On being a grownup
I've spent much of the time I normally spend checking the news in responding to the discussion Joe Taylor initiated with his flame. That's gotten me all thoughtful and shit. That plus the fact that the news for the next few days will be pure momentum effects inclines me to share a few developing thoughts and concerns.
I want to start with Open Source Politics. I was one of the original members. I dealt in detail with many of them, read maybe four of each five member blogs. This flame is not a reflection on the site, its outlook, approach or philosophy. Don't consider it as such.
I've also noticed a couple of folks who find it a problem that his attitudes are held by a progressive. Well, yeah.
But you know what? Had he kept it to himself or simply expressed them to me, it would be exactly the sort of thing I don't give a shit about.
I would not like to see any sort of ostracism; numbers count, and as long as he supports positions that I benefit from I want his number counted as regards those positions. I can handle the ones where we disagree just fine…I will not forget them, trust me.
I do feel he would benefit from associating with a more open-minded sort. No, that's wrong. He needs to hang with a more experienced sort…someone who's managed to navigate between the Scylla of liberal guilt and the Charybdis of conservative anger to an actually humane position.
Given the way he's approached this, that someone ain't gonna be me. But I would not dissociate myself from any position or organization we coincidentally support because of his presence.
