I would like to tell you all my DU history.

[hrmjustin]

You all know me as hrmjustin but in 2001 I was hrhjustin.http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=107671

I stopped posting in 2005 because I lost my password. I rarely posted as you could see and during these years had on and off internet access.

In 2012 I bought a new computer and decided to start a new account. In Nov of 2012 I found my old password but decided to stay with this account.

I made one post as uou can see to this account and have never used the account.

Skinner knows this.

I signed up in 2001 when I saw a man carrying a sign for DU in the Bush inauguration protests. I was 22 at the time.

I decided to say all this publicly because of the talk of things changing here and people leaving.

The fact is DU has been a part of my life since 2001 to various degrees.


I made a post in Mirt and I make this here for transparency sake.

[In_The_Wind]

1. I'm really glad you are part of DU.

[hrmjustin]

2. Thanks! I have always been a part of this place from the beginning even though

I did not post much for several years and did not have access to the account for other years.

[No Vested Interest]

3. Thank you for your many contributions to DU, justin. nt

[hrmjustin]

4. Thank you my friend and the same to you.

[Left coast liberal]

5. Yep, I am a long timer too...

...although rarely post. I prefer to lurk and read and laugh. I don't sweat the discord and I can spot a troll or bait so I just avoid that.

But, me too. My day would not be a good day without DU. I have it on all day at work, constantly refreshing Greatest Hits. It is how I get my news.

You folks are great!

Keep on keepin' on!

[hrmjustin]

6. Thank you for your kind words.

[Gothmog]

7. I enjoy your posts

I am a new comer in that I started posting in 2004 but had been lurking for a couple of years before that.

Keep up the good posts and come over to discussionist if you want to mix it up with the conservatives. They are fun to play with

[hrmjustin]

8. Thanks my friend and I am glad you read my posts.

I do post there occasionally.

[Smarmie Doofus]

9. Wow. If you hadn't lost your password ( I just did the math) you would now have a total of....

....523,247 posts!

That's way ahead of the runner up ( malaise or marmar has 140,000 plus).

Keep in mind.... I failed math in HS and only got as far as Algebra. ( Ugh).

No kidding: you have single-handedly revived and kept alive the NY Forum.

Kudos, Justin.

[hrmjustin]

10. Thanks my friend and I thought the same thing lol.

[sheshe2]

11. It's always a pleasure to talk

with you, justin~

[hrmjustin]

12. Thanks and I always love your posts.

[Rhiannon12866]

13. Justin, you're doing a terrific job and are a valuable member of this community

As well as a good friend. This kind of thing has happened to numerous members over the years, so I wouldn't worry about it one little bit. Though I think it's more than fair to count yourself among DU's founding members...

I'm a latecomer, didn't find DU until the beginning of 2003, just in time for the lead up to the Iraq war. *sigh*

Just keep up exactly what you're doing and don't change a thing, okay?

[hrmjustin]

14. You my friend are a gem of DU.

I am glad I became friends with you.

Part of me wishes I could have that 2001 number on my profile.

[Rhiannon12866]

15. Thank you, my friend, and I certainly can understand that.

But time sure is fleeting, especially here on DU. I remember thinking I'd never reach 100 posts!

[hrmjustin]

16. I regret that I just didn't start a new account in 2005 when I lost my password.

I remember a few of the earlier posters who are now gone.

I remember andy.

I remember the black blox voting poster who got removed but I don't remember the moment she got removed.

I do remember the primar fight of 2007 and 8 and I decided to not sign up again because i thought I would be banned because I was a hot head.

[Rhiannon12866]

17. I remember several of them, too. Both Andy and newyawker99 were among my first DU friends.

And I don't remember the exact moment she got removed, either, long before my days as a mod. I was especially grateful for DU during the 2004 election since that totally blindsided me and I don't know how I would have survived without DU.

[hrmjustin]

18. I think she got removed in 2005 or 6.

I thought Bush would lose as well.

Air America kept me sane as did du.

[Rhiannon12866]

19. It never even crossed my mind that Bush* would get a second term

And I'm still suspicious. I was watching the election coverage until about 2am and I remember Dan Rather saying that we wouldn't know the results until 10 days or so, after they'd counted the provisional ballots. I got a phone call that woke me up the next day, telling me that John Kerry had conceded.

As for Air America, I loved Al Franken and learned to love both Rachel and Big Ed!

[hrmjustin]

20. I also remember the 2004 primaries here.

Election night 2004 was a nightmare. I went to bed at 4 and woke up to the news it was over and cried.

[Rhiannon12866]

21. The primaries here were a nightmare!

Those who think 2008 was bad can't remember 2004, LOL. And we were supposedly all on the same side back then, but the infighting over candidates was just awful! And I didn't cry, just felt sick for days. Don't know if you remember, but GD and GDP were changed to something like "Anger" and "Help and Sympathy." I mostly posted in the latter.

[hrmjustin]

22. I can't remember but I remember it was like a funeral.

Next year here will get interesting.

[Rhiannon12866]

23. It was exactly that way on DU.

My friend (who finally joined in 2005 as a surprise on my birthday ) and I went back and forth every night, both saying we couldn't believe it and just how sick we felt.

As for next year, I dread the prospect!

[hrmjustin]

24. I think I will avoid gd for the year. lol.

[Rhiannon12866]

25. I've learned to just avoid the disruptive threads...

[hrmjustin]

26. I for the most part don't get involved.

My days are in here, religion, interfaith, and mirt.

[Rhiannon12866]

27. Between MIRT and hosting, I'm lucky to keep up with the news...

[hrmjustin]

30. Well after the election we get a break.

[Rhiannon12866]

31. Or we'll all be stuck in purgatory again.

But at least we'd all be back on the same side.

[hrmjustin]

32. Actually I like the time off from mirt.

6 months on mirt can be overwhelming. Especially at election time or incidents like Ferguson.

[Rhiannon12866]

33. I was there for both Ferguson and the Zimmerman trial

I actually think this time is worse.

[hrmjustin]

34. Zimmerman's verdict we got slammed.

I was fortunate not to be on mirt at that time.

Election night should not be bad because it goes to defcon 5. But we won't be on mirt.

[Rhiannon12866]

35. The night of the Zimmerman verdict was just surreal

Almost like the 2004 election. As for this election, not being on MIRT may be a plus, since I'll likely be out knocking on doors for Aaron Woolf.

[hrmjustin]

36. good. do you follow him on twitter?

[Rhiannon12866]

37. Yes, I do. And I've already been to campaign headquarters to make GOTV calls

It's been a busy couple of weeks, with the new kitten and I've had car issues, but I intend to spend more time working for him, calls, door knocking, whatever they need, same as I did for Scott Murphy in 2009 and 2010.

[hrmjustin]

38. I should do the same for recchia.

I will see.

[Rhiannon12866]

39. I figure I'd better do anything I can, since it could be very close.

And Elise Stefanik would be a nightmare, but the average voter in my area just tends to vote R.

[hrmjustin]

40. This area can be dem if the dems show up.

[Rhiannon12866]

42. The second time I worked for Scott Murphy

I was still frozen through from going door-to-door when I heard his concession speech on television. I was glad I hadn't gone to Saratoga with him to "celebrate."

[hrmjustin]

43. This is a smaller district so 7t is n8t as time consuming totravel.

[daleanime]

28. Shouldn't matter to anyone......

but seems important to some, all I know is that I'm glad your here.

[hrmjustin]

29. Thank you very much my friend.

[murielm99]

41. I am glad you are here.

You seem to be calm and even-handed in your comments to everyone. I appreciate that.

I used to post more original threads and get into more disagreements with people over candidates and issues. It seemed to me that was why DU existed: to discuss, disagree, agree, and still be Democrats and liberals who could band together and get our candidates elected.

I stopped doing that after the last primary. I have tried to remain uncontroversial, because I saw too many old-timers being banned. I want to stay here, because I learn more here than any other place on the Internet. Being banned from this place would be tough on me.

I do go out and work for candidates. Being out in the real world is the important thing. We need to GOTV, phone bank, knock on doors, register people to vote, etc. I do not always agree with everything about the Democrats I support. But consider the alternative.

Maybe DU needs more thoughtful people like you.