Redstate

By haystack Posted in Blog Birthday | Blogosphere | redstate — Comments (4) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

I'd been trying to come up with something a little different from your ordinary "it's my birthday" type of blog entry. DocJ tells us he's just turned 3 years old. C17Wife (one of my all time Redstate favorites) added that she was over 3 as well. This got me to thinking I'd do a not-so-open thread on the matter...

I'll go first, so please consider how I do this and then do likewise inside this thread...

I first became involved in internet communities because of my personal involvement in trying to effect change in Family law and subsequently got involved in several Father's Rights groups. My original pseudonym was "estrangedad", and someone...somewhere...told us about this new website called Redstate that might be worth checking out.

We were actively engaged with the NH and MA Legislatures regarding all that Parental notification nonsense that was going on back then (3 1/2 years ago) as well as the whole MA Gay Marriage mess. Within NH I was directly involved in getting bills introduced and passed through Committee for various changes to existing Family-related statutes such as College costs, 50-50 visitation, etc.

There was a suggestion that this new Redstate business might be a good resource for info and access to politicos to strengthen and further our own efforts. So I typed on over, and as I have said elsewhere, the first Redstate regular I came across was Thomas. THAT (as Forest Gump says) is all I have to say about that.

I registered under the name "estrangedad" 3 years 24 weeks ago. I recently discovered that I am nearly as old here as the originals of Redstate, though STILL nowhere near as capable and competent (and articulate) as our masters here. Six months after I signed up as estrangedad, and after several epiphanies and cathartic moments, I decided to create my own website and a whole new blogdentity...hickpolitics and the apropos pseudonym "haystack" which has been registered here 3 years next week.

The things that have happened since then could fill volumes (has actually... if you have the patience to skim your archives) so I won't revisit them here. I suggest you take a little time out from the heat of these passions you're all stewing in right now(POTUS Primary nonsense) and reflect on the greater meaning of this website for you and what impact it has had on your daily life...BEYOND specific news cycles or historic moments.

For me:

Redstate has made me pay closer attention to the details.

Redstate has made me research and investigate and verify before I open my yap.

Redstate has made me realize there is good internet and bad internet, and wherever there is a contentious issue to be debated there will be fools that must be suffered.

Redstate has shown me that, like in real life, families have within them many who perturb but none that aren't loved.

Redstate has convinced me that I need to get out more...that this keyboard and I spend FAR too many intimate moments together.

For Jeff...Redstate has taught me to do better at spell-check and grammar check :-)

Finally, Redstate has re-taught me that I am not always right, I don't always have the best solution or answer or idea...and that if I JUST cool down and shut up long enough to hear others' considerations on an issue...I JUST might learn a thing or two.

That last, at my age (50 in March), is perhaps the oft-times bitterest pill for me to have to swallow. I'm seeking counseling though, heh.

I don't close by thanking Redstate...I am Redstate...YOU are Redstate...we ALL are Redstate...so I thank US for what we've become.

Now...once this Primary silliness is behind us we can (hopefully) redouble our efforts to effect change where it will MATTER (read fixing Congress..."flipping" the House, &C.).

And with that, I am off now for an adult beverage...