The Stalking of Andy Stephenson - >

[Stephanie]

Heads up GD. If you missed it, please read this thread, in the 2004 forum:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=383284&mesg_id=383284

[Blue Diadem]

1. Thank you Stephanie. n/t

[Stephanie]

2. Thanks for the kick

I don't know if everyone got a chance to read this yesterday, and it's not on the Greatest page any more.

[Gato Moteado]

3. wow.....just more evidence that the right wing truly is filth.....

i hope that all those who are being stalked and harrassed by the thugs and white trash on the right are arming themselves with personal protection. be prepared to defend yourselves from these animals.

don't be intimidated. don't be afraid.

[Richard Steele]

20. "Not all the Righties are filth, but ALL the worst FILTH is right-wing"

That OP is some POWERFULLY composed writing. MOVING stuff.

I agree with Gato Moleado's concern.
And I SECOND his recommendation.

The "hate-lovers" are coming out from under their dank rocks
in numbers not seen since LYNCHING was a popular pastime.

Be prepared to defend yourselves against these animals.
Don't be intimidated.
Don't be afraid.
Be PREPARED for whatever tomorrow may bring.

[goodboy]

4. 99 votes for Greatest.

That's one less than the thread Fly posted telling us Andy passed away.

[Stephanie]

5. Everyone needs to know about this

:kick:

[sweetheart]

6. The american public common is toxic

To open yourself to the public is a death warrant.
One lesson is to get even for Andy, to make his mission in life
succeed even in his absence.
Another is to not get personal on a public political forum.
There are enemies out there, they fight nasty.
And by waving it around in public, they are
attracted like mosquitos.

Perhaps if we need to do such a thing again, we can use
a DU-private forum, and PM's to keep goodwill between
progressives out of the gunsight of human filth.

Life's but a walking shadow that struts and
steps its hour on the stage and then is heard
no more. A tale told by an idiot full of
sound and fury, signifying nothing.

[Stephanie]

7. whatever

I'm not going to let hatemongers dictate to me how and when I can help a friend in need.

[sweetheart]

8. mosquito nets and malaria

Its amazing how well wise use of mosquito nets can
prevent malaria. Some people don't believe in mosquito nets
and say whatever, i will not let them dictate my behaviour.
But then there are those nasty welts and
the fact that malaria kills millions the
world over who are ambivalent to preventive measures.

If this happens a "next time", i hope that DU has
collectively learned the value of mosquito nets,
and that we can collectively learn from experience.

[Stephanie]

9. I have no use for your lessons

"To open yourself to the public is a death warrant."

Whatever -

[sweetheart]

15. Obviously

Except that your naive position contributed to a group blindness.
And it is not my lesson, but that of life itself.
There are mosquitos in swamp USA.
Mosquito nets save lives, and public discretion would have
been wise back when you were advocating its opposite.

It is a lesson, you've obviously no time for,
And jerry springer is victorious
reducing all american life to a kiss and tell
charade of public reality television where
the only truth is cynicism, and those
who break character, are infected by the
cynical loathsome underfeeders who stalk the
living to feed on their screams of pain.

[Stephanie]

16. give me a break

I did not advocate anything. I did chastise you for telling Andy that he brought his illness on himself by becoming a public figure. Some new age bullshit is just that.

[MissB]

17. Agreed.

My goodness, Stephanie, you have an incredible amount of patience and restraint. :hug:

[devilgrrl]

47. Oh I know...

cut me a break with that pacifist "you can attract more bees with honey" hippie shit, it's so fucking tedious.

[sweetheart]

49. chastize indeed

I suggested, when you chastized, that andy should keep his medical
information off the site, his hospital, operation times and such. I
saw that persons might read it who might abuse it. I suggested that if
he did not do this, it might bring harm upon himself, and his
attempt to defeat his illness.

I also suggested that perhaps it was not a coincidence between being
an unlikely extraodinarily-open public figure, and what might happen.

For this i recieved a load of chastizement, and when it turned out that
that warning was sincere, and had it been heeded, much blame and whatnot
could have been avoided, it was forgotten for the blathering wisdom
of todays bloody revenge.

The new age bullshit i "spouted" could have avoided this entire mess
and will pits call for revenge and the twisting of DU goodwill towards
a revenge pogrom for those nasty persons.

It was wrong to chastize good council before, and your "whatever"
council is no wiser this time round.

We can avoid this sort of thing in future by having a DU-private
area for sensitive matters where the writers only can be read by
DU members. This safe space could be of great use in activism where
we don't want the other side reading our every intended move, so as
to prepare a strategy to foil.

[EFerrari]

53. You may have a solution here. You may be right.

But I have to say, choosing this time and this tone to communicate it is not a go.

When did it become a progressive value to slam grieving people?

Unbelievable.

[sweetheart]

54. apologies

I'm sorry for offending. All of you, i'm sorry. I'm as upset at
losing him as well, and am just fucking frustrated the way it went.

In my mind, i wish we could go back and make it all better, and it
is just stupid wishes.

I mean no slam on anyone griving a loved one, as i grieve myself.

There is a call on DU to turn the grief in to a pogrom against some
lowlifes, and that is equally "unbelievable".

Since when is it a progressive value to use the death of a comrade
as a call to bloody arms against human filth... as a call to hatred
and revenge to cover grief and loss.

Many have exploited Andy's death here on DU with this pogrom of hate
for his spoilers.

It is no less unbelievable.

nevertheless i'm sorry for offending.

sorry.

[EFerrari]

55. This is a difficult time. We will misspeak, be reactive.

Mourning is not just weeping. It's also silence, rage, resentment, the gamut.

Thank you, sweetheart. Pain does stuff to people. We will get through it.

Beth

[TeeYiYi]

11. Einstein said . . .

. . . that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. It would make sense to create a separate thread with 'mosquito netting' for future fund-raising endeavors.

Thank you sweetheart, for your kind and thoughtful posts. I enjoyed reading them.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." — George Santayana

TYY

[merh]

29. Those who hold old grudges and let them distort reality

and harden their hearts are destined to live a hate filled life. IMHO

On the last day, Jesus will say to those on His right hand,

"Come, enter the Kingdom. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was sick and you visited me." Then Jesus will turn to those on His left hand and say, "Depart from me because I was hungry and you did not feed me, I was thirsty and you did not give me drink, I was sick and you did not visit me." These will ask Him, "When did we see You hungry, or thirsty or sick and did not come to Your help?" And Jesus will answer them,

"Whatever you neglected to do unto one of the least of these, you neglected to do unto me!"

.

[sweetheart]

51. Of course you refer to the scamandy lot

I donated twice to andy's operation and have never ever put foward
any vibe otherwise than that he should get well.

You make a charge sir, then don't just whisper it about,
come out with it. The only grudge here, was being chastized for giving
timely, accurate advise, and then being chastized again suggesting
we learn from our mistakes.

But ultimately, it is a framing issue, worthy of another thread.

One one side are those who think that all of society can be cleansed,
that the swamp CAN be drained. This side is pollyanna, who can blindly
observe 3 branches of government patrolled by vermin, and think that
utopian goodwill is just around the corner. It is a point of view of
admirable optimism grounded more in faith than substance.

On another side, are those who see our society as including a permanent
unsavoury element, one that we must learn to live with, as much as one
lives with cottonmouth snakes, rattle snakes, black widow spiders and
coral snakes in the back yard. There is a generation of republican
lowlifes who will do anything to destroy anyone who is associated with
liberalism. They are swiftboat scamandy WMD hipocritical liars who
believe that by assaulting our good hearted champions, that they will
win victory for their cause. It is the mentality of american football
that seeks to break the opposing quarterback's arm with a good hit,
as if its all part of fair game spirit if the arm is out there.

The former does not recognize the latter as fair play, yet our
society recognizes the latter as the status quo. This will not
change, and no amount of biblical quotes will change it either.

[merh]

52. Gee, to begin with, my reply was to another poster.

That being said, I wonder why you claim to care yet attack the OP and allege, as other voices whisper in other realms, that Andy and his supporters are responsible for the evil that befell him.

You post above about mosquito nets and malaria, alleging that had it not been for our public efforts on behalf of someone in need, someone we love, the subsequent events could have been prevented. Should we have remained silent and not gone public when we knew the need was great and the deadline immediate?

How this message forum conducts fund raisers is up to the administrators, if you have a problem with that then it might be kinder and wiser to take the time to write to the admins about your concerns and not spin tales of mosquito netting. Your use of the analogy of the mosquito netting and malaria appear to allege that those involved are responsible for the actions of evil ones because we did not properly protect Andy. Sort of like Andy and his friends asked for it. (Ladies don't wear short dresses in public, you are just asking to be raped.)

As someone involved, I take your posts as allegations that I did not properly protect Andy (mosquito netting anyone). Though time did not allow perfection in our efforts and as the fund raising was conducted by humans, beings that are as imperfect as the day is long, what we did was remarkable and for a good cause -- we tried to safe the life of someone we loved.

If I am mistaken in my reading of your posts, then I do apologize. If you have problems and concerns with fund raising here at DU, I believe the admins prefer that you address them directly on their policies.

Peace

[sweetheart]

57. misunderstandings

I am sorry for introducing misunderstandings.

Our public chat here on DU can be read by any of billions of persons
in the world who speak english.

The mosquito netting comment, really implies rather that we need a way
to communicate in "DU-private"... not only in the pure public sphere.

IN all other regards, i mean or intend no insult or charge that actions
were not taken by anyone here at DU. As you say, we tried to save
the life of someone we love, and that is very noble and great hearted.
I'm angry we did not succeed, and it comes out in veiled rhetoric for
me, backtracking and trying to fix history as if it will bring andy
back and give us a pyrrhic victory of conscience over substance.

As it turns, I am just an asshole lashing out, upset, grieving and
taking it out on the wrong persons.

I'm sorry.

namaste

[merh]

59. misunderstanding

And I apologize to you for misinterpreting your posts. We all are grieving and with that comes so many emotions, it is hard to stay balanced, let alone focused. I too am angry that we did not succeed, that for all of my efforts, I could not protect him, that I could not shield him from the hurt he experienced in his last days. Yes, it fills me with rage, but I know that the rage will subside and in its place will be a determination that he not be forgotten, that he have the legacy he wanted.

I do not seek revenge on those responsible for the lies, the distortion or the hurt. I seek justice, for if justice is not had, others will be victimized and they prey on the weakest of our community. I will do my best to not allow that to happen.

Peace and good things for you sweetheart. :hug:

[TeeYiYi]

65. I'm unclear . . .

. . . as to the intent of your post merh. Are you suggesting that I did something, or did not do something, that was hurtful to Andy?

TYY

[merh]

68. My post contains no accusations or allegations.

If you read either, well, that would be your issue, not mine. :shrug:


My post contained general messages to ponder, just as your's contained Einstein's quote. :hi:

[TeeYiYi]

70. General messages . . .

. . . for me to ponder? I guess I still don't get it. My post was written as a reply to one person. Your post was written as a reply to me. I still don't understand why. What was the point of the bolded and underlined Jesus quote?

re: "On the last day, Jesus will say to those on His right hand,

"Come, enter the Kingdom. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was sick and you visited me." Then Jesus will turn to those on His left hand and say, "Depart from me because I was hungry and you did not feed me, I was thirsty and you did not give me drink, I was sick and you did not visit me." These will ask Him, "When did we see You hungry, or thirsty or sick and did not come to Your help?" And Jesus will answer them,

"Whatever you neglected to do unto one of the least of these, you neglected to do unto me!"


TYY

[merh]

72. General messages

:hi:

[TeeYiYi]

73. .

TYY:think::hug:

[merh]

75. ~

:hug:

[mopinko]

21. or you could just drain the swamp

which is what most of us here intend to do. giving in to thuggery does not end it, it only covers your own personal ass. that is not what it means to be a democrat.
or a community, for that matter.

[merh]

22. Do you hear the buzzing of mosquitos??

I do. Not saying your post of course, just others seem to have that same buzz. ;-)

[mopinko]

24. the buzz gets louder

every day, it seems.

[merh]

25. Worse than bees, much peskier and rather filthy.

[Kelvin Mace]

32. Are the Bees back?

I thought we got rid of the the bees?

[merh]

33. we have mosquitos now.

:shrug:

[MelissaB]

26. The only thing worse than mosquitoes are snakes

and spiders. I especially hate brown recluse spiders. Those SOB preditors can live on next to nothing and cause a lot of harm. Of course, the good thing is that they eat their own.

[Kelvin Mace]

31. Ummmm...

Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more.
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

While I understand the bitterness of the original quote, I have hope that we are better than this, especially as the quote is from a person who betrayed and murdered his King in his quest for the throne.

David "context is everything" Allen.

[EFerrari]

42. I'd prefer this, even if the speaker is a tad unreliable :)

"There is special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be
now; if it be not now, yet it will come—the readiness is
all."

H 2.1.219-222

[EFerrari]

40. "To open yourself to the public is a death warrant."

If we accept this, we have accepted hatred as a way of life.

No, thanks.

[sweetheart]

46. Its a good philosophy until you're attacked

Then all the good wishes in the world end up with hand wringing and
the need for revengeful behaviour.

The public has elements that "can" be dangerous, as much as rattle
snakes bite when they are trod on, or bothered. It is not to say not
to avoid nature and hide, for fear of a snakebite, but to tread
in such a way as to avoid being bitten by dangerous critters.

That the swamp can be drained is bushspeak, an unrealistic puritain
image of perfect society that will never exist. It is the same line
of thinking behind a war on terrorism that creates more terrorists,
and a war on drugs that creates more dangerous drugs and drug problems.
This absolutism, and polyanna expectation that 300 million persons who
could potentially read DU as a public audience are not gonna contain
a small element of the vermin variety.

[EFerrari]

48. We disagree. n/t

[mopinko]

63. new bullies are made every day.

by bullies who are not opposed. hiding from bullies never fixed anything. if that is the way you think these things should be handled, perhaps you are in the wrong place. this is a place for people who fight.

[demodonkey]

10. I was THERE. In Johns Hopkins with Andy. It was AS BAD AS BETH SAYS...

... or WORSE! Just awful for dear Andy.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=383284&mesg_id=383427

[cybildisobedience]

12. Don't these people have a conscience?

Are they even human? Or does their love of Bush and the Republican party trump even normal emotions?

[johnfunk]

37. No, they're typical of the "culture of life"

I can't wait for the justice that will be delivered in spades to the assholes at scamdy.com -- they'll regret their campaign of cyberlynching directed against Andy.

[Yellow Horse]

13. These stalkers should stalk right back to their cesspools.

And stay there where they belong.

This just made me sick.

[In_The_Wind]

14. ~

:kick:

[Stephanie]

19. Hi Joan

How're you holding up?

[In_The_Wind]

28. Hi Stephanie

not well :hug: it's nice to hear from another one of Andy's Angels O8)


I know this is hard for you too ... how are you doing ?

[EFerrari]

45. Fits and waves, here. Take special care of yourself.

((((((((((((Joani)))))))))))

[In_The_Wind]

62. anger ... so much anger & so many tears

(((((((((Beth))))))))) walk in light my friend

[FizzFuzz]

18. kick and nominated---this should have plenty of time to be seen by all.

:kick:

[BeHereNow]

23. I just posted this on the other thread-

I SERIOUSLY think local law enforcement
should be contacted and a request
for extra vigilance and security be made
around Andy's service.
I would FULLY expect trouble.
Hopefully they would stay away out
of respect for Andy's family, but then
that would be the human response.
These people are not human.
They are violent, hateful abberations of humanity.
BHN

[im10ashus]

27. An amazing thread.

Very heartfelt. It's agonizing to fathom such ruthless and heartless people exist and can live with themselves. Karma is a bitch!

[prairierose]

30. Thanks for bringing this here Stephanie....

I hope that all here at DU will see this thread and realize the type of thugs we are up against in the fight to reclaim our country from the criminals who have usurped power.

[Cleita]

34. This makes me cry.

I'm speechless from the cruelty thrown at Andy on his last days. It makes me wonder why anyone would want to be a public servant at all.

[Stephanie]

35. think of what the Clintons went through

[Cleita]

38. And they are still going through it.

Not a day passes that the RW sewermouths don't throw something heinous their way, no matter how absurd.

[Sterling]

58. Yet Bill hangs out on boats with them.

Spare me.

[paula777]

36. Me too - sitting here in tears wondering why there is such evil in the

world. Cruelty for sport is what this was / is. I can only hope that Andy is in a better place where such evil doesn't exist.

[hiley]

39. Stephanie

thank you ! and nominated .

[jim3775]

41. Those people are ghouls

and it doesn't stop either, someone posted a thread here earlier saying how those fucks are planing to show up at the funeral.

[Kelvin Mace]

43. Sadly, I can't attend the funeral

especially given the chance that one of these ratfucks would show up and I would have an opportunity to forget I am a pacifist for five minutes.

[savannahana]

44. thank you, Stephanie. i did miss it yesterday,

and it is *not to be missed*.

nominated

[merh]

50. .

:hug:

[scarletlib]

56. Thanks

I have trouble grasping the depth of the hatred and meaness these people have against an innocent person. Someone they really didn't even know personally.

[EFerrari]

60. I don't think this was a personal attack per se.

It was about Andy's work and about DU. No gang of wannabes coordinated this, even if some group of freaks believe they did.

So, it didn't matter that they knew or didn't know or thought they knew Andy.

Ed for clarity

[cally]

61. Thanks for posting this

I had not seen the other thread nor did I know most of what happened.

I just hope that some succesful legal action is taken against these hatemongers. :argh:

[NMMNG]

64. Thank you for posting this Stephanie

I posted a reply on the other thread.

[cyberpj]

66. Have you seen this tribute to Andy - It's BALLOT!

created and posted by: troubleinwinter
here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4076155&mesg_id=4079391

[scarlett1]

67. I did not realize Andy had died

until I saw a tribute to him in a DU post. I was on vacation in Tennessee ( after being in Tennessee I understand how Frist got elected. Tennessee is a RED STATE)

I am so sorry to hear of the loss.

[johnfunk]

69. Kick

Kick

[deadparrot]

71. I will never understand their sick minds.

It wasn't their money. It wasn't their life. They didn't know Andy in any way, shape, or form. They had no connection with him, nothing to gain or lose from this. Why in god's name do this, harrass people that knew and loved him?

Why hate, you sorry sons of bitches? What did Mr. Stephenson ever do to you?

I suppose it just goes to show how small and insignificant their whole existence is, that they have the time to make and carry out such false accusations, set up websites, spend money, etc. Just to make others miserable. The lowest form of life.

[HEAVYHEART]

74. Bev Harris n/t

[libnnc]

76. I've just come back from visiting...

my sis-in-law (spousal unit's sister) who is suffering from pancreatic cancer that has spread to her bones. Anyone who doubts what Andy went through...I have no fucking words...I'm so angry right now. I'm watching a once healthy, strong, 43 year old woman become weaker and more vulnerable everyday. Every fucking movement is a struggle for her--shifting on the sofa, getting from her bed to her wheelchair, sitting up to watch tv. Every meal is an event--an orange, a Frosty from Wendy's, mashed potatoes, a tootsie pop.

She's at home now where she wants to be. These next few weeks are precious to us. I'm shaking with rage knowing that Andy spent his last few weeks being stalked and hounded by vipers and vermin.

Vipers and Vermin. :nuke:

[ScreamingMeemie]

77. My heart hurts, my mind hurts. My entire being hurts over this.

In that, they may think they have won...but they've really only strengthened resolve.