Could someone please explain "Silent Thread" to me?

[ellenrr]

I get that people do not respond in words, if they agree, they...
hence "silent".
I get that.
I assume (correct me if my assumption is wrong) that in posting and adding to this thread, one is expressing sympathy for a death or deaths.

So if I am right, one would assume that silent threads - REALLY long silent threads - would appear for 635 Palestinian children killed by Israel.
for 172 people killed by the bomb in Peshawar.
for people killed by Ebola.
for people in Haiti dying of cholera.
for 8 children killed by their mother.

Somehow 2 dead cops warrants a silent thread, but not any other death(s)?

Why?

I'm not asking a rhetorical question - I'm asking for someone who posts or adds to that thread - what makes these 2 deaths so obviously meaningful to you?

Over other deaths?

[RedCappedBandit]

1. Go start a thread for them then. Wtf.

[JaneyVee]

3. /thread.

[pintobean]

5. +1

I'm glad that was the first reply.

[840high]

56. wtf is right

[unblock]

2. after you solve that mystery, see if you can find out about butane lighters at rock concerts.

[ellenrr]

24. hmmmm, when I went to rock concerts,

I don't think butane lighters were invented.

we used candles.

[unblock]

31. wow! did they perform with actual rocks, too?

the cutover to butane happened in the fifties....

[riqster]

51. There are apps for that nowadays.

First time a crowd did that to me, I damn near died laughing. A few hundred cell phones waving at us, all with little images of flickering Bics...

After recovering, I gave props to the people whose apps displayed Zippos.

[unblock]

55. hah!

i'll just stick with the flashlight app, though i've never felt a need to wave anything luminous at a rock concert.

[Katashi_itto]

4. It's like the yellow ribbons on cars to "support" the troops. Fake sentiment to show how

"caring" they are.

[yeoman6987]

14. I like to see support no matter what

A yellow ribbon brings awareness as does a silent thread. I think it is great to see it. Awareness is good.

[Phentex]

16. Except someone always uses words in it...

and ruins the sentiment. I am fine with them. I just always wonder why someone HAS to post a phrase in them. Maybe they don't know what a silent thread is?

[ellenrr]

23. I think it is similar to the yellow ribbons, but maybe in a different manner than you see it...

I think both - silent thread and yellow ribbons - express a knee-jerk reaction which has been spurred by the media.

On the one hand, I should leave it alone - what do I care?

But on the other, this is DEMOCRATIC underground, and imo - and maybe this is mistaken - but in my opinion, a person who calls themself a democrat ought to try to think independently of the mass media.

that is my association with "democratic", and it is why I am here, and perhaps it is a faulty association.

[lamp_shade]

6. Good Morning Sunshine. Merry Christmas to you.

[Cerridwen]

7. First: go to your favorite search engine

I use Google and it works fine using Google.

Type the following including quotes:

"silent thread" site:www.democraticunderground.com

Go open the scores/hundreds of "silent thread" posts put up on DU over the years.

Some were sincere. Some were for DUers. Some were mocking. Some were stupid. Some were for celebrities/actors. Some were for politicians. Some were for values that appear to have disappeared. Some were for Iraqis. Some were for ... Well, perhaps you get the idea.

[Jesus Malverde]

8. I think its a show of solidarity for lost ones.

It's a strange world as far as what really resonates or not with people. I think in large part what we see here sometimes is a reaction to what people experience through TV programming.

It's likely a GD silent thread for gaza would get locked.

The eight kids killed in Australia are probably too far away to resonate with many.

The cholera epidemic in haiti is as slow motion tragedy caused by the UN not likely to resonate with many.

The tragedy needs to be a sharp shock, plane crash, shooting, other senseless loss of life.

What made it meaningful for me was with all the talk of brutal white cops killing our beautiful black children we have a idiot who not only started his political rampage by shooting a beautiful black woman he went on to shoot a asian cop and a I believe puerto rican or dominican cop both oppressed minority cops.

The silent threads I think are a way of expressing solidarity without having to endlessly RIP etc. Nothing more.

Next time you see a tragedy that resonates with a lot of DU start that silent thread.

[ellenrr]

12. Thank you Jesus, ONE response which answers my question...

I guess most people who responded do not have sufficient thinking skills to answer a question, all they can do is express vitriol.
Not exactly a surprise.

I would not start a silent thread bec. what resonates with me are tragedies, not 2 dead cops.
Also bec. I don't really get it. What does it mean to ... to a thread. I mean who cares?

Is it sharing information with people? Is it even sharing an opinion?

But I totally agree with you re what moves people is what they see on the news.
And the more they see it, the more they respond.
Which is unfortunate.
It is unfortunate that many people respond in a knee-jerk manner, instead of thinking.

[Beaverhausen]

32. Simple really. Just don't open silent threads

And you won't have to get your knickers in a twist.

WTF is your problem?

[Lex]

36. "people who responded do not have sufficient thinking skills to answer a question"

Why the fuck are you even here at DU if this is your level of contempt for DU'ers? Go somewhere else.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

43. I think it's the opposite, Lex

I don't know if Orwell said it or not "but some ideas are so bizarre only an intellectual can believe them."

[GeorgeGist]

10. Riddle me this ...

https://www.google.com/search?q=silent+thread&sitesearch=democraticunderground.com&gws_rd=ssl#q=%22silent+thread%22+site:democraticunderground.com

[justiceischeap]

45. Stop posting evidence of all things silent

Geesh! Let ellenrr have her outrage.

[hrmjustin]

11. It is a way of showing respect.

[mythology]

13. Seriously?

What telling people that they were fetishists and shouldn't be sad about the deaths in the original thread wasn't enough?

[arely staircase]

57. aren't they all silent? nt

[lame54]

15. because we want to get in front of it...

And not play defense
every protest leader should strongly denounce this and be clear that this will not be tolerated

[tammywammy]

17. What's awesome about DU is that

Just as it was easy for you to start this thread, you could also start any "silent" threads that you want. Any that you want! Isn't that amazing?!?!

[TexasProgresive]

18. ellenrr I came across the song "Willie Gannon" right after reading your post

This line just stood out to me: "Now his enemies couldn't laugh but his friends couldn't cry." Maybe silent threads are when one ahs been made speechless by the event. Now as to why no silent threads for those people you sited well I just can't say anything.

WILLIE GANNON
(Traditional, arranged by the Dubliners)
Copyright 1964 Heathside Music Ltd.

Come all you young fellows and listen to my song,
It's all about a young man and he did a great wrong.
His name was Willie Gannon and he lived down in Bray,
Well he killed a policeman and the law made him pay.

The law watched young Gannon, each turn that he made,
When he broke one bylaw with a belt of his spade.
(or: When he brought one boy low with a belt of his spade.)
He struck the death blow when he turned his broad back,
And he left him there lying where the Dargle runs black.

Willie Gannon was convicted and sentenced to die,
Now his enemies couldn't laugh but his friends couldn't cry.
When he brought down the uniform on that bright summer day,
Farewell Willie Gannon, now you sleep 'neath the clay.

Sung by Ronnie Drew of the Dubliners

[AngryAmish]

19. Moral positioning for in group status mostly

[ellenrr]

21. yes, that works!

[stevenleser]

20. Instead of complaining about why someone else created a silent thread, you can create ones for

all the things for which you think they should be created.

[ellenrr]

22. first of all, I didn't complain, I asked a question... 2nd I have no desire to create a silent

thread. Yes, I know I can, that is obvious but that is not the point.

I was trying to understand why people start them, and why people add to them.

You see, steven, I can want to understand something, without necessarily agreeing or disagreeing with it.
I can be curious about it, and wonder about how people think.
I'm (relatively) new here.
And when I'm curious about something, I ask.....

If that is a crime, pls tell me.

[pipi_k]

27. Interesting, isn't it

How a simple question can trigger some pretty defensive and snotty replies.


As for myself, I've always wondered why people bother with "DU this poll please" crap.

And I'm not talking about on-site polls here at DU, which can be fun, and interesting.

I'm talking about off-site polls where it's Democrats vs Republicans responding on some issue or another.


What's the point? It's not going to change anything, and it's not even all that interesting if people on both sides are sending their friends and relatives over to vote one way or another in order to skew the results.

[stevenleser]

29. If you do a search on this persons post for the last 24-48 hours, you will see why I question their

motives.

[pipi_k]

39. OK so

I clicked on the link you provided and didn't see anything that raised a red flag in my mind.

A couple of posts on an internet discussion group don't give a complete picture of who a person is in totality. Yes, I know that people will be disappointed by that statement, and probably even indignant as well, because they really really want to be able to judge someone (and their motives) based on what the person says in a couple of posts over the course of 24 to 48 hours.


People like to think they're so adept at judging others based on a few words. And you know what? Sometimes the judging is based on words that are completely misunderstood or twisted to fit the reader's biases.

In any case, even if people are right about someone's "motives", what's wrong with being honest but civil when someone asks a question?

[stevenleser]

44. It really is as simple as this poster continuing to complain that DUers feel a certain way.

They don't seem to be trying particularly hard to hide it, much as their protests under this OP would indicate otherwise.

[stevenleser]

28. It's very clear from your posts of the last day or two why you wrote this OP.

I don't know why you would think folks wouldn't get it right away. Your OP here and other comments you wrote explain it http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5991447

I think the likelihood that you didn't understand 'silent threads' is pretty low. I think this is a passive-aggressive way for you to continue complaining that some DUers expressed sympathy for the two police that were shot.

[helpmetohelpyou]

33. Busted

[ellenrr]

37. fortunately what you "think" doesn't affect reality

[stevenleser]

42. What you are doing is obvious. I don't know why you think it isn't. nt

[ellenrr]

46. this must be the moment where you scream "gotcha"

and show everybody how brilliant you are, and wait for the applause!

I love it!

get a life: take a walk, eat a meal, make a friend, have a relationship, make love, ....

I am seeing now why so many people like DU and stay around:

bec. even tho there are a handful of people (who shall remain un-named - haha)
who cannot add anything to the conversation except personal attacks,

there are a greater number who make thoughtful comments.

fortunately.

and remember- "The Ignore Button is Your Best Friend"

[Lex]

49. and what you "think" doesn't either

funny how that works

[OilemFirchen]

35. Perhaps it was the accusatory tone?

Maybe the pretense that your question was not rhetorical?

Possibly that your question could have easily been answered with a quick site search?

Just asking, of course.

[ellenrr]

47. Could it be that you detect an "accusatory tone" because you are defensive?

just asking, of course.

[OilemFirchen]

48. No.

I "detect" an accusatory tone because there is one.

Thanks for asking.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

25. So easy for the anger & frustration with cops that so many of us DUers share to be misinterpreted...

...as calls for violence against them rather than calls for reform. I think a silent thread in respect for their loved ones is not only a kind and human gesture but politically helpful in making our position clear.

[Lex]

50. They would rather curse the darkness than light a candle.

Or troll the site bitching and complaining about DU and DU'ers, as the case may be.

[NV Whino]

26. It is the Internet's answer to a "moment of silence"

Moments of silence are frequently called for when a tragedy occurs and lives are lost. It is a symbol of mourning and/or respect.

[aikoaiko]

30. Why didn't you start one for those other deaths?

[Algernon Moncrieff]

34. Policemen die in the service of the public

They take an oath to protect citizens, and take a dangerous job with crappy hours that is nor conducive to family life for meh pay.

We generally only hear about the police in the news four circumstances - when they solve a big case; when they kill a criminal; when they get hurt or killed; or when they do something wrong. 98% of what they do is routine and helps keep homes and streets be safer.

If 635 American children were dead, there would be a thread with 1000 posts. 635 Palestinian children dying in Gaza is BAU.

[ellenrr]

38. hilary certainly doesn't object to 635 Palestinian children dead.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

58. Liz Warren supported Israel in Gaza

Last edited Tue Dec 23, 2014, 03:12 AM - Edit history (1)

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5733164

Elizabeth Warren Defends Israeli Shelling of Gaza Schools, Hospitals

The Israeli military has the right to attack Palestinian hospitals and schools in self defense if Hamas has put rocket launchers next to them, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said last week at a local town hall, according to the Cape Cod Times.

Warren, in defending her vote to send funds to Israel in the middle of its war with Hamas, said she thinks civilian casualties are the "last thing Israel wants."

"But when Hamas puts its rocket launchers next to hospitals, next to schools, they're using their civilian population to protect their military assets. And I believe Israel has a right, at that point, to defend itself," she said.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

41. Huh/NT

[Sweeney]

52. Humanity is Myopic

Ask those people under a death sentence in foreign lands what they think of the death of two cops in New York.

In a world where very often people must starve to death or die with violence because some share holder at long distance demands it; the resolution of our problem may be the resolution of their problems. One does what one can. It is impossible to save the world. If enough people save their little part of the world, the world will be saved. It is not rocket science, and it isn't brain surgery. It is the willingness to resist. It is the williness to be conscious, and it is the willingness to act on the certainty that the injustice we resist is universal and endemic to our economy.

Thanks.

[JI7]

53. why didn't you mEntion those killed by drunk drivers

Why are they not as worthy of mention as the ones you menTioned ?

[Tsiyu]

54. It's just a way to show respect or concern

I understand where you're coming from.

But there are threads for victims of cops and for cops. It may have appeared to you that DUers were making these 2 cop deaths more important than civilian deaths, but that's not the case here.

They were men with wives and one had kids and it's sad no matter who they were. I am disgusted with the way NYPD is making cops lives more important than anyone's. It sickens me.

But people on DU aren't using that thread to do the same. They are just silently showing respect.

Welcome to DU