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G_j Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 03:01 AM
Original message
On Dissipating Energy in GD
Edited on Thu Dec-11-03 03:18 AM by G_j
Some thoughts on the energy here in GD. We have incredible
potential to make a difference. I've seen it happen a
number of times. When I first came here I saw DUers get together and
accomplish a number of amazing things, through letter writing and educational
efforts, research etc. But there is so much redundancy here, discussions that go on and on repeating stuff that we've all said and heard before. What are we DOING to improve our situation? We all seem to recognise the situation is an EMERGENCY!

If we are upset about ABC for example, lets FOCUS and make
a group effort to pressure them, bombard them with letters and calls.
Most times when someone tries to make an effort to harness some of the energy here to actually accomplish something the thread dies a quick death while too many people seem to prefer dissipating the energy in circular repetitive arguments and jabber-jawing. This kind of thing is perfectly OK, but it seems to eclipse everything else. GD moves very fast and the non sexy threads have a hard time competeing. But are we really here to change the world or simply kill time?
When the Congress was discussing that 87 billion dollars, MoveOn was
organizing a major lobbying effort. A few people, including myself,
tried in vain to bring DUers attention to it. It was basically
impossible. The threads went nowhere, while Freeper trivia and Nader
flame wars loomed front and center. So while MoveOn was mobilizing people around the country, we couldn’t even get interest here. Come on folks it's all about energy and we are wasting too much of it!

When someone posts a thread that actually offers some constructive idea or action that can be taken, no matter how small, help them out, at least with a kick here and there. I know this is general DISCUSSION, but there are a ton of boards out there
where people sit around and shoot the bull, complain, vent, whatever.
That is fine here also, it serves a real purpose, I like to do it myself, but that’s not the main reason I am here! I also want to change the situation we find ourselves in.
We have so much potential here! Even a small amount of focus
can accomplish wonders.

When Plame was outed, I put together every petition and email/fax link I could find (and there were many) that called for an independent investigation. It was a simple useful thread where someone could send a half a dozen letters and sign petitions in one quick sitting. Unfortunately and frustratingly it could not compete, and most people just plain ignored it and would not even give it a helpful kick. Yes, I know we have an activism forum, however GD is where the bulk of DUs population hangs out, and there was no lack of folks complaining about the Plame leak.
So, what am saying? I guess I’m just wishing we could at least focus a bit of all this energy. There is going to be ONE candidate nominated and they could very well be our next president. Whoever that is why aren't we brain storming on how we will hold them to their promises and make sure we have a voice when that time comes?
Whoever that is they will be inheriting an absolute nightmare from the criminals in the WH. How will help them deal with that?
Discussion of the candidates and their policies is crucial!
But accusing each other of being 'cultists', working for Rove, bla bla bla is destructive! We are taking good energy and frittering it away.

So if you made it this far and sympathize with what I am saying. How about considering clicking on my other thread and sending a Fax to the Miami State Attorney concerning civil rights abuses durring the FTAA meetings? I spent the better part of an hour putting it together, and it could make a small differnce in terms of all our civil liberties. :-):-):-):-)http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=867856
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Wonk Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 03:08 AM
Response to Original message
1. I don't want this locked. Please edit out the profanity. Thanks.
Nice post :D
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G_j Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 03:15 AM
Response to Reply #1
2. thanks
shoot the 'bull' works just as well. :-)
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RandomKoolzip Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 03:16 AM
Response to Original message
3. late night kick.
Sorry that you're not getting people to respond to this...this IS an imporatant issue. Keep it kicked and by morning, you'll have more responses.

BT, I just sent a fax to Rundle. Thank you for providing that oppurtunity. Stay active!
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G_j Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 03:22 AM
Response to Reply #3
4. not really a moment of crisis
for myself, but these are thoughts that have been accumulating in my head for a while now. The bottom line is I really love DU.
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RandomKoolzip Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 03:32 AM
Response to Reply #4
5. I hear ya.
I think part of the problem is that about 30% of us need people like you to direct us to the places where we can make our voices heard. I as angry about how Miami weant down, and didn't know who to speak to...but you did help. Thanks!

A lot of us are too busy working to full time jobs, like me, to search out the appropriate venues for taking action. If it weren't for that small group of dedicated activists helping the rest of us along, we'd be fucked. So I'm grateful.

I love DU!
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G_j Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 03:58 AM
Response to Reply #5
6. well
I just got layed off again, so I have some extra time. Thanks for helping out with the FTAA thing. You sort of back up the point I was trying to get at. Most of us don't have enough time, thats why how we spend our limited energy makes a difference. There's only so much to go around.

I probably should have addressed more clearly the inescapable challenge of focusing in a forum that is so busy and moves so quickly. No one can be blamed for the inate chaos of GD.

BTW, I play electric guitar, am I right in guessing you do to?
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Guaranteed Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 04:01 AM
Response to Original message
7. Great post
Let's keep it all constructive and focused, folks!

:kick:
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G_j Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 11:05 AM
Response to Reply #7
15. what I find helpful
-new information, good articles:
stuff I can use in educating myself and others. "Heads up" posts etc.
-brain storming: discussing ways we can get through to people, make changes, get our voices heard etc.
-avenues of action: being alerted to ways we can take action, phone numbers, email addresses, also folks sharing their letters to the editor etc. Requests for help such as contacting local school boards when someone's child is punished for speaking out, just for example.
-emotional support: a chance to talk about problems with RW family members, bosses, coworkers etc. discussing our fears and finding avenues through them.
Finding common ground amongst our differences etc. 'venting' also falls into this catagory and serves an important function.

..just a few of the positve aspects I enjoy in GD off the top of my head, there are many.
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Bundbuster Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 04:11 AM
Response to Original message
8. Bigtime kick and thanks
Couldn't agree more. More and more the energy of positive, constructive, solution-oriented threads is getting sucked away by repetitive candidate-cannibalizing venom, etc. It's discouraging to see these good threads (I've posted some myself) sink like rocks of dis-interest, not unlike REAL news being ignored in favor of the Michael Jackson/Kobe Bryant idiocy.

I feel that alot of DUers' anger at the Junta is being chanelled in the self-destructive direction of fellow members and candidates, not unlike a husband/father returning from an abusive day at work and beating his wife and kids. Many of us need to wake up and ask ourselves, before investing energy & time in negative reading/posting - "Will this help the cause of righting injustices & abuses, will this help to oust the thieves who have bushwhacked our country?"
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G_j Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 04:27 AM
Response to Reply #8
9. almost everyone I know
is seriously stressed out and broken hearted over the state of things. One thing for sure, there is a lot of PAIN.
If we didn't care, if we wern't compassionate, we wouldn't be feeling this. You are right, we can easily misdirect out pain and outrage. Of course as a community it's a lot healthier to try to support each other.
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Bundbuster Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 05:14 AM
Response to Reply #9
12. My biggest priority needs answers
I've believed since selectiontheft 2000 that we must get the SHIT TO STICK to the wall before we'll win any more elections - that simple. Until outrages like Wilson/Plame, Baker/Harris, Cheney/Enron, AWOL, War thru Lies, Environment for sale - the endless list - until those obscenities are realized as such by a sufficient segment of the voting populace, our frustration will continue. Sure, the "Legitimate" media is largely controlled by bushCorp, but there MUST be ways to make some of this shit stick. I've emailed links to every friend and website I can, boycotted various media and advertisers with exact reasons presented, cancelled a newspaper subscription with a letter to the editor, emailed/faxed/telephoned Congresspersons & Senators of all stripes, started a Yahoo Group, marched, protested, donated, and I still feel inadequate against the wall of ignorance pervading this society. If anyone has any effective ideas on how to break down these walls, how to MAKE THE SHIT STICK, bring 'em on. Until we can change this environment of ignorance, the daily outrages will continue to slip off the teflon which has somehow become America.
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G_j Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 10:08 AM
Response to Reply #12
13. I sure hear that!
Reagan and his crew escaped justice in Iran Contra but at least there were SOME reprecussions. Today outrage after illegal outrage are brazenly committed and nothing...

If we could find a way to change this most of the Bush crew would be facing some sort of charges. I'm afraid there is an unspoken conspiracy between the Media and our elected leaders willingly joined by the American people who give the impression they no longer care.

Do they spray prozak from crop dusters or something?
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ibegurpard Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 04:42 AM
Response to Original message
10. I do try
to kick threads about issues that I think are important. There are only so many times I can kick them, though. I suggest that if people think an issue is important and they read a thread to offer a comment of some sort even if it is just an "I agree" or something like that.
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imax2268 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 04:51 AM
Response to Original message
11. Great Post G_j...
I would love to be a part of something of what you described...send out emails, make phone calls, etc...

I have mentioned this before and as you have said...the threads that I tried to start die fast...

Please post links in the future so I know where to send emails, faxes, and make phone calls so that we can show the non-believers out there that DU can be a force to reckon with...also if you ever wanted to get a group together to do this...send me a private message and I will be happy to participate...

:kick:
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G_j Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 10:28 AM
Response to Reply #11
14. I will, thanks! n/t
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G_j Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-03 03:06 PM
Response to Original message
16. kick?
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