Sorry Folks - Wrong Platform

[dutch508]

acg (217 posts)
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215452035

SORRY FOLKS – WRONG PLATFORM
By Al Garcia

As a writer, I thought I had found the right place for my words and thoughts. I was wrong.

I started sharing my thoughts with the DU community from day one. Some of you may have noticed the number of posts I made on a daily basis. As I mentioned to someone who asked about my writing, I write incessantly and relentlessly, sometimes into the wee hours of the morning (like now). My topics and subject matter range from poetry, to essays, to editorials, to autobiographical compositions. I especially like to write about my war-time experiences in Vietnam, where I served as a combat journalist.

However, I have noticed that some in the DU community are being a bit too trivial and ingenuous in their comments or response to my writings.

For example, one reader commented on my use of the word “America,” and asked if I knew that “America” meant the continent of America, and that I should be careful when I used such a word. It could confuse readers. I responded that I had thought my use of “America” was clear, and that I had not used “the Americas” but “America” for the place I was referring to in my article.

Others, questioned my use of the word “God” in one of my writings regarding “faith.” I went into my post and changed it immediately. Another questioned by ability to “translate” a Spanish phrase into English, when in fact I was not trying to translate anything into anything. The Title of that particular essay was “En El Barrio de Ayer” and subtitled “(Life in the Ghetto)” which was underneath the main title – two separate and distinct titles, conveying two separate and distinct meanings relating to my essay. They brought to my attention that “Life in the Ghetto” was a terrible translation of “En El Barrio de Ayer.” Well, it was not a translation, nor was it meant to be one. Being Mexican-American, I know what “En El Barrio de Ayer” means, and I know the correct translation. Had I wanted an exact translation, I would have provided one.

I could go on and on. What DU has done is made me start to question myself, and my use of words and phrases. I have become too aware of any possibility that my use of certain words, phrases or even topics may “offend” or “annoy” someone in the DU community. Even some of my politically pointed essays and editorials were brought to my attention. Why did I have to use “Reagan” in one of my articles where I stated “[t]he party of Lincoln and of Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Reagan and McCain, now transformed into the party of chaos and hooliganism.”? As a writer, I cannot let myself begin to second-guess what a reader may or may not understand or comprehend. My writings are meant to get the reader to use his/her imagination, not to tell me what I should have thought, how I should have thought it, or how I should have written it.

I found DU to be a fantastic platform for someone of my social and political ilk, but one way too finicky and pernickety for my particular writing style. My writings are my most personal thoughts brought to life through my words. Thoughts that I am sharing. And what you are reading is usually a first draft, unedited (in fact many times I edit it after I read it myself after posting it). They are meant to inform, stimulate and arouse thoughtful reflection and consideration of the subject matter, not nitpicking criticism over a word or “misperceived” misinterpretation of a foreign phrase.

It seems that some DU readers have nothing better to do than to try to find fault with someone’s postings, thereby undermining the intent of the essay, editorial, or personal reflection being shared. And, quite frankly, had I wanted criticism, analysis or critique, I would have submitted it to a publisher.

I appreciate the fact that DU has a very intelligent, scholarly and talented community of individuals sharing common interests. I also found out that “rudeness” and even “crudeness” have no intellectual, social or political preference. They exist at every level of the social/political spectrum, even on DU.

I enjoyed the platform immensely, but I cannot constrain or restrain myself from writing the words that flow freely through me, simply to mollify hypersensitive readers who may not like words such as “God,” “faith,” “Reagan,” or other such incendiary words.

To start editing my words and my thoughts would no longer be me.

Star Member elleng (106,378 posts)

3. ;-(

Star Member left-of-center2012 (27,813 posts)

6. You began one paragraph with "I could go on and on"

Which made me chuckle because your thread is about 11 paragraphs long.

To be honest I stopped reading it where you did say "I could go on and on".
I feared that you might.

Star Member canetoad (12,679 posts)

9. I'm finding it hard to take your post seriously, Al

.....I enjoyed the platform immensely, but I cannot constrain or restrain myself from writing the words that flow freely through me, simply to mollify hypersensitive readers who may not like words such as “God,” “faith,” “Reagan,” or other such incendiary words.

So you're giving prior warning that you intend to troll DU about God, faith and Reagan?

acg (217 posts)

16. Thank you for making my point . . . you made my leaving this morning that much more easier!

Star Member left-of-center2012 (27,813 posts)

12. I come to DU to read and post about the news

Occasionally I'll read a short post of opinion.
Note 'short'.

I do not know nor am I the one to say if DU is the place for your writings. But I for one do not read lengthy posts.

And as I do not recall having read any of your post previously I don't know if you're writings were offensive or not.

Star Member 48656c6c6f20 (6,391 posts)

14. At first I was amused.

Then bored. Now I'm getting a creepy vibe. So maybe it's not us Platform folk?

acg (217 posts)

17. You are absolutely right . . . it's never YOU, it's everyone else

Star Member brooklynite (70,209 posts)

19. Suggestion: stop writing, period.

Regardless of the platform, you seem overly concerned about what other people think.

Star Member LetMyPeopleVote (94,598 posts)

48. Or go out into the real world and work to change things

It takes hard work to affect change but when you see progress, it makes you smile. There are a ton of good democrats working hard to turn Texas blue and we are now facing some strong voter suppression laws. The GOP knows that demographic trends show that Texas will turn blue and so the GOP is trying hard to block these changes. It will be hard work to overcome these voter suppression laws, but it will be worth it when Texas turns blue

I have no use for long opinion pieces that are not tied to the real world

Star Member Earth-shine (897 posts)

25. I am a retired professional technical writer.

I was taught, and believe it to be so, that one should write as if the reader is disinterested and busy.

In this paradigm, the reader doesn't have time for the ramblings of the writer.

If you want readers to understand you, state the important facts upfront, then back them up with a paragraph or two, and then get out.

Your writing style could be described as "pedantic."

Star Member Roisin Ni Fiachra (1,406 posts)

31. Reagan was a fascist extremist who deliberately began the rapid decline of democracy,

kindness, compassion, economic equality, reason, logic, and common sense in the United States.

Reagan(ism) is the primary reason that the majority of the RW in the US incrementally regressed from being RW extremists into Q-Anon, christo-fascist, Trump worshiping psychotics, who are incapable of distinguishing reality from fantasy.

Democrats and democratic underground love, love, love transparent, unfettered democracy. Almost everyone here considers Reagan the father of fascism in the US, on a par with a secular concept of Satan, the non-religion inspired personification of the political, economic, and social evil who began the regression of the RW in the US into a cult of deranged fascist Trump worshipers.

According to polls, approximately two thirds of Republicans believe Trump's Big Lie, and think the Presidential election was stolen.

The planned, systematic decline of democracy, reason, compassion, kindness, and common sense in the US is Ronald Reagan's legacy.

Cyber Ninjas. Q Anon. Fascist insurrectionThe current majority of members of the Republican party are certifiably more unhinged than shithouse rats.

This is why evoking Reagan inspires justifiable outrage and indignation among we lovers of democracy here at democratic underground.

Star Member LetMyPeopleVote (94,598 posts)

40. This is board for exchanging information and working to help Democrats and the Democratic Party

I have been volunteering on voter protection efforts since 2004 when I first went to Florida as an out of state attorney for Kerry Edwards Voter protection team. I and a good number of other democrats are working to turn Texas blue. My interest in this board is concerning information to help these efforts. The Texas state party is already starting up voter registration efforts for 2022 and I am part of a group organizing a statewide organization of Democratic lawyers. I like living in the real world and I really have no use for opinion pieces not tied to the real world.

Your posts do not interest me and are basically boring. I do not have time to waste on opinion pieces that are not tied to the real world and offer no help in the real world. If you have real ideas as to how to turn out Democratic voters in the real world or to fight GOP voter suppression, I may be interested in your posts.

I am not sure what you wanted from this board. Go ahead and keep posting and I will probably continue to ignore your posts unless you have something useful and interesting to say

Star Member ChubbyStar (2,935 posts)

54. Shit dude you could have just said goodbye

A TURGID goodbye cruel world post is unnecessary.

 

[USA4ME]

Attention agc primitive: Your fellow DUers try to make themselves feel better about their own pitiful and worthless lives by tearing down others. That’s been true of them since January 2001. Welcome to the club of your peers.

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[SVPete]

How acg avoided learning a couple of decades ago that word-mincing pickiness is a defining characteristic of Libs/Progs, I don't understand.

[Kc25]

LOL

This guy is nutz... in the extreme.

I wonder if the DUmmies will feel any remorse if he offs himself?

I doubt it... they'll blame Republicans somehow

[USA4ME]

acg

This message was self-deleted by its author

Predictable.

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[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

He needs better editing.