I'm hurting today

[Cary]

I'm hurting today because #fakepresident is destroying our democracy, and I had an incident on Facebook. I will get over the incident on Facebook. That's not really a problem, but it underscores the fact that #fakepresident is destroying our democracy. #fakepresident is a Russian agent.

The Facebook incident isn't about a Russian agent. The Facebook incident is about a sort of friend. This sort of friend friended me awhile ago and I accepted. This sort of friend was a friend of another sort of friend, and he friended me because I posted some liberal political posts so I thought I had a like-minded friend. And again, it's not really a big deal that I had an incident with this sort of friend, but it does underscore another point that is bothering me. Bear with me, it's a subtle point but I'll get there.

So this sort of friend of a sort of friend has taken to scolding me periodically. Did I deserve the scolding? Perhaps. I'm humble enough to admit that I'm not perfect. This sort of friend of a friend is pretty much liberal, but he was one of those who advocated acceptance of #fakepresident. I don't see that here at DU.

Now I understand where sort of friend of friend is coming from but #fakepresident is evil and you cannot compromise with evil. There is no real exchange to be had with #fakepresident cultists. Acceptance is appeasement and I will not appease them. I reject them. When on sort of friend of friend's wall I remained subdued, I think. But today he had one of his cultist friends doing his cultist thing. I mentioned that there was a mountain of evidence that #fakepresident is a traitor and I got "Sorry, what mountain of evidence?"

I responded to sort of friend of a friend's friend "Yes, you are are sorry." Then friend of friend scolded me.

I have zero tolerance. This cultist fellow is being obtuse. I have no patience to engage this person and I suppose I should have just walked away. I responded to sort of friend of a friend and told him that he needs to stand up and be counted, and not be a weenie. I regret talking to him that way but dammit, we're in real trouble. This is serious stuff right now. #fakepresident is lawless and like hell if I'm going to fall for that tired obtuseness ploy.

Anyway I have mixed feelings and all of that and for some reason unfriending people bothers me, and I'll get over it. I can cut bait from anyone who has the nerve to tell me that I have to tolerate "conservatives." I will tolerate some but only some. I reserve the right to reject them because they're cultists and I have plenty of sane friends.

So getting to the point I want to make: I have been here a long time. For some reason my profile says I joined a few years ago. I have been here since perhaps 2005. I used to come here as a refuge, back in the dark days of GWB, and I got refuge. It's bad enough that we have this catastrophe, but do we really have to go at each other here at DU? Really? Do any of you really need that? I know I don't and it demoralizes me when I bicker with people with whom I generally agree.

This place should be a refuge for us all in such dark times. When we bicker we give aid and comfort to our enemies. We are good. We are strong. We can defeat them but we have to stop fighting each other.

[MichMary]

1. I post NOTHING political on Facebook

NOTHING. Hard and fast rule.

But, since you do post such stuff, I personally think you should engage. See it as an opportunity to educate. When he/she asks "What mountain of evidence," instead of just snarking, list it. It is very possible that he/she has no idea. That person may never be exposed to the truth. YOU may be the only opportunity he/she has to ever learn just how bad things are.

[Cary]

2. He was snarking me, not the other way around

I am not going to reach #fakepresident cultists. You know that. That's a complete waste of time, and not my point.

My plea here is to us, not #fakepresident cultists. Our enemies are evil. We need to unite against them.

[Gothmog]

3. I understand your pain and agree with you

[Cary]

4. This vote where McCain got out of his hospital bed to deny healthcare to others....

I have lost faith in my fellow people.

But Goth, you're awesome. Thanks. It helps to know people like you.

[Gothmog]

5. I understand and feel your pain

I lost some faith in humanity immediately after the election. I worked the war room all day on voter protection and then went home and spend hours on the phone trying to help console my middle child. I remember how I felt when Reagan won in 1980 and tried to assure her that the world would survive.

My best response to Trump is to fight back. We are busy recruiting candidates for 2018 and preparing to fight voter suppression. I worked with a local state rep and the NAACP went to bat for my county in the redistricting trial. I am hopeful that the playing field will change.

I am also in a state of shock that my GOP state representative may fight the Texas bathroom bill. He is a "Chamber of Commerce" type republican who is aligned with Texas Speaker Joe Strauss. I just talked to his office and I was surprised.

Again, I feel your pain. I know that you are a member of my profession and you may need to rely on some professional cynicism to survive. Being a cynic can help in difficult time.