Jesus, save me from your followers.

[BlueCheese]

I've seen that bumper sticker before, and I knew immediately what it meant. I'm guessing you do too, whether you identify as Christian, another faith, or none at all, like me.

Sometimes, when I read this board, I feel that way about our presidential candidates. Namely, like Jesus, they're morally good people with great economic messages, but a minority of their supporters frighten the tar out of everyone else.

Before I go any further, let me emphasize the minority part-- most people on here, like most Christians are very nice, reasonable, people, that happen to believe in a particular viewpoint. The most vocal supporters, however, make me shudder and want to run as far in the opposite direction as possible.

As a non-Christian, which do you think makes me more receptive? The people volunteering their time and donating their money to feed and clothe the poor, or the ones who show up with signs that say God hates gay people? The ones who genuinely worry for my salvation and invite me to church but are accepting when I decline, or the ones who tell me I'm going to hell because I'm a sinner? Of course I'm not positing an equivalence between DU members and the hateful people of the Westboro Baptist Church, but I think there's a message in there about positive and negative messaging.

When I read the free-flowing insults and accusations of corruption or ignorance that stem from a vocal minority on this board, I wonder if those people realize how counterproductive they're being. It might feel good, but people are not convinced by hearing things like this. If anything, they make them more skeptical and attracted to the other side.

Every time Democrats lose an election, we wonder why people voted for the Republicans. A common argument is that GOP voters are poorly informed and were duped into voting against their own self-interest. But when someone thinks the only reason you'll vote for the opponent is because you're not smart enough to make the right decision, you might think it in your self-interest to not support those who hold you, and everyone else, in such manifest contempt. I think the same thing happens when someone posts such vitriol here: after all, insulting someone is a poor way of convincing them.

[azmom]

1. Our candidates are like Jesus?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

2. I don't think anyone on here is 'convinceable' by anyone else here.

And you'd have to be pretty damn shallow to base your vote upon how anyone else votes or talks about the candidates, rather than upon the candidates and their own policies. Any time I hear someone proclaim that they've decided not to vote for X, because the other people voting for X are mean, or stupid, or evil, I sincerely hope they're being hyperbolic, and not simply incredibly petty. Your vote is as close to a 'sacred' obligation as secularism has, and to cast it out of spite or anger at people who have no real sway over the candidate, who are not the candidate or an approved surrogate, is childish in the extreme. My votes are always for the people I think will do the best job for ALL Americans, not just those who vote for them or give them money. I want candidates who will give every American more control over their own lives, in such a way as that control does not negatively impact anyone else's life. I like that Wiccan bit, which I'll paraphrase as 'Do whatever you want as long as it doesn't harm anyone else.'

We've got severe challenged facing us as a country, many with roots that go back even to before we WERE a country, and the problems get worse with every year they're ignored and not addressed. How our institutions and society treat both Native Americans and Black Americans has been glossed over for centuries, and the problems just keep growing, and will keep growing until we face them head on. Our Constitution is still flawed, and although some of the flaws have been fixed over time, others remain. And pieces that were working in the past have been hollowed out by secret courts, writing secret laws that are used against our own people. It's a dark time, and we need to find the strength to make the right choices even when they expose our own flaws and the evils we have embraced as a society.

[longship]

3. Well GD:P is a school yard.

Full of nothing but bullies and the bullied.

I have never seen such childish behavior than my years in the schoolyard in the fucking 1950's.

That is why I do not think that I will profess any Democratic presidential preference here until the nomination is secured. Then, it will be the nominated candidate. Easy peasy.

Meanwhile, all the children here can go fuck themselves. I am not going to play their childish games. And I avoid all the Balkanized candidate group forums.

Actually, for the first time in years, I cannot rely on DU to bring me information on what's happening in politics. That is sad. So sad. Still, there are some old stalwarts who act as adults here. Regretfully they are too few. And we've lost a few of them too these past months with all the children acting up.

I see little value in DU these days except the sanity that a vast minority brings here.

I look for the good and ignore the bad. Don't take that literally, I have nobody on ignore. I choose which threads to not click through to.

[BlueCheese]

4. I wish I could recommend individual posts.

You really hit the nail on the head.