You know what? I'm the Bev Harris of the centrists.

[LoZoccolo]

I say this not in any sense of bringing in money, but of being out of control.

I really fucked up with my overreaction regarding Cindy's protest today. I get very offended when people attack the Democrats as you all know, but that's no excuse for me to resort to insults in defending them. What really started to strike me was when people I really respect who often agree with me or disagree with me respectfully were expressing their disappointment. I'd like to thank you for expressing that.

I might disagree with Cindy Sheehan's tactics in advancing her cause, but mine are worse, because I went way past disagreement and started grossly disregarding someone's very real personal grief and making a very unfair comparison to advance mine. For what, disrupting a press conference? It's not worth it. I think my problem is that I've begun to see politics and strategy in situations where I should also see people and their passions. I think all I can really do at this point to make up for it is leave for a while, and reassess how I approach things. I could probably use some SSRIs myself.

[katsy]

1. No problem.

Cheers!

:toast:

[jgraz]

2. Dude, if everyone who made a dumb post left, we'd be pretty quiet

I don't know your posts that well, but it takes some stones to apologize like you did. I suggest we all forget it and move on. :pals:

[porphyrian]

3. I'll kick that for sincerity. - n/t

[LittleClarkie]

6. And I'll recommend it for sincerity

Takes a big person to say that publically.

[LSK]

4. thank you for apologizing - K&R

Please stay, just try and keep your emotions a little more in check. We all need to do that sometimes.

Now not only should you stay, you need to get to the IL section and help us get a meetup going. ;)

[mopinko]

12. here here

get over there.

[IndyOp]

5. It is a difficult time for us all. Thanks for opening up.

I've been working to overcome my hatred of Hillary. I was writing way overboard comments about her until I read what I was writing and was embarrassed. I still dislike her positions very, very strongly - but not as much as I dislike John McCain's.

[Kagemusha]

7. Good for you to try to make amends

I made a point of staying out of that argument earlier. Passions run high because the sense in everyone that the stakes are high, matters of life and death with Iraq, and of an America worth living in to others. It's inevitable that sparks will fly but it's not inevitable people will stand up and say, I overreacted.

Take a break and don't lose too much heart - you cannot be faulted for having a reaction, only an 'overreaction'. Disagreement is part of the process.

[many a good man]

8. Hmmm-hmmmm

None of us are perfect. Cindy, you, me. We got bigger fish to fry.

[kster]

14. I am,

I am,at least in my own mind, just kidding, Cindy gets a pass from me, she may not be right all of the time, but she has a dead son, and if I was Cindy, and I could do, what she is able to do, I would take a jab at any Politician at any time, I had the chance, I would not be thinking "is this the right timing" uh, uh, it would be all out war, against the Politicians.

But as you have said "None of us are perfect. Cindy, you, me. We got bigger fish to fry". AGREED!!

LoZoccolo, I will heed your advice in the future, We all need to step away from the keyboard every now and again. Thank you for the reminder.

[SaveElmer]

9. Don't beat yourself up too much...

It's hard when you are invested in the success of our new majority, to have someone disrupt that effort in the way Cindy Sheehan did, especially when we haven't even actually taken power yet.

She of course merits the sympathy she gets, but that does not mean that we approve of every tactic she uses or every position she takes. She should probably be spared the pointed jabs and veiled insults we might throw at a politician we disagreed with, but she is not above criticism...

You are normally a voice of reason around here...so keep it up!

[crispini]

10. LoZo, I guess I missed something today.

But anyway, just let me say, that you are good people. :hug:

[A-Schwarzenegger]

11. Thanks.

Peace.

[BuyingThyme]

13. kcik

[w4rma]

15. You rock.

But you don't have to leave. I'd rather you didn't, actually. :hi:

[Kelvin Mace]

16. self-delete

[Kelvin Mace]

17. Thanks for being an adult

It is very hard to admit a mistake and apologize.

[mdmc]

18. peace and low stress

from the left...

[salin]

19. If only more of us could be both self-reflective and self-correcting,

than this place, and this country would be a much better place. We all get caught up in our passions. We all, from time to time, get caught/over-invested in our personal vision/perspective to the point - sometimes - that we stop seeing the forest. We grow (individually and as a community and as a society) when we step back and see the bigger picture - as you have done. I applaud you, greatly. We *all* could benefit from such exercises. Give your self a break. Welcome the 'breakthrough' (in terms of perspectives) and lead by example - I didn't read todays threads but I did see some last week - and seemed as though many - on both sides - were in the 'loop' that you describe - which pretty much ended most conversations. :thumbsup: