I'll try to keep it short: Where I am right now......

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

Almost 24 hours later and part of me is still in disbelief. The rest is numb and saddened and angry.

Here is my plan, for better or for worse. Everything in my gut is telling me this is what I need to do:

1. I am taking a complete and total news break. I stopped reading newspapers about a week ago, they were driving me crazy, and I rarely ever watched TV news on any channel, the yapping heads are just too much. But for this, I mean NONE, not even accidentally. My husband does watch it sometimes but I have asked him to keep it from me if at all possible. He agreed to. I also asked him not to tell me about anything going on. I honestly don't want to know. I will obviously still get tidbits here and there on DU, but that's ok. But nothing else.

2. I seriously don't want to see *'s face or hear his voice or hear his name spoken out loud at all. I feel like one of those Jewish (or is it Italian?) old ladies: "He is dead to me."

3. I need to regroup. I worked my ass off for about 18 months on politics. Everything took a backseat to it. I spent the last three weeks on sabbatical from work canvassing almost 200 houses in my precinct and phone banking. Then yesterday I poll greeted and handed out push cards for 12 hours straight. I am seriously burned out and would have been regardless of the outcome. I am going to withdraw for a while. I'll still be here at DU, but politics are not going to interest me in the least until after the New Year.

4. After the new year, I will get busy on one of my biggest issues, which is LGBT rights. I am going to get more active with the Human Rights Campaign, ACLU, PFLAG, Stonewall Democrats, etc. Whatever I have to do. The referendums in those states have cut me deeply and I am not even gay. But what hurts some of us, hurts all of us.

5. I am still, and will always be, a Democrat. This wasn't about just this election. I am heartened by the fact that more counties went blue in TX than in 2000, including the big urban counties, I am heartened by the three Democratic judges we picked up in my county and by the fact that the new Dallas County sheriff is a Democratic openly gay Hispanic woman!!!!! WOW! (Boy is the good old boy network going to try to tear her up five ways to Sunday.....) Chet Edwards (D) won and I am very happy about that. Central TX is not usually a place you see Dems winning. So there IS good news among the bad. The electoral college map of the US looks sucky, but I can't wait to see the county by county map. That should be much more interesting.

6. As heartless as it may sound, I have no use for "friends" who vote for people and policies that hurt my family and this nation. Period. There will be no dramatic confrontation, I will just fade out. If they ask what happened, I will be honest. But I cannot reconcile pretending to be friends with someone whose beliefs hurt all of us.

That's all. Thanks to everyone for being here. I could have used this place in 2000, I don't know what I would have done without you guys. And I seriously think I got more involved this time partially because of the influence of many people here.

[XanaDUer]

1. This is roughly my plan, as well.

Today for the first day, I watched no news.

You're welcome. Thanks for being here yourself.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

3. I had a feeling some others would do the same thing.

I was just remembering I did the same thing in 2000. I just shut down through the holidays, paid no attention at all. That's why when I saw F 9/11, I had no memory whatsoever of most of the ballot counting, Black Congressional Caucus, inauguration egg throwing stuff at all.

Sand, here comes my head.

[kas228]

44. No News For Me!

Hello, This is my first post on DU although I have been reading it for a long time- just signed up a couple of days ago. I can't express how defeated and sad I felt yesterday- so today the news was not allowed in my house. Spent the day playing with my grandchildren and listening to music. I swear I will listen to no more talking heads! For my grandkids sake I am more determined than ever to try and fight back against this regime- I can't do much but every day I will try to do some good by talking to people and working to at least change a few minds. Thank you all for being here!

[Jo March]

2. You have so many here who support you!

I am one. I can't understand people who voted for * because of the hatred in his heart. He doesn't even try to hide it!!

I'll stand by your side. If you lose a friend, I'll take that person's place and God willing, we will continue on.

I have no use for people who voted for *. NONE.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

4. Aw thanks so much sweetie.

That's part of what makes this place great. I have lost about four friends, but honestly we were kind of drifting from them in the last year anyway (knowing they voted for * in 2000 and planned to again and the war in Iraq really started putting a damper on our feelings for them).

As for other people in my life for whom I don't know their politics, I honestly don't WANT to know.

[Nashyra]

9. I have made knew friends

I don't consider assholes who voted repuke friends. I don't need them and I don't want them. The secretary at school todya just told me she voted for the * becasue she couldn't stand Kerry, then she went on to say that she was scared to death of her grandson going into the military. I looked at her increduosly and plain asked, you hate Kerry more than you love your grandson? She stared and all of a sudden it dawned on her, I told her that she was in for some sleepless nights when he deployed and that she could have helped prevent it, but oh yeah you hate Kerry. Left her standing there with her fat mouth hanging open and then added, thanks for endangering my son too.

[Not Me]

5. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Moonbeam wrote:
4. After the new year, I will get busy on one of my biggest issues, which is LGBT rights. I am going to get more active with the Human Rights Campaign, ACLU, PFLAG, Stonewall Democrats, etc. Whatever I have to do. The referendums in those states have cut me deeply and I am not even gay. But what hurts some of us, hurts all of us.


You have a friend for life.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

19. No way!

Thanks! That means a lot!

:hug:

[oldtime dfl_er]

6. Take pride in the good work you did

and take a little time off....I too haven't had a news show on in nearly 24 hours, and don't plan to for awhile. I know the fight will well back up in me at some point, but not yet...we just need some time to get whole again.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

20. Thanks oldtime

I appreciate it.....time to get whole again is right...

[Career Prole]

7. Sounds pretty healthy to me. I turned on "the news" from force of habit

when I got home, and switched to TCM and Clark Gable in a half-heartbeat.
I drove my daughter to Ft. Worth for a doctor's appt.
She asked if we were going to take all the bumperstickers off. "Nope", I said, "When God wants 'em off I reckon he'll take 'em off...I'm not embarrassed".
I noticed on the trip that I wasn't the only one who felt that way.
They can't blame me for the economy and the bombings with all those stickers on their! :D
You be well. :hug:

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

21. Thanks career

you must live in the same general part of TX I do. I like Ft. Worth. I go there as often as I can.

On edit: I already decided I'm leaving my stickers on, too.

[tanyev]

8. Me too, Moonbeam.

I watched no news at all today. Don't know when I'll start up again. Only checked in to DU occasionally.

I'll still keep volunteering once a week in the Dem HQ, and I have been thinking all day about ways to keep my pennies out of W's economy, but other than that, I need to retreat for a bit.

Oh, and if I hear anybody complain about anything the gov't is doing, the first thing out of my mouth is going to be, Well, who did you vote for?

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

26. Yep "Who did you vote for?" is going to be the question du jour

or the question of the year. Or four years.

And I want to keep as many of my dollars out of *'s economy too and you just gave me good motivation--I just need to think of it as *'s economy and I will be motivated to keep those dollars instead of spending them which will be better in the long run for me, anyway.

Thanks!

[blueraven95]

10. hang in there

I know I don't post that much, but I have enjoyed reading your posts for a long time.

Take a break!
:grouphug:

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

27. It always makes me smile to read things like that

thank you so much! :hug: You hang in there too!

[InvisibleTouch]

11. In recent years I've learned one thing about "friends."

For every friend that falls away over an irreconcilable difference, an unforgivable act, or simply fades out due to a variety of factors, there are ten other people waiting in line to take that person's place. It can be sad to lose a friend ... but it can also mean cutting out the dead wood, and allowing for fresh growth.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

28. I like that attitude!

Thank you!

[bettyellen]

31. thanks for being there, moonbeam, and all you have done....

it's been a comfort and joy to read your posts the last couple of months. you've shared your whole self with so many and represent so much of what i'm thinking most of us her are about. i was horrified along with everyone else to hear about your neighbors messing with your signs. oh gosh, certain people confuse an open heart with being a pushover, and it's good you know this now about them. it's a hard lesson! I'm guessing that you probably are pretty smart about where your spending your $$ anyway, but while you're resting and enjoying the holidays, think about joining the boycott of repub supporting companies. with the smallest effort, we can hurt them big this holiday season, and get some great pre-inaugural press while reforming our shopping habits for the long term.
Anyway, thanks for being out there, and enjoy your rest, I'm glad you'll still be around at DU.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

35. I am the Boycott Queen

and would like to get even better at it. I can be VERY stubborn about where I do and do not spend my money and I would LOVE to see some kind of master list of repuke owned, repuke contributing companies somewhere, you can BET I'd not patronize them.

Thank you for your kind words!!!!!

[bettyellen]

41. I had a feeling you were, LOL!! I'm going to see what I can compile asap

there was a good thread about this and i bookmarked it. i'm going to compile and start an email and get a couple of media friends to see if they can get some press on it for the holiday season. i think it's a good time to start, they love their dumb little stories about x mas shopping on CNN. It'll be a pre-inaugural gift for George. These selfish pricks, it's the best way to hurt em. it's all they understand.

[rosegreene]

12. "Almost 24 hours later and part of me is still in disbelief"

You have helped me through this truly difficult time with your wonderful balance of feeling and reason. Thanks for recognizing that they always come first for queers and Jews before they come for you.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

29. That's right

but truly I feel we are all HUMAN and that is what counts first and foremost, our humanity.

If we lose that, we will have lost everything.

Thank you.

[Rowdyboy]

13. We're almost in the same vote...no more tv news for a year or so

I'm going to tape episodes of the Beverly Hillbillies every morning for us to watch in the evenings in place of all the news coverage.

In 2000, we discovered a very cute sitcom based on the movie "Clueless" and watched it in place of news for many months.

I need to step WAY back and rediscover the rest of the world.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

22. Oh the "Clueless" sitcom is AWESOME

and I would never normally cop to that, sweetie! LOL!

Beverly Hillbillies, you have me smiling.

Rediscovering the rest of the world sounds great, my friend....

[DemBones DemBones]

14. We'll soon need "Don't Blame Me, I Voted for Kerry" bumper stickers.

It won't be long before the morons see what happens when the man who said "being a dictator would be easier" has four years of power and no need to worry about re-election, no need to worry about getting Jeb elected in 2008, either, since they've gotten the machines everywhere.

As Stalin said, "It's not who votes that's important, it's who counts the votes."

(That's a paraphrase, Google it for the exact quote if you like.)

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

30. Yep

the only thing I am taking consolation in now is that Iraq is HIS mess to clean up/fix/or fail in (which he's doing a good job of now), Jeb will have a harder time running after THIS four years and we CAN'T HAVE HIM AGAIN.

GRRRRR.

[President Kerry]

15. thank you Moonbeam... great post

i believe you were first to welcome me to DU when i joined a month ago or so. Since then the place has become my other home.

I'm still distraught over the results, like all of us. My friend from Chicago emailed me--- "You know the best thing about * winning? It's his LAST term." He won't cheat again, at least not in presidential elections. 2/2 is enough.

* is in a mudhole of his own making.

I'm hurting, but we'll be back.. We WILL prevail!

Thank you to all of DU!
:grouphug:

Any DUer in the Boston area let me know--we'll need one another in the next 4yrs

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

Thanks MassDem

I appreciate your words so much......:hug:

[Lady President]

16. I like your plan

I'm planning on following the same basic routine. As an early Kerry supporter and Ohioan, I'm exhausted. I desperately need to take care of myself. I delayed annual exams for months because I didn't want to miss any work, unless it was to volunteer. I need to eat healthier and to start to cook again. (Between stress and a long period of unemployment I've gained 20 lbs.)

I'm taking a news sabbatical as well.

I've lost all my Republican friends already, but that happened gradually over the last 4 yrs. and I've moved on.

I know I'll be back to local politics when the race for Ohio Governor starts, but I need to step back and have a normal life for a few months.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

23. Heh

my fitness level is, let's just say, NOT what it used to be. And my eating habits got HORRIBLY crappy in the last three months. I am going to start powerwalking again, especially now that it is cooler out and I look forward to rediscovering that thing called "cooking."

Now where is my stove?

[Maiden England]

17. I stand with you Moonbeam

I am doing so many of the things you wrote about. Today was the first day I haven't watched any news, none. I don't think I have the self control to see king shrub right no. If I'd watched Kerry's concession speech I may never have recovered from the breakdown. It was heartwrenching just listening to it on AAR.
I too am planning after my small spell with hibernation to get doubly involved in politics. I am not gay, but I am a Jew. My kind my not be the target of these neofascist thugs at the moment, but we once were. People stood idly by and watched while 6 million of my kind were marched to the gas chambers. If they think they can start down any road of oppresion with my brothers and sisters in the GLBT or Arab communities, or even in the 'Liberal' communities they better come through me first.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

34. I have a friend who watched his speech

she said she just sat on the couch and blubbered and sobbed like a baby for an HOUR.

Ug. I couldn't do it, I just couldn't.

[haydukelives]

18. I stopped watching the news

when * started his war. trust me, you wont miss it

[ethereal]

24. hang in there

i plan to take a long break and reassess many things. i find myself thinking more and more about bbv, and i think that is the crux of the problem. i plan to learn as much as i can and focus on that issue.


part of the problem with the freeps i talked to is that i had become so obsessed with so many topics, learning as much as i could about iraq, the economy, the patriot act, etc, that any topic they brought up i could rebut their lame surface platitudes for hours.


maybe i need to settle down, focus on one issue, and give it the same passion and intensity i gave this election. lord knows it needs the attention.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

36. You make a good point

the * lies were so numerous it was hard to keep up. We became masters at many subjects.

That's why I am looking forward to having the time and energy to devote to my #1 cause of GLBT (or LGBT, I see it written both ways) rights. The fact that they are treated as second-class citizens will not be borne long and should not be. I'm looking forward to putting all my "firepower" into that, specifically getting more heteros who feel as I do to get more active, because it is going to take ALL of us to get up off our butts to make things happen. ALL of us.

Thanks for your post!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

25. Oh I basically never did watch the news on TV

when 9/11 happened, I watched it, of course.

But other than that, except for debates and conventions on CSPAN, no news for me on TV or "news shows."

Mr. Moonbeam used to always watch the Sunday morning "news" shows with coffee, but he told me he won't be doing that anymore. I don't want to hear it and he'll be more calm not watching them anyway.

I hear ya.

[LisaLynne]

32. Moonbeam...

you are an inspiration. We will weather this storm. We're too smart, loving, caring, and just plain good-looking not to. We're going to be here for each other! Thanks for posting that. :)

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

37. Good-looking???

Hey do I know you??? LOL

:hug:

Thank you for your sweet words darlin, we will get through this!

[ignatius 2]

33. I agree, I have no time for those who vote for a fraud who is destroying

our country and the very foundation upon which it was built. When 51% of the people in this country think that a man who lied to start a war, who joked about finding wmds while our soldiers were being blown away, and who considers 100,000 dead Iraqi women and children "collateral damage" to be moral, than they have lost their moral compass in the worst way.

I had my first confrontation with a repug jerk from my office in the parking garage this morning. I said to think that people would vote for tis man who lied to start a war that has killed 1100 troops and 100,000 civilians is so wrong.

He said the 100,000 was a drop in the bucket compared to those Saddam had killed. I said that depends upon whose bucket it is, if it was your child it woudn't be a drop now would it?

I can't do this anymore for a while. I am so tired mentally and so heartrtbreakingly sad, that I too am going to lay low for a while until the passion and energy reemerges. I suspect it won't take long, the human spirit is a marvelous thing. Take care, stay well, and get some much deserved rest.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

38. The human spirit is, indeed, a marvelous thing.

That line in your post made me smile. I am going to have to remember those words.

The human spirit is a marvelous thing. Thank you.

[eleny]

39. Regarding your number 6

My position on this "friends" issue was solidified earlier today. But I'm for the confrontation. Not that you should be. It's just that after decades of knowing people, I need to tell them. They've rubber stamped a slaughter thereby rocketing too far off my values radar. As they call to say "Hi, how are you feeling since the election", I plan to tell them all about it. And that will be the final chapter of our relationships - "as heartless as it may sound".

[bettyellen]

42. you go eleny, they need to account for what they are supporting!!

[txindy]

40. Also in Central TX, one of DeLay's men lost.

I just read that Jack Stick lost to Mark Strama.

[eleny]

43. Paper voting perhaps?

That seems to be the only way to get an honest count. So I'm just wondering if you know. It's good news however it came about.

[txindy]

46. As a matter of fact, it was eSlate voting.

The electronic voting machine (with the dial), but not from Diebold. No paper ballots.

Surprised me, too, but I'll take what we can get right now and this is a good thing in Texas. Reducing DeLay's gang anywhere helps. I'm glad to read the orig. post about the positive changes in Dallas, too. Good news is out there.

[Lorien]

45. Somewhat similar to my own plan

except I'll be working on environmental causes, because I believe that if we continue to ignore the environment, humanity won't last another 30 years (if that). All other issues will be null and void without air and food.

I, too, devoted everything to this campaign during the past few weeks. I lost clients and paychecks, but most of all, I lost faith in my country and the democrats. I'll go back to being an independent, and hopefully become the citizen of another nation soon.

All repugs are dead to me now. My own mother too, if she insists on standing by her "Godly leader". I think this country will be every bit as divided as it was during the civil war.

I wish you well in your fight.

[Dob Bole]

47. I'm with you...I fear the Democratic party will cut off LGBT Americans...

and what hurts one of us, hurts us all...

[SoCalDemGrrl]

49. Dems will never cut off LGBT Americans!!

[SoCalDemGrrl]

48. I can relate..

I appreciate all your work for the Kerry cause, I wish I could have done the same but I'm running a business and have a daughter who just started college this year, so I was not able to volunteer as much as I would have liked... I can relate to your thoughts about not having room for those who support the junta.. if they can't see the forest for the trees at this point, it's just not worth the effort, time to move on...

[rockydem]

50. I think your plan is good and

You did a great job - you are a hero in my eyes.

I think it would be good for all of us to spend less time watching fuckin' cable news and calling * names on the internet. I think we need to get involved in issues now, just like you are planning on doing. Join a group that is fighting for the environment, for gay rights, whatever - we must do what we can to stop the * agenda and that means fighting in the trenches of these issues.

I'm planning on getting involved in opposing tort reform and with the ACLU and possibly with some environmental groups. They have things you can do. You can go to committee meetings, etc - you can protest - you can get the word out face to face, raise money, whatever. It will all help.

Join with your fellow progressives. We must resist, and then try again in 2008. We must preserve what we can until then!