I used to an avid reader of Salon. Not so much anymore. I think I turned away from the hate that spews forth like old faithful everyday. I have a lot of respect for Joan and I believe that she tries hard to remain objective. But I have come to believe that she has been bullied and censored from really being honest about this primary cycle and all of the ,"isms",it has brought forth in the Democratic Party and the so called progressive movement. That makes me sad,as so much does these days, so I skip it often.

I happened in this morning and before reading too many comments, I had to leave again and think about things before I could respond.

I started this primary season thinking of myself as a typical liberal, life long Democrat. I fit the old sterotype pretty well. Female, masters in counseling, undergrad in special education,local activist,long time feminist,strong believer in social justice,civil rights,women's rights,choice,anti war etc. I shared the liberal distain for conservative complaints about media bias.

However,I live in a midwestern state,in a rural community. My family ancestry is Scotch Irish by way of Appalachia.I grew up in a University town in the middle of my state,solidly middle class. My Dad was a Goldwater Republican and a life long hunter, my Mom was a FDR Democrat and they always cancelled out each others vote. Neither was in the least bit racist. I have no doubt that a racial slur would have been grounds for a ,"mouth wash with soap", in my family but it would never have occured to any of us to utter one.

I am in no way denying that racism still exists in our country when I say that I believe that Obama's campaign has been the most distructive in my lifetime. The Democratic Party has become unrecognizable to me in it's current form and I believe that it is in serious danger of splitting.Race has been used as a sheild to foist upon us an unqualified,inexperienced,untested, unknown with no track record of accomlishments.Obama has been allowed to wear multiple hats;the non racial black man, the just black enough to be historic black president, and the black racial victum,all in an effort to secure votes.

Once the party establishment understood that the AA vote was going for Obama they also began to think about how important the AA votes were to their own reelection margins and the die was cast. In the process the Democratic party has decided to demonize people from rural america,old people,undereducated people,women of a certain age,the white working class,hunters and church goers. They have ignored latinos and asians because they don't fit the narrative. They have virtualy put blinders on when it comes to sexism.

I thought our party stood for so much more than it has shown this year. I thought we wanted to lift all boats,together.I don't know anymore where I fit on the continmum from liberal to conservative and I don't see a party that I can be a part of anymore.

One of my proudest memories of my Goldwater Republican Dad was when the out going basketball coach at Mizzou, who lived in my neighborhood, wanted to sell his house to the incoming football assistant coach Printis Gaut,remember him? He was a fairly famous AA fooball player in his day. Despite my younger brother's utter delight at the thought, there was a group of neighbors who were very upset. They decided to ban together and buy the house to prevent the sale. The evening they came to ask my Dad to join their group he was reading the paper. I will never forget him putting his paper down and looking over his reading glasses and informing the neighbors that he would far rather have Gaut as a neighbor than any of them!

Now, my Dad was a local businessman and many of the neighbors were his customers. He stood on the principle that I was raised with dispite what it may do to his bottom line. He had some honor and was a complete gentleman. Unlike hateful, potty mouthed bigots like yourself.

I don't really care what you think, nothing will change your mind. But you are wrong.