I have learned more from DU, than I had learned in my 41 years of life!

[hang a left]

I found DU through a link from BushWatch shortly after selection 2000. I think that the first time I had ever really paid attention to politics was during the Clinton hearings.

I was a naive person. Having spent my prior years, partying, then getting married, onto having kids, and finally as a single mother. I was always just trying to keep my world together and was too busy trying to pay the bills and be a good mom that outside events were backround music.

Somehow, instinctually, while being glued to CNN, I knew something was very very wrong on election night in 2000 and in the days that followed. I remember sitting in front of the TV awaiting word from the SC about how they were going to rule in Bush V Gore. And this non-politically aware registered Republican cried. Somewhere in my gut I felt something catostrophic had occured. Maybe I am clarvoyent :).

I scoured the internet looking for information and answers and that is how I made it here. I would log on and read every day. It took me probably a year to register, and then another year before I had the guts to even reply to a post. It seemed to me that everyone knew WAY more than I and I felt I had nothing to add to the discussions. Plus my writing is crappy. But I soaked everything up. I am still here several times a day, just lurking and rarely say anything, but I feel this is my home.

I stay away from the flame wars, but read them sometimes. I stay away from the candidate threads, and recently alot of the I/P threads, because if I want to watch a fight I will log off and go talk to my husband. When GD gets too crazy, I go back and see if I missed anything in LBN. Then I will go check the blogs I frequesnt and the last thing I do before bed is take a peak at the 9-11 forum and see what is new for the day.

What I want to express is how DU has changed my life. I look at everything and understand that it is not as it appears. I overhear conversations with the people that I associate with in my world and I am I know that they are incredibly misinformed; victims of state propaganda that masquerades as news being zapped into their homes and cars. For the most part, I just stay quiet, because I cannot make a change for them. My change has come through years of studying. I have a BA in DU and I am working on my masters.

I will admit my life was less complex before my education. But I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Thanks to my fellow classmates

[Hissyspit]

1. Better late than never, as they say.

Well most of the time.

Belated welcome to DU!

I can't say I learned MORE from DU than in my previous 43 years, a lot of it I already knew, but I sure learn things here I won't find anywhere else. I was feeling pretty alone beginning around 1999.

:patriot:

:toast:

[obxhead]

2. Klink...

:toast:

well said.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. hear!

DU has been my classroom too. :)

[rumpel]

4. join the crowd, thanks

:)

[beam me up scottie]

5. How dare you!

A positive thread in GD?

Are you out of your mind?

:evilgrin:


Recommended.

[niyad]

6. and thanks to you, as well, for a lovely post. although I have always

been very aware politically, I must say that I am absolutely in AWE of so many of the posters here on DU--who are, without a doubt, some of the most informed, literate, caring, intelligent, thoughtful and helpful people I have ever run across. many times when I have needed information, the geniuses of this little section of cyberworld have been right there with the answers.

this wonderful group has kept me company through many days and nights, times when, surrounded by the fundies and idiots who pollute my town, and my country, I come here to remind myself that there is intelligent life in this country.

the caring and compassion shown in so many instances when people have reached out in their fears and worries and heartaches always touches me deeply.

so, I add my thanks, for the wonderful, wonderful people who make up DU--cheers!!!

[Pierogi_Pincher]

14. I second that emotion! =)

Can't remember how I found DU, but glad I did--I felt isolated in my sentiments esp. when the pResident was 'decided'. 1st time bad enough, 2nd time unbearable.

Re: the O.P.-->:thumbsup:

P_P

:dem:

[hopeisaplace]

7. great post, exactly how I feel as well

especially when you say you realize how incredibly misinformed people are now,
..I find the same thing. I try to "provide" an expanded view where I can,
but like you said "I cannot make a change for them".

I'm an information junkie, and I like the information I read here and am directed
to reading from here. :):toast:

[never cry wolf]

8. I am with you sister

My eyes have been opened and I noiw know what is happening in the world.

[w8liftinglady]

9. allow me to say-DU is my sanity in an insane world

I live in a very red area of Texas.....and it's great to know i'm not alone.

[Emit]

10. I could have written exactly what you wrote

'cause I had a similar experience getting here and I have the same feelings toward what I've learned here.

Thanks DU for giving me a place of great learning and thanks, hang a left, for reminding me again.

[Reckon]

11. I know how you feel.

That's why I do my best to inform others.

[eridani]

12. Don't feel bad about not initiating posts

This place is so huge that I rarely do. Most original articles that I feel like posting are already up by the time I log in.

Let's have a shout-out to all the geeky experts here too. Does a thread need the perspective of a plumber, a fluent speaker of Japanese, a civil engineer, an emergency room nurse, a probate lawyer, a union organizer? You'll find it all here, and much more.

[Stardust]

13. To me, DU is the eye of the storm, safe but offering unprecedented

Opportunity to learn about what's really going on "out there" where it's scary and confusing and almost impossible to know all the background or keep up with the events. And if I need my spirits lifted after my knowledge has been sated, I can always wander on over to the DU Lounge to relax and be silly in. Many DUers are witty and really help lighten up things. Yeah, DU, is an amazing collection of diverse subjects and opinions, but right up there in importance as formal learning.

[w8liftinglady]

15. That's a good way to put it....glad you posted

[KT2000]

16. Great Post !!!

And my experience is similar to yours. I too was looking for the sanity and found DU after the bogus 2000 election.

And I know what you mean about listening to people repeat the propaganda. You can't even have a conversation with them because it does not even make sense.

:toast:

[democrank]

17. Glad you`re here, hang a left.

Like you, I`ve learned a lot here as well.

[theHandpuppet]

18. Glad to have you here!

For someone who thinks their writing is "crappy" you've composed one helluva post. Hope to read many more of your thoughts in the future.

Be well!

[Time for change]

19. Very touching and interesting story, hang a left

DU has changed my life too.

I think I'll probably write about that some day, when I can think of what to say.
:toast:

[NJCher]

20. a very thoughtful post

I think all of us who frequent this forum are aware of how it raises one's consciousness. All too often, however, we fail to articulate it.

Reading DU is kind of like getting immunized.




Cher

[madokie]

21. logging in to DU was the smartest thing I have ever done

When I come here in the mornings to see and read what is happening in the world I feel like I am home. I have learned more about myself and the world around me in the short time I have been here than in all the 58 years previous. My biggest regret is I didn't become politically aware sooner in life. Thanks for this post, it only reinforces my belief that I have found the right place, so many caring and intelligent persons, so much to learn.
:yourock:

[Pharaoh]

22. Me Too

I have learned so much here that the internet has become email and DU! I go to other sites but were it not for DU I would'nt have this internet addiction!:party:

K&R

[femrap]

23. I am so glad you found DU....

it has kept me sane. And I don't feel so alone in my disgust of what has happened to our once great nation.

[BR_Parkway]

24. DU has made me into the smartest guy in the room - it never

fails that anytime we're around other people, I somehow manage to mention at least one thing that no one else is even aware of and it starts a conversation. Not always even pure political issues, sometimes the science, or sustainability.

It's pretty sad to realize that every person that you know is truly ignorant and don't even realize how much is going on around them that they're clueless about.

[rocktivity]

25. I suffered from post-9/11 frustration

I was fed up with the hype within four days, which culminated in my shouting "Stop telling me how to feel!" at my TV. I wandered the Internet in search of confirmation of my suspicion that 9/11 may have been more of a pre-emptive strike.

When I came across sites which said that the Bush and bin Laden families were business partners and that CIA had trained Osama way back when, I felt vindicated. I found my way to Michael Moore's site, which gave me a link to Democrats.com. When I tried to find Democrats.com a second time, I ended up here. In one of my first posts, I said I was glad that I had finally found "a safe haven!"

:headbang:
rocknation

[4_TN_TITANS]

26. K & R... similar to my situation

sElection 2000 was like throwing cold water in my face. The only thing I have to be thankful to Bush for is that he singlehandly got me off my ass and politically active. Prowling the net before 2004 is how I wound up here. I think somebody linked to DU on the Kerryblog is how I got here.

[sgxnk]

27. seriously

if u learned more from DU (or any website) in 6 years, than you did in 41 years of life, then you need to get out more

and get a life

seriously


nothing compares to real world experience

[byronius]

28. I so totally concur. OMG.

[Joanne98]

29. I came here the night of the 2002 election......

It didn't come out the way we thought. I lost my password and didn't post again for a long time. When I was a lurker Bev Harris showed up here with the Diebold files. I was hooked. The story was huge !1!1!1
I finally got a new password (one I can remember) and I learn something new everyday. I always tell people the the DU'er's know everything. I stand by that statement.

[porphyrian]

30. Aw, your writing's not that bad. - n/t

[bluemanifesto]

31. Here, here!!

This is exactly my second post here but I've silently been reading this website for a few years. I can't count the times I've used items I've learned from the people on this site to try and promote diversity in the political leanings in my town...here in Indiana (if that tells you how red it is here).

Thanks for expressing my similar feelings so eloquently and I'm looking forwarded to continuing my own education...