At that point I was banned from the blog. Fortunately, a couple of people from the blog wrote me and assured me that I was not the only person who had been banned, and that there had been many others who had been banned for similar reasons. I did make a good friend at the blog however, a woman who lives in Ohio. We now talk for about an hour each week on the telephone and continue our observations about Bush and our predictions about how his administration will end.
Not long after that I realized that getting banned from this blog was probably a very good thing. Although blogging had been an outlet which I had been using to vent my frustrations, it also had become somewhat of an addiction. I was ready to do more than venting.
I decided that the only real cure for my frustrations was to go out and do something which could help change the political climate, something which would help the progressive movement and which would help progressive candidates. I soon became the chairperson of DFA (Democracy for American) Fairfax. Not long after that we put up this website: http://www.dfa-fairfax.com.
After beginning to serve in this post I decided to start networking among some of the progressive groups in Northern Virginia to see if our group could partner with some of the other groups on some activities. I discovered that there are many progressive groups in Northern Virginia centered on various issues. Our group began to co-sponsor events with others groups and members of our group are also involved in some of the upcoming political campaigns.
I noticed that it was only when I moved off the blogs (although I still post here and there occasionally) that I began to overcome my feeling of frustration with the current direction of the country. That may have something to do with the feeling that I am no longer powerless, no longer just a complaining voice on a blog, but someone who is working to make changes for the good in Virginia and I hope, in the country.
The moral of this story is that there is an answer to anger and frustration with the current state of the nation. By taking action the feeling of powerlessness is eliminated. Frustration is replaced with the feeling of satisfaction of having contributed something positive to the stream of events. If you are feeling like yelling and screaming on a blog by all means, go ahead. It+óGé¼Gäós a great form of therapy. But for a more permanent and lasting solution I suggest getting involved with one of the many progressive groups in your state to make changes for the better.
If you are in the Fairfax, Virginia area and would like to join our group please click on +óGé¼+ôAbout DFA+óGé¼-¥ on our menu or lookup another group near you that is doing something that inspires you. It will make a huge difference.