This isn’t exactly a GBCW diary, but I wanted to give you guys the perspective of a casual user/commenter to the BMT. In particular, I’d like to explain why I’ve been visiting and reading less Booman in the past few weeks…
I’m a run-of-the-mill daily blog consumer. I’d say that I represent a sizeable chunk of the blogging population in that I’m not completely enmeshed in the culture/community of [parts of] the netroots, but I’m definetly headed in that general direction.
Every day, I read DK, MyDD, HuffPo, GlennGreenwald, TPM, and Eschaton. Booman trib used to be included in my daily reading list, but now I only visit intermittently. I also read parts of the NYT, LAT, and WaPO, although I have basically ZERO trust in the msm.
Two years ago, before I was aware of liberal blogs, I trusted these ‘institutions’ and thought that media narratives mattered and actually reflected reality. I thought that free trade was real, that globalization was inevitable, and I thought Bill Clinton did a really good job as president.
Clearly, I don’t think those things now. Liberal blogs have essentially ‘radicalized’ and ‘partisanized’ me.
I’m positive there are many others like me, and I’m positive that this is a GREAT thing for America.
I was essentially turned from a politically passive MSM consumer into a Democratic Partisan with solid ideals. I’m a 23 year old law student, with no income, but I gave a good $300 to Democratic candidates last cycle (Tester, Webb, Brown, Sestak, Busby, DNC, and others I forget).
So that’s me — and the fact that I’ve become mroe and more committed to liberal causes has one concrete starting point: Daily Kos.
I know, that’s the last thing you wanted to hear, but it’s true. Daily Kos introduced me to the blogosphere, and Markos’ rhetoric was exactly what I needed to get engaged.
And that’s why I’ve become disenchanted with Booman. Because front page diarists on this site have attacked Markos — they weren’t criticizing him, they were attacking him. And, despite Markos’ faults I know that there are still a whole bunch of lukewarm Democrats who are going to stumble on to Daily Kos (like I did) and become energized/inspired.
I’m not saying that you’re all purity trolls. I also happen to really like Booman (the actualy guy) as a writer/diarist. Still, knowing that there are people who are willing to ATTACK Kos over some small stupid comment… Knowing that there are commenters who are hashing through his past, and his ruling-class roots… Knowing that there are people who attack a person (or a SYMBOL) that has been so, so good for our movement…
That makes me not want to patronzie this site. Kos MAY be a hypocrite. So was MLK (in that he was a documented adulterer).
It doesn’t matter, because the more powerful/influential Markos is — the better. At least in the short/medium term.
I’d rather you guys focus on real issues — wonky, philosophical, you name it. Dissent is important, and even productive. Attacking Markos the way FP’ers on this site have — that’s counterproductive.