There are always those who want us to shush and not to air the familiy's dirty laundry in public.

Yep, it's not a pretty thing when we do that. But then, the crappers who keep dirtying our laundry ought to stop making the laundry dirty in the first place. When those who clean up messes whine, it's usually because those who made the messes are indifferently ignoring what they left on the carpet.

I have no reason to think Left Shue made  this all up.

I also recognize the actions of the big guns in this state at the convention who have endorsed, supported and encouraged support of Senator Cantwell. They've done so without resorting for the most part to suppression and devaluing minority opinions. I have no bones begging to be gnawed and to pick with them.

But ... If folks elsewhere act like Republicans in the State of Washington you'll have the success Republicans have had in this state.

Those so-called "Democratic Celebrities" in the 38th LD don't stir feelings of pride in our party right now.

Not when they blur the distinction between parties and make us look like lock-step Republicans.

Tell me folks, what reward were these authoritarians expecting by suppressing/rescinding an expression of the will of the 38th LD by those who bothered to go to the meeting and vote?

What happened? They perhaps did not take the Wilson candidacy sufficiently serious and left themselves victims of their own apathy or over-confidence in an inaccurate assessment of Mark Wilson's ability to touch a nerve that genuinely exists in this party?

Not our fault if they behaved poorly in May and made it worse in June. No, not our fault ... but we'll all pay for it.

Maybe, if party leadership has no clue as to how to responsibly and wisely deal with dissenting opinions, we really should take the party sticker out of our windows and join up with people who understand how and why primaries and conventions are held ...

Maybe the so-called lesser minority parties have a better sense of how the voice of the people should be expressed. Or maybe a third party is better than what we have now since it doesn't appear that Democrats are any better at civics than Republicans.

Why would you run a party like a junior high clique?

Fear-based politics brings out the cowardice, shallow thinking and self-destructive Democratic behavior we all dread but have seen over and over in this state and nationally.

Who among us believes that genuine civic responsibility, respect and honoring the voice of those who come, participate and vote is best served by engineering a suppression of part of a group's voice?  

I'm not in the 38th LD but that doesn't restrict my right to be embarrassed by what went on in my party's name.

This is a public call to McCoy, Sells, Reardon and all those who pushed to rescind a vote with which they didn't agree to explain why their action reflects a democratic process?

And yes, you DO have to justify your actions. The people have a right to know and understand what you thought you were doing and why.

Not only that, but I think that Mr. Pelz, Mr. McDermott, and the other big guns at the state convention owe us their opinion on what happened in the 38th LD. I think it a fair question since the actions reflect on the whole party.

If the Left Shue report is accurate, those folks owe all Democrats in this state a mighty apology.

Some say that imitation is the highest complement one can receive. Well, imitating the lock-step behavior of Republicans is certainly no complement to true civic-minded Democrats

Those actions last night in and of themselves do no good for this party, for party unity and give far more ammunition to Republicans than any protest, dissent or refusal to support Maria Cantwell.

If I were Maria I'd be highly ashamed of these pretenders and I'd voice that disapproval.

© Arthur Ruger 2006