A Look Back, A Look Forward, and Many Thanks

It's been a long road to election day for PUMAs.  Not all of us began the presidential race in the Clinton camp, but we ended up there and fought hard.  We fought corruption, intimidation, threats, violence, and unprecedented fraud.

My fight against the abomination of the Obamanation a year ago on FirstRead at MSNBC.  It was obvious that Chuck Todd, the worst political analyst in America (and that's saying a lot), was steering the debate to Pampers, and allowing his brownshirts to control the dialogue.  I was amazed at the low information, the culty fanaticism, and the willingness to turn a blind eye to obvious corruption of their messiah.  Stupid is as stupid does.

Oh...my valve! shifted from being a place where I rant and get my non sequitur on, to being almost entirely political (though I have done my best to inject humor as laughter remains the best medicine).  I stumbled upon Taylor Marsh's blog.  Yes she turned out to be a media whore like the rest of the Pampers News Networks, but her blog is responsible for my meeting many of the brilliant, dedicated people that have become my compatriots and family in this struggle.  A lot of us ended up at bitterpoliticz where sarcasm prevails and Pampers wails.  There are too many to name but I love you all.  I will thank camille for her putting bitter together, and gathering the refugees so that we could continue to commune and cling.

In April the campaign for the North Carolina primary began in earnest.  It took some work wading through the organization here to get things going, but we worked hard and shaved a 30 point Pampers lead down to nearly nothing (the 15 point spread on primary day we now know was largely due to fraud that the Democratic Party didn't give a shit about.  Thanks DNC and fuck you!).  Our office was also shot at in a drive-by while two of my friends were in it.  We never found out who was responsible, but we were not intimidated.  Our office opened the next day as usual, and remained open through the primary.

I met a lot of wonderful Clintonistas from North Carolina and beyond, most of whom I have retained as family.  Thank you for standing up, speaking out, going to DC for the RBC meeting, all the work you did, and continue to do.  Over the summer we harassed Coward Dean across the state, flyered cars, wrote letters to the editor, and spoke to anyone who would listen.  

Members of my online community and Clinton volunteers that I met on the trail came together to put together a celebration of Hillary's historic campaign, and the 160th anniversary of Seneca Falls.  The Asheville Hillary Meetup also organized an event at which I had the honor of addressing the assembly.  Thank you for all your efforts in honoring Senator Clinton, and the continuing struggle of fighting for women's/human rights.

Then came the Democratic National Convention in Denver (RenoAnnie, Seattlegal, Nevaaaaaada Trish...love ya!).  Generous benefactors funded my trip so that I could speak at The Rise, and document the events taking place.  My eyes were opened to the level of fascism, and corruption of the Obama campaign and the Democratic Party.  I hope I have been able to convey some of what I saw.  It was horrible.  It was a political Sodom, devoid of ethics and democracy, and made it obvious to me that the Democrat Party is a horribly poisoned tree without a shred of political legitimacy.  It will be a long road to bringing it back to anything resembling "democratic," if that is even possible now.

We watched Hillary ride the Unity Pony.  It left us sickened and saddened, but we all know that she did what she had to do to insure that she could continue to have a platform from which she could advocate for the agenda that we support as real progressive populists (not the fascism that Pampers' supporters call progressive). 

We watched the media brutalize Sarah Palin, probing her life to a level that made it clear just how much the press willingly chose not to vet Senator Pampers.  Through it all she has stood tall as a woman on the political stage.  Though we may not agree with all of her positions, we honor and respect her for facing the same brutal sexism and misogyny.  It was unacceptable when it happened to Hillary.  It is unacceptable when it happens to Governor Palin.  Her being a Republican makes no difference.  The way she has been treated is wrong, and is an indication that the Democrat Party doesn't have any genuine concern for women's rights.  If you are a woman and you think the Democrat Party cares about your equality you are a dupe.

I had the pleasure of meeting and working with people from around the country, leaders of the JSND/PUMA movement whom I have the honor of calling my colleagues: Heidi Li Feldman, Darragh Murphy, Will Bower, Pagan, Riverdaughter, Piper, Princess, Cheri Tagg, Ms Placed Democrat, Texas Hill, LadyBoomer, Father, Diamond Tiger, and many others.  You are some of the bravest people I have ever met, or not met in the flesh.  I am proud of all the work we did together.  The groundwork for creating real change has begun.  Thank you all for your friendship, wisdom, support, and effort.  I have nothing but the utmost respect for all of you.  Our fight is just beginning.  I for one have no plans on going to sleep on Guy Fawkes Day.  We have much still to do.

The leadership of the DNC must be dismantled.  The fraud committed by Obama and his thugs must continue to be exposed.  We must work to find a way to reform the Democrat Party so we can call it Democratic again, and if that home truly is dead for us, build a new political party that represents our values.  We must begin to lay out a road to creating new political structures that will give us more power than just our votes.  We must assume the duty of oversight over Congress and the President.  We must assume the power to stop the federal government from working against our interests and our rights.  

This was the year we began opening America's eyes.  There can be no going back.  Stand and fight.  La Resistance Part Deux begins November 5th, 2008.  Be there or be square.

Come drive on this highway of fire.  Here's one for the bitter ones, clinging to their guns and religion whom Obama despises.  We live in the city of dreams.