The Current State of DAP - Page 2

You know, I am probably going to get into a lot of trouble for this but everybody needs to calm down. Although I do think that losing Quaker makes DAP worst off, I also know that well, I don't know half of what is going on.

Mostly, it is coming to grips with the reality of DAP, I have been a member since 2007 and in the process quit and come back again. No, I didn't fade off but actually wrote a post about my frustration with DAP and its members. Still, I cannot blame Nick because the forum is an organic community that is at some point outside his power.

No, he cannot control that most people go to the Off topic section and practically spend a lot of time there. Let's face it, without the off topic section, most members would not come at all. He cannot go and point a gun at each member and force them to spend at least 10 minutes in the take action section. That is an individual choice that each member makes. Why do you think that the most stupid threads have the most post? Forget the music video post, what about the one about a girl that wants neofeminist theory for phone sex operators.

Neither he or I can's stop the fact that every time someone has an idea, either the idea is criticized, ignored and/or killed by the constructive criticism of many optimistic dreamers that are not going to spend a minute actually making the plan work.

No, when someone has an idea, the brave individual has to move his/her ass day and night for long days until it catches heat. Then at the last minute everyone jumps in but it requires someone to spend all day working on it because when asking to delegate no one commits to anything.

That is the true about DAP, not finding a way to organize dreamers or making structure for them to make it work. It is about individual choice. Many of them feel that it will eventually pass and they are young and hot thus need not to worry. As long as then hang on and chill out they will be fine.

Yet, among this many people some do actually get up and do something for themselves and for the rest of us. That is the difference between pity and compassion. Most of us pity ourselves and wait for a handout in a country that gives none. The few feel compassion and love, not only for themselves but even for those that do shit.

I have never though that Quaker or no one has asked anyone to give up fun and joy and work and school to become dream act activists. Let's get real writing this post will take me more time than writing my senator. Writing 3-5 jokes in DAP takes longer than calling my own senator. It takes more time than making a call to a friend or talking to a teacher. It takes more time than speaking to my congregation youth group. Yet, even if you do not disclose your situation to others talking about the Dream act requires you to actually confront reality. Writing comforting words to others and reading news in DAP requires no risk and no effort.

Now, I am going to be clear about the handout thing so that everyone can be piss off for the right reason. John Walters, a really kooky director, mentioned on his monologue that gay artistic films where banned in the 60s. If you were catch up in a theater, they were going to arrest you and put you in a mental hospital and fry you with electricity to get the gayness out of you. Police officers went to beat people at gay parties. You could die for being gay. The gay community organized themselves. They did not ask others to fight their battle. They didn't had Obama or Durbin. They were not waiting for the right moment. They made the right moment.

Do you think it was a accident that so many Latinos and immigrants became citizens and went out to vote? No, many organizations worked their asses off convincing immigrants into becoming citizens, registering them and making them go to the polls. It was not because they loved politics, it was to gain political capital that could be use for the advantage of the immigrant community.

What do think that African American felt when the police water hose them. The flow was strong enough to take the bark out of trees. The cops had dogs, mean dogs. The bus boycott lasted like three years where people were insulted and beat up in the streets for maintaining themselves strong.

You can always say it is because you are undocumented. The law is against you. Well, the same deal is with the gays. They cannot marry, the law is against them. The same deal was with blacks, they were segregated by the rule of the land. You are being hurt because the law is wrong. Yet, while everybody had to out and take the heat for their issues, most dreamers in dap feel like waiting for a handout.

Poor me, i am young and educated, please Durbin, please Obama, give me a green card while I do not support you by creating pressure in my state and by not proving you that I care by sending you letters and letting you know that this is important to me and my community. I cannot help you in every possible way because I have no power to do so. No, not even ten minutes, not even five. However, if there is a party around the block, I might check it up because, well, You are only young once right?

I know how Quaker feels. I also feel frustrated with dap all the time. Let's face it, it was like this since before I arrived and until the Dream act legalizes all those students. Not us, 'cause we will be legalized by our adult children in the year 2050. Power is taken not given. Get yourself some power and make your own destiny.

^^^ i wish i could rep you again.

besides the horrendous topics some chose to get started and the bad spelling and grammar that goes along with them, i get bored with the general apathy on here too.
i've noticed that many of the more articulate and well-connected members hardly ever log on / comment anymore (like rahman). truthfully, the only reason i log on is because lilbawler and ianus usually post some pretty good news articles.

who's gonna get banned next? magraduate? if they ban her, dap will basically have nobody in terms of organizing power. the day she's gone or they ban someone else like quaker, i'm gone too. i honestly don't believe quaker could have done something worthy of being banned. he's given so much to this community and it saddens me that nick can't see that. is dissention punished by banning truly going to furthur the cause? i highly doubt it.

glad 2 hear someone else was getting annoyed to.

DAP has lost its main objective from reading previous post. From its initial objective this site has gradually changed to accommodate the 'needs' and 'wants' of its users regardless of whether or not they fit in with the main target. Those needs have shifted from 'needing DREAM Act' to needing an escape. While everyone needs an escape here and there this escape detaches you from the real need and creates comfort. A comfort that has not allowed this community to fully organize and utilize its membership because there is no leadership much less a clear plan to work towards the main objective.

I detached myself from DAP for a good while after I noticed that many were just willing to wait it out instead of putting their name/story (THE ISSUE) out there for the masses to see. I'd check DAP here and there and the recent increase and willingness to give the issue a face has brought me to help out again. I've seen leadership come about and at least some structured plans from some people like Quaker. Its no longer just a 'come, read and share' website.

As far as the useless posts on DAP; Granted, there are countless of useless threads but we're all to blame for the effect they have on the community, not the moderators. We all have the choice to post or not, read or not, click or not. I'm not going to lie, I enjoy some of them but if they were here or not it wouldn't make a difference to me. Whether you come here for that or to be proactive about DREAM is a matter of choice, if you rather wait and read/post useless crap then be it but keep in mind you're prolonging your own future or lack there of.

Finally, the 'Taking Action' section should be seeing the bulk of the posts but that's not the case, this is just indicative that most members do not have their priorities on track and that DAP has failed at promoting and taking action towards DREAM, but if this was not its primary objective then I guess it has succeeded. Regardless of the aforementioned, we have here a group of very young (energy), educated (knowledgeable & opinionated) and motivated individuals, ALL with one common goal. To not use these assets in the right manner says very little about DREAMies and DAP. To use them right way would prove a lot.

my 2 cents.

-Carlos

Wow guys/gals can we all calm down for a second. Someone once said to me that " a house divided amongst itself will always fail." I am relatively new to this website and I find it very informative. The truth about it is there is definetly more I can do to be a more active member but I'm working on behalf of the DREAM outside this site as well. I have been sharing our message with many people via email and all other means possible. I also have my family members sharing our story to whomever will listen.
I plan to be more involved through this website but I think we all need to encourage other people to do better rather than getting all upset with one another. We all have one common goal and that's to see the DREAM ACT passed. We also need to understand that everyone has different ways of dealing with issues. Some people are more likely to share all their issues with the entire world while some of us are more reserved find other ways to relief the stress. We also have a lot of young dreamies who are still going through "hormonal" issues(no pun intended). My point is lets contiue to encourage each other in our plight to get the DREAM ACT passed sooner than later. I think a good way to do that will be for our administrators to post an ABC section of the DAP for all newbies. In other words a thread for all the steps that should be taken once you become a DAP member. I dont know anyone personally on here so I'm not trying to fight for anyone or put anyone down.
I plea with you all who have been here much longer to be patient and also ignore the threads you find unimportant. If less people pay attention to such threads maybe people will post less of them. I do think its important to keep the the DAP friendly and open to all who just need a listening ear. Lastly forgetting those things behind me I press on towards the mark......have a wonderful day everyone.

We have already discussed the fact that DAP members would rather talk about their favorite music videos than actually do something to benefit the cause. Sadly, I don't think this will change. This is only half the issue. What I find hard to believe is that one of our most active and helpful members (Quaker) has been banned for "unknown" reasons.

We have a good group of people here that are willing to go the extra step to contribute to DREAM projects and such, and Quaker is one the top members to do so. As one of the founders of Dreamactivist, he is very involved with several projects and is informed with what is going on not only with this organization, but the whole United We Dream Coalition. I really don't think he deserved to be banned.

A question for everyone who is unhappy with the current state of DAP...what do you want next?

Most people here are complaining about the lack of leadership, but what has everyone done? Do you want rallies organized by DAP? Well, go ahead and volunteer yourself to organize one.

If you are unhappy because we don't do e-mailing campaigns, then why haven't you started one and posted the information in the "taking action" section?

It is really easy to point out what the administration is not doing, instead of actually doing stuff. Make yourself useful and do something, even if it just posting flyers about the DREAM Act and DAP near your house. Then you will be making a difference instead of just complaining about the administration and starting pointless threads in internet forums.

Don't like DAP for one reason or another? You can leave and never come back, forums like this one will never, never, never have a shortage of members.

Go ahead and start your own site about the DREAM Act, we will be happy to link to your site...remember, "the more the merrier"

LOL, how do you think DreamACTivist came about?

When I first found this site on May 12, 2008 it was one of the happiest day I had in a while, but over the pass 10 months since I have been here, I have seen very few new and fresh ideals on the part of this portal. I have watch us use our energy to bash and insult each other for weeks with discussion that had nothing to do with passing DREAM, COME ON GUYS THIS IS OUR MOMENT, THIS IS OUR TIME!!! am I the only one who thinks that if we do not take hold of the opportunity to pass DREAM this year that it will be put off for another year or so... We can forget next year, cause if we wait I can bet all my savings of $4,000 that DREAM will not survive debate in a census year and a election year. So this portal needs to come together and unite to get this bill pass this year!!!

^^^perfect example of what I'm talking about. Pointing pointless problems (other websites about the DREAM act) instead of dealing with the real issue (lack of leadership in DAP from its leaders and members)

Come on Maria, you felt right into the tramp I set to show the attitude problem we have in DAP. Everyone knows "how Dreamactivist came to be".

How about we forget about this thread and start to work towards the DREAM Act?