Have faith. The tide is shifting. We just need to hang on a bit longer.

[nobodyspecial]

What we are hearing and seeing are the death throes of a dying mindset. The hate and venom may seem loud and overwhelming now, but it will soon fade away. They sense their demise and are fighting it with every fiber of their being.

"The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice..." -MLK Jr.

[OneGrassRoot]

1. I join you in having faith in Humanity.

More and more people are waking up, which means TPTB are panicking, upping their game to pit us against one another.

We can prevail. I know we can.

[Lint Head]

2. Just stay away from blind faith. We are smarter than the theocratic corporate fascists that are

waging a war on intelligence and science.

[nobodyspecial]

5. Not blind faith

It's based on demographics and a failure of their racist, homophobic beliefs to take root in another generation. And it will take continuing vigilance and effort on our part.

The post was just based on the latest headlines. They are enough to make one lose heart if you take them at face value. I just thought of a injured, trapped animal. It is at it's scariest and most desperate then.

[Motown_Johnny]

3. I agree, the demographics are undeniable and that has forced them

to attempt to pass policies to hold off the inevitable. It will just make the backlash that much worse and establish Conservatism as a failed mindset for decades to come.


Now if we can just get the liberals to not turn on each other for a couple of cycles after they finally fall apart we just might get back on the right track.

[nobodyspecial]

9. That's why I hate the in-fighting here

Our lack of unity often gives them the advantage.

We only have two major parties so we have to play that game. But I don't know why we can't replicate the success the fundamentalists and tea partiers have had in taking over the GOP. They united worked within the existing system and succeeded in making their voices the loudest. We can do that as well if we are more strategic than dogmatic about it.

[MrModerate]

16. On the other hand . . .

The teabaggers and their ideological kindred have effectively wrecked the Republican party in pursuit of what they consider "purity."

I wouldn't want to do that to the Democratic party. Dems flourish under a big tent. And it gets pretty noisy under that tent.

[nobodyspecial]

20. Well, I guess there could be some progressives

who would want to purge the party in the name of purity. I've seen it here. But, I think their crazy has our crazy beat hands down.

I like to think the extremists on both sides balance out the middle. If you've pissed off people equally on both sides, you have likely reached consensus in the middle.

[RKP5637]

17. Same here, "I hate the in-fighting here. Our lack of unity often gives

them the advantage."

[mdmc]

4. r

[roguevalley]

6. I agree with the OP. The bad guys have worn out their welcome and the tide is turning slowly

[Drew Richards]

7. OK I will try to have faith but I need you to talk me down first...

This is just an itsy bit of what that dying mindset has already done and fear we can never fix it in my lifetime...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002531351

But I welcome your beautiful words of encouragement.

[southernyankeebelle]

8. I will try harder in hang in there. Sometimes I wonder where is god to allow the

crazy rightwing to just go overboard.

[nobodyspecial]

11. Since I am an atheist, you are definitely asking the wrong person

But, if I wasn't, I would say this is where free will comes into play. Your voice of love and compassion has to be louder to drown out the hate and intolerance.

[southernyankeebelle]

34. Yes your right.

[gateley]

10. Spoke with a friend who had dinner with his father who is "so Republican we can't

discuss a word of politics". But his dad actually said, this is the death of the Republican party -- the Santorum/religion thing disgusted him.

[Kath1]

14. I've had similar experinces lately.

My cousin, formerly a very Republican, Catholic, pro-Bush, Fox News, Limbaugh person shocked me a bit when she asked me at a recent party if I could get her an Obama bumper sticker and button. She said was disgusted by the contaception thing and had a major change of heart. She said that led her to educate herself on other issues. She told me she was ashamed that she ever voted for Bush. I told her better late than never. We now talk often and she is really into progressive causes - even pro-choice!

Her husband is a different story entirely. sigh.

My 24 year old daughter and all of her friends are progressive/liberal and are for Obama 100%.

They are losing support fast and that is a good thing!

"the death of the Republican party" - A great thing for the whole world.

[gateley]

28. I think if more people actually educated themselves a bit, they would be shocked at how

the Republicans have led them astray. It probably takes something like this as a catalyst. Even then, a lot of people wouldn't even bother -- so good for your cousin!

[Kath1]

39. Thanks, gateley!

I agree!

I'm very happy for my cousin and it is great to have another liberal in my otherwise conservative family!

[Number23]

12. What's the "dying mindset" exactly?

Just on DU lately, this place has been overrun with recent trolls who are all too happy to cast Trayvon Martin as a gold-toothed thug if that's what it takes to get Zimmerman free.

Somebody else posted an OP saying that white guys are "being oppressed too" which got lots of replies though thankfully far less recs. H&M is full of OPs from people having to "remind" DUers what a racist comment looks like and that if merely discussing white privilege makes you squirm, then maybe you need to look inside yourself to figure out why.

And this is just on DU, a web site where posters love to pat themselves on the back with how "informed" and "enlightened" they are. The real world is even worse. I'm not feeling all that hopeful myself.

[nobodyspecial]

15. That is the noise

I think message boards and other anonymous postings distort reality.

When I am out in the real world with younger people, most don't care if your male/female, black/white/Hispanic/other, gay/straight. They don't think women shouldn't have access to reproductive options. They don't trust corporate America. They still see a future that is theirs to shape.

[RKP5637]

19. Such a relief to hear from someone. The poison in this country needs to

go away and be moved into the distant past where it's belonged for a long long time.

[Number23]

26. Rec'ing your post in the hopes that what you're saying is the truth

[RKP5637]

13. Eventually they will run out of people and things for their hatred and

venom. Is there any group or thing left that has not been bashed by their hatred and venom. I think with their outright misanthropy and finally outright misogyny they have now covered almost all bases.

[Thegonagle]

32. Only thing left to bash is fat old rich white men...

Well, what are they waiting for?

[Egalitarian Thug]

18. I'm trying, it keeps getting harder and harder... n/t

[nobodyspecial]

22. Stay strong

and find ways to step away from it all. It can be overwhelming. Obsessing and following every minute detail won't change anything.

Some days, I like just going out and being a ray of light for people. Nothing crazy, but just smiling at people, waving, talking in line with others or with clerks, opening doors, etc. -- just trying to be positive and upbeat in my interactions with others. Sometimes you can just see the stress and masks melt from other people's faces. We're so caught up in our heads and devices, I think genuine interactions are so refreshing. I'm not sure how much it adds to another person's day, but it always makes me feel good.

[Egalitarian Thug]

23. Thank you. You're right and this has been an interesting time here. n/t

[teewrex]

21. History is a pendulum swing. It has gone as far right as it is going to go and is getting ready to

go back to the left.

[pscot]

24. I'll have some of whatever you're smoking

[nobodyspecial]

25. Faith or fear

You decide. May get a bit uglier before it gets better, but it will get better.

[Doctor_J]

35. Save some for me

The "just hang in there while they do so much damage that people get really pissed" brigade is a big problem.

[fascisthunter]

27. yes! (nt)

[opihimoimoi]

29. KnR 25 :o)

[Rain Mcloud]

30. RW drift

After the cold war the only meaningful thing left to the conservative party was shrinking the size of the government.
The trouble is,people are fond of the services that the government provides.
So it is a catch 22 proposition,like the asshole congress that everyone hates but re-elect because of the pork they bring home from D.C.

The RW has been in decline since 1988 and they know it,they believe that it may take two generations to regain the popularity that they once enjoyed under the sainted Raygun,it took the liberals 36 years after LBJ and so the thinktankers believe that a similar time frame may be needed till the next Reagan rises to lead the children of Abraham out of the wasteland of prosperity,equality and good health.

So if anything is to be learned from this;work hard and be happy but most importantly stay invigorated about change,optimism is infectious.

[Doctor_J]

36. In decline for 24 years???

Wow. Denial is not just a river in Egypt. Have you been asleep for the last 12 years of elections? Of SCOTUS appointment and rulings?

Holy...crap.

[WCGreen]

31. I believe that you are right....

From what I have gathered from observing the kids coming of age now and those all ready in their 20's and early 30's. they have almost exclusively left a whole lot of the bull shit that was designed to separate us from one another in the dust bin of history, so to speak....

[nobodyspecial]

33. I think we get caught up in our own bubbles

and sometimes don't see it. But when you get out in the world and talk to people, it's not so bad. And many will listen if you ask questions or provide facts in a nonthreatening way.

Comments on message boards, especially after news articles, are the worst. I always feel depressed after reading them. Then I realize, it is only the people who are feeling alone and desperate and miserable that spend so much time posting these horrible things. The happy, content people are off living their lives. When I read my local paper, I can predict which articles will draw them, who will comment and what they will say. Even though I disagree vehemently with the GOP, I don't have any hate in my heart. I can't imagine going through life filled with such hate and poison. Very sad.

[Tarheel_Dem]

37. K&R

[SpartanDem]

38. I agree they're angry becuse they're losing

They jave lost the battles on civil rights, women and soon gays. This has been along time coming people forget that the Jerry Falwell's of the worlds started out as as anti civil rights warriors this what he said after Brown v Board of Education: "If Chief Justice Warren and his associates had known God's word and had desired to do the Lord's will, I am quite confident that the 1954 decision would never had been made. The facilities should be separate. When God has drawn a line of distinction, we should not attempt to cross that line."[13].

[99Forever]

40. Sorry.

But I disagree, without something VERY radical happening, the slide into Fascism continues unabated.

[K Gardner]

41. I don't think the pendulum has finished its arc..

I wish I could share your faith, but I don't see it. Not yet. I see only anger and hate, and I don't see it ebbing prior to November.