to kid oakland from id 32978

I stumbled across kid oakland's diary as I was catching up reading this weekend, and it gave me pause.

it was a good analysis, and it was also the first concrete evidence to substantiate some nagging thoughts.  

shorter diary:  kid oakland appreciates the influx of new kossacks, but notes something precious is being lost in the great new shuffle, can it be preserved?

I went on a reading binge sat night straight through 10 am sun--read theoria, marisacat, mcjoan, paper tigress, the infamous shut your pie-hole diary, the liberal street fight site--which is the salvage of the intimate and expert discussion that fed many original dkos faithfuls.  I got a sense of the talent, passion and knowledge, and confirmed what I knew:  that I had much to learn, about current events as well as the ecosystem of local, federal and international politics/economics/philosophy.  I saw commitment to intellectual freedom, democracy and original, explorative discourse--the love of teaching and learning defined the dialogue.

the election season altered the ph balance at dkos.  with this election a new element is arriving to your doorstep perhaps still daily, in hordes.

I'm not sure who we are, but I'd like to understand it and am going to take a stab.  

the new arrivals:  we are mostly utilitarian rather than philosophers/experienced grassroots vets.  we consider ourselves grassroots b/c of our lack of organization and high numbers, but many of us have not done this before.  we are mostly educated democrats--entrepreneurs, lawyers, accountants, it consultants, marketers, owners of small business, teachers, students, and probably quite a few unemployed.  (can you fill this in?  who are you?)

we also are tremendously passionate, but are here with a simple 2-part purpose: 1) learn and grow as a community, and 2) take our country back.

#2 overrides #1 for us.  right now our learning is focused on determining how we can most effectively fight--with maybe only an hour or so a day to spare for this effort.

new arrivals are more convinced of the need to acquire and use power to re-secure our freedom; of the need to play the political game to force the opposition's hand and ensure freedom and fairness for all, even if that would not have been the preferred method.  we see ourselves as "reform democrats", or "fighting democrats".  

there is an impatience on both sides:  the base kossacks wonder why we don't feel the need to acquire a more sophisticated understanding of the issues, engage in insightful dialogue and vet out all the underlying variables of our recent chain of disasters and their inter-relationships.  they notice the ideas lack the richness and multiple viewpoints that inform the models they have been developing.  to the base kossacks, the imperatives and anger of the new arrivals and their quickness to latch on to immediate issues (nov 2 election fraud) sounds like the shallow thinking and power-mongering of the right, rather than the despair of those who see no hope in continuing the course as it's been run.

many new arrivals I think understand they are less seasoned, but cannot wait for the next development while engaging in dialogue.  we said these days intellectual wars are won through domination and aggression, and we have to start now.

on nov 3rd, on black tuesday, I logged in to dailykos, atrios, tpm, all the sites where I thought someone would start organizing on a level upwards from moveon.org (who simply issues missives, w/no real communication).  everyone said, wait until jan--then we can start calling our legislators.  I called george lakoff (for whom I have the greatest of respect), and he said--we're working on something, just wait.

but the staggering shock of this election was that we thought someone else had the angles covered, knew what they were doing, had the strategy all wrapped up, and all we had to do was GOTV.  but the key players were off their game in innumerable ways, and bitter was the realization.  so "wait" sounded like a risky proposition.

yes, we are earnest netactivists--and exclusionary by virtue of our perceived need to fall in line and act.  and I would agree that many of us lack the political sophistication of the base.  but we're here b/c we believe in kos, and the players who have done so much to bring us so far.  we see our future in them, and what they have built.

although we're not always graceful in asking, we would really like the guidance, wisdom and leadership of  kossack vets in moving forward with a day-to-day battle plan.  and this is where views clash because it seems the kossack base is mostly invested in informed living and community building, but a lot of newcomers want something to do today, now.  thus the eager ("sensational") diaries and multiple postings of reform agendas--reform the dems; reform dnc; reform legislation; reform dkos.

while continuing discussions in the background is mandatory, we the foot soldiers need to be engaged in a battle.  it would be great if those who have had long dkos involvements would start directing feedback and dialogue towards useful action that can fold into the larger strategy as it develops.

there have been great ideas offered by base members who have accurately diagnosed what has happened: one suggestion was that all new members should read all of Meteor Blades' posts before writing comments or diaries.  a sense of the history of the site and the knowledge offered by those who built it is very helpful.

but it has been nearly a month since the election.  the only time that exists is now.  can't we do more with what we have here?