of this. The most important lesson was to open my heart and to do for another, just because it was right, even if it meant my heart would eventually be broken. Thank you. :hug:

We tossed our stones into the pond that is DU and look at what our ripples did.

(((((((((((((((((DU))))))))))))))))))))))))))))


:grouphug:

[sojourner]

21. (((((merh)))))

Your candor is a blessing of its own. And even though Beth's grace held her (and others) steady, your passion saw you through the storm -- and I bet you didn't say anything that wasn't absolutely deserved! Deleted by the mods or not...

Though I wasn't around much at the time, I felt the attacks were and still are some of the most despicable human behavior I'd ever seen.

[tavalon]

23. Yeah, it's weird

It was like yin and yang. What DU (with Beth et als wonderful facilitation) was some of the most admirable human behavior I've ever seen and as you said, those attacks were some of the most despicable human behavior I've ever seen.

[merh]

24. despicable is too kind.

I just can't think of the word that is as vile as the attacks. I don't know if such a word exists.

Thank you for your support. :pals:

[jillan]

7. I am new to DU, and maybe in Andy's honor

someone could post a thread about him, so those of us who didn't get the privledge to get to know him on this board, would have the chance to.

[jillan]

9. never mind, I just found one

and I'm sorry that I wasn't around to get to know him better.

[Mandate My Ass]

8. Didn't check out those sites myself

because it sickened me to read some of that slander right here on DU so I couldn't stomach even more of it elsewhere.

And the slander goes on despite the fact that the man is not yet cold in his grave and certain DU members choose to perpetuate the ugliness that the freeps started.

When I made my modest donation to Andy's surgery fund, my house was in foreclosure. I don't say this to sound heroic, quite the opposite. The money I sent would not have made a difference in my situation, but I hoped with all my heart it could have made a difference in his. Did Andy have a house? A car? A bank account? I don't know. Who cares? I'm healthy and I can always find another job, another house, another place to live.

Once many years ago I found myself in even worse financial straits than I'm in now. Some people offered me help and I kept turning them down, thinking I had no right to take their money. One day a woman pulled me aside in private and said "you sometimes best help people by letting them help you" and I carry that thought around with me always. How dare anyone question the "correctness" of a fund drive for a live-saving surgery. There was a definite exchange of energy going on here a few months ago when Andy's plight became known.

Andy helped us all. If I had sent 100x the donation I sent it would not be enough to recompense all he did for me, you, DU and the entire nation. It seems in keeping with his spirit that he didn't feel it necessary to out the monsters who hounded him, but I hope they suffer the infamy they deserve.

[MissWaverly]

30. Thanks for giving during a difficult time

I think in some strange way, that we have really accomplished something, Andy gave us the gift of being able to back up our liberal ideas with
an outreach effort to help another in need. It is now history, I think that the hard light of truth is now shining on much of the rhetoric which has passed for truth the last few years and it is withering away.
In the end, what truly matters is what is the outcome. I think people are going to turn back to what really matters, caring and helping others.

[SoCalDem]

12. I am a long-timer, and I avoided those threads too..I donated

and did not even care to read the trash that was coming out later..y only real regret is that I only knew Andy from phone conversations, and here at DU.. He died way too young, and his last days were not as serene as they should have been..

I tend to make up my own mind and just ignore the "static". I figured that I have lost $1200.00 in Vegas in a few hours, and had nothing to show for it..and if that money helped Andy get a chance at survival, it was well spent. Sadly, no amount of money was enough.. He was a sweet guy, and I am sad that he's gone.. He will be missed

[pengu1n]

17. for what its worth...

I must add my regret at hearing this sad news.

I am new to posting here - but have been hanging out for a long time - and before at Blackbox. On the net - I have known of Andy since the last pretend election you had in Nov.

Really sad for the progressive community, but not for Andy. He has moved on - and nothing can hurt him now.

I would like also to say a big thanks to all the DU'ers who helped make things easier for him over the last few months. Watching the posts unfold - told its own story.

You have big hearts. You are good people. Thank you.

As for those freep peeps who slandered, and hated, and tried to block Andys medical care...I trust to the law of average to balance your own time of dying. "Reap what you sow" you bastards.

[SoCalDem]

19. Welcome Pengu1n.. Happy to have you posting

instead of just reading.. We need all the voices we can get :hi:

[pengu1n]

26. smile!

Your picture is great. Thanks - I will add it to my collection...
BTW I am scottish - and regularly visit the Antarctic- so it is right on the button!

[SoCalDem]

27. It's such an odd picture, I have always loved it

I don't even remember where I "borrowed" it from :)

[xmas74]

28. Welcome!

And please keep posting. We need fresh voices and fresh perspectives.

[sojourner]

15. I was privelaged to associate with Andy here, and on a research forum.

I never met him, but wish I had been able to. I heard about but didn't read the vicious posts maligning him and the DUers helping him during the days before (and after) his surgery at JH.

I know it hurt him a great deal to be slandered - by people he had reason to expect would wish him no ill. I am sure this was a heavy burden for him to bear on top of the fight he had in fighting cancer.

All I can say now is that I'm glad I didn't read them. Because in spite of the hatred of some, clearly Andy was blessed with loyal and caring friends who gave him much needed support throughout it all.

Andy was a truly unique individual. We MUST take up the standard for him. Find any way you can, and take one action this week, this month, next month, every month until we get the election reforms that Andy labored so long and hard to acheive. We can make that his legacy. He'll be proud of us.

edit: spelling? (tried anyway)

[Taxloss]

25. Death is the final vindication.

It's sad it could not have been another way.

[fleabert]

29. you aren't alone in your feelings, not one bit.

your rant is quite welcome and a part of DU working its way through this pain.