am I over-reacting?

[Two Americas]

I am getting a creepy feeling about one poster on bobbolink's "Are We all Germans Now?" thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2804461

It is a sub-thread toward the bottom of the thread.

[saracat]

1. I know what you mean.Creepy!

[Andrea]

2. I don't think I have seen that poster around

prior to Bobbolink's thread. I just haven't crossed paths. I know we aren't supposed to discuss someone in a thread they aren't participating in, so we'd best be careful.

I'll just say there are some things in that thread that bother me. The discussion is sounding dangerous. I think it might be safer for you to just disengage. Any reasonable person reading it would conclude you have no need to defend your position any further. I'm not sure what has brought about the hostility in some disagreeing with you, but it is irrational.

[Silver Gaia]

3. No. You are not overreacting.

If you're asking what I think you're asking, definitely not. You did the right thing.

There are some nasty creepazoids out there who can become obsessed enough to try to track you down in RL. Trust me that I know whereof I speak. Don't take any chances. Andrea's right. Disengage and avoid/ignore this poster.

[Two Americas]

4. thanks

Good advice. Started getting a little weird.

[bobbolink]

5. I'm so very grateful to you for being in my corner!

when I remember all the years I've been bashed and isolated and alone, I don't know how I made it through that!

I will tell you that this is a person I have on ignore, and I'm not going to change that, so I won't get involved.

Here is one quote:
"The poor in this country are still waaaaay better off than the average person in Malawi. That's a fact. What kind of compassion ignores that fact? Does compassion only apply to white Americans?"

That is almost exactly what was said to me when I went to the local Edwards meetup! Can you see why I didn't get involved locally??

This is scary, that there are people who say they support Edwards, yet will have the Gall to say this to a poor person!!

Thank you so much! :hug: :loveya: :hug:

[Two Americas]

6. that encounter rocked me back

It surprised me how knocked on my ass I could be by a few posts. The power of words, eh? Notice that the same people who say "words are cheap" and "talk means nothing" are so very good at using words to terrorize people? There is a lot to think about, and a lot to discuss. I got a glimpse into something really evil there for a second, but it is well camoflaged and cleverly done, and most of us are so well trained to be numb - as though the whole country is suffering from PTSD and can't react or defend themselves anymore, or rally to the defense of another person, or call bullies on their behavior.

There is ferocious anger that has been unleashed out on the boards since Edwards stopped campaigning. That isn't a coincidence, I don't think. I read some posts and think "damn! These people would kill us if they thought they could get away with it."

[Two Americas]

7. "waaaaay better off"

I noticed that, too. Here in the US we have a carefully managed and exquisitely cruel system of poverty - it is as much spiritual poverty, driving people to helplessness and despair, as it is physical poverty.

It is important to feed, clothe, and house people and treat the sick - Hell look at what I just said. "Don't get me wrong, poverty is one of the important issues, but..." Important? It is mandatory for us to do those things as human beings.

People need more than the rudimentary physical necessities. The very fact that those are up for grabs relfects some deeper spiritual sickness, and poverty is the effect of that spiritual sickness. I read a person claiming that they were donating to the poor in conjunction (somehow...?) with their lovely little holiday to Las Vegas, and that they were growing vegetables for the poor - "so don't you DARE tell ME that I don't care about the poor!"

We are no better than pets. Conservatives think pets are best managed with discipline, liberals think pets are best managed with kindness. But both think of the less fortunate, the less successful, and minority people as pets. "Hey over in Africa the pets don't even get fed, so shut up and eat your dog food and stop trying to make us feel guilty. How dare you be so ungrateful??" Even liberals retain the option of punishment if the pets do not show proper gratitude and stay in their place.

Kind slavemaster, cruel slavemaster. "Better stop criticizing us liberals or we will sell you down the river to a cruel slavemaster and you will find out what it is REALLY like!"

There are many good and decent people here and in the liberal community and the Democratic party - most of them I think. But they are traumatized and cowed - they are all acting like victims of an abuser.

[asdjrocky]

8. You know TA-

I've just had it with fighting with people like that. This is just one of the many reasons to strike out on our own.

[Two Americas]

9. agreed

Don't you just want to scream sometimes?

I just want to scream today - this cannot go on, not another day, not another hour, not another minute.

I thought I was a pretty tough egg and immune to being knocked on my ass anymore than I already have been by life, but damn the things that have happened over the last few days...

[asdjrocky]

10. Yeah, maybe I'm just a control freak, but I have so little time for idiots like that.

For someone so against war, someone should have told him that fighting never settles anything.