[Lnc-business] Sore thumb theory and deescalation

[Alex Merced (LNC Vice Chair)]

Thank you John, I deeply appreciate this message. I second the sentiment and hope we can all respond to this thread expressing an aim to give everyone here a renewed benefit of the doubt for these last few weeks crossing the finish line.

Alex Merced
Vice Chair of the Libertarian National Committee/LP

> On Jun 17, 2020, at 8:35 PM, john.phillips--- via Lnc-business <lnc-business at hq.lp.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> Starting with a little thing that will seem off topic. There will be a point to it.
> 
> Let's say you are working on something that requires driving some nails, like maybe a roof.  Early in the day you pound your thumb with the hammer.  It hurts, maybe you cuss a little bit, but you get back to work.  Now though its a little awkward and despite trying to be careful pretty soon you whack it again.  This time you cuss a bit more, and it hurts more.  This goes on through the day, and by the end of the day it is sore as hell.and sensitive to the slightest touch.  You bump it on your car door on your way home and scream bloody murder.  
> 
> Everyone else is looking at you like you're nuts and wondering why the hell you are overreacting to such a little bump, but you are thinking how can they not understand why I am so upset.
> 
> If that metaphor doesn't work for you, think about biting the inside of your cheek and how for days after you keep doing it again and it gets so tender that even eating hurts.
> 
> We've all done stuff like that to one degree or another, so we should all get it.
> 
> Now the point.
> 
> That is where much of this body is right now.  Our thumbs are sore, and the slightest little brush is setting things off.
> 
> Not arguing which side is right, or which side is wrong, pretty much all sides and even those who tried to stay neutral are feeling it.
> 
> Not just people on this body either, but members who have been watching and taking their sides are as well.
> 
> Fully owning my own part in that, I still think we all need to step back, realize our thumbs are sore, and that maybe which ever last little nudge we are reacting too was not quite the hammer blow it felt like.
> 
> At least on the surface it seems like we are all trying to move the same direction, that of getting through this convention somehow in some form and moving on to the business of supporting our candidates up and down the ticket, growing the party, and building freedom.  
> 
> I get the frustrations, I get the hard feelings and sore thumbs, but c'mon all, let's just get this crap done.  Continued wrangling is convincing no one, just deepening the rifts in our membership. Rifts we cannot afford.
> 
> I know everyone thinks they are in the right, but none of us was perfect, and we all in some form contributed to the other actions and reactions.
> 
> So can we all try to take that step back, let those thumbs heal up, toss a little ice on them, deescalate the tensions, and just get the job done for a few more weeks? Maybe, just maybe, if we can then a few more will follow that example.
> 
> John Phillips
> Libertarian National Committee Region 6 Representative
> Cell 217-412-5973