No Matter Your Candidate: In Defense of 2 Objectives

[Sancho Panza]

We all know the first objective, and it is clearly why most if us ever joined the Democratic Underground: George W. Bush MUST be removed from power, and with him, the cancerous lesions he brought with him - Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Ashcroft, et al. The first genetically neoconservative regime in American history. The damage is reaching incalculable levels, and will be very difficult to reverse. So it must be done as soon as humanly possible. Difficult does not mean impossible, but critical mass is upon us.

Secondly, peace will be delayed indefinitely in Iraq, Afghanistan, and so many other places where violence, strife, dogmatism, repression, and where religious, ethnic, and nationalistic hatreds most assuredly will produce more fodder for the machines of war and terrorism. It produces a sense of hopelessness, despair, and cynicism among many that this "is the way it has always been, and will always will be". So the second objective is to STOP this most vicious of cycles - war and hatred - which can be abetted greatly by achieving Objective #1.

The next legally elected president will have a formidable mountain of tasks before him or her. The culture of the Pentagon is entrenched - with its ongoing mutual strokefest with Lockheed, Boeing, and other contractors. War is profit and keeps great segments of the populace in thrall with feelings of misguided nationalism and bubbling hatred for the "other". The State Department has its agenda. The National Security Agency apparatus is insatiable and will be fully ready to set the next president up for more justifications for war, incursions, proxy aid to the terrorist groups on "our side", and so on. Then there is the FBI and intelligence apparatus. The cancer didn't start with Bush (I or II), but it is by far worse because of him. The 'PATRIOT ACT' and other perversions of our civil liberties have given carte blanche for this quasi-fascist regime to do ANYTHING - tax cuts for the top 1%, removal of Clean Water and Air standards, appointing theocratic judges, waging war with the most outrageous pretenses - ANYTHING their little blackened hearts desire.

I've seen enough.

I know you have too. Try, just for ONE day, a 24 hour pledge to yourself - TRY to, when posting about candidates - to devote that valuable time to making the case for him or her. Positive thoughts, energy, whatever you want to call it - you have the power to create the antidote to the national cancer in the Oval Office.

Make the case, build them up, praise them. Do this without tearing down the other candidates. Truthfully, it makes it appear that you have no argument for your candidate when you fall back on reducing the others.

Yes, all of the candidates have flaws, and their degree of seriousness varies depending on your own set of values and ideals. But they all have virtues too - like all of us, complicated creatures, and like more of us than we care to admit - political creatures as well. I understand the passion that drives people to criticize other candidates. It is not unlike the passion, and energy, we devote to criticizing Bush. Bust we ARE better than Bush and his minions. We do not need to construct false philosophies like "Compassionate Conservatism". We do need to make up things about the opposing candidates, like they did with Gore in 2000.

We do not need it, or could just as well hand over the Oval Office to the Cancer-In-Chief for another four long horrible years.

The person you support WILL change the world, no matter who they are. Make their case. And as peace activists for our civil liberties advised generations ago: Keep Your Eyes On The Prize.

Two Objectives. Two Choices. Please do yourself a world of inner good and devote yourself to the choice of making a peaceful and positive promotion of your candidate. It will build our collective morale at a time where momentum against Bush is on our side, and we need to keep it going. If we let the momentum collapse in a sea of self-manufactured acrimony and bitterness...

You can write your own conclusion.

My own project is to post in at least ONE thread about EACH candidate with words of respect and encouragment. I even admit it will not be easy, because I too am not without grave reservations about a few of them. But I feel I must, because this isn't just "ABB" talk. There is a White House to reclaim. There is a restoration of hope to be fulfilled. There is peace to be had.

[illini]

1. Well Said!!!!!!!

ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB,ABB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anybody But Bush!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Northwind]

2. You got a mouse in your pocket?

Because otherwise I don't know what you mean by "we".

You do not speak for me, and you do not get to determine what my objectives are.

My objectives are more far-seeing than this one election, although I most certainly do want Bush out of power.

All of this lockstep robotic ABB shit is really getting on my nerves.

[Sancho Panza]

4. I did not mean it that way

I am sorry you took offense. It was a request of volunteerism, not meant to be 'marching orders'.

By all means, you should have your own set of objectives, and do what your conscience dictates. All I meant by "we" is in the most general sense of opposition to Bush.

To clarify, I didn't mean the candidate-praise project was one of the mutual objectives. Only the removal of Bush (which you agree with), and the ending of the quagmire and strife in Iraq and elsewhere (which if you don't agree, I apologize for including you in the general 'we') were the two objectives.

I have a longstanding contempt for the Bush family - over 20 years strong. It drives my participation on this board, and if that makes me seem like just another rah-rah ABB'er, so be it. I did not intend my post to be a command. Just an experimental offer.

In any event, I wish you peace friend. :-)

[Sancho Panza]

5. in order to prevent further misunderstanding

I edited the "we" out of the title of the thread.

I just have a predilection for pronouns, I guess. :-)

[Booberdawg]

3. Thank you

Nice Post:thumbsup:

[Sancho Panza]

6. thanks Booberdawg

I am riding a crest of passion and commitment right now to get more Americans to wake up to the damage Bush is causing. People are learning that you can separate your feelings about America and what the terrorists did from your opinion of Bush. Opinions about the wisdom of war are changing too, for the cause of peace.

I inadvertently angered a Duer though, perhaps because I am energized by the reversing momentum with Bush.

I will make it clear: Everyone on here is a unique person with their own conscience and sets of values and ethics. I despise groupthink, and am the farthest thing from a robot I know. But there is power in unity, and anyone who has read Howard Zinn knows how the unity of common people can do a world of good when they have common objectives for the common betterment of all.

It is difficult, to put millions of individual, wonderful, unique minds and hearts together in unison. Just ask the conductor of an unrehearsed symphony. :-)

And just wait until they start making beautiful music.

[Desertrose]

7. Yet another voice of sanity...hurray!

:hi: Welcome to DU, Sr. Panza

Thank you...I have been trying to get the same point across for awhile....why waste time & energy shredding each others candidates when we can do better by and for all of us by taking all this political emotional spiritual urgency to the highest level we can....

........and eventually, as they say on Highlander...."There can be only ONE!" ....and we will have to live with whoever it is....(long as it ain't bushwa)

Peace
DR

edit-typo & half a sentence-duh

[Brucey]

8. Well said,

let's keep our objectives in mind... but still have rational discourse (and be tolerant and let others have their emotional outbursts... this is Internet quick talk, afterall, not a contemplated essay).

[LWolf]

9. a kick for words of wisdom

:kick:

[Desertrose]

10. worth another kick up

:kick:


Peace
DR

[JohnKleeb]

11. wise words