992. Outrage

In a post discussing the often adverse relationships between the progressive blogosphere (and activists) and both the traditional mainstream media and the Democratic establishment, Digby said something that really spoke to me. Something that spoke to the outrage that has grown in me over these last several years, only since I've reached middle age.

Haha. I see that Chris Bowers has accurately, in my view, characterized the beltway mentality about blogs as "adults vs teenagers," which is funny considering the title I gave this post. At my age, being called a teen-ager is a compliment, although it's hardly believable.

[snip]

But beyond all that, this is probably a fairly accurate analysis of how the blogosphere is perceived and those who believe it miss the point. I have been following politics for a long while and, believe it or not, by temperament I'm fairly low key. (Some might say I'm dead inside.) I was a fervent 70's reformer and a strong anti-Reaganite, but even then I can't say that I was particularly rabid in my beliefs. It was never my personal style to be a bombthrower.

I suspect that many others who are engaged in the netroots like me became radicalized in their 30's and 40's by a Republican Party that started to behave as an openly undemocratic institution. Why so many of these establishment Democrats and insider press corps aren't exercised by this after what we've seen, I can't imagine. Perhaps they just can't see the forest for the trees. This past decade has not been business as usual. (emphasis added)

History has many examples of societies that enabled radical political factions to dominate, through inertia, cynicism or plain intimidation. It happened in Europe in the 25 years before I was born and almost destroyed the whole planet. I know it's unfashionably hysterical to be concerned about such things, but I have never believed that America was so "exceptional" that it couldn't happen here.

The stakes are incredibly high. Without the cold war polarity, the US has bigger responsibilities than ever. And instead of behaving like a mature democracy and world leader, we have been alternating from adolescent tabloid obsessives to playground bullies. This is serious business.

The center-left blogosphere may sound overwrought, but in fact it is a rational, clear-headed response to what has been happening --- and continues to happen as this country's political establishemt fiddles and fulminates about civility.

The entire post is long, but well worth the time....