don’t blame the puma …

Original Link: http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/07/26/dont-blame-the-puma/

By American Girl in Italy

Anti-puma groups and blogs seem to be springy up everywhere. Blog posts and articles are being written and hitting the MSM. They all have one thing in common - they are mad at PUMA’s for not supporting Obama. We have been called all kinds of names, including the R word….REPUBLICAN. And yes, RACIST. The running theme of the anti-PUMA sites is about how insignificant we are. How few we are. How we are trying to destroy and ruin the Democratic Party. How we will ruin Hillary, and destroy the country. (Funny so much attention is being paid to such a small insignificant group of old, bitter women.)

The Anti-PUMA groups are comprised of Obama supporters, old and new. Some are ex-Hillary supporters, while others started out supporting another candidate, but moved to Obama at some point. One thing they all seem to have in common though, is that they have picked up and carried on the abusive, thuggish language and behavior of Obama supporters from the get go.

I read an unflattering piece today about one of the lead PUMA people. They took one comment she made, in reaction to an Anti-PUMA blogger who attacked one of Hillary’s most ardent supporters, and tried to make her seem like a terrible person.

What these anti-PUMA people don’t understand is that we are not all *turn the other cheek* kind of people. Push and insult long enough, and we push and insult back. (Those that were former Hillary supporters should know that). SO, yes, PUMA’s might lash out, might say rude things, might post a harsh comment about someone. But, we are pissed off, and sick and tired of being called *irrational* *unhinged anti Obama zealots* *an unhinged mob* *racists* *bitter,dried up vaginas* *hysterical* *Republicans*.

Yes, many, many attacks are that PUMA’s are secret Republicans, and we are given all kinds of reasons why McCain cannot be elected, and if he is, it is the equivalent to voting for the Devil. I have heard so many awful charges coming from Democrats about Republicans. Yes, I am anti-Bush, along with his administration, and I do not support some Republican policies, but I have learned that the Right is not the Evil Empire that the Democratic Party has always made them out to be. They have tried to discredit PUMA’s, saying that we all secretly donate to Republicans. Sure, there might be a few, but I have been blogging with many of these PUMA’s this year, and I assure you, they are Hillary supporters.

This was from one anti-PUMA: “PUMA has a large number of people who claim to be supporters of Sen. Clinton. The problem is they have such a blind, unreasoning hatred of Sen. Obama that they would rather destroy the Democratic party, the political future of the woman they claim to support, AND the country, if it means denying Sen. Obama the nomination - or the White House.”

So, according to this, we will be destroying the country, by electing McCain. Or we will be ruining the career of Hillary Clinton, by demanding that her name is in nomination at the Convention - something that has been afforded to many other Presidential Candidates, including Teddy Kennedy. And, who is Obama, that he is *owed* the White House. He is applying for a job, and in my opinion, he does not deserve the White House. And Obama (and his supporters) have brought this negativity on himself.

What they really don’t seem to grasp is that by saying *Party Unity My Ass* we are expressing the fact we are MAD at the party. We are mad at the tactics used by the party leaders, we are mad at what they did during the primaries, and what they didn’t do, like speak out to stop the constant attacks on the Clinton’s. The character and sexist attacks on the Former First Lady and Senator from New York were beyond the pale. Obama started off the attacks on Hillary, from the very beginning, attacking her character and truthfulness. If you recall, Hillary’s posters used to all read *Ready for Change, Ready to Lead* but Obama came out with *Change you can believe in*. He called her unbelievable from the very beginning. All the while, trying to play the underdog victim.

Calling President Clinton a racist was appalling. (Hell, Obama threw the race card so many times, I feel sorry for people who are actually victims of racism. No one cares anymore, the term is thrown around so much. In fact, Obama played the race card in Germany yesterday.)

Handing Obama delegates from MI, even ones that Hillary won was beyond words. Punishing MI & FL, two states that Hillary would/did won, while allowing other states to move their primaries with no punishment was beyond words. Counting the voters as half a person in FL., Awarding more delegates to African American communities, weighting caucuses heavier in delegates is not democracy.

Sending emails to Democrats stating; *message to base: stay home* was not only rude, but obnoxious. Telling the American people that if the Super Delegates select our nominee, you will leave the party, and then NOT leaving when they select the candidate *you* wanted, is not right. Pressuring Delegates, especially African American ones that supported Hillary to switch, calling them Uncle Toms and making death threats is also beyond words. Not speaking out to the media bias in support of Obama, and against Hillary was downright enraging.

Being attacked from members of your own party, who supported Obama, was for many, the beginning of the end. As I have written before, I used to like Obama. I became weary after so many attacks from posters on sites like HuffPo, just because I supported Hillary over Obama. I became more and more convinced I didn’t like him after I started researching him, and reading into his *lack of* history and experience. But the worst part about it has been the hatred coming from members of the Democratic Party.

Speaking only for me, I can say that the hatred and ugliness coming from Obama supporters from the very beginning have turned me into a very bitter PUMA. In the primaries when a Republican voted for Hillary, it was for nefarious reasons - to keep Obama from winning. But if a Republican voted for Obama, well THEN it was because he was a *uniter*.

In a year when the Democrats should have swept into the White House, the DNC selected a candidate, who many believe is unelectable, and unqualified. The DNC is responsible for the Republicans keeping the White House, should Hillary not get the nomination. I must confess, I would have preferred a Democrat this year, obviously Hillary, but I no longer consider the Right wrong, and the Left right. And I also prefer a candidate I can look to, and understand where he stands, and where he has been, and that has experience.

So, again, what the anti-PUMA people do not understand, is that PUMA members are fighting for democracy. Fighting for fair primaries in the future, no more caucuses, no more handpicked candidates, no more Chicago style politics, no more fraudulent practices, no more intimidation tactics at polling places, and illegal advertising inside polling places, no more voter suppression, no more sexism, no more unelectable candidates, no more party loyalty to a party that left the Democratic principles. No more party loyalty to a party that tells members to stay home, that wants to change the base of the democratic party, that wants to redraw the US map. No more blind party loyalty to a party that doesn’t respect it’s members. No more party loyalty to a party that tries to force out a female candidate, who has more votes, won the majority of the last primaries, and has earned a place on the roll call. No more party loyalty to a party that is trying to keep Clinton’s name out of nomination. A party that tells us, “I must confess a bit of fatigue and irritation with people who continue to carp, complain, and criticize the results of the primary and lay down conditions for their support.”

Many PUMAS are voting for McCain, many are planning to write Hillary in, many are staying home, many are voting for an independent candidate, and some will vote for Obama. What ever PUMA does with their vote is their right. Their American Right. And yes, it is very difficult for many PUMA’s to not vote Democrat this year. Many have been Dems for 20, 30, 40 years.

But, PUMA’s have seen fairness from Republicans. They have seen truth from FOX. They have heard reason from the right. All the while, the left has attacked, covered up, shown bias, made sexist attacks, and worse towards their *fellow* left. PUMA’s have seen the benefit of crossing the aisle, you might say. Most have become independents. Many have seen the faults in blindly supporting a party. You must see the truth, and support those who you feel are best able to lead the country. It is about the best person for job. Not just about a ( D ) or an ( R ). Many are very saddened and feel abandoned by a party they truly believed in. And many feel awakened, having seen their party, and the party on the right, by the light of day.

So, PUMA’s are mad at their party. They will not unify within their party behind a candidate that they do not support. And for that, they are being attacked. But, what anti-PUMA people do not realize, is that they are dividing the country, not just a party. Obama, their candidate, has said many, many times, that he wants to reach across the aisle. Work with the right. Staff his cabinet with members of the right. He has since moved to the right, and voted on initiatives supported by the right. But, anti-PUMAs/Obama supporters continue to spew hatred towards the right and the left. They hate anyone who does not support Obama.

PUMAs are mad at the leaders of the DNC and they do not support Obama as a candidate. (and some just do not support him now, because of his inexperience.) And it should be the right of every American to support the candidate of their choice. And for PUMA’s that candidate is Hillary Rodham Clinton. And until the convention, we do not have an official nominee.

Anti-PUMA/Obama supporters spew hatred towards anyone that does not support Obama. They crucify the right. They crucify the left. Those who have always supported Obama, have crucified from day one. Those who supported other candidates, but now support Obama have joined forces, and now attack those who still support Hillary.

They have claimed that anyone who votes Republican is responsible for destroying the country. They have labeled anyone who does not support Obama a racist.

Obama and his supporters have done more to divide this country than anything a PUMA has done.

If the parties won’t uphold democratic principles, who will?

If the voters don’t hold the parties accountable, who will?

Just say no deal.