You know, the Lounge has become my sanctuary (Rant coming, but an important one to me)

Godhumor

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Thu Aug-23-07 12:36 AM
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You know, the Lounge has become my sanctuary (Rant coming, but an important one to me)

I am an outspoken individual, and I do not shy away from political and ethical discussions with a wide variety of individuals. It used to be that these discussions were almost always civil, but a funny thing happened about 6 years ago. After 9/11 I suddenly found myself facing a lot of harsh, demeaning, and horrible slurs from those on the right. I was called a traitor at a Thanksgiving dinner, I've had people say that "Guys like you" should be executed for their beliefs. I was un-American. I was an appeaser. I was a criminal. I endured what might seem like a trivial thing when looking at what others have faced, but it still hurt to know I provoked such ugliness just for being an open anti-war democrat.

Over time, the insults began to dwindle for myself, and I am sure for others, as well. The rest of the country seemed to wake up to the fact that we were headed in the wrong direction and that people like me were not advocating the destruction of the American way of life (whatever that may be). In 2006, both houses of Congress were wrestled from the grasp of the far right for the first time in what seemed like a long time. We, and I am using the royal we here, won. Those of us who faced the slings and stones from the vocal right-side of the political spectrum remained standing triumphant--bloodied but unbowed.

Imagine my surprise then to see a new movement emerge within our broad tent not of civil disagreement/discussion but of flat out nastiness. New names are being thrown around to people of differing beliefs--suddenly we have descriptions of posters (and our representatives) that include things like democrat in name only, political whore, uneducated, ignorant, war enabler, racist, sexist, disconnected, traitor to the party, and criminal.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who remembers dealing with those barbs during our long period of darkness, and I truly hope I'm not the only one saddened and frustrated to see our peers now using the same sort of language to attack those who are here on this site because we share something in common. Listen, I want debate. I want to hear about the pluses and minuses of all candidates, I want to see social responsibility discussed with opposing viewpoints, and I want to see that the art of debate and argument are still practiced. I do not want to see any of us fall to the same level of vindictiveness that characterizes bullies.

GD and GDP have become wastelands to me due to this horrible increase in hostility. I get upset trying to read through threads, and I find myself wondering if I can even still identify myself with posters here at DU. Some days it is just overwhelming.

But through it all, I find myself returning here. I find people who can joke with others even when they disagree. I find people who have grown so comfortable with others that the most personal of information is shared. I see a community, something that doesn't seem to be present in the other "big" groups on DU any longer. I know I can come here for a laugh, for advice, for a hug (or to give one), and for support. I find Loungers to be united in the important things even when the threads seem silly. I know that when someone is hurt in anyway the community will rally behind him or her.

So let me say to all of you, and I know many of your names and stories even if you know very little about me, thank you for providing a haven for those like me. I can't imagine a better place to be on the web.