Home » Campaigns » jonathan farnick for il-08 » Blog » Open Letter to Jim Dean
Democracy for America campaign blog for jonathan farnick for il-08
Open Letter to Jim Dean
Hi, Jim...
My name's Ann (Annilow on the blog), I'm 65 years of age, and I've been coming here since Dr. Howard ran for president. That was the first time I've really ever been active politically. First time I'd ever given money to a political campaign, first time I'd ever 'tabled' an event or written a letter to another citizen to ask them to vote for a specific person. First time I'd ever watched Washington Journal or CSPAN or expressed my political views in public here and on Daily Kos. First time I've stood on a corner with a sign and protested the war with other MoveOn members. I wouldn't know how to do these things without the DFA blog and DFA link.
After Gov. Dean dropped out of the race I experienced the same huge, mournful letdown as all of his other supporters and came here for support. Since then, I've not been particularly active politically, but I do write letters to the editor and letters to local authorities and my Congressman about important subjects like paperless voting, FISA, the snafu with passports. And I give money when I can to the Democrats, to Barack Obama, to Darcy Burner when her house burned down, to Actblue on behalf of FISA, and to DFA when asked. If it hadn't been for this site and for the blog I would never have done any of this. I would not be the informed voter and critical thinker that the contributors to this blog have helped me to become.
Jim, to cut to the chase, I am writing to you to tell you that I think our precious blog is in crisis. One factor has been a very 'buggy' software that has been installed. In spite of all sorts of 'bells and whistles' the DFA IT doesn't seem to be able to fix what should be simple problems like providing programming that automatically provides links for url's. The DFA Link software that we used to use to communicate with each other appears to not be working at all either.
Much more important than the buggy software, however, has been the actions of the Communications Director to install 'guest bloggers' to write the main posts. These 'guest bloggers' have really skimpy profiles in DFA, with no dates of joining, no information on their bona fides, and yet we're subjected to their posts and REQUIRED TO COMMENT ON THEM or our comments get sent to the 'Watercooler' which is an unarchived area of the blog, where our posts disappear completely after 24 hours.
I can only imagine that one of your employees, perhaps the Communications Director, is spending PAID TIME DECIDING WHAT IS RELEVANT AND WHAT IS NOT. There is one word that I believe describes this activity and that word would be CENSORSHIP.
Jim, if there are money issues in DFA and you folks are trying to shut down the blog for that reason or any other it would be great if you would let us know UP FRONT. Just say there will be a funeral for the blog on such and such a date and we will be sad but we will find another home.
If the issue is money, if you would solicit money FOR THE BLOG I am certain we will pony up -- just ask us.
But if the whole thing is just that the Communications Director is trying to remake this blog into some vision of his own, his own KOS or Firedoglake, he ain't gonna get there with posts from unknowns who can't spell and are longwinded, on subjects that are really old news, written by people who really seem to have nothing to do with DFA - where did they come from anyway?
I do hope you will respond to this post and let us know the rationale behind the censorship happening on the blog, the apparent extinction of DFALINK, and the gestapo techniques of your Communications staff.
Show: Expand All Reply
- Thank you annilow. I'm 52. Young people do have a tendency not want to see old people.
By Susan Rowe on Jul 3, 2008 6:00 PM EDTIt's normally because they are afraid of growing old. That is why everybody is busy trying to buy the newest "foundations of youth" products that the multi-nationals are selling to them everywhere these days.
Fashion and movie magzines are over priced and over rated.
Beauty is unseen.
You don't find real beauty at the mall. What you do find in the market place being sold on the auction block is normally human flesh. Nothing much has really changed in the market place for eons.
Youth in it's haste through life will only find it's death has come sooner.
The new smarty pants Democratic Party hacks had better watchout if they think dissing McCain because he's old is going to help them win. It may just be the very thing that helps them lose again.
Young people do have a tendency to forget to vote (they also like getting a paycheck for their "volunteer" work) but senior citizens don't.
- 67 year old blogger on broken lap-top objecting to segregation on BFA
By Monica Smith on Jul 3, 2008 6:29 PM EDT
Okay, there is an articulate constituency for a blog that has the comfortable, well worn, neighborhood ambience that has become traditional here.
Read some conversation last night between a newish front pager and Phil S. The front pager captured the sense any new blog poster picks up when looking for reaction and comment to their
offering - the thread suggests almost none of the participants even read the post.
And, should there be any 'check on things every few days'
DFA/BFA-ers who would like to make a comment on a days old blog post, it is possible to do so but the "herd of cats" who leap to
a new thread every couple of hours are long gone and the logical conclusion is no one is going to read and respond to the 'not every day participant' catching up on important, relevant topics.
The on topic / watercooler parallel universe is a good idea.
It doesn't necessarily throw out the free form blog threads but it does lay the foundation for a more deliberate and relevant conversation on the issues of our time. I look forward to the less rushed period of topical comment and to the growing audience that could participate in it.
It was great to read this blog entry about a citizen whose citizenship lay dormant until reawakened by the crucial campaign of 2004. Citizenship continues into perpetuity (or as close as humanity gets to it). I expect the excellent citizenship practiced by DFA/BFA-ers will continue past some adjustments in in an web log.
A reasonable archive period for the watercooler ought to be
implemented.
Bloggers know if they are on topic or not. SELF-DIRECTION
frees up staff for more appropriate and productive work and
makes the "censorship" problem a moot point.
- How dare you talk down to those who have been here so long?
By floridagal . on Jul 4, 2008 3:04 PM EDTHow dare you put down the concept of community.
I am livid. I am seeing the DNC blog shutting down or unable to be used. I am seeing the direction being dictated here a DFA/
Your attitude is pathetic.
And I am thinking that I am soon going to be saving hubby and me some money by stopping our monthly donations to both groups.
If you are what the DFA future holds...I want no part of it.
You're supposed to read the thread post? Who made that rule?
The DNC blog is gone apparently, and they are just looking for some excuse to shut this down.
Yes, the party is moving on......hard right.
Forget those of us who mattered so much in 2003 and 2004...forget us. Suck up the far right wing so they won't hurt us.
I have never complained, but I rarely comment anymore specifically because it seems like the same 10-15 people monopolize the conversation around things that only those 10-15 people are interested in. I used to comment all the time, but then it was frustrating because it was like I was talking to myself, and nobody ever wanted to discuss the topic of the blogpost.
I am a contributing member and an active one, but was never part of Dean for America--I got involved when it was Democracy for America.
The point of the water cooler I think is so that 'your topics' are just as important, but so are the 60,000 plus DFA members. I seriously doubt that these same 10-15 members contribute any more to DFA and its activities than a majority of 60,000 plus members. I personally think the blog has been improved because now it may become more relevant than just the same few members monopolizing the conversations. We might get those 'anonymous' people to voice their opinions, but keeping things on topic will make DFA more relevant in the grand scheme of things.
I mean no offense, but re-read your blogpost and tell me if you thought about anyone else but yourself(s) when writing it. DFA raises over $1million a year--do you think that is just from you and the few that comment regularly? I don't think so. When we get tens of thousands of calls, letters, and e-mails to our Congresspeople as a result of a DFA spearheaded effort, is that just the same 15 of you tens of thousands of times? I don't think so.
It is honorable that you stand up for what you believe in and what you want from DFA. But realize there are tens of thousands of us out here with your same story, and would like to participate in on-topic discussions. It is not about disrespecting the 'original Dean for America' people--it is about respecting what the movement is evolving into. It may be some time before many of us start commenting, but now they have built it, we will come...back.
- Where are those 60,000 posting? I don't see them.
By floridagal . on Jul 4, 2008 7:33 PM EDTWho is the one who gets to decide what is worthy of discussion, and what is not?
I have been reading more around here lately...wondering why the sudden changes. Wondering why the DNC blog is unusable under new ownership.
I don't like the answers that have been popping into my mind. I think if silence is going to be so golden then neither group needs my money anymore....I was never much good at being silent.
If there is no poll?
Here is what you said:
<b>"The point of the water cooler I think is so that 'your topics' are just as important, but so are the 60,000 plus DFA members. I seriously doubt that these same 10-15 members contribute any more to DFA and its activities than a majority of 60,000 plus members. I personally think the blog has been improved because now it may become more relevant than just the same few members monopolizing the conversations. We might get those 'anonymous' people to voice their opinions, but keeping things on topic will make DFA more relevant in the grand scheme of things."</b>
If there are so many waiting to post until 15 to 20 aggravating people get done.....why aren't they posting now?
Do you think I am relevant? Do you think what I say is relevant? I do.
What poll do you keep referring to???
I never said anything to offend anyone, I never said anyone waas irrelevant and I never said anyone is annoying. I said that DFA can become more relevant--meaning that if there is a coherent message coming from the members (based on the topic posted), that more 'outsiders' will take notice of a more cohesive and effective group. I believe that is what teh goal of DFA is in separating the 'water cooler.' At least this is what makes sense to me.
On a personal level--I remember when I use to post quite often until every conversation devolved into semantics. I admit, this is when 'Rocket' AKA 'Robert' was still blogging, and everyone seemed to be on edge when he was in a conversation. To me, he was antognizing for no purpose other than to antogonize for teh sake of his witless ego. So i stopped commenting a coupel years ago, but still came back to see if anything good was going on---and commented here and there, but with nobody that would converse with me because I wasn't one of the 'insiders.'
My point in this conversation in mentioning the 77,000+ members (which I don't claim to speak for) is that there are tens of thousand of peopel we haven't been hearing from, and if we give them all a chance by having them see that peopel will stick to a given topic, that they will eventually join in.
- No, it is not specific enough for me; it's an evasion.
By Robert Strom on Jul 5, 2008 12:16 AM EDTThe question you were asked was how was it determined that the majority of DFA members preferred the new rules to the old.
It's very upsetting when a change of this magnitude comes all of a sudden, with no polling, no discussion, and then it is just announced that "most" folks believe the new ways is better. And Charles in effect tells a long-time poster don't you think it's selfish that you're just one of the few complainers. And yet neither Charles nor the other directors want to elaborate how it was determined what was the majority and what the minority opinion. And you imply that a few noisy folks were somehow stifling the voices of the many (for which there is no evidence at all). That's why you're asked how was the count taken. And repeating the number of members does not answer the question, and just reinforces the insult.
If such a vast number of people were really dissatisfied with the old conversational style, why didn't we see threads raising the issue then, as we indeed see threads raising the issue now that it has been changed? Why didn't we see alternatives proposed and discussed rather than just a new regime imposed?
We feel that the new directors are being patronizing. We are skeptical of the claims that "the great silent majority" wanted strict rules limiting the official threads, requiring all responses to pertain to the specific thread, and banishing all other conversation to a separate area that is periodically flushed away. One of the reasons we're Dean Democrats in the first place is that we're trying to get away from exactly that sort of leadership that conceals its processes, and patronizes the people. If there are important reasons to institute new conversation rules for the blog, have the courage to let their advocates state these reasons openly, muster their arguments, listen to the other side, and build consensus in public -- that is, here on the blog, before rushing to institute so disruptive a change. Leave the secret meetings for the Cheneys of the world.
You're asking me a question as if I'm some sort of authority and accusing me of some sort of an evasion---how ridiculous are you being? As for a poll--I think the thousands of calls and letters to legislators and the lack of commenting on posts speaks for itself.
Looking at how some are hijacking the blog as if it is only theirs like little babies speaks for itself. Insult DFA organizers or me, a mere member in your eyes, all you want--it just makes you look that much more selfish. I think some are proving that 'selfish' point all by themselves without any help from little 'ol me.
You just don't seem to get it. DFA is not about 10-15 people insisting they get their way and be on the front page of some blog. You have a good place to be--I found this post, and I found the water cooler, and I think it is pretty cool idea. I think it is better the way it is so that people reading the front page will be able to coherently follow a discussion as opposed to some conversation that is days or sometimes months old. I think DFA will continue to grow with or without the regulars commenting on the front page...isn't that what is important? Isn't that what we all want?
Just like you and others air your concerns out on the public blog like this and send your letters to Howard (who has nothing to do with DFA any more) and Jim about your gripes with DFA, I am sure many others thank them, privately--especially big contributors. And did you ever stop to think that it might be Jim who made this decision in an effort to appear more coherent and relavant in the national political dialogue? Political strategy is not formed in a democracy whether we like it or not--if it were, nothing would ever get done and nobody would be happy. Just as we see sound bites and the like from our politicians, all of the strategizing for those sound bites are done beyond closed doors specifically because 'the masses' would not understand how things are accomplished--we would all need the specific experience to truly understand.
Just as when you go to work and get training--your clients will never know what went through in that training. If you were trained in accounting, everything would seem so clear to you, but if you weren't trained in accounting everything would seem confusing. If you were trained in manufacturing you would know how to manufacture things as if it were second nature, yet if you without that training you would be lost. If you were in sales, etc., etc., -- None of that training is done to the public, but to people that pursue those careers. Being a volunteer in politics is much different than being a paid organizer--and the analogy is the same.
And you are talking about DFA being a gestapo??? Get off of it--all of you that are openly complaining are more like the Gestapo, than DFA. You are like a GOP Congress that complains about big government and how Democrats can't get anything done--all because you don't know how to govern yoursleves. Make all the noise you want--everybody can see what's happening for themselves.
All this 'gestapo' accusation crap is ludicrous. It was a good decision, and will prove itself out over time. I don't know if you noticed amidst all your bickering about the water cooler, but DFA has become much more coherent and moving in a much more organized direction in the past few months--we should all be thankful for that. And--I think Danny has alot to do with the improvements to DFA.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK, DANNY!
But kept getting "access denied".
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By jane d on Jul 3, 2008 3:30 PM EDTAnnilow speaks for me, too.
Jane