Please Don't Make My Mistake

[louis c]

I was a political junkie in 1968, and just 16 years old. You still had to be 21 to vote then, that's how far back that was. My father was a local pol, so I always was interested in the action of politics.

As a firebrand, anti-war activist, I helped collect signatures for Sen Eugene McCarthy, and worked against LBJ in N.H. (I'm from Mass.). This was done before Bobby Kennedy entered the race. I supported McCarthy in my little way as the primaries heated up, and LBJ dropped out.

I remember staying up 'till 2;00 A.M (EDT) on June 5, to watch the results from Cal., the night RFK was killed.

My dad forbade me from going to Chicago for the convention (thank God), and I hated Humphrey for being V.P. with that war mongering LBJ. I thought he was the same.

In the general election my family and freinds felt that there was no difference between Humphrey and Nixon. Republican and Democrat became blurred.

Looking back at that time, how foolish and naive we all were. How we played into the hands of the bastards who hated us. Unions, minorities, women, students, even those who were against the war took out our bitterness on the wrong guy. Does anyone who lived through that period even think that this country was better off with that asshole Nixon than we would have been with Humphrey?

Idealism has its place, but then a time comes in which realism must take its place. Not forever, but for that time in which great and long lasting decisions are made. We live with the consequences of those decisions forever. The difficult choice is deciding when that time is, and what decision to make.

That time is now, that decision is supporting John Forbes Kerry.

[JimT]

1. Well said. (nt)

[Liberal Veteran]

2. The willow that bends in the wind survives...the oak breaks.

Rigid idealism is not the way to win.

[Poiuyt]

9. Very well said, grasshopper

[havocmom]

3. "Idealism has its place, but then a time comes in which realism must take

its place. Not forever, but for that time in which great and long lasting decisions are made. We live with the consequences of those decisions forever. The difficult choice is deciding when that time is, and what decision to make.

That time is now, that decision is supporting John Forbes Kerry."

louis c, you hit that nail squarely! Bravo.

and welcome to the DU! :toast:

Looking forward to seeing more of your posts!

[senseandsensibility]

4. We can learn from

the past. Thanks for the post. I don't remember that election, but I've suffered from political apathy and the feeling that it doesn't matter who wins, they're all the same. THAT IS NOT TRUE!!!Support Kerry.

[FleshCartoon]

5. Thank you.

I really wish people would listen to this message--idealism is great, but pragmatism is better.

Compromise is the way things generally get done in life, and politics is no different than other things.

[sendero]

6. On a visceral level...

... I am dissapointed with some of the apparent strategies of the Kerry campaign. Mostly because I think they won't work.

But make no mistake. Come November I WILL BE VOTING for the Democratic candidate, be it John Kerry or Howdy Doody.

That is simply non-negotiable, and I make no apologies for that stance.

[madinmaryland]

7. Too bad, there were not

more people feeling that way in 2000. then maybe we would not be in the mess we find ourselves now. bush does not equal GORE. Gore did actually win.

[blackcat77]

8. Sounds exactly like me, Louis.

We're even the same age, but I'm from Indiana.

[Cleita]

10. Good post louis c.

My family loved Nixon, but I didn't. I was a union member at the time and a budding feminist. They were Republicans. Fortunately, family was sad but didn't disown me. Those were turbulent days. We had a problem with LBJ because of Vietnam. It's too bad because then that was our quagmire and it overshadowed so many other things that were positive and lasting. And it's too bad that the WH tumbleweed never read a history book and is repeating LBJ's mistake.

[NMDemDist2]

11. louis, excellent posting my new friend

what so many forget about a democracy is that it's strength lies in pragmatic negotiation.

Unfortunately, the neocons have refused to allow any negotiation or questioning of their world view.

I hope that we can start up a dialog again in this country and that labor and 'bosses' can again strive for the best (or at least a reasonable compromise) to bring this country together again

thanks again and I, for one, am glad to see you on this forum again

:-)

[struggle4progress]

12. Absolutely!

[vetwife]

14. Excellent point ! After RFK was killed I was stupid

I never voted again until Clinton came along. I got political again but may have been spared the Reagan years had I been political all along ! The man who brought us Bush

[welshTerrier2]

13. well said but ...

unfortunately, DU seems to do a very poor job talking to the idealists ... i'm afraid idealists who visit DU meet with far too much hostility instead of the well reasoned statements you posted ...

it continues to amaze me that so many here forget that the mission is not about being right; it's about converting those who disagree with us ...

there is no alternative this year on the national level ... Kerry must be supported with all the time and money you can muster ... the statement some have made "i'll vote for him but i won't help him" makes no sense ... bush has got to go and therefore you should do all you can to make it so ... the fact that you may be turned off by some, or even many, of Kerry's positions does not change that fact ...

[louis c]

15. I must confess

that I'm really not as tolerant as this latest posting suggests. However, DU is teaching me some better habits, maybe I'm learning.