I thought our blog picnic here at Lake Herman yesterday looked a little lefty. Todd Epp, Bob Schwartz, Scott Ehrisman, Jackie Dusseau-Bielke, Rebecca Terk, and my wife and I... we sent invites left, right, and center, but our favorite conservatives all RSVP'ed non, merci. Where was the loyal opposition?
Dang: tonight, I actually learn something from Bob Ellis. Evidently, the hard-core conservatives of the South Dakota Blogosphere had their own conclave. No roasted wienies, just the out-of-state consultants from the Sam Adams Alliance. "Look for some significant changes coming to the South Dakota blogosphere in the next day or two," says Bob. "Gideon [of the SD Wingnuts, the newest conservative blog doing its best to put South Dakota's worst face forward] is doing most of the technical work on it, but it'll be a team effort of several blogs once it's done."
Significant changes: Bob, Sibby, and Pastor Steve all moving to a compound near Pringle? Stay tuned....
They were stuck inside on one of the nicest days of the year. Meanwhile, we were out in the sun, cooking out, drinking beer (those of us of age), talking community (not politics), went kayaking, and got to see me swamp yet keep my glasses and Barack Obama hat on in the process.
ReplyDeleteI'm betting we had the better time. I'm saddened to see our local blogosphere polarize rather than come together.
Hell, just seeing Fatboy Todd swamp in a ladies pink kayak was worth the price of admission.
We'll keep putting out the invites and feed the ones that come.
Todd Epp
Kayaking and Social Media Editor
SD Watch http://www.southdakotawatch.net
Wish I was there... granted I'm a libertarian, but it sounded like a helluva lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteBut alas, work at the station, the ballpark, and my new part-time job had to take priority.
Perhaps some other time. :(
This Libertarian-leaning Republican would have loved to go to the picnic, but alas, it's a long drive from Deadwood to Madville.
ReplyDeleteBetween calculating mixed partial derivatives (inside) and painting the house (outside) I struck the best balance I could. Got sunburn and brainburn, both.
The question: Does Obama equal calculus and McCain equal painting, or is it the other way?
I ended up canoeing down the Big Sioux this weekend. If I had known kayaking was an option, that would have been tempting!
ReplyDeleteI'm appalled that Tory-like (the corporation is a person), right wing facists sullied the reputation and memory of liberal and liberty loving Samuel Adams. What travesty.
ReplyDeleteI can see it now...Don Jorgensen squatting next to some brush, peaking through a barbed wire fence with a pair of binoculars, "Someone is exiting the compound...I see a ponytail...yes, yes, it appears to be Steve Sibson."
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 11:00,
ReplyDeleteI am not up enough on Sam Adams political views to make a statement about them but I do know he makes an excellent beer...
Especially the Cherry Wheat beer... Kinda partial to that, myself!
ReplyDeleteOh Corey,
ReplyDeleteI definitely think we had the better time and it's their loss.
Many thanks to you and Todd for hosting this.
I do think Lake Herman is a piece of Heaven on Earth and it smells better than Lake Mitchell. ;-)
Cory,
ReplyDeleteNice job in blaming conservatives for polarizing when your call Gideon “the newest conservative blog doing its best to put South Dakota's worst face forward” and saying we will “all moving to a compound near Pringle”. Your anti-Christian slam motivated an anonymous fascist attack. A little American history less would show Samuel Adams to be a “Radical Puritan”. Christian principles are a basis to freedom in America, not fascism. Typical of liberals to blame conservatives of crap that they themselves are guilty of.
And your “out-of-state” crack puts you in line with Pat Powers’ South Dakota tourism policy.
And to Todd Epp, you should get your facts straight before making accusations on “community”. The main theme of the conservative get together was community. And remember I sent both you and Cory an email suggesting we get together in the South Dakota “community” and debate our resource as a method to inform people on the issues.
So if you want to look at polarization, intolerance, bigotry, and those who are melting down the American community…liberals need to look into the mirror.
Since I'm just a contributor and don't have my own blog, I can only make a suggestion.
ReplyDeleteIf you truly want a get together or both sides, Cory, it would behoove you not to demean the conservative bloggers as you just did here.
This election is polarizing on both sides. If either side wants a bipartisan effort, in this case with a meeting of the blogosphere, it has to respect the other side.
These blogs are fun because we can debate and argue, but for the most part we do it without pettiness. (Sometimes I have to admit that pettiness is fun, though!)
A good bipartisan blogosphere meeting would be interesting, but doubt it will happen with the importance each side attachs to the blog efforts in this election.
Thanks for the complement, Corey. If we make you that upset, surely we must be doing something right! :-)
ReplyDeleteActually, Gid, I'm quite pleased to see you folks are getting ready to tear the state GOP apart. Knock yourselves out! :-D
ReplyDeleteCan't we all just get along, Sibby? LOL. I don't agree with a lot of what Cory and Todd have to say, but at least I'm civil enough to be honored by an inviation to Lake Herman, though my schedule didn't allow me to go.
ReplyDeleteAnd Steve and Cory, isn't there such a thing called "respectfully agreeing to disagree?" After all, you get more flies with honey than with vinegar.... actually dead bodies do the same thing, but that's a bit disghusting!
Can't we all just get along, Sibby? LOL. I don't agree with a lot of what Cory and Todd have to say, but at least I'm civil enough to be honored by an inviation to Lake Herman, though my schedule didn't allow me to go.
ReplyDeleteAnd Steve and Cory, isn't there such a thing called "respectfully agreeing to disagree?" After all, you get more flies with honey than with vinegar.... actually dead bodies do the same thing, but that's a bit disghusting!
jackrabit1,
ReplyDeleteYes I was eager to visit Cory and the gang, just like I did in November during the Blogmore hunt. But, I had plans prior to Cory's invite. Hope we can have more gatherings and opportunities to knock ourselves around with some hard hitting debates, and then...have a beer or two and laugh about it.
Steve, I look forward to those future gatherings as well. We can keep throwing elbows here (and I'll be honest, when I read Bob's post on the Sam Adams gathering, I felt a disturbance in the Force promising more elbows), but we're all in the same South Dakota boat (or Conestoga wagon?). As a community, let us always be able to drop the gloves every now and then and pick up beverages.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Cory, sorry for misspelling your name earlier. Nobody deserves to have their name spelled wrong! :-)
ReplyDelete