Conservative can't stand competition against their echo chamber

[mot78]

<<Meanwhile, the conservatives had taken over our boards. It was a thrill to see so many people fighting it out in our virtual three-ring circus, but we started to worry whether this was any way to run a Democratic discussion board. (Not much discussion, not many Democrats.) A few of our loyal visitors tipped us off to the fact that some of the well established conservative message boards had targeted us for some serious harrassment. As EarlG would later say, "they came to our house, sprayed obscenities all over the walls, and left porn in our mailbox." Something had to be done.>>


http://web.archive.org/web/20010219122055/www.democraticunderground.com/articles/010127_7days.html

I didn't know they tried to take over DU? Maybe the Freepers (and Boortz) who accuse us of voter fraud because of that satire post, should look at this column Skinner wrote.

[proud patriot]

1. That why we have to be ready March 31st when Air America

takes to the air ....They will try to do it to them
as well ..We have to be ready to call the shows and
be there for Air America .

Freeps will put a lot of energy into this
I guarantee it

[mot78]

2. Yes, and I'm suprised they arn't trying to destroy DFA or Center for Ameri

Center for American Progress.

[opihimoimoi]

10. We have no choice but to UNSTIFLE TRUTH, UnLeash Reason, and Sanity into

the Fray. Thats as good a place to focus on.

Come, we go Luau together, mo fun.

[joeyb]

3. what do you mean

they tried to take over the DU

[mot78]

4. They were organizing attacks against us from places like FreeRepublic.com

And yet, at the same time, the people over there kept saying this board would never be sucessful, when it's one of the largest liberal websites.

[Vogon_Glory]

11. Right Wing Harassment on the Nut Chase Server

I can well believe that right-wingers were (and undoubtedly still are) trying to shut down DU and any other web site challenging their propaganda. I am a very disgruntled veteran of the political wars over on the (Big Internet Provider Formerly Openly Associated With Time Warner). Having been subjected to harassment campaigns not only by the likes of the FReeperstanis, but also smaller circles surrounding such sites as the Sierra Times and the self-styled United We Stand group.

As much as I regret the necessity of vigorous board monitoring, when dealing with the sort of sociopaths and psychotics attracted to the self-styled "conservative" movement, such monitoring, enforcement, and banning is necessary.

[mot78]

5. Can anyone find links from RW boards that tried to attack DU when it launc

launched?

[joeyb]

6. are you serious

i have a hard time believing this. Only because in my neighborhood we would never do that, or even verbally attack each other simply because of their political orientation. It doesnt make sense.

[mot78]

7. Well this is the internet

People can hide behind their computers and do stuff they wouldn't do in the real world.

[joeyb]

8. I was talking about

spray painting obscenities and leaving porn in mailboxes. This seems immature.

[mot78]

9. It's just an analogy

[rumguy]

13. once a freeper got ahold of my email - he threatened me with lynching

for being a "traitor" - then he flooded my box with spam, mostly disgusting porn spam - typical vandal misfit freeper type, they are so consumed with numb rage and hatred that they lash out any chance they get at those who challenge their narrow phony worldview...

[joeyb]

14. well he is an idiot and

should not be taken serious. No one with a reasonable head, should act like that. Differences will always be there but discussion should never go down to delinquent accusations and stupid stunts or scare tactics.

[sendero]

15. You are either pulling our leg...

... or you are the most naive person on the face of the Earth.

You only have to hang around here for a couple days to see it, are you paying attention?

[rumguy]

12. many freepers are misfits and vandals - with little regard for rules

or even laws...

they want to win, and have no problem debasing themselves in the process...

[sendero]

17. There are several ...

.... types of disruptors that appear here regularly.

1) Total wingnuts who make outrageous, but always brief (because if they say more than 10 words they'll make a factual error and they know it) comments. They don't last long.

2) The slightly-more-clever wingnuts who come here and make several innocuous and non-commital posts to get their count up. Once they think it is high enough, they start in with the bullsh*t

3) The most insidious. And there are a bunch of them here IMHO. These people go ahead and engage in conversations, agreeing with moderate positions and trying to build credibility. Maybe for a long time. But on crucial threads they act like a "focus-group captain", laying out alternative viewpoints that are designed to work like push-polls. They always strive to appear on our side and reasonable, but they are not. They are trying to frame the debate just as it is done in the news media.

Of the bunch, number 3 is the only kind you have to worry about. And, IMHO, they are rarely successful at changing many minds, although they do create some divisive threads and general hate and discontent among the faithful.

Fact is, the more important the internet becomes the more of these people (paid btw) you will see here, trying to steer the debate, trying to sow internal dissention. Unfortunately, they are sometimes hard to discern from just your average cantankerous Dem :)

[Gman]

16. Hey! You can login there too!

[mot78]

18. Huh?