I'm with Tas on this one.

You know what I'm sick of? Being dismissed as a "Bush hater," or more recently as being part of "the kos hating left." Anyone who uses such rhetoric isn't arguing or even debating an issue, they are simply stating a cop out. They have nothing constructive to bring to the conversation so they claim that the person they oppose is a "hater" and, because of this, the implication is that we're so biased that nothing we say is supposed to be given any credence.

Well you know what assholes? When I "hate" something, I'll tell you.

I have had my share of battles with the Right and the "Popular Left." I have always believed, and I believe Tas shares my belief on this one, that the Progressive Blog movement would be a lot more powerful if the Larger and More Powerful blogs gave more support to unaffiliated smaller blogs. I have seen this work in the Conservasphere, where small, frankly shitty blogs get play from the big boys and eventually grow. I have seen some smaller blogs, a few of them members of the Progressive Blog Alliance, which I co-founded, get patronage from the big boys and go on to establish prominent blogs themselves. Many times, I have noted, they have had to tow the Party line to do so. More power to them.

There was a time when ISOU was a top 50 TTLB Blog. Having my blog go down for two months last year, and then getting so involved in business, that I neglected it, definitely hurt my ratings and pushed ISOU into the 200's in the TTLB. There was a time when that would have bothered me. It doesn't anymore. I am comfortable these days doing what I want with my blog. Sharing music, writing about compelling technology, sharing what is going on in my life, and occasionally dipping my feet into the cesspool of politics.

There was a time when I took pride in being on the front lines of political battles. Today I find pride in helping someone avoid losing their lifesavings to African 419 Scammers! I don't have time to hate anyone, or for that matter envy them. The one blogger I envy is my Bro... Tony Pierce, who if 1/10th of the shit he prints is true, gets more swag, more sex and more FUN out of blogging than anyone I know. And he is just freakin' cool.

There are a lot of bloggers out there I admire, some I Love and quite a few who I would love to spend a weekend chillin' with, but FEW I envy. Hell I am not sure I even envy Tony, but I dig his style. I miss the old days just before the '04 Election, when all of us were just goin' nuts talking about things. There was a sense of community then.

Today, it is all about HATE, and that is too bad. It is also why I don't spend too much time talking politics any more. I have enough negativity in my life. The funny thing is... since I cut back on my political blogging, my business has really taken off.

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