"Unto every thing there is a season...."

[Padraig18]

To everything there is a season
And a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and time to hate;
A time for war, and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8


Even if I were not a Christian, I would commit these words to heart, so wise are they; indeed, life is not a static proposition, but one which continually evolves in ways both large and small. DU is a microcosm of life itself, for here we have all seen both the elation that accompanies great victories and the disappointment that accompanies bitter defeats.

With the convention and formal selection of our nominee fast approaching, I look about and see a disturbing number of my fellow DU-ers unable to move past their grief, seeking refuge in anger and bitterness instead, to move away from the petty rivalries and largely faux differences of the primaries, to refrain from delivering one last lash of the verbal whip to those whose candidates did not prevail, and I am saddened. While I still grieve for what might have been, I grieve far more for these lost souls.

Our party is very much akin to a 'soldier's army', one in which we choose our own officers and our own commander-in-chief. At the beginning of the primary season, our opinions of the relative merits of our own 'champions' were almost as numerous as we ourselves were; with equal ease we could fill the heavens with praise for our candidate and scorch listener's ears with a litany of the endless failings and shortcomings of everyone other candidate. I myself did these things and, if we are honest with ourselves, so did almost every one of us.

I supported not one, but two candidates, neither of whom prevailed in the quest to become our leader; I was as disappointed as anyone here, and a great deal more disappointed than were many. Did it hurt, and did I grieve? Indeed. But if life has taught me nothing else, it has taught me this: the people have spoken, and only they are sovereign. That is what makes me a Democrat, you see, and not a Republican. I believe in the sovereign right of the people to disagree with me, and in my duty to ultimately accept that judgment with the good grace it deserves.

In closing, let me this to all of you who still grieve for what might have been: let us follow the examples of those who we championed, and rally to this kind, good and decent man our fellow 'soldiers' have chosen to lead us this coming November. Let us help him as we seek once again to restore our right as a sovereign people to self-determination, as we seek to utterly defeat the corporate evil that seeks to meld itself into the very institutions of our government, as we seek to turn away from war, agression and imperial conquest. Let us once again sit at table and break bread together, as brothers and sisters should. It is not decent that we should mourn any longer; let us take up our weapons, and enter into the coming fight with good cheer and stout hearts.

Peace to you all.

:)

[Padraig18]

1. Kick

:dem:

[mopaul]

2. peace to you, peace to me

peace to the world

[mark414]

3. the byrds

i love that damn song

[Padraig18]

4. So do I.

:)

[Fenris]

5. Makes one Hell of a song, too.

Used in every montage of the 60s right along with Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth."

Anyway, the passage was adapted by Pete Seeger and turned into the fantastic piece of music it became by Roger McGuinn. God bless the Byrds!

[Padraig18]

6. I'd have enjoyed the '60s, I think.

From everything I've read about it, and the people I've talked to who lived through it, it was a fascinating time.

:)

[Padraig18]

7. Peace kick

:hi: