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Imagine.
You wake up one day, to find your country in turmoil. An election was stolen. Here. The most powerful Nation in the world (for good or bad). I remember a conversation with my now ex-business partner at the time.
"Maybe it won't be horrible," I said.
"It's over now. We have 4 years to rectify this."
"What damage can this idiot really do?"
Oh hell. The naivete of a then 31 year old.
I found DU not long after. "Naivete" became anger, then optimism that we could collectively right this wrong. At the time, it seemed like simply a pain in the ass.
Then it hit.
Holy hell.
I had been lurking for a long time by then. I came here almost immediately looking for answers. I quickly found them.
Again. Holy hell. What just happened?
Fuck that.
WHY did that happen?
I made friends. Some I am proud to say (although I have been absent in posting for a while) lifelong. The people here are some of the greatest people I will never "know".
In the early days of DU, we organized when we could. "Flier Drives" helped spread the word about the Patriot Act :scared: , the push to go to war in Iraq :cry: , and a myriad of other causes. We used our own money to spread the word. We marched with upside down flags when necessary. We rented cars and drove to Washington to march.
Best and Worst times of my life.
We met here in Boston during the Democratic Convention. LOTS of DUers. A DEAR friend here got me into the Emily's List luncheon downtown. Afterward I walked through a park with 2,000 pairs of military boots for each of the casualties (at the time). I then proceeded to the bar to party with my DU brethren.
HHmmmmmm....
ONLY 2000 boots. :(
Another election. Another buzz-kill x 1000.
Gone was the caricature of the idiot who put a drape over Lady Justice but the ramifications were NOT gone. Things got (now predictably) worse. MUCH worse.
Arrogance was sold as Innocence.
Unbelievable, yet familiar.
Now, here we sit. The witching hour. So much fucking hope, so much fucking at stake. Two years of campaigning. A cast of characters as long as my arm. Now, down to 2.
One is the old guard, one the "future".
I cannot "hope" anymore as the "hope" was crushed over the last 8 years. What I CAN DO is stand with the rest of the world and put my boots on the ground, do my part, cast my vote and FUCKING CELEBRATE WHEN WE TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK TOMORROW!
DU. Thank you. Again.
We will have to march again, make no mistake. But tomorrow, WE MAKE HISTORY. The world will NEVER forget tomorrow. Mark your calendars for your CHILDREN'S sake. Vote. Vote with a passion. Vote like you are single-handily putting a man on the moon.
Do it because you are.
PEACE
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