Online Bullying – a New and Ugly Sport for Liberal Commenters--The UK Guardian--Oct. 2012
I could not find this article posted on DU, but if it's here, it's still worth a revisit.
"Over the past couple of years, I've watched the rise of a new form of online performance art, where liberal internet commenters make public sport of flagging potentially problematic language as insensitive, and gleefully calling out authors as needing to "check their privilege" (admit their privileged position within society and its associated benefits)."
*SNIP*
"Increasingly, I've started recognising this kind of behaviour for what it is: privilege-checking as a form of internet sport. It's a kind of trolling, with all the politics I agree with, but motivations and execution that turns my stomach. It's well-intended (so well-intended), but when the motivations seem to be less about opening dialogue about the issues, and more about performance, righteousness, and intolerance toward those who don't agree with you … well, I'm not on board.
This is where it starts to feel like the "GOD HATES FAGS!" sign-wavers. While the political sentiments are exactly opposite, the motivations are remarkably similar: I WOULD LIKE TO DERAIL THIS CONVERSATION AND HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE WITNESS HOW RIGHT I AM. I don't care if your politics are progressive and your focus is on social justice: if you're shouting at people online and refusing to have a dialogue, you're bullying. I don't care if you're fighting the good fight: if you're fighting in a way that's more about public performance, shaming and righteousness, I'm not fighting with you.
… Even if I agree with your goals."
A good deal more to be found here......
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/oct/18/online-bullying-ugly-sport-liberal-commenters
= new reply since forum marked as read
And at the same time, I hate people fighting the progressive agenda with reactionary attitudes.
It's a puzzlement.
Except it's not. When was the last time a conservative was dragged to death behind a pickup truck?
Hey, friend, that's the kind of mood you caught me in.
Hello, old pal. a hug, 
and some
Where is the ravishing patsy these days?
Look at meeeee! Aren't I the most righteous in all the DU world!
in the threads on the Pope, Steubenville and alike is the complete lack of civility and willingness to at least consider another's point of view or at least their feelings. It is very much "MY OPINION IS THE ONLY OPINION" and the rest of you should just fall in line agreeing with me.
To me it simply comes down to bullying nothing more.
whenever they pop-up. Basically, they seem to be trying to get people to feel guilty for factors beyond their control - being born white, being male, etc.
I just think they are dumb and a waste of time. And its true, there is an element of self-righteousness and finger wagging involved in them too, probably that is one reason some post them, it puts themselves on a pedestal > 
crazy rumor that DU had been infested with a slew of rapists. All rape, all the time, ad nauseum.
the ubiquitous mean conservatives, I guess those are less interesting phenomena.
in this country. and suddenly there is this shift from class disparity being addressed, to an overwhelming divide between the sexes being reinforced.
Just at the time when we would need each other more than ever.
if I were even more paranoid than I am I might suspect some vast organized operation to keep us occupied while that 1% finishes us off.
Latin America, here we come. 
if there is an epidemic of rape and bad attitudes about it now, let's see what it's like when we can no longer fund local police departments to any effective degree.
It is. Just so insane.
What is accomplished.? Division, and lots of it.
BTW, there is more in the comments section that seemingly addresses the chronic farking of DU. It's from a year and a half ago, and that seems to be when it started across some of the internet.
Divide and conquer. That's what the big girls and boys ALWAYS like to do.
So much so that even Skinner took a permanent vacation from it 
the majority of Duers who posted in this, and are concerned about "privilege checking", are male.
Could be just a coincidence, I suppose.
Really, even when the user name does seem to be obviously male or female, and many aren't, one can never actually be sure, is that not true?except that I already knew that several posters were male simply because I have read many of their posts in the past.
If I told you the rest the CIA will sequester and dissect me.
Flamebait, pure & simple.
Better than some I have used as you were absent the snark
You see I *DO* get what this is all about - I have for many years and I think I have posted some good ops that cover it (like when my now X found out she had Parkinson's and how folks view beauty, etc).
I am on the side of those in the minority - from gays to women to those suffering from mental issues, etc.
You said:
There are many intuitive, insightful, and intelligent members of minority groups here. When they try to post about issues that are well known within the group, but not even recognizable to the dominant culture, they're not doing it for their health, popularity, to be a bully, ,etc. They are trying to make the domination culture feel what they feel in their experience, in order that may further and more deeply understand that experience.
And what I would like to say in response is that many here are on the same side. What folks take umbrage with, if you will, is the HOW of it all and how it is explained by a few.
A vocal minority bum rush folks and attack them. We are on the same side, want the same things, but are made to be the enemy.
To be perfectly honest I get the core ideals expressed - holding doors open for women only, treating women differently than one treats a man, etc and so on.
But - and there is always a 'but' it seems - attacking those on your (and I use that in a general sense) side over smaller things when they are trying to help on the larger things in a visceral way does not help.
You can have people fighting for your equality day in and out, but when you start attacking them they will get naturally defensive. I am a progressive, vote that way to insure women have a right to choose, and have - over the years I hope - posted threads here that expose sexism.
I can't think of any DU'ers I know who want less than equal rights for women and gays. The problems that arise though are because a few will tell the many how they feel when they actually feel differently. Folks would be more than happy to have an open and honest discussion - but some want to make it personal and tell people that if they don't tow the line 100% on something they hate women.
Going back to holding open doors, since that was a hot topic for me and others, I did so for reasons that many may not get unless they were a man raised by a strong woman. My mom helped many out, taught me to treat others as equals, she was one of the people in this hood who welcomed the first black family here and stood up to those who were against them moving in.
You did so because it was right - not sure why, never fully asked why, but understood that it was something I should do out of respect for women. Yes, I did the same for men and others depending on the situation but in a general sense mom told me you hold the door open for a lady because it was the right thing to do.
Now, in this phase of society, I have to question every action I do. Mom taught me to be kind to everyone. But she stressed being good to black folks (who, around here, were treated like crap) and women (who also were treated like crap). She didn't tell me to treat white folks and men a certain way, maybe because they didn't need it at the time.
I come here, to DU, and find that liberal guys like me - to some - are the problem. And yeah, I have an issue with that.
Day in and out we have your, and other people's, back. But we get our asses kicked because we are told we don't get it, we don't care, we don't understand.
Maybe we don't fully get it. Maybe you don't fully understand what I am going through. But time and again you have folks here willing to work with women, with gays, with other minorities all in an effort to make a change for the best - and the people who are on the same side get their asses ripped.
were served to celebrate Martin Luther King Day.
And the image I'm hotlinking to is from a commentator who did try to push it as being racist.
Come to find out, the staff who assembled the menu were mostly black. And this menu was comprised of MLK's favorite food.
It feeds that soul, regardless. And, this white Midwesterner-by-birth loves the stuff. Especially that sweet potato souffle, and the corn bread and greens. 
Hell, I even love grits.
the great corn flake chicken hatefest.
Then again one could also refer to the Olive Garden idiocy.
Or any of the many breastfeeding or circumcision debates.
Yes, DU never ever had an ugly side before meta 
totally a 
moment, with Northern DUers schooling us Southerners about how "racist" we are for wondering what was wrong with this menu, since EVERYONE in the South eats fried chicken & greens.....
People argue. This kinda crap goes on between people of all political ideologies, about all kinds of things (not just privilege)... one gets the impression that someone called her out for an insensitive remark, and rather than just disagree and move on, she's decided to not only carry a chip on her shoulder over it, but also cast this event as a sign of some huge problem that's unique to liberals.
I've seen this editorial bandied and picked apart multiple times since it was written. 
W-I-L-L?
Seriously, I was trying to think of a time when liberals went after him, but my memory sux.
I know it has happened 1-78 times. 
