Where to begin
Where to begin? Every scrap of news regarding 45’s crap flinging days has a negative effect on my health, yet I cannot stand to be uninformed. DU has helped, though I have remained silent in the back row for several years. Each morning I pick up my phone and check to see if the dotard has been arrested or stroked out. Not yet. But sometimes good news comes—the arrest of Stone, the skill of the smart, strong Speaker Pelosi, the fine scolding voiced by Sen. Bennett. Thanks DU for supplying the occasional good medicine of hoped for news. And thanks also to so many of the veteran DU posters I’ve grown to love and respect for their writings here. I hold back participation in these forums for a variety of reasons, including health (too easily stressed with real physical consequences) but also from having been pushed into the habit of holding my tongue. Pushed, because to make ends meet I took on a job that tends to constrain political speech in public. The non-profit I direct is both state funded in part, and dependent on private donations. And, I’m here in a North Carolina county that is 70% tea party, fundamnmental, sons of the confederacy, red hat sporting good old boys and their women folk. Because I am known in the community for the art supporting role, publicly voicing an opinion on political issues would definitely cost most of the support my organization gets from local businesses and private donors.
I am fortunate to have a circle of progressive minded friends, due in part to the large community of artists in the area, but for the most part I choose, or limit, my public words carefully, knowing that even the private me is automatically connected to the official Art Council director role in this small rural community.
I need a place where I can interact safely, relieving the bottled up stress and enjoying the reasonably free wheeling discourse of this online community. So, it’s time for me to join in the discussion. FYI, I am 72 this Beltane, a one time Air Force cop, fourth time married (two lost to breast cancer), classically music trained, former university research administrator turned starving artist. I read a lot, and sing a lot. I’d rather be living in Scotland. And I would have voted for Hillary when I first saw her as she campaigned for Bill in Florida for his first term.
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I'm glad you're here. I think you will find us a mostly friendly group. Except during the primary season (which is not yet upon us) when we fight tooth and nail over who should be our candidate.
I hope you will find a refuge here from your very red area! Please check out all the Forums & Groups, which are listed in a tab at the top of every page. There are a lot of interesting things to do here, besides politics. I like to take and post photos, so I frequent the Photography Group. We are very friendly and love to help others learn their craft.
I hear you about Scotland!
Welcome!
The Baking and Cooking Group is very friendly and helpful.
Some days I think DU is rather like a small city, complete with neighborhoods! And we come together to help those in distress or who are celebrating good news.
It is a genuine community. I've made a number of friends here who I now know in real life. I love being here.
