Even If You Hate the Candidate, Try to Love the Candidate's Supporters

[DoveTurnedHawk]

Why? Because you're probably going to have to work with them (or at the very least -- as in, the microscopically minute variety -- peacefully coexist with them here on DU) later on next year. Because you want your candidate to attract the supporters of the candidate you hate. Because you want exactly the sort of passion that the supporters of the candidate you hate show their candidate, for your own candidate.

Passion for Democratic candidates is a good thing. We need to harness every bit of it, come next year.

DTH

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Hep]

12. ugh

OK, wake people up to whats going on, BY PARTICIPATING IN IT. Beautiful strategy. No really. A work of logical and ethical art. A masterpiece of poilitical strategy.

[edzontar]

31. Thank you. You do honor to your candidate.

And to this forum.

Unity in 04 is the onl;y answer.

[Lisa0825]

37. Thank you, IranianDemocrat. I completely agree

He/she has done nothing but try to piss people off from the getgo. NOT a good addition to this group... not at all.

[Tom Rinaldo]

5. If you were a Clark supporter

It would be hard to conceive of how unruffled you remain about the universal condemnation of everything you have posted by all of the real Clark supporters who have encountered you on DU. If I believe in a candidate, and EVERYONE else who is working with me to promote that candidate tells me I am harming the cause, I would be stopped in my tracks.

Of course it wouldn't surpise me now if you find some "friend" "Clark Supporter" to come join you here, alos making his or her first posts on DU. Soon the word will get out about you. Have fun while you can.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hep]

14. Agree with you?

How do they agree with you? They agree in their pidgeonholing and generalizing about a signifigant group of people? Holding them in the lowest regard? Maybe you all went to psychic school together, but somewhere along the line you must have missed the lecture on fairness and respect.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

15. You DO Know You're Arguing With the Guy Who Posted the Hitler Dean Pic

Right?

;-)

DTH

[mouse7]

27. Let me ask a brazen question.

How did that post not get deleted?

THAT post is allowed?

[DoveTurnedHawk]

28. I Very Much Hope It's NOT Allowed

But I can't say for sure what the Mods will say. I'd sworn it was still up only because the Mods weren't on duty at the moment, but someone claimed they posted a thread about this issue in ATA, and it got deleted. If it got deleted, then someone (most likely an Admin) has to be on duty.

DTH

[edzontar]

33. Link? We could check--I'd like to know....

nt

[edzontar]

32. Really? I missed that one?

Do you think the peopel who do this are trying to hurt General Clark?

It certainly seems that way to me.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tishaLA]

34. How sad is it...

that the first person I put on ignore is someone who supports the same candidate I do? Un-fucking-believable.

[Tom Rinaldo]

38. You would have a hard time finding even one

... real Clark supporter who thinks that (SELF CENSORED) supports any Democrat for the Presidency. Look elsewhere for his roots.

[IndianaGreen]

22. You can't judge a poster by their avatar!

You can only judge them by their posting history.

DTH is a Clark supporter, not because he has a Clark avatar, but because he has been a long-time supporter of Clark.

Some posters will use political candidate avatars in order to disrupt or cause dissension and ill feelings among DUers. I have noticed a couple of them that have changed avatars, not out of changing candidates, but in order to have fun at our expense.

A long-time poster was among those that demanded proof that there were no WMDs in Iraq, constantly posting the most outlandish story about "secret labs" being found. He changed his avatar to that of an antiwar candidate. I know from his posting history that he does not share the candidate's political views (the poster is more prowar than Lieberman).

NOTE: I am not referring about Clark04America

BTW, you can trust my Marx avatar-it matches my posting history.

[Hep]

8. Well

thanks for speaking for me. I guess now I'm obligated to stay home if Clark wins the nomination. I wouldn't want to damage your credibility.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

3. Sorry DTH

that the troll invaded your postive post.

And let me be the first to say...I love you! :)

Seriously, you are exactly correct. We need more positive action for our candidates. We're all in this together.

I'm off to Iowa for Dean on Friday...

[DoveTurnedHawk]

23. Thanks for the Kind Words, and Kudos to You for Getting OUT There!

As soon as I max out for Clark -- and that will be soon, I believe, even though it will be a little tough -- I am going to start donating to Kucinich, who I have great respect for.

DTH

[Zomby Woof]

6. I don't hate anybody

Candidate or supporter. Ideas, yes. Behavior? Yes. Not the person. It is true that if I met some of the people I disagree with on here in real life, we would be as likely to hug and kiss each other as pull knives - 50/50. ;-)

But no, I don't worry much about all the present acrimony. Politics is politics, not a gardening club. :-)

[DoveTurnedHawk]

9. I Think the Lines Get Blurred All Too Often

There is so much transference and personalization (which is a little counter-intuitive, considering the often impersonal nature of the Internet) of EVERYTHING that it really makes a lot of people lose sight of of the forest for the trees, IMO.

Not everyone, to be sure. But lots.

I'd rather have threads reminding us every day about this, or concepts like this, than so many of the negative threads.

This is not to say I'm opposed to honest criticism or debate, of course. I'd be a hypocrite if I said that. I just hate some of the pointless, stupid, dishonest, childish criticism that passes for debate among some people here.

DTH

[Zomby Woof]

13. is not! is too!!!

*snatches toys away from DTH and sticks out tongue* :P

[DoveTurnedHawk]

16. MOM!

:pout:

DTH

[Zomby Woof]

18. You stole my Metallica album dude

One of the good 80's ones.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

19. I'm Still Jealous You Got to Go to That Concert and I Didn't!

Hey, is it OK to hijack your OWN thread? ;-)

DTH

[Zomby Woof]

24. that was forkboy

Ask CatWoman about the joys of hijacking your own thread. We tricked her into doing it once, and she still rants about it! :D

So yeah, self-jacking is fun! So to speak... :o

[DoveTurnedHawk]

25. LOL!

Self-jacking? Are you sure you're not Magic Rat in disguise?!?

:evilgrin:

DTH

[Name removed]

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[dkf]

11. Maybe that needs to go the opposite way too...even if you hate the

candidate's supporters try to love the candidate.

Some bloggers are driving me nuts.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

17. Heh

Well, I'm kind of resigned to the notion that some people are never going to like (insert your candidate's name here), no matter what happens. That's their choice, and you're never going to convince that small percentage (well, slightly larger percentage if your candidate is, say, Lieberman) of Democrats, probably.

Although you might die trying to do exactly that, here on DU. ;-)

DTH

[bain_sidhe]

21. I don't hate ANY of the candidates!

They all have at least *some* positive qualities. Some candidates' supporters, though, are... um, hard to like a lot.

And, more's the pity, I have to include some alleged "clark supporters" in that group, too. Remember Clarkies (I can use that term, 'cause I are one)... WWWS?

When it comes to bashing other candidates, Wes would say (shamelessly stolen from his announcement speech):

Let's recognize who we are. We are Americans and we have extraordinary promise and live in a time of extraordinary promise. We're the strongest nation in the world. We don't have to fear. We're the leading economy in the world. We can create jobs. We're a military without peer, and we're proud of our Armed Forces and our Veterans.

We've got a heritage of democracy, the rule of law, the respect for the rights and dignity of each and every individual that makes America the envy of the world. And I think to put it in business terms; we're diverse, energetic, practical and innovative. This 21st century is going to be our American century, just like the 20th century was.

And together, we're going to march forward. Forward with a new vision. Forward to bring our children and grandchildren into a future, brightened by hope, courage, and our determination that we can do better. We will do better. And we will do it together.

[mouse7]

26. yep... don't hate any candidates either

There's more than a couple of "alleged supporters" I could take or leave though.

[corporatewhore]

29. will try to do

i dont dislike (not hate only hate one man right now can ya guess who) cannidate supporters for the content of cannidate but by the content of their posts

[WiseMen]

30. Absolutely. All for One and One for All

[xultar]

35. You want me to work with a candidate's supporter like this?!?!?!?!?!

I'm an American - and you are a lackluster fuckwit.
From: Name Deleted
Date: Dec 21st 2003

Thank you for showing us exactly who we DON'T want voting in the next election.

You proposing to posit yourself as spokesperson for the entire Black community is by far one of the dumbest mails I've received. Can you imagine my attempting to speak for all whites? Absurd. Absurd as your inane insinuation.

I also wonder how many Blacks would respond to your implication that a Dean support site created by other Blacks was akin to a KKK site for whites. You are clearly a complete moron.

You owe all thinking people an apology for taking up valuable space, and my time. And one more thing - note that you started a feud with me. I will not only rise to the occassion but will stuff your insipid, racist posts on DU with regularity unless you apologize for your brainless mail message.


-------------------------------------------------------------------My first PM to this DUer which warranted this reply....
>Don't ever post anything trying to prove a point regarding
>something you don't know anything about. IF a Black Dean
>supporter wanted to post it...Fine. None did. We can speak
>for ourselves thank you. We don't need anyone going to get
>information for us and telling us what we should think. You
>should apologize to me and the other African Americans here @
>DU for the nonsense you posted.
>
>AGAIN, Let us decide what is important to our community
>regardless of the candidate.
>
>That's like me going to get some KKK stuff and saying See
>that's why all White people are racist. I'm smart enough to
>know that the KKK doesn't speak for all of you as you should
>know not all Black organizations speak for all blacks.
>
>Don't be ignorant and insensitive.

[jonnyblitz]

36. I am just the opposite. I like the candidate but the

supporters turn me against his candidacy. Flawed reasoning perhaps but I will work on it...:hi:

[LWolf]

39. I don't hate any of the candidates.

Although there are some I don't trust, some I don't agree with, and one I am angry with.

I don't hate any of their supporters, although there are some I don't trust, some I don't agree with, and some I "ignore."

I agree with your suggestion, even though you couched it in terms that give me the creeps.

I attended a hate-crime task force meeting about a year ago; it was investigating a hate crime perpetrated by local fundamental christians against another faith. I was there. I witnessed it. It was hateful. At this task force meeting, it was standing room only. The room was packed with people holding bibles. They repeatedly took up time to ask the same question, "Isn't it possible that we did this, not because we hate the people, but because we love them? You can hate the sin and still love the sinner."

Let's not hate. Period. Let's not go to that place.

[MuseRider]

40. Nice post.

Thanks. I don't like some of the candidates methods or policy but I do not hate any of them. Their supporters may piss me off on occasion but I have managed to keep my ignore list at 0. Some of the posters who I have argued with many times are posters I have the most respect for, this is politics. Heck, this is life!

[KittyWampus]

41. Padraig & KaraokeKarlton Are Terrific Posters

I hope it's okay to salute them by name... but the way they provide information about Dean to counter arguments is truely commendable.

It's obvious that I'm not a fan of Dean's at all... but if he gets the nomination... the arguments from a core group of thoughtful, dedicated Dean supporters here have educated me on how to rebute whatever attacks he'd be subjected to.

here's a toast to ALL the brave posters who defend their candidates here in the DU Primary Mosh Pit!

:toast:

:grouphug:

[robbedvoter]

42. The Clark campaign has a welcome mat for all of you

http://campaign.forclark.com/story/2003/12/30/193319/93
Come on in and Happy New Year!

[davsand]

43. AMEN Brother!

Franklin said something to the effect of "If we don't hang together we shall most assuredly hang..." and that sums up this primary exactly, IMO.

I deliberately stayed out of the discussions earlier about candidates. In part, it was because I was not totally sure how I felt--who i really did support, and in part because I am most uncomfortable with the angry arguments that I have seen here. I've survived any number of primaries (some I won--others I didn't) but always, and without fail, I worked the full ticket when it was over.

Oddly, on a personal note, my husband and I did not see eye to eye on a couple of candidates. We have disagreed any number of times--but it is still a matter of recognizing that it is issues based disagreement. I still am working to convert him on the Senate race, and I finally DID come to Clark as my choice. (Hubby is now working on me to run as a Clark Delegate--and I'm kind of teetering on the brink with that one...)

Anyhow, when it is the day AFTER the primaries I fully intend to work whoever the party sends up as the nominee. THAT is what it means to be a Dem in my mind.

Bless you all for being here, and I can't tell you how exciting it is to see a Dem party that is vital and alive. They did not kill us in 2000 and 2002!

Pax.

Laura