intheflow
intheflow's JournalYou do understand what "underground" refers to in terms of resistance, right?
This is democraticunderground, not democraticmainstream or democraticbluedog or democraticcentrist or democraticthirdway. I would say the name of the site alone indicates change from within by the more leftist wing of the party. Business-as-usual, moving-ever-rightward policy by the run-of-the-mill Democrats helped create the problems in this country. And as Einstein is alleged to have said, "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." So sue us for not walking in lockstep.
Complained to Safeway today about the number of gun porn magazines they stock.
Twenty of them, at my local store, and that's not counting the outdoorsy-hunting magazines. There were more gun magazines than any other genre; more than fashion, health, "home" or puzzles. They were all on the bottom tier, right at child eye-level. Wrote a comment card complaining about them all.
Hopefully they'll at least move them out of child-sight. They really do strike me as porn - adult in content - and needing to be placed higher on the display, a la Playboy and the like.
Disgusting! Obscene!
Back in the old days of DU
posts would be hidden by moderators and then the poster could claim anything about the content of the hidden post and the bias of the moderators leading to a lot of havoc. Since the mods were sworn to secrecy about all mod activity and they couldn't divulge anyone's blatant assholery, this was a lose-lose situation all around. The transparency of the juror system, combined with meta forum for discussion and the ability to see deleted posts, has... if not quelled dissent, at least given the most egregious posters less ability to take a high ground stance that's built of pure bullshit.
You speak as though education is impossible to come by.
This could be a job-creation moment. Just because we don't have the workforce this second doesn't mean that workforce couldn't be created. I'm sure there are many people who would be interested in working a mental health job but since mental health care sucks in this country, job openings are few and far between - and often pay crap - so people don't chose that profession. Your argument is short-sighted. People didn't know how to work an assembly line when Ford started his company, no one knew how to teach driving when Ford started his factory, they learned quickly enough.
I think they share some basic ideology, but they differ in focus.
I think liberals focus on policy issues and progressives focus on social justice issues. These are not exclusive of each other, policy can be used to better society, and social justice can be brought about by policy. But liberal policy doesn't necessarily serve social justice - for instance, NAFTA and the repeal of Glass-Steagal both happened under liberal President Clinton's administration. True progressives could probably not make it in American politics - almost certainly not on the Democratic ticket. We are viewed as too extreme. I think some modern progressives might include Michael Moore and Amy Goodman. The closest we get in Congress are maybe Elizabeth Warren (we'll see how she does inside the beltway) and Alan Grayson.
Wouldn't be the first incident of internalizing oppression.
See: Stockholm Syndrome - http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1920301,00.html
See: Internalized Racism - http://www.freireproject.org/blogs/internalized-racism
I'll wait to donate until I hear about someone who's debt has been paid.
Not that I doubt their good intensions, but giving money to an anonymous internet site is sketchy. That's Internet Safety 101. There is no name as contact, there is one email address for press to use on the web site, and the "about us" links are circular between the Rolling Jubilee and Strike Debt web sites. I've worked at non-profits my whole working life (25 years) and know transparency is absolutely necessary to receive funding from any source. Rolling Jubilee's transparency page says they'll post result as soon as they have some, and also that they are a volunteer-run organization. Really? Volunteers are in charge of a $500K budget? I'm sorry, I've worked with a lot of volunteers and while many are very capable, some are just good-hearted simpletons and others are downright scoundrels volunteering for their own nefarious purposes. What happens if this $500K disappears? Who is responsible?
So again, I'll wait to donate until I see some actual debt dismissed and at least one real, live person's life changed. Then I swear I'll be first in line to donate.
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Gender: Do not displayHometown: Sweetlea
Home country: Planet Earth
Current location: Still Planet Earth, but may be in an AU.
Member since: Mon Aug 9, 2004, 01:39 PM
Number of posts: 28,473
