Quick Scan of Discussionist shows....

[MaggieD]

It has turned into pretty much a right wing echo chamber. Either liberals left out of disgust or the conservative gaming of the jury system to get rid of liberals worked. And game it they certainly did! Did not really matter what you posted if they wanted to silence you. Every post was jury swarmed until they got enough conservative majority juries to kick off a liberal. I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would think cons would use the system honorably.

I tend to think it's a combination of both libs leaving in disgust and cons gaming the jury system, with a heavier emphasis on the latter.

I hope it's a failed experiment. I don't think right wing nut jobs need yet another place to bash liberals. Especially given that it's a site created by DU founders.

[snooper2]

1. do a deeper scan

[Aerows]

22. What's your user name over there?

[snooper2]

125. snooper1 - I was able to get 1 since it wasn't used :)

Here, I just made a new posty for you to review!


LOL

http://www.discussionist.com/101477185#post1

[Avalux]

156. I think the name - Discussionist - has got to be satire.

"Discussion" is not a word I would use to describe the back and forth that goes on there.

[MaggieD]

174. Yeah, congrats

You got right down to their level and they responded by parodying liberals. Brilliant discussion.

[JaneyVee]

79. I got banned by jury for calling someone a hypocrite.

A 90 day ban for calling someone a hypocrite. Conservatives have formed a jury mafia and got rid of liberals. So much for free speech.

[merrily]

102. I'm there very rarely. Does calling people names violate the TOS there?

(Not a rhetorical question. I never read the TOS. I figured it was like the TOS here, or looser, so I did not need to.)

[pscot]

143. Yes it does

I've served on quite a few juries over there, and I haven't seen the kind of ganging up by conservatives described here. Name calling will get your post taken down every time, and that's been a problem for both sides. You need a thick skin to play over there. You also have to be ready to defend what you believe. Elbows get thrown pretty freely, so if getting hit bothers you, you won't fare well. And if you crawl out on a limb, someone will saw it off; guaranteed.

[merrily]

146. Elbows don't bother me. I am just over posting with Republicans.

Did it for years before I came here and I got tired of it

Plus, if I am going to get elbowed, I'd rather it be by a Democrat.

[uppityperson]

159. Don't you need 5 jury hidden posts for the 90 day time out, same as here?

[JaneyVee]

161. Yeah, all 5 were nonsense. Trust me, I don't...

Call anyone names or use insulting language. All 5 hides were a result of a jury mafia. Liberals would pm me with the results and comments and it confirmed the jury mafia mentality. Calling someone a hypocrite was my 5th hide. Literally, all I posted was "hypocrite.". It wasn't an insult, poster was actually being admittedly hypocritical.

[MaggieD]

184. Same here. They jury swarm...

On anyone that confronts them with facts. Yeah, they will not bother you if you're a useful, such as someone they can parody, or a conservative dem, or even if you just post opinions as long as you don't challenge them.

But if you post facts that objectively rebut their RWNJ fantasies they will jury swarm you. In a heartbeat. They do not like facts.

[cali]

2. Skinner et al gave wingnuts another forum to make a buck.

[MaggieD]

3. I guess money trumps politics

But then, I guess we should have known that already.

[Jamastiene]

82. It's like betting on both sides.

I don't understand what made him think giving them another place to peddle their bullshit was a good idea, unless it was really for money only.

[LanternWaste]

4. I think it will eventually suffocate from neglect after a thousand small cuts.

I think it will eventually suffocate from neglect after a thousand small cuts. The most prolific posters seem to be little more than disgruntled tombstones DUers irrational and hystericaly ranting on and on about how unfair DU is, what happening at DU, and the injustice of their final PPR.

[MaggieD]

6. Oh they pale in comparison to the RWNJs

Who are there mostly to troll liberals and to show their full range of lunacy.

[City Lights]

5. I don't even bother scanning it anymore.

I threw in the towel awhile ago. Turned into a cesspool. I still get emails from them.

[MaggieD]

20. It could have been a great place to show cons how wrong they are....

But the admins used a jury system that is so easily gamed all they did was set up a forum where libs could be shut down.

[City Lights]

26. Yeah, the "community standards" over there are very, very low.

Civil discourse does not exist.

[hfojvt]

38. unfortunately we cannot show them how wrong they are

when they keep winning elections.

Facts?

All they have to do is yell "check the score, we got more".

And I am not sure what to say about Gruber. Or Obamacare.

[Douglas Carpenter]

7. I played with it for a month or so and discovered I was trying to talk with crazy people

[City Lights]

14. Not just crazy. They are nasty bullies.

People I wouldn't spit on if they burst into flames before my eyes. They are the type of people that make me lose hope for humanity.

[handmade34]

45. Yes, nasty...

with no sense of rationality or empathy

[demmiblue]

8. I remember when the admins wouldn't even allow the mention of & or accept links to hate sites...

then they started one. Strange, indeed.

[cali]

10. not at all strange. $$$$

[demmiblue]

13. I guess they fit the stereotype that one becomes more conservative as they age.

Not that I believe that stereotype, but money does do strange things to people.

[pscot]

160. Hyperbolize much?

[LawDeeDah]

9. It's like giving Freepers a new and clean house to shit in.

I don't understand it at all either.

[KamaAina]

11. You mean Disgustingist?

I left out of disgust.

[City Lights]

15. That is a perfect name for it!

[MaggieD]

17. +1000 - perfect name

[Jackpine Radical]

12. I once visited it. Didn't register. Nosed around a little. Left.

Ain't bin back.

[FSogol]

16. Discussionist is like moving your trash can around the corner of the garage

because the skunks get into in each night. Want proof? Pick a banned DUer you thought was Trolly McTroll and look them up on DI. You'll find them supporting Rand Paul, Chris Christie, bashing HOF and still claiming to be liberal Democrats. Quite pathetic, imho.

The air is much fresher here without those bozos.

[MaggieD]

18. I agree with that

Some of them, who complained about DU and said they used to post here, are so flipping right wing I can't believe they are pissed they got kicked off of DU. Bozos is right. Dumb bozos.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

19. Could not care less

Went there once to make sure no one was using my name. Other than that....

[LittleBlue]

21. Irony can be found in this thread.

Don't you find this a bit ironic? So many people demanding that our leaders be bold, confront the enemy, show them for the liars they are, be brave and fight them off, etc etc and yet when confronted with them personally, they themselves flee "in disgust" from that same enemy. They're too mean, too nasty, etc.

To answer your point, if enough progressives signed up, it would be a progressive site because the complexion of the juries would change. There are no set guidelines as to what can be posted, there are no admins to ensure ideological purity when juries fail, and pretty much anything goes. Discussionist is almost completely self-moderated. So if it seems the right has won on that site, perhaps it's because they are more committed.

[cali]

23. look, you want to waste your time in a cesspool, go for it.

your comparison is absurd. discussionist is not a deliberative body that makes laws. you want to cavort with bigots and fuckwads, have a blast.

[LittleBlue]

34. I disagree

We are reflected in the people we elect. Tough talk until confronted, commitment until voting day, then it's just too difficult to deal with.

I don't ever want to see another complaint about how the comments section at X site is "overrun" with rightwing whackjobs, or how FB is infested by Rethug talking points if we're just going to flee. If you don't want to participate, that's fine. I get it. But don't complain about the outcome of a game where you didn't show up to take the field.

[cali]

35. tough. I'm not engaging with insane bigot fuckwads and I'll say whatever I please

that you don't like it, is just too bad, my dear.

[LittleBlue]

37. Of course you can say whatever you want

I'm not trying to shame you into participating. I get why people don't. Whoever dominates DI isn't actually important.

My point is that DI is much like voting. If you don't show up, don't complain about the political alignment of the people who do show up. Skinner shouldn't be shamed for trying to make a living with a new concept forum. The blame shouldn't be on him for DI going right-wing. Unfortunately that was all on us.

[GeorgeGist]

50. +1

[bahrbearian]

61. +2

[mindwalker_i]

67. +3 and then some

I find it interesting and challenging to come up with good, non-ideological arguments and have had a good amount of success (partially measured by people being unable to counter my arguments).

[MaggieD]

69. Why not?

He writes the rules and he is certainly smart enough to see how the rules are being gamed. Who should be blamed? The man in the moon?

[Violet_Crumble]

83. Plus a billion

But what would I know? I'm just one of the DI liberals the OP claims don't exist over there

[LawDeeDah]

90. what??

Is this like trying to teach racists not to be racists or misogynists... and if there are still racists and sexists around, why it's our fault!

Okay, gotcha!

[MaggieD]

94. Yeah, hard to wrap my head around that reasoning

I'm like "wha???"

[pecwae]

111. Really.

What is all this outrage about anyway? It's a small site on a big Internet, but it gets DUers incredibly riled up; especially those who say they don't read or post there. Skinner has the right to do business as he sees fit. If posters here are uncomfortable with his business decisions there are lots of other sites to peruse and join.

[L0oniX]

128. +4

[pscot]

141. If Democrats refuse to engage

we surrender the field to the enemy. If you think we're right, that's the place to prove it. Refusing to engage is just a cop out.

[seaglass]

153. What is it about DI that requires engagement? Because DU admins created it?

I couldn't care less about ceding DI to rwers, it's already been ceded to racists, homophobes and misogynists. Very few of the DUers who participate on DI appear interested in standing up to them.

Why DI and not newspaper and blog comment sections, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook?

It really is just a colossal waste of time.

[City Lights]

24. How often do you post over there? nt

[Jamastiene]

95. You'll get *crickets* in response,

most likely.

[MaggieD]

28. Nope - not how it works

They had tons of liberals in the beginning. But the cons gamed the system to get rid of them with jury swarms. That, and the constant trolling that is allowed is what I think drove off the liberals. I mean how do you reason with people who think Sandy Hook was a hoax or that FDR was a draft dodger? We are talking nut jobs!

The admins cannot say they weren't warned about that. They ignored it or stated they did not see a problem. Now it's a RWNJ forum.

[LittleBlue]

33. What gaming?

How does one game the system beyond registering an account and being present?

Besides, the juries generally don't hide unless it's a personal insult or something. Crazy beliefs and wrong opinions are confronted with discussion, not juries.

[MaggieD]

40. I guess you don't understand what a jury swarm is...

So apparently you don't understand how they game the system. It's pretty easy, and becomes even easier as they build a majority on the forum. They just alert swarm until they get 5 majority con juries. Doesn't matter what the post is, if you're a known liberal they vote to hide.

[yawnmaster]

73. I don't see that many hides over there.

[MaggieD]

97. Not anymore

Cons don't alert on themselves. They've already done the purges or made people leave in disgust. They got what they wanted and all courtesy of DU founders. IMO.

[yawnmaster]

168. interesting.

[CANDO]

85. WTF?

The same GD thing happens here. I know all about it 1st hand.

[MaggieD]

96. I read here more than post

So I'll have to take your word for it. But if true all that means is that the jury system is easily gamed both places.

[CANDO]

113. There are certain thread topics....

Here that you don't disagree with or you'll find yourself on vacation very quickly.

[Gothmog]

136. There are still a number of liberals on this site

Many of the worse conservatives are on vacations right now and several of the remaining conservative posters have four hides and are being very very careful in their posts.

I have fun with the conservatives on this site. They are not very bright and are fun to play with. I also have a high tolerance for dealing with stupid people and love poking fun at the idiot conservatives on discussionist

[bettyellen]

46. LOL, as if talking to nasty idiotic RWNJs on the net was ever anything but a waste of time....

unless you agree with them?

[LittleBlue]

51. Yes, we all go there to engage in flamewars with them because we agree with them

unless you agree with them?

Subtlety works better than ham-handed insults. I'll do you one better: Takes one to know one!

[bettyellen]

53. LOL @ engaging in flame wars. Ain't no time for that bullshit.

[L0oniX]

55. It should be easy to beat them with the truth. Looks like there is a lack of conviction here.

There's that warm feeling of safety when everyone speaks the same speak.

[dionysus]

66. no, it's not easy to "beat" them with the truth. they never admit they're wrong even when proven so

decisively. that can be quite annoying, but the liberals posting there get plenty of entertainment out of all the stupidity...

[LawDeeDah]

91. sure, we will be the team/generation to rehab Teabaggers and Puggers.

are you guys all on glue or something?
HOw many converts have you had, may I ask?

[MaggieD]

98. You can't beat stupid people with "the truth"

They simply ignore the truth regardless of the mountain of facts thrown at them.

[LondonReign2]

144. Nope, objective truth means nothing to right wingers

There is no set of verifiable facts that they cannot ignore, and carry on with their provably false narrative.

I know, I tried for years on the Yahoo boards. They are impervious to reality.

"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it." - George Bernard Shaw

[7962]

77. You're right. There are plenty of people voicing the left opinion over there.

And I've seen some decent back and forths going on as well. If you refuse to talk to ANYONE with an opposing viewpoint, you just reveal yourself to be weak in your arguments.
I've seen many right wing posts hidden. To be honest a lot of posts that are hidden here seem to be done by childish juries.

[Niko]

25. Better they go there than here, no?

Maybe that's the whole point...

[Le Taz Hot]

27. I went there once.

Looked around. Thought, "Ah yes. The old "AOL-From the Left" mentality and left. Never been back.

[olddots]

29. I don't minds get chandged on the internet .

Maybe the net is for a different kind of interaction like improv is to acting or behaving....

[Hoyt]

30. My DI 90 day suspension ends this week. Doubt I'll go back too often.

Mostly ignorant, racist yahoos and former DU gun promoters there. I guess I posted that too often.

[butterfly77]

31. They are also here...

especially during election time that is why I rarely post anymore along with others I know but we check in or comment when we see the bull being put on DU and some believe it..

[Old Nick]

32. Why did DU create it?

Ya gotta know that any "conservative" site is gonna degererate into batshittiness in short order.

[Warpy]

36. I suppose as a honey trap for ranting idiots

in order to take some of the pressure off MIRT.

Or maybe they wanted to see if conservatives had grown up enough to discuss things with liberals without trying to eliminate them. Uh, no. It's the reason I won't go there.

While I have known thoughtful conservatives online, I can count them on the fingers of one hand.

The rest of them are petty, spiteful, mean, and vindictive.

[MaggieD]

42. Yeah, I don't buy that

It's not like they will stop coming to DU if you give them another place. It was just to make bucks. That's all I can think of as a reason. The RWNJs will leave when there are no more liberals to bash. So I don't think it will make much money. They could have just tweaked the jury system to prevent gaming it, but I guess that was too much trouble.

[cali]

48. oh baloney. money making scheme.

[BeanMusical]

123. Exactly.

[spanone]

39. been there. no need on this green earth to go back.

[PeteSelman]

41. It's hardly a right wing echo chamber.

They just get a say and they post a lot of OPs. There are more liberals there than right wingers.

They make this very same complaint there all the time.

THIS board is much closer to an echo chamber and is way more restricted.

[MaggieD]

43. I don't think that is accurate at all -- not anymore

I have been scanning the new threads in the politics forum off and on the last few weeks. Nary a lib to be found.

[PeteSelman]

74. I'm there all the time.

There are plenty of liberals. Maybe you should delve a little deeper.

[pscot]

163. It would be nice if we had a little more help

over there. There are times when I wished someone had my back.

[Alittleliberal]

179. As someone who posts and reads frequently you are viewing a very small snapshot.

There's a pretty good spread of posters across the political spectrum. The liberals have just learned better then to post on certain threads. We often pass many of the more flamebait/insane posts and not bother with the tea party circle jerk that is about to happen.

[MaggieD]

181. That makes my point

It's just another place for RWNJs to spew uncontested. I'm sad that a democrat provided that.

[laundry_queen]

71. "they make this very same complaint there all the time"

That's a conservative for you. They'll get their way 99% of the time, and cry like a colicky baby about the 1%. Doesn't mean they have a valid complaint.

THIS board was designed as a refuge from the right wing - with good reason. Back when this site came to be there were VERY few online places for liberals. I'd say it's much LESS an echo chamber now than it used to be - and that there are many more right wingers (cleverly calling themselves liberals while always seeming to be on the conservative side of each issue) than ever.

[7962]

84. I agree with you.

Matter of fact, I notice a LOT of stories that dont get posted here because a lot probably wouldnt like them. Not opinion pieces.

[LostInAnomie]

100. +1

[RiverLover]

114. I just read "Why I don't believe in Global Warming"..cesspool for Low IQrs & RW echoes abound. ~nt

[PeteSelman]

180. Why not use your vastly superior intellect to explain to them why they're wrong?

The only thing that happens there that does not happen here is that someone like that, while completely wrong, gets to have a say. Everyone is perfectly free to go and shoot them down. Many have.

But for some people it's better just to talk about how great and smart they are to likeminded people. It's certainly easier.

I like engaging with the other side.

[B Calm]

44. Time to shut it down!

[bahrbearian]

62. and then start burning some books

[MaggieD]

70. So can I be a democrat that supports....

Republican causes too? DI is more like writing the book. Not enabling RWNJ is not akin to silencing them. Bad analogy IMO.

[7962]

86. Of course you can. Sometimes there IS agreement.

Look at when that guy ran into the White House. A lot of republicans were outraged at how that could happen; how much danger the president could've been in. EVERYBODY was outraged.

[Scuba]

47. I long ago left in disgust.

[demwing]

49. Left in disgust

I'd rather punch myself in the face, over and over, with a rock.

[Cleita]

52. Seems to me the jury is working there like it does on DU.

Most of the reasonable Democrats have left here out of disgust as well. I just got an email from another DUer, I know personally, who said DU has gotten too nasty and she won't be back. No, she hasn't had posts hidden or been given a vacation because she doesn't post that much. But if lurking left a bad taste in her mouth and others, imagine what participation does.

[L0oniX]

54. AD revenue is what its all about. n/t

[ConservativeDemocrat]

56. I enjoy the Discussionist...

...although there, I'm perceived at the libbiest lib who ever libbed, while here I'm hated for being the worst kind of conservative ever.

But yes, the Discussionist is much closer to the real world than the D.U. is. No wonder so many of the screed-writers here can't stand it.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[Callmecrazy]

59. I'm with you, C.D.

I get along just fine with the posters there just by being civil and having solid opinion. I ignore the snark and for the most part have a good time there. Even made a few friends and I'm in first place in the fantasy football league.
I listen to what the conservatives have to say with an open mind and have recognized that we liberals are not perfect and that our similarities are far greater than our differences. It allows for an opposite view without worry of being silenced by an alert for not being in group think.
I love it here at DU. But I also like the differing points of view of DI.

[7962]

87. +1

[creeksneakers2]

106. I like it there too

I like arguing with those guys and usually they take me up on it. I too have seen a few good points from the conservatives.

Whatever goes on there should not concern the people of DU, since they need not go there.

[MaggieD]

72. Nah, the RWNJs love you over there

[heaven05]

57. I went there for a while

and it was truly a disgusting RW garbage dump. Lot of racist hate, misogyny, homophobia. It's a disgusting place for any decent, fair and balanced person. It's a failed attempt. I never understood DU people creating that site, but maybe they just wanted to give us a quick place to go to see what is wrong with this country through the words of people mentioned above.....sick place.

[boston bean]

58. That place is a misogynist cess pit. I'll say it every chance I get.

To have it be owned by the owners of this site, makes me a bit uncomfortable.

[Callmecrazy]

60. I don't know where you get that idea...

I haven't found that to be the case. Women get to have their say as much as the men. Any misogyny there gets shouted down in the thread as much as it does here. Over there, it just doesn't get hidden by the juries as much. Daylight is a strong disinfectant there. It gets exposed for what it is. A hidden post just gets more exposure because everybody wants to see what got hid and why. A hidden post there, and here, has the opposite effect; everybody clicks on it.

[7962]

89. Seems as though the whack jobs dont last long anyway

Including the conspiracy nuts from BOTH sides

[edbermac]

63. Uh-oh, they're on to you!

http://www.discussionist.com/1015276329

[MaggieD]

68. Am I supposed to care?

Because I dont.

[Violet_Crumble]

108. If you don't care about Discussionist, why do you keep on starting threads here about it?

You started a very similar one a few weeks ago...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025761805

[MaggieD]

118. Doesn't mean I care what idiots at DI think

You make an incorrect assumption

[Inkfreak]

115. Ah, but it's obivoius you do. (nt)

[MaggieD]

119. It's obvious I give a crap if they see or approve this thread?

Huh? What gives you that idea? I genuinely could not care less.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

186. The issue seems to be with Skinner.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5762660

Skim that entire thread. Skinner, et al. have created "Freeperville junior," dontcha know, and it "hurts"! And God forbid they make money.

The exchange in that thread reminds me of a recent thread in which Nance Greggs did nothing but bash DU and gloat over how its Alexa rankings are down.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025777562

Coinkydink?

Yes or no, it's bad form. And it's rather perplexing as to why a select few members claim to hate DU, but keep coming back for more. Kee-rist, leave, already. Greener pastures. GO.

[RiverLover]

120. This is really hilarious! Fun start to hump day. :-)

[Kali]

64. meh

it can get a little stupid over there, but so can real life. it isn't very civil, but I can't say I hate it. I don't think it is as one sided as you do. seems pretty balanced, really - though I share your gripe about whiny ex-DUers. You can pretty much sure see WHY they were banned.

[Odin2005]

65. Society has become so polarized that ALL such sites end up dominated by one side.

People think they are self-evidently right and want to make sure "The Enemy" is silenced. Civil discussion is impossible.

A good example of this is on Reddit, where /r/Politics has become a left-leaning sub-reddit, and /r/News and /r/WorldNews, which have become right-leaning sub-reddits and people who run counter to the leaning get downvoted to Hell.

[Louisiana1976]

75. I enjoy DU and I also enjoy Discussionist. I enjoy spouting off my socialist views and bugging

the conservatives.

[VanillaRhapsody]

76. They already have DU to bash Democrats with abandon!

[yawnmaster]

78. I do like the diversity, there, and I do see a range of thought there (from very bad to good).

[baldguy]

80. You don't think the same happens here?

[Jamastiene]

81. DU is slowly getting that way too.

The place is filled with noobs who are as right wing as they come. They rig the juries here too late at night. That is why I have quit alerting late at night. I will bookmark something or open it in another tab to alert later so I will stand a chance of getting regular DUers deciding on it instead of whoever is gaming the system late at night. Also, there are some that are so obviously right wing and racist and sexist and homophobic too, on this site that I am surprised they made it past MIRT. MIRT is usually pretty good at weeding them out, but a few have made it past their radar in the past year or two especially. Either they were sleepers or they stay just under the radar to get by with it.

Either way, DU is slowly going the way you describe the Discussionist too. It's sad that they created an echo chamber with that site for right wingers. It's like betting on both sides or double dipping. It just doesn't seem like something I, as a Democrat, would ever be interested in doing, but it's not my site and I have no say in how things go, really. So, I stay on DU for the people who are still here that I do like, but I'm finding my ignore list is growing in leaps and bounds to rival what it was on DU2 during the purge* with some of these obvious right wing types.

*the night Skinner basically said STFU gays and someone posted 7 and got TSed for it and that incident when a thread about Stonewall was bashed by a mod as a violent thing gays did because the mod didn't know the history or care or even want to hear about it. Ugh, what an ugly chapter in the history of DU.

[MrScorpio]

88. I haven't posted there in almost a month because I got bored playing with the morons

Dealing with stupid assholes can be entertaining only for so long, and my patience was exhausted with them.

For one thing, they're much too ignorant to even understand how ignorant they even are. Frankly, I have no idea how they've lasted for so long in this world.

My account is still active and if I felt like embarrassing those rocket scientists some more, I could do it. The problem is that there's no more fun in it for me.

I spent my time there trying to understand why they are the way they are. Instead of finding some complex reason for their behavior, the answer, as it turns out, is quite simple: They're really, really stupid.

Not to mention the fact that they're also driven by hatred and fear of everything unlike themselves. The things that they're incapable of understanding confuses them and they respond in the only way they know how. Which is why they're utterly racist, sexist, homophobic, why they hate poor people and why they don't understand the real world outside of the right wing echo chamber.

Basically, they're hopelessly stupid and hateful and they really don't think that there's anything wrong with it that.

They're like little robots powered by right wing bullshit. Frankly, if I was a white guy, I would be embarrassed by them.

[Quackers]

92. What does being white have to do with anything?

[hfojvt]

138. I guess white guys are somehow responsible

for the stupid things believed and said by other white guys

Maybe because we all look alike.

[ieoeja]

149. Accusation of "reverse racism" in a thread complaining that DU/DI is becoming too rightist.

Thanks for proving the point of this thread.

[hfojvt]

151. ah, okay

You want to defend the statment "If I was a white guy, I would be embarrassed."

And what did Mr. Scorpio say, something like "anybody who doesn't look - JUST LIKE THEM".
edit - whoops, he said "everything unlike themselves". Not quite the same thing, but hints at it, a statement which has been made other times.


As in "all white guys look alike".

Both of those statements seem objectionable to me. So I mock them. I never used the phrase "reverse racism".

Do you mean that if I was not so rightwing, I'd just let stereotypes/statements like that roll right off my thick white skin?

[ieoeja]

155. Yes.

Do you mean that if I was not so rightwing, I'd just let stereotypes/statements like that roll right off my thick white skin?

You will be happy to know the vote was 1-6 to leave your post.

On the other hand, you may be unhappy to learn that one poster misread the alert and thought that *I* was complaining about "reverse racism" instead of accusing you and the previous poster of making a "reverse racism" claim (which is exactly what you did even though you did not use those exact words).

Worse yet, two LEAVE votes thought you were being sarcastic in an effort to mock Quackers claim of reverse racism (which is exactly what *s/he* did as recognized by these two posters even though s/he did not use those exact words).

So it was 1 to HIDE, 3 to LEAVE, and 3 MISREAD. So your 1-6 "win" ranks up there with all those Jewish voters for Pat Buchanan in 2000.

[Quackers]

165. I claimed no such thing, so stop speaking for me please. nt

[GusBob]

148. everything

and the poster unwittingly gives proof of 3 specific points the morans at DI have been claiming for months now, and 3 meta points as well

Frankly, is I was an astute person, I would be embarrassed

[ieoeja]

150. Accusation of "reverse racism" in a thread complaining that DU/DI is becoming too rightist?

Kind of proves the point of this thread, doesn't it?

[MrScorpio]

162. I'm just wondering...

Have you ever taken the time to notice just how utterly racist the winger whites guys (and gals) are on that site?

It's been pretty obvious since practically day one. Back in June I wrote an essay about my experiences there after my first 30 days: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025090844 It's only gotten worse since.

The problem is that the winger white guys on that site aren't helping any OTHER whites out, because they're so fucking hell-bent on demonstrating that their own racist bullshit speaks for all whites in general.

That usually comes out of them whenever I've tried to conduct exchanges with them about the nature of American white supremacy and privilege, indicating to them, in no uncertain terms, that not all white people endorse those beliefs. Quite a many white people in this country, liberals especially, are in fact ANTI-RACIST.

But they didn't want to hear any of that and instead tried to demonstrate that their own racist and stereotypical views about people of color are completely justified. In their minds, their own fucked up beliefs represent the mainstream of American whitedom.

There ARE other whites guys on that site who are embarrassed by that kind of blatant bigotry. More power to 'em. However, as a person of color myself, it's not as if a racist white person is EVER going to listen to me as I try to convince them otherwise.

After all, we're talking about bigots who have utter contempt for anyone who ISN'T white.

[Quackers]

164. Thanks for the reply!

For what it's worth, despite what the other poster accused me of, I was not making any accusations against you. It was a genuine question. I understand that due to my post count, I am looked on suspiciously. Only time and participation can remedy that.

Your post paints a broader picture of what it's like over there. Unfortunately, I believe there will always be racist in this world and just like apples, it only takes one to ruin the bunch. I have also seen some examples of the "us vs them" mentality from some members. To be honest, this bothers me more than it should. Just like you, I know everyone has their own opinion and some people will refuse to change that opinion no matter what.

There are a few guys that I'm very close with. They are AA. I don't like mentioning it due to some posters using the "oh he has black friends, so he thinks it's ok" argument. We are more than friends. I've been to war with them, I shared my letters from home with them, I cried with them when one of thier wifes had an affair. They are my family. I lost one of my friends last year. She was in Iraq with me as well. We made it through hell, came home, and she died in a car crash two months later. Even her memory brings me pain. She was 25.

As a group, we know racism exist in the world. But when we're together, the thought of black vs white doesn't even come to mind. They are my family and I love them. I suppose that's why I'm always so quick to question the us vs them thing.

My apologies for being long winded in my post. I suppose I got lost in my own thoughts while typing. Again, thank you for clarifying you're statement. It's very hard to read people sometimes just from a few words on the Internet.

[MaggieD]

93. Wow, you nailed that

They are just really, really, really stupid. No amount of objective facts can sway them on any issue. That's the very definition of stupidity. That is why they loathe facts.

Plus high five to everything else you posted too.

[BubbaFett]

117. Just like my high school friend

who became "Foxisized." He told me, "There is nothing you can say or prove to make me believe that global warming is not a hoax."

It's insidious. And final.

Someone who cannot be moved by evidence or reason, or who only perceives the world through a strictly legalistic, ideological lens is beyond hope.

[Jamastiene]

99. This explains how I feel about it too.

Thank you.

[cyberswede]

107. You're absolutely right.

...and I must add my obligatory declaration that the place is a sewer.

[Hoyt]

109. You are being far too easy on them. :)

[MrScorpio]

110. I'm a big old pussycat

What can I say?

[Gothmog]

157. Your post on this thread is being commented on by the conservatives

Please come back and play on Discussionist. Many of the worse idiots are on time out or have 4 hides and so have to be careful

[MrScorpio]

158. Frankly, I'm surprised that the dumbasses even care… As obtuse as they always seem to be.

But I must of hit a nerve. Oh, well.

Who knows. I may stop by from time to time to say "hi." But that's it.

Other than that, they've already shown the world what kind of morons they are, being so very proud of it as well. It's like toddlers being entertained at the fact that they've taken a dump on the floor.

Although they're quite willing to try and outdo their own stupidity at any given time, I know that they don't need my help, as they go out of their way to embarrass themselves.

Instead, I've got better things to do, than to waste my time with a gaggle of thin-skinned, ill-tempered, quasi-fascist nincompoops. By the way, I seriously doubt that having four hides are going to make any of the trolls tread carefully. After all, they're trolls.

But if you can get them to flame out, have at it. Half of them would probably violate the TOS anyway, and start up a sock while they are on time out. They can't help trying to inflict their special brand of grossly inappropriate behavior and lack of decency onto people who are thoroughly disgusted by their bullshit.

Thanks for the invite back, though. I appreciate it.

[Gothmog]

166. I miss your posts on Discussionist

I do not disagree with your analysis. I do not mind dealing with the conservative idiots who post over there. It amuses me

[LostInAnomie]

101. You don't think jury rigging happens here?

[merrily]

103. I never got why DU meta is not acceptable on DU, but Discussionist meta is.

[Bluenorthwest]

122. Because 'meta' is an adjective meaning 'referring to itself'. DU is not Discussionist so talking

about it here or DU there is not 'meta' at all. Unless it would be referring to the genre 'websites about politics' in which case any discussion of any website from FR to HuffPost on any other website could be called 'meta'. We talk about lots of websites here so that would be a difficult position to take.

[merrily]

126. true enough as to the definition of meta

Unless it would be referring to the genre 'websites about politics' in which case any discussion of any website from FR to HuffPost on any other website could be called 'meta'.

Well, no. If we're creating a class of websites, we e don't have to go from just DU and leap frog over Discussionist to all websites about politics. It could be confined to just Du and Discussionist or just websites known to be owned by Skinner.

I like your definitional reason better.

I guess my real issue may be that complaints about websites, including DU, seem to me to be so easy to resolve.

[lumberjack_jeff]

134. Meta finds a way.

DI is largely DU metadiscussion.

[roody]

104. Never been there.

[nolabear]

105. Maybe we're all part of a big social experiment.

How do liberals and conservatives handle power and what kind of society do they end up with?

[HereSince1628]

112. Is this thread meta-discussionist and it's discussers discussionists of meta-discussionist?

I looked but there is no limit on meta-discussion of meta-discussionist threads.

I suppose this makes me a meta-troll of meta-discussionist.

[Violet_Crumble]

116. Aren't you being a self-fulfilling prophecy?

You seem to be trying to deter DUers from participating over there, which of course would lead to less and less people on juries who are going to vote to hide some of the racist and bigoted crap that gets posted.

There's some really good left-wingers over there. There's some disgruntled former DUers. And there's even a few conservatives who are civil and worth having a debate with. The rest I just ignore. I like knowing how people think, and if I wanted to hide from seeing ugly stuff I don't agree with, I would have left DU years ago, because sometimes there's things posted at DU that are pretty ugly.

I don't think Discussionist is supposed to be a crush the opposition sort of thing. It was set up as a level playing field and people make of it what they want to. If you don't want left-wingers participating, then what yr making it is a forum where conservatives are going to dominate and set the tone.

[Puglover]

121. Theads like this crack me up.

DUer's tsk tsking Earl g's and Skinner's business's.

It's none of anyone's business. Period. If it bugs people so terribly then the ball is in your court. You have two choices.

1. Don't post or look at Discussionist. (I barely post here much less go over to a new board crawling with knuckle dragger's.)

2. If you feel that the guy's are running it is such a gargantuan betrayal of your liberal sensitivities then don't donate or post on DU period.

But the kvetching otherwise is just too funny.

[L0oniX]

130. ^^^THIS^^^

[MaggieD]

170. I like to live my values - especially in business

It's easy to make your values match your actions in your personal life. It's harder in business. But I've never considered a buck to be more important than my values. And yes, I have turned down business deals and let clients go for that reason.

I guess some people don't give a crap about that, and don't need to in your opinion. That's fine. Yiu have a right to your opinion. I have a right to mine.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

187. "gargantuan betrayal of your liberal sensitivities"

And there it is. I get the impression the OPer was just itchin' for a "liberals are weenies" reply. And the OP was nothing but an exercise in suggesting Skinner, et al. are sell-outs. And hoping that they fail is, well, RUDE.

So Discussionist is full of knuckle-draggers? So is Facebook. Twitter. YouTube. They're everywhere. Too bad the OP hasn't figured out that she, like you, can stay away.

[Puglover]

189. After modding for this site for 3 years I found out that

Last edited Thu Nov 20, 2014, 10:46 AM - Edit history (1)

the guys are patient TO A FAULT with posters. Obviously they don't mind OP's like this. But there was an observation once in the mod forum. "Exactly how okay is it to take a crap in the middle of someone's living room." Which is what DU is whether most posters get it or not. I wonder how most posters here would react to a stranger discussing the okayness of their business on their own website. Publically. So to be clear let me say; this kind of kvetching bugs ME. And like every other poster on this website I have an opinions. 999 out of a 1000 I don't bother posting however this particular subject again, bugs me. Don't like it" Ignore in my experience works like a charm.

I feel the same way about supposed "ex posters" (I don't know how you can possibly be an ex poster and post all of the time) that drop by to post negative stats about DU and posters that refer to DU ON THIS SITE as a "cesspool" on this site or others. Why on earth are they here if it is so egregious? I feel pretty the same about posters that tacitly believe DU is somehow a personal support group or THEIR living room and whine when they find that not to be the case.

I admire admin for their fortitude. I freely admit I would have no patience for it.

I look at DU once in the morning during coffee and now (at least) rarely get involved in the drama du jour. And yeah it's too bad she hasn't figured out to stay away if it bugs her so much. Going over to Discussionist and gasping in horror makes as much sense as me pulling up Free Republic every day and marinating in that shit.

Frankly after 11 years on this website as far as engaging I have pretty much lost my steam. Because invariably someone like the OP answers me with "It's good you don't feel like you have to live up to standards." Yes indeed, that is what I meant to say. Puglover has no standards and never ever tries to live up to those non existent standards. Or just perhaps Puglover doesn't spend time digging up outrage on Discussionist and then posting about it on the owners other site.


And I love the fact that I made your "And there it is." list of posters. How quickly you have me figured out. That really is great. If what you got out of my reply was "liberals are weenies" well bully for you. Yeah, that's pretty much my credo. "Liberals are weenies." And here is a cutsie little back atcha.

I apologize for the 20k edits. Not enough caffeine. Another reason I don't post a whole bunch.

[pecwae]

190. God yes!

Modding was quite the experience. Truly eye opening. More than seeing the ugly, childish side of too many posters I learned how infinitely patient and tolerant the guys who own and run the site really are. The shit talking they've endured from folks using their bandwidth, mostly for free, is past monumental. No way in hell I would have put up with the constant whining, legal threats and massive disrespect...on my own dime!

If posters like the OP don't like DI or the fact that Admin is the same as DU I don't know why it proves to be such a hardship to control themselves enough to not click on the sites. Why is that so difficult? If the "It's good you don't feel like you have to live up to standards," crowd actually felt that way why are they continuing to post and read a site they feel isn't living up to those exalted standards?

Kudos to Admin! They deserve a freaking medal AFAIC.

[Puglover]

191. Thanks for that Pecwae.

Like I said I rarely bother anymore but this crap bugs me to no end. I agree whole heartedly. I meant it when I said "to a fault" Their patience is amazing.

Hope live is treating you well!

[WorseBeforeBetter]

192. I was in complete agreement up until...

the sixth paragraph.

I didn't get "liberals are weenies" from your post. But there is a small, vocal "liberals suck" faction on DU, and I guess last night I wasn't in the mood for manipulative bullshit from our *principled liberal* OPer, who quite obviously has issues with Skinner. Don't like DU or Discussionist? Move on. And considering the drubbings of 2010 and 2014, I'm not in the mood for the "liberals suck" mentality from anyone, especially Sensible Centrists (losers -- literally), members posing as *principled liberals,* Cavers, or loudmouth ranters who have fallen out of favor on DU.

[Puglover]

193. My apologies.

I really misread your original post.

We are in total agreement.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

194. No need at all...

but thanks. And for what it's worth, I wouldn't have Skinner-esque patience, either. Hope you're having a good weekend.

[Kingofalldems]

124. Anyone know who 'Slayer' was?

He posts over there and I gather he was TSed here.

[Rex]

139. There are numerous people on DI that were banned here, some even using their old DU name.

But the place is far from taken over by Repukes. IMO.

[stone space]

127. I got banned from there real quick for offending the ammosexuals.

They are such delicate flowers!

I think my 90 days should be up soon.

[NCTraveler]

129. There are thousands and thousands of political sites I don't go to.

Not sure why discussionist is such a big deal for some. You go to fewer political sites than not. This is just another one. It is unbelievably easy to never find your way to discussionist.

[HughBeaumont]

131. I don't really feel like essay trading with their anarcho-crapitalist know-nothings.

Or their people who support supply-side, a proven failure.

Or the Austrian Schooler Von Mises kooks.

Or their people who assert up and down that a LEFTward economic movement over the past 34 years caused our present problems.

It's giving failure, fairy tale nonsense and crank magnetism a greater platform than it deserves.

I can step over troglodytes and racists that crawled out of a sewer.

It's the people that pray to Teh Blessed Sacred Temple of Teh Holy Free Marketz and the Dunning Krugertarians I can't stand in the least.

[alarimer]

132. Unless sites are moderated (like this one, more or less) the internet is a vast cesspool.

Right-wing nut jobs, racists, misogynists, etc. seem to take over every single website that is not moderated in some fashion.

People are (generally) not as nasty face-to-face. I used to think it was because they could hide behind anonymity, but I'm not sure that's the whole answer. I do think hiding behind a computer screen means that people forget there are other people on the other side of it.

[Leith]

133. I'm a Regular Poster There

I've been a member of rough'n'tumble boards before so it doesn't bother me. Once a reichwinger gets hold of a favorite propaganda source, he just can't give it up. He's gotta post things from it and get all pissed off because people don't agree. That's usually the case.

However, Discussionist has more than its share of vicious jerks. The trolls get together and gang up on people they don't agree with while they accuse others of doing so. Just posting the phrase "white privilege" will get them so mad that they won't rest until you get kicked off for 30 days.

But to post that (cut'n'paste quote here) "Liberalism is an ideology of parasites, hypocrites, grievance mongers, victims, and control freaks" doesn't even raise an eyebrow, let alone get alerted on. It only get other trolls joining in the circle jerk.

The admins really should do some housecleaning. It's so bad that serious discussions are impossible. There are some posters there whose only reason to live is to abuse other people. The best that mature adults can do is post something intelligent in the sea of garbage.

[Gothmog]

137. I post over there also

I have a high tolerance for stupidity and I enjoy poking fun at the conservatives on that board

[HughBeaumont]

140. Here's a perfect recent example of why I don't set foot there:

http://www.discussionist.com/1015276256

Starbux great OP (backed by undisputable links galore) focuses on one of the worst fallacies of Ginned-up "Capitalism"s players gaming the system to their enormous advantage . . . and it's met with ad-hominem horseshit, insults and source-less left-blaming.

Oh and hey, let's all play the "DEMS HAD A SUPUR MAJORITAH FER TWO WHOLE YEEEERS AND CUDNT GET SHTI DUN" card . . . a WHOPPER of a lie that Conservatives still insist on trotting out no matter HOW many times it gets debunked.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-m-granholm/debunking-the-myth-obamas_b_1929869.html

[Gothmog]

147. I disagree

The fact that the conservatives are unable to answer this OP with facts is what counts. The conservatives on the discussionist board are idiots and are unable to deal with with facts. It is helpful to expose these idiots to facts and I enjoy watching the conservatives fail when they try to deal with facts.

I have a high tolerance for stupidity and I enjoy playing the idiot conservatives who post on the discussionist board.

[MaggieD]

173. Play them for what?

Are you under some illusion that they are even intelligent enough to figure out how stupid they look to smart people, informed people, people with a grasp of facts? They aren't.

[Gothmog]

175. I find their posts to be amusing

I am well aware as to how stupid these idiots are. I agree that the conservatives on discussionist are far too stupid to argue their way out a wet paper bag but it is fun watching them attempt this feat and fail

[MaggieD]

176. Okay well enjoy

[MaggieD]

172. Yep. Perfect example

You got it. My only question is did Skinner / Earl expect anything different? I can't imagine they are that dumb.

[MaggieD]

169. Thank you - great post

I think you described the problem very well.

[99Forever]

135. I couldn't agree more.

It quickly became another rightwing cesspool filled with total scum. Not my call, but if I were asked, I wouldflush it without a second thought.5

[Blue_Tires]

142. People actually pay attention to Discussionist?

I took a glance at it when it first started, and never returned...

[ismnotwasm]

145. The responses here, especially in a couple of cases are facinating

Interesting thread.

I have no first hand knowledge of DI, because I've never been there so I know nothing about it but what other people say. I have a user name and a password, but never had a desire to post anything or see anything.

[Egnever]

152. Was there ever any doubt that would be the outcome?

Was obvious from the beginning.

Not the least bit surprised.

[Atman]

154. Count me in the "Left in Disgust" column

I tried, but just couldn't take the hatred and bile over there. If I want to see humanity at its worst, I'll visit Conservative Cave...virtually all of whose members are on Discussionist anyway, because at least it gets more than three hits a day for their racist, hate-filled ideology.

[stupidicus]

167. I've found them to be a bunch of lightweights

and have suffered more "abuse" from Duers than from any of the rightwingers over there, including on the jury result front -- assuming reports were filed.

I don't post there much because before coming here I had spent close to a decade locking horns with rightwing idiots on the old and now gone "Slate/Fray" boards, mostly the infamous "Ballotbox" board, which went largely unmoderated for years.

It's pretty tame on DI by comparison.

[MaggieD]

171. Oh me too - Slate / Fray

Just a bunch of complete right wing idiots over there. DI reminds me exactly of the right wing idiots on Slate/Fray. LOL! Small world.

[stupidicus]

178. yep, if you've seen one, you've seen them all

as they say. The only real diff between the two is that the rightwingers there in the years prior to the shutdown (they dropped the curtain on the slate boards back in 2011) weren't encumbered by any restrictions in terms of personal attacks, e.g. namecalling, etc, except those of the racist kind. It never bothered me because I prefer adversarial debate of the "you're a dumbass and here's why" kind when dealing with their type anyway, since I have nothing but CONtempt for them.

That's why I sporadically post on DI -- I have no rightwingers in my "real" world, so it offers a release of things that might otherwise remain bottled up...lol

[MaggieD]

182. I hear you

"have no rightwingers in my "real" world, so it offers a release of things that might otherwise remain bottled up...lol"

Yep, I can relate to that. My main issue with DI is that the jury system there is built for intelligent people, but being gamed by morons. It's almost as if Skinner just doesn't give a crap. He needs to if he plans to make any money off it.

[DonCoquixote]

177. hey skinner

Enjoy the right wing idiot farm you have made, and by all means bleed them of coin, but please, do keep a watch as the right weingers and expatriates over there do use that place to plan attacks on us, like when they engage in the ENDLESS quest to get seabeyond tombstoned?

[MaggieD]

183. LOL! it doesn't bleed RWNJs of coin

[2banon]

185. I gave the place about a 30 second scan through when the list was first announced

maybe not even that long..