Freedom of Thought. It's a Bermudafull Thing.

[SmokingGun]

I've been reading ProgressiveMinds over the past few days and I've become so disenchanted with just how manipulative and deceitful senior members of the PLP have treated the more youthful PLP supporters. It's been not just sickening but truly disgusting that they have shown their true colours in such a manner. And then today I read this...

"Mon, 06/22/2009 - 08:38 — D Morris

Reflections...

Progressive Minds is not the youth wing of the PLP? Wow. Don't know why they gave us a key to the building, asked up to help out at events, gave us a vote in the delegates conference even allowed us to organise events in the party's name. Though truth be told they did stop supporting us towards the end despite what we wanted to bring to the party.

I suppose David's right. Maybe we arent true PLP members. By your definition anyway. We are free thinkers who were willing to work, give of our time to support the party. We gave of ourselves and made sacrifices for the sake of the party but we are not the youth wing? Ok. I remember the first time I was given the spiel by Dawn about the PLP being a family. But family doesnt kick out family members over a difference of opinion. Family doesnt turn their back on family members when in their eyes they do wrong. Even Brown went to LA when his son was first arrested. I wish the party had tried to talk to us, really talk to us instead of tell us what to do like we were children. But I guess by the definition that you want to put on us, even though its not in the constitution and the way you treated us we were children to you. The sad thing is despite being aware of all of this the entire time we PMers put principle before personality, party before people and worked for the PLP.

I am deeply saddened by the actions of the party though even more so I am embarassed by them. I haven't been this embarassed to be a PLP member since the 2007 election. It is what it is though. I do not regret my actions or any of words I have said on this site or FB in regards to Brown's leadership and the events that have transpired since the arrival of the Uighurs. My only regret is that I put so much faith in people who did not deserve it. I am walking away from this site because on the basis principles I cannot support it. Some may say its sour grapes but in all honesty I don't see the point of posting here if the conversation is to be stunted and operate opposite to the name of the site (that truth be told really should be taken down because there is limitation on what may be posted; censorship and progression really are mutually exclusive). As Jon said we will be shortly starting a new blog where the conversation and debate can truly be progressive.

A friend had the following quote as her FB status:

"God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons we could not learn in any other way. The way we learn those lessons is not to deny the feelings but to find the meanings underlying them."-Stanley Lindquist

I have learned a lot from this experience, from the PLP in general. I walk away head high and proud of what I attempted to do and will take the lesson and apply them in my future endeavors. So that's it, this is my goodbye to www.progressiveminds.bm I do hope to see all bloggers on the new site when its up and running, I am looking forward to the debate. Until then... PEACE!!!"


Ms Morris, you are the real deal. A young Bermudian who gets it. I applaud your desire to do the right thing and accept that everyone has the right to create their own opinions based upon an open dialogue with ALL Bermudians. Just like the organizers and participants who show up on the Hill come rain or shine.... You too make me proud. Thank you for taking the high road.

[tigga]

now u know how i felt when wayne (leader), gwyn (chairman), jahmal (mp), max (mp) and julian (mp) left the ubp - truly proud. 

[SmokingGun]

As I said. A Young Bermudian who gets it.

Your mother killed off LimeyinBermuda.....

You're doing your damndest to kill off BermudaSucks......

Rocksolid and David Burt are now trying to shut down ProgressiveMinds.....

Ms Morris is the winner. You lose. Beaten by a girl no less....

[tigga]

um, okay 

ps - what's up w/ ur underhanded sexist remarks, curves, beaten by a girl etc. - easy now

[Mike]

You're doing your damndest to kill off BermudaSucks......

Yeah, right.  Good luck with that.

We have cockroach-like resilence! 



... and as you point out, there are Bermudians out there who get it.

[tigga]

why would we shut down mike - he's on the payroll

[Mike]

I wish!   

No, actually, I decided long ago that I don't accept direct or indirect payment from any political parties in Bermuda.  You will never see a PLP or a UBP banner here.

I make a pittance from the advertising, but I don't care; I have a real job.  That lets me enjoy my neutrality and is part of what make BermudaSucks.com credible - in spite of the rampant disinformation spread by every faction.  (Nice try there tigga, at least that one was original.  Karma for your efforts.)

The fact is, this is the only neutral blog where anybody can have their say. 

You aren't on a website called Bermuda Sucks because you love the name.  Smart people can see that. 

Why do you think we still have such strong readership, in spite of the relatively low number of posts these days?

[tigga]

mike - we have spoken a few times and i feel that ur honest - my issue is that for whatever reason this site attracts mostly anti plp white men who pretty much spout the same thing through not fault of ur own

it's even creepier that they do it from under cyber hoods so that they're are not responsible for what they say - all it does is make many of their blk neighbors distrust all of them.

at least when thaao, guilden and soul rebel posted on here there was some semblence of debate - now it's just smoking gun working out his racial frustrations while sandgrownan and c canuck play the chorus

in retrospect, the ugliness that i read on this site makes me regret even finding out about it - to be honest i really didn't need to know that white dudes in bda were so whiny 

[SmokingGun]

"Published: June 23. 2009 09:00AM RG

Former Senator critical of Premier

By Tim Smith
 
Former Progressive Labour Party Senator Davida Morris yesterday said young people want a new political party — because they're sick of the PLP playing the racecard and censoring free speech.

Ms Morris, 28, says many people her age are extremely mistrustful of a Government she says has "saddened and embarrassed" her through recent events.

"Most people I speak to are wishing for a new party," Ms Morris told The Royal Gazette.

"They want nothing to do with the petty back and forth bickering that goes on and more importantly they are extremely troubled and mistrustful of a PLP Government that uses censorship and race as its defence when there is no real need for it.

"This is not the opinion of every person I speak to but it is the overwhelming majority's sentiment."

PLP chairman David Burt last night argued the idea of censorship was "ridiculous".

Ms Morris, a former chair of PLP youth wing Progressive Minds, spoke out after party members seemingly put distorted information on the young group's website in a debate over Premier Ewart Brown's handling of the Guantánamo Bay affair.

A poll asking whether the Premier should be censured was also taken down from the website when it emerged most people were voting against Dr. Brown.

The Premier has also come under fire after he responded to demonstrations about his leadership by claiming protesters were merely angry at their loss of white privilege. Ms Morris said such tactics — as well as perceived dishonesty by those in power — had left young party members disillusioned.

She believes the PLP youth wing is now defunct and in recent days herself and other young supporters have walked away from the group's website.

"There is a lot of things the PLP can do to improve its relationship with young people although they are looking at a definite uphill battle," she said.

"The youth vote is extremely important to the party in retaining power but their treatment of young people has been wanting on a political and Government level.

"Young people do have long memories. They will remember you telling them one thing and how you acted opposite to what was said. Young people in general are wary of politicians, they expect them to lie but hope that they will be honest.

"When you confirm their worst fears while they may vote for you at present they will always be looking for something else, something better, more in line with their beliefs and expectations."If the PLP is truly interested in courting young people then my suggestion would be that they take a hard look at themselves and their relationship with the members of Progressive Minds."If they cannot see where they erred with us then it will truly be difficult for them to ever gain the trust of young people."

MsMorris who Dr. Brown appointed as one of the Island's youngest ever Senators in 2006 resigned from the youth wing when she went to London to study last summer.She is still in London and has been following recent events online.She has posted criticism of the Premier's actions on the Progressive Minds website and on Facebook, writing yesterday on the website:"I am deeply saddened by the actions of the party though even more so I am embarrassed by them."I haven't been this embarrassed to be a PLPmember since the 2007 election. It is what it is though. I do not regret my actions or any words I have said on this site or FB in regards to Brown's leadership and the events that have transpired since the arrival of the Uighurs."My only regret is that I put so much faith in people who did not deserve it."

Fellow young supporter Jonathan Starling complained the website misled readers by deleting information about the Constitution before last Friday's motion of no confidence in Dr.Brown's Government, to make it seem more likely the motion could result in an election.Mr. Starling also said the site was hijacked by people outside Progressive Minds in the run-up to the 2007 election, to serve as a tool for the PLP's election campaign.He said two US citizens who were part of a Democratic Party affiliated electoral strategy group were given an account so they could post under the name 'Rocksolid'."These mercenaries, with a warped understanding of Bermudian political reality, along with others in the party hierarchy, undermined the authority of this site as Progressive Minds. I understand the account 'Rocksolid' is now used by others," wrote Mr.Starling.

Mr. Burt last night argued there was no censorship on the website, saying articles had to be approved, but that people can say whatever they want in the comment section."Since the middle of 2008, those comments have not been moderated and saying whatever it is they want. Not a single comment deleted or anything else. The idea of censorship is quite ridiculous," he said."I don't know how people can claim censorship when they are on a website bashing the party."Mr. Burt wrote to Mr. Starling during the row on the website:"Your idea of free discussion seems to be calling for the leader's head on a PLP website. Guess what, it's not going to happen."Cut and paste and cry wolf all you like. If you are done with the site, be done with it, it you are done with the party, be done with it. If you don't like something, work to change it."I've spoken with you on many occasions and I appreciate your support of the party. But please do not think that your voice is the lone determination for how this party should operate. None of us agree 100 percent on everything."

Ms Morris and Mr. Starling are creating a new blog called 'Bermuda Jewel', which stands for BermudianJoint Endeavour for Welfare, Education and Liberation."It will be up and running next week and will allow for free and open debate on all topics concerning Bermuda and Bermudians."

Someone mention something about marching in a new direction......

[Captain Canuck]

mike - we have spoken a few times and i feel that ur honest - my issue is that for whatever reason this site attracts mostly anti plp white men who pretty much spout the same thing through not fault of ur own

it's even creepier that they do it from under cyber hoods so that they're are not responsible for what they say - all it does is make many of their blk neighbors distrust all of them.

at least when thaao, guilden and soul rebel posted on here there was some semblence of debate - now it's just smoking gun working out his racial frustrations while sandgrownan and c canuck play the chorus

in retrospect, the ugliness that i read on this site makes me regret even finding out about it - to be honest i really didn't need to know that white dudes in bda were so whiny  

Yet again...wrong.

I don't have racial frustrations. I have said it before and i'll say it again...I'm race neutral.  I'm not saying that because i feel i'm above racial issues...it's because i KNOW i'm above racial issues.  I have no race, i'm all in one, and i mean that literally and figuratively.  So i sit back and watch.  Call it fence sitting, call it what you will.  I don't care what you or others think.  I'm well respected and loved with those that count to me.  I'm not looking for acceptance or accolades.

What i do have a problem with is how you come across like, "i know what you guys on this site are about and you don't get it and i'm going to be rude, offensive, and disrepectful and feel justified cuz you aren't anything but kkkrakaz and buscuits and you have nothing worth listening to or answering".  And then you cop out by TRYING to pull and bait and switch by saying that it is us that stifle the discussion and debate.   A lot of the "ugliness" you are talking about comes from your own posts, you can't justify it by saying others do it, that's not an excuse for any wrong doing.  You do the exact thing you complain about...how you can't see that is beyond comprehension...so the alternative is that you KNOW exactly what you are doing, right?

I've tried to reach out to you before.  To honestly try to understand your point and where you are coming from.  I'm met with foolishness from you, and then you lump me in some anti-plp group...lol.

Dude YOU don't get it.  I don't care who wins the elections, and i don't care what happened in the past.  I WAS an expat working in Bermuda, my "vote", my opinion isn't/wasn't wanted.  And that was/is made explicitly clear.  So UBP/PLP/ABC/123 it makes no difference.  The only thing that i know, is that bad governance/unethical/corruption/etc. are words synonymous with the present regime.  That's what i talk about and will continue to do so, whether you or YOUR ilk like it or not.  And this would be the exact same, for me, if another government was in power and doing the same thing.

I wasn't there in the 60's/70's/80's/90's.  I was there from 2004 to 2008. Done.  I have no reference from the past, i've heard about it extensively, but that's about it.  And that's about as far as it goes as far as i'm concerned (which amounts to squat seeing as i am a "forner").  I am concerned because, unlike the stereotype, i had more local friends then expat.  I was on the local football teams, i went to the local functions, i embraced my Bermudian friends and they genuinely embraced back because people with positive intent gravitate to one another for mutual love and respect.  And i want only the best for them cuz they deserve it.  However this notion also goes for those with negative intent that find one another for mutual hatred and disrespect.  Which is why you are met with it from the get go cuz that's all you have to offer.  But i don't hate you dude, never did, i just have a problem with how you handle things.  But i don't blame you, you are just a product and that is obvious.

Going forward.  If you want discussion, if you want debate, then leave the names and rhetoric out of it.  And this is not just directed at you.  I've read what has been sent at you, some are border line and some i would say break the rules.  So really we are all at fault for clouding the issues with our own petty grievances with one another.  So if this is the starting point to real discussion then cool...if it's another contrived plan to stir things up....well...that is what we have come to expect from you, so only time will tell.

Here's to hoping and staying positive.

CC

[SmokingGun]

"The only thing that i know, is that bad governance/unethical/corruption/etc. are words synonymous with the present regime."

CC - you must always strive to remember, tigga is just a foot soldier in that regime. A throw away name just like Steve or the multitude of others to create diversion, not necessarily even division. Trust me this is all about capital gains not credibility. The person behind it is but just a small part of the make up of Bermuda. An extreme version. Yes we have out extremists as well. The vast majority of Bermudians do not see eye to eye with him, and certainly not with his multiplex personalities.

If the real person were as altruistic as he claims to be then he'd never post here at all. Kind of hard to justify putting out the flame of racism when you're stoking the fire.

[SmokingGun]

And one other thing. Seeing as you spent time in Bermuda and got out and about. Would you in your wildest imagination ever consider tigga represents your average Bermudian? Black, white or anything in between? Didn't think so....

[Martin]

One of the acid tests is whether Tigga would still call us 'haters' and 'racists' if we all simply agreed with the actions of this Premier and Government, rather than oppose them for what they are and in the way that we do.

I have a feeling that nothing would change.

[tigga]

why did most of the few blks that posted on here leave - think about it.

[SmokingGun]

Because they had to go attend some kind of Bermudian rally up the hill?