Are we just "keyboard commandos"?

[Atticus]

This is one of those days when hope that the good guys will eventually prevail has faded to a flicker---a birthday candle of defiance in a typhoon of ignorance and arrogance.

There just seems to be a severe shortage of people who actually give a damn---about the future of our nation, about social justice, about their fellow men and women. Those of us who believe in radical ideas like people being favored over corporations, treating everyone with respect and dignity and allowing people to live their personal lives as they see fit, including who and how they decide to love seem to be so outnumbered some days that I wonder if we actually are the fools those on the Dark Side say we are.

What has me so bummed out? Sadly, nothing special---just more of the same.

Sarah Palin---My God! Sarah Palin?---is actually seriously considered as qualified to serve as President of the United States by millions of normal-looking people who we live and work among!

Countless members of Congress. for whom more millions of our fellow citizens voted repeatedly, ridicule global climate change despite overwhelming scientific evidence which supports it. Many of the same politicians(coincidence?)also believe that evolution is a "liberal hoax" and that Earth is merely 6,000 years old.

The very people who are being most victimized by the corporatist system now in place are those who are the most vocal in opposing anyone who tries to change things.

I could go on, but I've already been enough of a downer and I'm sure you get the picture.

Are we accomplishing anything here?

Really?

I've marched, e-mailed, written letters, donated money, posted signs, argued with idiots---some of them relatives---and voted for candidates who said they believed a lot of what I do.

Should I be satisfied that things aren't as bad as they could be?

Damn, this thinking for one's self can sure ruin an evenng, can't it?

[PDJane]

1. Perhaps that's why clinical depression is a constant companion.

[Hissyspit]

2. The term "keyboard commandos" refers to those who endorse sending OTHER people

to die in battle, when they themselves could go instead of blindly criticizing those who question the use of military force.

Besides that point, I understand your feelings.

[noamnety]

22. still a fair question to ask on DU. (nt)

[timeforpeace]

3. Shirley a few have actually served as public servants, elected or appointed. My guess is very, very

few though. Me, that other guy maybe, that's it.

[Ohio Joe]

4. What else would you suggest?

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Thomas Jefferson

I don't think the fight ever ends.

[Quantess]

5. Maybe a nice bag of cheetos would make you would feel better.

Just kidding!

You said yourself that you have "marched, e-mailed, written letters, donated money, posted signs, argued with idiots---some of them relatives---and voted for candidates who said they believed a lot of what I do".

So, you are a lot more than just a "keyboard commando". Imagine if everyone else did just half of what you have done, maybe the US govt. would be in better shape.

[amyrose2712]

6. Hence the phrase "Ignorance is bliss."

:shrug: :shrug: :cry: :cry:

[MrModerate]

7. The bell curve of perceived reality is vast -- roughly as broad as the human race itself.

So there are always going to be crazy, foolish, gullible, dogmatic, illiberal, dishonest, and rapacious people who look pretty normal. Simultaneously, there are things profoundly wrong with the American political system (and all political systems in their own ways). Chief among these, IMO, is the imperfect representation of the broader population's will because of favoritism paid to corporate interests (emphasis on the paid).

That having been said, most people don't want to/aren't qualified to/have better things to do than be politicians. So, pretty much the best you can do if you're a person with a life is march, e-mail, write letters, donate money, post signs, argue with idiots, and vote for candidates who seem to live in the same galaxy you do.

Satisfied that things aren't worse? No. Gratified, yes.

Keep up the good fight.

[farmout rightarm]

8. The internet has replaced activism, exercise, social interaction, libraries and

for some of us, sex.

:silly: :scared:

[cliffordu]

9. I went to two town halls looking for a gun toting teabagger to

ridicule. And I mean the most gratuitous, scatalogical invectives I could think of. Which is, if I may be less than humble for a second, considerable.

I really wanted to humiliate the shit out of an ignorant fucking bully. Dare him to take off his widdew gun.

(I'm a 2nd amendment freak, and support the right keep and bear arms, unless you're just bullying and intimidating folks, threatening violence at POLITICAL rallies. Then I wanna kick your ass.)

Really.

But I guess in the final analysis, I am a keyboard ranger most of the time.

Rested and ready and prepared to type.

[UTUSN]

10. Is there a problem with being a keyboard commando?!1 n/t

[Hardrada]

11. I've organized for the SDS, picketed, leafleted military bases,

served 2 years as a conscientious objector, called, donated, written numerous LTTE's over the decades, written antiwar poetry for student and other newspapers, talked people out of going to war,pissed off relatives but got my grandfather on my side so their opinions didn't matter and have in this way opposed war and militarism since 1964. I have also helped occupy a building or two to block military recruiting. I did most of this in my twenties but I have also done a lot of it in my sixties. Had I not done this I could not have lived with myself for not opposing stupid wars and a vile and predatory imperialism. Well, we can't just sit around on our butts all the time, can we??

[C_Lawyer09]

14. You occupied a building or two to prevent military recruiting?

Talk about some misplaced activism. Shoot the messenger. It's one of two things, recruiting or the draft. Pretty disgusting to picket volunteer Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, many of whom don't volunteer to recruit, and nontheless have to put up with jokers like you, in addition to the 70-80 plus work weeks, and all the other misplaced crap. Did you ever think of spending your energy how it matters?

[Hannah Bell]

15. lol.

[cliffordu]

20. Lulz

:yawn:

[Hardrada]

23. Pax vobiscum!

[H2O Man]

27. oh

[Goldstein1984]

19. I don't see the problem with targeting military recruiting

It isn't an attack on the recruiters, it's an attack on a system used by the wealthy few to send the children of the poor to fight meaningless and illegal wars on their behalf.

The relationship between a poor economy and high recruiting rates isn't coincidental, and I'm not sure it isn't intentional. I call it "economically induced patriotism." You didn't see President Bush's daughters enlisting, and you'll never see President Obama's daughters enlisting, either.

By the way, we don't call it "vile and predatory imperialism," we call it "defense" and "protecting vital national interests." Get with the program! By the way, the assault on the Constitution, which you didn't mention, is called "protecting the Homeland." You're probably well aware that politicians are not corrupt; corruption has been legalized, and recently endorsed by the SCOTUS, and we call it "campaign finance."

Thanks for ALL that you did and do.

[Hardrada]

21. Thanks. You get it! Some folks never will BUT

that's no reason for the rest of us to give up our efforts which are required now more than ever.

[Dr.Phool]

28. I also started out with SDS. Turned Yippee.

Protested conventions, Agnew, Nixswine, orgnized demonstrations. We even threw 12,000 dead rats at Nixon during his second inauguration.

Now I work more mainstream. Have managed congressional campaigns, etc.,.

Now I have a few projects outside electoral politics. But, I may show up in DC next month.

[Hardrada]

30. I stayed with the SDS until it vanished but was encouraged

when it started up again in 2006. I am going to have to start up my antiwar activities again I think since none of our wars and occupations seem to be ending any too soon. I don't trust Obama on this. You did some great stuff against Tricky Dick!

[mrcheerful]

12. Kinda hard to protest in the streets when the media is busy giving a blow by blow

account of 600 tea baggers at a convention with girl who scribbles cheat notes on hand so she passes the tea bag test. Then you have tea bag protests that the media attends so they can explain what the tea baggers are protesting because the tea baggers themselves don't have a clue why they are out protesting, well I heard about it on Fixed news so I thought it was my duty to show up, besides grass root groups like this need the peoples support so the corporate message gets out, theres a black guy in the white house and he ain't serving coffee to the white masters, lock up your wives and daughters its rape and pillage time.

[Hardrada]

13. They do give out rather a confused message!

[Horse with no Name]

34. Yet refuses to cover hundreds of thousands marching in the streets

to stop illegal wars.

[Greyhound]

16. Perhaps we're not, but take heart.

I've learned first hand that no matter how thick or supercilious your detractors are, no matter how fast your posts sink off the first page, and no matter how many unrecs they generate, hundreds of people read your work and consider your thoughts without you ever knowing it.

DU teaches people every day.

[wroberts189]

18. +1

[wroberts189]

17. I can say that you are in good company...at least here...

Well written rant. knr And yes you could go on ..more 100 million in bonus's for AIG ...Health co. jacking rates 39% and booting the sick... Goldman selling toxic assets to pension plans then betting against them only to get the big payout from our money propping up AIG at 100 cents on the dollar... etc etc etc etc

Then you walk in to pick up a pizza and some fool in a suit is ranting about the terrible evils of socialism while some old lady nods her head in agreement.

Upside down world never ended with bush.

I am at the point now where I do not even try to understand what is really going on...you just can't ..it is incomprehensible.. all I know is that it is not in the best interests of the people.

I would rather watch a spaceship launch then a slow motion train wreck ...but no one wants to fix the track and the rocket is on the train. You point it out to them (our "leaders")..they ignore you.

We are forced to watch the horror by the simple fact of being alive and staying informed.

There is one option ... you *can* disconnect and wait to die dealing with just the stuff in front of you..but I have been reading the news since age 14. Hard habit to give up...like cigarettes in many ways.

These posts get indexed by google.. "keyboard warriors" (a phrase with different meanings for some) I do believe make quite a difference some times. The Internet keeps the pubs from rewriting history, lying, hypocrisy ..you tube clips fueling Stewart and Maddow. But so many are more interested in mindless reality shows. Like I said.. I simply cannot understand what is happening. But I do think we keyboard types make a difference. Perhaps small.. perhaps big.

[dana_b]

26. this part:

"We are forced to watch the horror by the simple fact of being alive and staying informed.

There is one option ... you *can* disconnect and wait to die dealing with just the stuff in front of you..but I have been reading the news since age 14. Hard habit to give up...like cigarettes in many ways."

On point! That's exactly right - there are days that I really want to turn it off and forget what is happening but for some reason, I keep coming back. Many of my friends and family have no idea what is happening and don't want to because "it's too much to think about". I understand where they are coming from but can't do it myself. Damn.

[wroberts189]

31. It is probably because you still care about the world....

Like I do.

And you understand the tremendous significance of these events.

I will make another guess and say I bet you look because there is a part of you deep inside that really wants to see the world start changing ...good news instead of bad.

I do... everyday I await good news ..it is quite rare.

BTW I have the exact same problem with my family.

Even my wife ..while listening to my rants really is not that quite interested. But comment on her reality tv shows she will happily fully engage me.

She understands ..and she will happily go vote with me and vote what I tell her since she knows I am informed ..a news "junkie".

But like many others she expects if they win they will do what they said they would do. That they do their jobs without us having to call them. I feel the same way ... we waited in line to put you in office what more do you want?

[Dr.Phool]

24. My latest project is this.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/energy/group-sues-progress-energy-over-nuclear-plant-fees/1072871

Group sues Progress Energy over nuclear plant fees

By Ivan Penn, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Saturday, February 13, 2010


A group protesting charges by Progress Energy for its planned nuclear plant in Levy County has filed suit against the utility, claiming the advance fees for the plant are unconstitutional.

The five plaintiffs who are part of the Citizens for Ratepayers Rights Inc. state that Progress Energy has been allowed to collect money from customers without providing any benefits or services and to enrich itself even if the plant is never built.

As part of the complaint, the plaintiffs are seeking class-action status for their claim, filed in the Circuit Court for Sumter County.

"We truly believe this is unconstitutional," said Suzan Franks, one of the plaintiffs and president of the Citizens for Ratepayers Rights. "We really have tried every avenue possible to get them to understand. This was the only way we could do it."

Cherie Jacobs, a spokeswoman for Progress Energy, said the utility had no comment because officials had not seen the lawsuit.

Progress Energy plans to build a $17 billion nuclear plant on a 5,000-acre site 4 miles north of the nearest town, Inglis. The utility had planned to start producing power in 2016 but announced a 20-month delay in its plans to at least March 2018.

As part of Progress Energy's effort to recoup cost of construction of the facility, customers pay $5.86 a month per 1,000 kilowatt hours toward up-front costs. That charge increased $1.55 last year.

The charges, along with requests for other rate increases, have angered customers, in particular at a time when consumers continue to struggle through the recession.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit say their concern is the utility might continue to collect money and never build the plant. They say the Legislature did not cap the amount Progress Energy can raise, so the utility could just keep the money rather than returning it to customers.

"I just think it's unconscionable," Franks said. "What's been done to us is illegal."

Progress Energy Florida has publicly remained resolute about its intentions to move forward with the nuclear plant, though the utility's chief executive officer, Vincent Dolan, told the St. Petersburg Times last month that "everything's on the table" when it comes to the plans. The interview came soon after the PSC denied Progress a rate increase.

Questions about the future of the nuclear facility are mounting as opposition to the project continues to grow.

Economist Mark Cooper, who writes about the financing of nuclear power reactors, told the state Public Service Commission that it is "not prudent" to continue plans to build Progress Energy's nuclear plant because energy efficiency and renewables would be more cost-effective and practical.

[wroberts189]

32. 2 questions....

How do you find the time?


Is the state of Florida insane? Seems like the pubs have really screwed things up down there.

BTW thx for your activism against a ripoff.

[robdogbucky]

25. Recently whenever I consider what you've expressed

and think of the long road we have traveled to try and halt the war machine, the ignorance, the racism, sexism, mysogyny, etc., I am starkly haunted by the words of John Mitchell in front of the Watergate hearing commmittee;


"Senator, when this country turns to the right it will go so far to the right you won't recognize it."



I feel like a stranger in a strange land.

What happened?



Money changes everything

I said money
money changes everything
We think
we know what we're doin'

we don't pull the strings.
It's all in the past
now - money changes
everything.
Money
money changes everything.
We think
we know what we're doing
We don't pull the strings.
It's all in the past now -
money changes ever
Money changes everything now
money changes everything now

Money changes everything
money changes everything.
Lyrics: Money Changes Everything, Cyndi Lauper




Just my dos centavos


robdogbucky

[rug]

29. 'll g ve you a p ece of my m nd when get th is fuck ng keyboard f xed!

[krabigirl]

33. Sarah Palin is not considered presidential material by 70% of AMericans. ro

But yeah, the other 30% are scary and what they really are is very vocal.