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Here's the link to the article: Restoring America's Soul: The Hero's Journey Of Barack Obama How many hours a day do you spend on OEN and do you have another life? Ever since discovering this site, I have not missed many days and I really thought I had coined the term "citizen journalist". I know now that I did not but still like the idea of us average Bill's being able to express his or her ideas and opinions. From the very get go, I realized how much information many of the writers on this site have and I have been forced to "google" many names and words. Left me feeling pretty inadequate more than I few times. But, at my age, I have pretty much bought into the old adage, "I ain't much baby, but I am all I've got". I do have very deep concerns about many issues, the misery of the last 8 years certainly among them but also hunger, homelessness, Gaza, Iraq, the environment and on and on. Sometimes, I think my wife would like me to just be quiet, not comment as we watch the news and I know my kids (43&40) think all I talk about is politics. I would guess they have a pretty good case. But I cannot seem to NOT pay attention, when I see so many not paying attention at all. I challenged a local editorial editor, to ask if the editorial board could name all the Supreme Court Justices. She said she did not think she wanted to take that challenge. For me, that is scary. The long thread that started after Dr. Rich posted her article on Obama made me ask the question, "How much time do you spend", as I see many of the same people over and over. It would seem, that some simply like seeing their comments in print, as they have said the same thing over and over and over. There is a sharpness that is bitter with many of these posts and I wonder if it is a result of too much OEN. Rob called attention to some of this, even calling it something like the "dark side" and one person seem to enjoy that name. Is that about getting attention? I live in a community that is pretty much all Republican and there is not a lot of good conversation unless you want to talk about hunting, fishing, or football, so OEN has given me a good outlet. I have thought OEN might turn into a real political force for change and would include all people from all sides of the issue, for if it is just a place for liberals, or progressives (that is still a word I think that depends on "your" definition) then it will not reach that goal----if in fact it were a goal. Dr. Rich's piece was, for me at least, more fluff than substance but I saw no reason for the harshness toward someone that is new. In Bali, over the years we have seen people that we call California types-please no disrespect intended----but they are into ringing bells to find harmony or their inner self or whatever. Never much appealed to me but no reason for me to attack. It would seem that some of the posts are more about "now I've got you" and don't I really look good, than about understanding. Language, at least as I understand it, is about the communication of ideas and also about information that would perhaps change my mind. I know I have been guilty of throwing a dart or two but I was simply wrong in doing so. But I do wonder, if some are spending most of their waking hours on this site and does that serve us all well or does it simply diminish into personal attacks.
