I’ve been hanging around Open Salon for several months. I’ve decided to add to the chaos around here.

I suppose I should tell you about myself.

I will only tell you honestly that I do not promise honesty.

I am the lunatic in the padded cell - the homeless man who pays for his coffee in nickels and the desperate student who slits her wrists rather than take one more final exam.

I am the hack who writes the misspelled real estate ads in the PennySaver – your child’s teacher and your next door neighbor that lets his grass die.

I am the woman who lives alone with five cats that never wants kids – the genius who can’t change his own oil and the brother you never had.

I am the liberal who needs a break – the soldier that needs a discharge and the conservative that needs a boot to the ass.

I cannot be defined by my occupation, if I have children, what kind of car I drive or my favorite book. I am defined only be what I can add – or subtract – from the conversation. My anonymity is not a disguise. It’s not a curtain I’ll hide behind to avoid accountability. It’s simply the absence of what is not important. Kudos from me to those who use their real names and post photos of their cars, children and dogs, but I am not you.

Because this place is an entity of Salon, I will say that I am rabidly and unapologetically liberal.  I am different than many liberals in the fact that I don’t think everyone should always get a trophy. I’m sick to death of worrying about being nice and not hurting anyone’s “feelings.” In my daily life, I am surrounded by Republicans who spent the past eight years in complacent satisfaction, driving ever-larger SUV’s with “W-The President” and “Stand Up For America! Be an American!” stickers on the bumpers.

Now I’m not supposed to talk about politics in the break room, as they did for the better part of a decade. The handful of token liberals say, “We don’t want to rub their noses in it.” When did simply discussing issues become politically incorrect? We’re not supposed to even MENTION politics because the self-evident fact of McCain’s loss is too painful for the fragile Republicans to hear without snapping? In theory, talking about issues will cause some sort of bad will which will make them… what? Not vote for Obama in 2012? Make them cry? Cause them to lose the comforting idea that they are all unique and special snowflakes?

Let’s get something straight right now - I have no patience for the idea that my personal choices or victories diminish you as a person. If I decide not to have kids, it doesn’t mean that I think that no one should have kids (or they should if I do). If "my" political party wins an election, it doesn't mean that I think there aren't good people on the other side. When did personal choice become a damnation of those who choose differently? We’re all afraid to move in fear of hurting someone’s feelings.

Meanwhile, the people who are ACTUALLY jerks walk around spreading their bile like a disease unchecked. No one wants to confront them or tell them they are acting badly because they already know exactly how to handle us. All they have to do is act increasingly more out of control, yelling, fighting, punching and finally shooting if they have to do so. If you want to be outside of the rule of society all you have to do is act like more and more of a dick until everyone is stunned into silence and fear.

Now that I think about it, isn’t that what the last eight years have been?

Maybe we could try something new?