We won. Game over.
As I posted last week, I am resigning from political blogging.
Here, I repost my resignation from last week on TN Free. I want to thank all the regular readers of my blog, I leave behind a huge archive of posts on the failure of the Bush Administration and the GOP here at Loose TN Canon. I wish to move forward and not be involved with business of politics anymore.
It feels so good to have a 'smart guy' as President, someone who may make mistakes just like any of us, but at least someone we can trust and be proud of. I am once again hopeful and proud to be an American.
UPDATED 9/09: As much as I try, the direction this country is going has sometimes sucked me back into political commentary. The lies and misinformation, partisanship, hate, ignorance, racism and most of all, the stupidity I see from right-wing fundamentalists is quite disturbing.
___________________________________________________
William’s farewell to political blogging
12. January 2009, 17:21 William
I am tired. I am tired of debating. I am tired of focusing on what is wrong. I am tired of hating Bush. I am tired of classifying people with different viewpoints as inferior, so as to elevate myself and my own opinions. I am tired of the negativity and expending energy to discredit people. I am tired of politics in general. I am tired of the need to win arguments at any cost. Sometimes I feel sad when I look at my political blog that I spent so much time and energy on. I don’t need or want this in my life anymore because I really think that over the course of the last few torturous years, the negativity and frustration with Bush Administration affected my outlook, my happiness and even my relationship with people on both sides of the political fence. There is simply something wrong with gaining delight in constantly criticizing. Sure, I always cited statistics to back up my claims but even so, I frankly took too much delight in the hunt and the kill. I am proud of many of my posts, but I am not proud that I denigrated people for their cultural, religious, physical, educational, and geographical background. All it has done is generate more dislike, more negativity, and more hate from the other side. With a propensity in my personality to “always be factual and correct” - the debating basically brought out an elitism that anyone who read my posts is familiar with. Not that I don’t think I’m usually right, it’s just that on occasion, I did cross the line and my apologies to all. Even though I never called Glen, Serr8d, #9, “asshole” as much as they called me that, they will tell you, I convinced them of nothing. This political debate thing took on a life of it’s own with me and it changed me, for the worse. I want ME back. I can’t believe I let it consume me.
The holiday season was an epiphany for me. I want to share with you a few things that inspired me. Every Christmas Eve, my family has a special dinner reserved for us, just me, my parents, and my brother’s family. My brother’s son 23 yr old Kris decided to invite a friend to have dinner with us because the kid had no place to go. What made this simple act of kindness so inspiring to me was that our guest was not only a large black man from a foreign country, but he was deaf and could not speak. My nephew Kris took the initiative to lean American Sign Language to befriend and accommodate his fellow athlete. It would have been so easy to ignore someone who was so different, someone who could not speak or hear, but Kris went the extra mile to be kind to a friend who he did not want to see spend Christmas Eve alone. You don’t have to believe in the supernatural to understand the example of Christ, the spirit of kindness, and that it truly feels so much better to do good than look for bad. For me, I’m done. Let someone else be whistle blower.
The election was emotional for me. It was almost like a weight being lifted off my chest. I knew Obama was in the driver’s seat when they called PA right out of the gate. And I knew it was over at 8:25 pm CST when Ohio was called for Obama. It wasn’t until an hour an a half later, that the networks called the Presidency for Obama. Even though I knew Obama had won an hour earlier, at that moment, the 10 pm hour when the networks declared President Elect Obama, I admit it, I cried. It was a relief, and all the frustration of the past several years just seemed to leave me.
I sincerely hope that this new year will bring what we all want. The hope for a better America, the hope that all our friends and loved ones will be able to attain happiness and a good life. Regarding the future for me, I intend to begin to live life as a more joyful, kinder, and giving person.
So Glen, you can revoke my password, this is my final post here.
Love, peace, and blessings to all.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)

5 comments:
William:
Peace, out. I'll check your other place from time to time.
You do know that you'll have to come back sooner or later. Rest easy and keep on playin' and hikin' and bikin' and boatin.
Ciao and namaste
democommie
Great insights, Bill.
Sometimes a certain amount of anger is necessary to shake things up and make change possible, but it's easy to go overboard and end up with a polarized situation. With a new year and a new president, it's time now to act for what you believe in, rather than against what you don't. That's exactly what your nephew did when he invited his friend for dinner. I think it's the path much less frustrating, and easier on the blood pressure.
On a completely unrelated note, do you have any recipes you could post on your other blog? I really enjoyed the vegetable stew you posted a while back.
Glenda
William,
I have enjoyed your website but did not follow the comments. Like you, I have been outraged by the Bush Administration, and then the selection of Sarah Palin by the GOP. Also like you, I found myself being polarized past what I was comfortable with on a long-term basis. I agree with Glenda that anger can be motivating on a short-term basis but I also believe that it can extract a toll if left unchecked. Just remember this, in addition to feeling guilty for being too strident (like you), I also feel incredibly guilty for allowing the Bush administration have its way without protesting more. I think when the dust truly settles from the Bush administration, we will all look back with some degree of shame and embarrassment that we as a country participated in what happened.
I had started a blog for the election and have been wondering where to go with it now. My feeling directly parallel yours. So, your words were useful to me at a personal level. Thank you.
William,
I found your political blog last summer through your TN paradise blog while searching for a photo of a wolf spider. We had a HUGE one on our front porch. I'm a Democrat who feels like I'm drowning in the red state of Oklahoma. I had to ban Fox news from being played in our house. Hate to admit that my otherwise wonderful husband of 30 years would watch it constantly. Your political blog opened my eyes to a whole new world, the voice of reason. Besides reading every post you've written, I've become a daily reader of HuffPo, Crooks & Liars, Media Matters, Think Progress, TPM, Cspan Junkie, Daily Kos, etc., and many more.
I will miss your wit, but understand wanting to escape the negativity.
You have a wonderful life, judging from you blog, go, enjoy your home, health, wonderful countryside, friends, family, work, etc.
I'm breathing easier these days, too, now that the inauguration is over.
Here's hoping we get to have Obama for 8 years!!!
Had to give you a "thank you" for being the one that showed me there are others out there that felt the way I do.
Gardening is a passion of mine, and I like you photography, so I'll continue to check in on your TN paradise.
Thanks from Oklahoma!
viagra generic viagra overdose marijuana and viagra over the counter viagra viagra discount cialis super viagra sample of viagra does viagra really work watermelon viagra viagra women viagra liver damage cheap viagra nz viagra without a prescription viagra women
Post a Comment