"Big Tent" not so "Big" Afterall: Liberal Say Goodbye to Howling Latina

We have all been there at one time or another in our lives. A place where you just knew that you did not fit in or were welcome. Usually however, we experience these little realities growing up in our early years. Some folks just do not get along, call it personalities and such but it seems in the blogosphere its dwindled down to simply "being petty", mirror images of the political faces they endorse or simply just down right the ego gets a bit too big for its britches and the agenda promoted gets self-absorbed.

I am not sure exactly which is the case in the Virginia blogosphere with the recent excomunication of the blog Howling Latina by the major blogs endorsing a liberal, oops sorry "progressive" agenda both in America and here in Virginia specifically. I know that excomunication seems harsh and should only apply to religious conotations but given the left of left blogs that have virtually made the environmental movement be perceived by the main street America as a religious-type cult it loosely works. Some may simply believe that Leftyblogs and others have shunned,banished, and even shamed Howling Latina by removing her blog from the rolls of their sites.

Removal from the blogroll of a veteran liberal blog that was always highly regarded by the Virginia blogging community is quite interesting. Whats also interesting is the logic behind the blogs removal from Leftyblogs. Apparently, Howling Latina was being removed according to adminstrators of Leftyblogs because it no longer was focusing on "local" issues and they contend they are a local aggregator of left leaning blogs. THat could be true and taken on its merits if every major liberal blog had not followed suit and thrown the Howling Latina blog into exile as well.

Circle the wagons.

Some of these blogs are certainly not "local" in focus based on content. Whats "local" and whats not has somehow gotten a bit skewed I think. Apparently addressing the Presidential race is not considered a local topic, which is kinda interesting given everyone one of us eligible to vote can go right down to our "local" precincts in NOvember and cast a ballot. To say that the race or discussing or casting opinion about the Presidential race is not local implies that in no way will any result in that race impact localities or members of our communities. In fact, the reality underneath is that these liberal blogs come at issues from exactly that point of view. The Federal Government has the solutions and like some blogs have followed Lefty blogs lock step we to should simply follow the direction of the US government. Afterall, Government is the bastion of solutions according to these folks.

So exactly what was it that caused Howling Latina to be shown the door? Simple. The blog remained true to its core belief, supporting Hillary Clinton for the nomination, and attempted during the Primary to draw the contrasts between Clinton and Barrack Obama. The blog has taken heat for not getting in line behind Obama once he scured the nomination. Howling Latina chose to remain entrenched in support for Clinton and examined the case by which the nomination process was flawed. Let face it, most Americans understand that Clinton got a little bit screwed by the whole Florida and Michigan seating issues. Some have let it go, others like Howling Latina have chosen to remain firm in her denouncement of both the process and the hypocrisy of the Obama campaign.

Howling Latina inability to get behind Barrack Obama and her passion for Clinton was determined by many to not be in the best interest of the "tent". You know that "big tent" that these folks claim to have erected to bring folks from all walks under and welcoming all takes on the issues. Hardly. These blogs are proving with the adminstration of these so-called communities that it is not about an exchange of ideas but simply the "control" of the message. Many call these sites "online communities" but in reality the adminstrators are simply digital plantation owners shaping and molding the content and discussion by excluding and eliminating dissenting viewpoints.

As a Virginian, I hold as many of us do the historical nature of our traditions regarding free speech. Of course these squashers of debate will simply say that Howling Latina was being removed for her lack of "local" focus by Leftblogs aggregator but I think we all know that real reason was the content. Placing a blog on a blogroll is not that big of a deal. The idea behind the removal was to keep the views from reaching the greater aggregator audience. Howling Latina was once loved by most of these folks until it ventured off the plantation with views that were and are not aligned with the concensus of the administrators. Fear not Howling Latina, apparently the Governor as well appears poised for virtual banishment if you read some of the posts at Raising Kaine as he to has been moving away from the views of such progressive blogs.

Of course none of these bloggers have to keep Howling Latina on the blogrolls, but where is the integrity by these bloggers to simply come out and explain why it is they are removing the blog and not hide behind some smokescreen of "local" focus. Please. Howling latina has been very and at times extremely critical of Barrack Obama and with the race getting closer by the day the last thing these folks want is to have to be engaging in debate over their candidate from within. Democrat to Democrat. In fact if you read the threads at Cobalt6 you'll actually find commentors actually promoting the idea that Howling Latina has engaged in "conduct unbecoming a Democrat".

"Conduct unbecoming a Democrat". Whats exactly does that mean?

Is it because all Democrats have to endorse Barrack Obama? Is it because Howling Latina has not gotten in line behind the nominee? Is it because Howling Latina is expressing aview counter to the opinion of the progressives? Exactly what is it that an "opinion" and its expression can be seen as conduct unbecoming? How does that fit with the rationale of the "big tent" philosophy. fact is the far left agenda is turning more and more older Democrat off and contributing to the increaed numbers of Independents in Virginia in large part to this kind of behavior. If you are not aligned with the radical views of eliminating coal production, anti-smoking agenda, anti-drilling, anti-nuke power options and are not emphatically endorsers of climate change agenda then your not a "real" Democrat. Trouble is not even some of the Democrats in office or seeking office are aligned with those views. Does not Mark Warner support drilling? Did not Mark Warner favor the business environment over government? Um. I guess moderates don't belong under that "big tent" either do they?

The banishment of Howling Latina is simply an illustration of the far left eating its own. I mean this is a group that calls Joe Liebermann "Judas Joe". A group that loved John McCain when he was helping push portions of the agenda that they prefer like environmental cap and trade or even immigration and now throw him under the bus because they have to in the face of his winning the nomination for the Republicans. In fact, even Howling Latina has recognized the irony that it was Barrack Obama supporting the Energy Bill in 2005 and not John McCain. I guess McCain hasn't voted lock step with Bush afterall ugh guys?

Now of course Barrack Obama and his surrogates will attempt to to do the the GOP what that they did to Bill Clinton, only this time I think people understand that it is Obama afterall that is race baiting and playing the race card. Will it be as effective against McCain as it was against Hillary Clinton? Clinton supporters have seen all this before and know that it was used to bring down their candidate and blogs like Howling Latina that have been critical of Obama and his campaign can no longer be welcome in the interest of "UNITY". Riiiiiiiight.

Unity. Apparently the superficial guise of "unity" is more important to these liberal bloggers than the reality that there are still alot of Amercians and Democrats frankly that are not sold on Barrack Obama. Instead of recognizing the challenge within the Party itself regarding the Clinton supporters that is illustrated in Howling Latina's content, Leftyblogs and many other Virginia liberal bloggers have determined that it is in the best interest to jettison such Democrats rather than engage them and seek compromise on the agenda.

I find this rather ironic given the last two weeks where it appears as though Barrack Obama has simply hijacked, sorry "refined" his positions now to be almost a mirror image of what Hillary Clinton's were in the Primary.

MoveON right to the "center" Obama. But be careful, e would not want the far left to decide to shun, shame or banish you now would we?