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Are there any restrictions to "free speech" on democraticunderground?

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kentuck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:22 PM
Original message
Are there any restrictions to "free speech" on democraticunderground?
If so, what are they? If so, why? In my opinion, we should not let our biases go over the line to the point that people are intimidated into not saying what they believe because one group of people may be offended. Yes, there is racism and there is homophobia and hatred and evil in this world. But we should not sit silent because some folks are not comfortable enough with their lives to discuss it openly and honestly. They would rather that everyone just shut up. Sorry if that offends anyone before this can be locked...Quickly! All you new moderators! Do your job! Be good little soldiers.
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DrWeird Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:25 PM
Response to Original message
1. What's the matter?
Say something racist or homophobic and got in trouble for it?
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kentuck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:26 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. Thanks for proving my point.
Good job.
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DrWeird Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:26 PM
Response to Reply #3
4. You're dodging the question.
fess up.
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Swamp Rat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:28 PM
Response to Reply #4
6. LOL! n/t
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kentuck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:29 PM
Response to Reply #4
7. The answer is no...
But I have no idea what your interpretation might be??
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DrWeird Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:30 PM
Response to Reply #7
9. Then why are you upset?
Do you believe that we should get rid of the rule against racism and homophobia?
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kentuck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:30 PM
Response to Reply #9
10. Who's upset?
I'm perfectly content.. :)
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DrWeird Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:31 PM
Response to Reply #10
13. Alright then, why the rudeness?
hmm?
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kentuck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:33 PM
Response to Reply #13
17. I did not attempt to be rude.
I'm sorry you interpreted it that way...
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Kire Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:33 PM
Response to Reply #10
16. i could tell
/sarcasm/
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kentuck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:32 PM
Response to Reply #9
14. No.
I think we should get rid of the loose definitions of racism and homophobia. I am not intimidated by anyone presently on this site.
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EST Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:25 PM
Response to Original message
2. There are some restrictions.
See: rules for posting.
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Itsthetruth Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:31 PM
Response to Reply #2
12. They Are Reasonable Rules
Edited on Thu Feb-10-05 01:32 PM by Itsthetruth
Here's the major rules on content.

WHO IS WELCOME ON DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND, AND WHO IS NOT

We welcome Democrats of all stripes, along with other progressives who will work with us to achieve our shared goals.

This is a "big tent" message board. We welcome a wide range of progressive opinion. You will likely encounter many points of view here that you disagree with.

We ban conservative disruptors who are opposed to the broad goals of this website. If you think overall that George W. Bush is doing a swell job, or if you wish to see Republicans win, or if you are generally supportive of conservative ideals, please do not register to post, as you will likely be banned.

If you have been banned from Democratic Underground, you are not permitted to log on again using a different username. Previously banned members will be immediately banned, regardless of behavior.

People who repeatedly and willfully break the rules, or who generally engage in rude, antisocial behavior, will be banned. It doesn't matter if you are a progressive or a long-term member of this board.


BIGOTRY

Do not post racist, sexist, homophobic, ethnic, anti-religious, or anti-atheist bigotry. Unambiguous expressions of bigotry will be deleted, and will often result in the immediate banning of the individual responsible.

If it is not clear whether a comment is bigoted, we will generally give the benefit of the doubt and assume the least-bigoted interpretation. However, individuals who repeatedly post borderline-bigoted comments will be considered bigots and will be removed.

When discussing race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or religion, please exercise the appropriate level of sensitivity toward others and take extra care to clearly express your point of view. This will help avoid misunderstandings and undeserved accusations of bigotry.


PERSONAL ATTACKS, CIVILITY, AND RESPECT

The administrators of Democratic Underground are working to provide a place where progressives can share ideas and debate in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Despite our best efforts, many of our members often stray from this ideal and cheapen the quality of discourse for everyone else. Unfortunately, it is simply impossible to write a comprehensive set of rules forbidding every type of antisocial behavior. The fact that the rules don't forbid a certain type of post does not automatically make an uncivil post appropriate, nor does it imply that the administrators approve of disrespectful behavior. Every member of this community has a responsibility to participate in a respectful manner, and to help foster an atmosphere of thoughtful discussion. In this regard, we strongly advise that our members exercise a little common decency, rather than trying to parse the message board rules to figure out what type of antisocial behavior is not forbidden.

Do not post personal attacks or engage in name-calling against other members of this discussion board.

If you are going to disagree with someone, please stick to the message rather than the messenger. For example, if someone posts factually incorrect information, it is appropriate to say, "your facts are wrong," but it is not appropriate to say "you are a liar."

Do not publicly accuse another member of this message board of being a disruptor, troll, conservative, Republican, or FReeper. Do not try to come up with cute ways of skirting around the spirit of this rule. If you think someone is a disruptor, click the "Alert" link below their post so the moderators can deal with it. Unfortunately, it has become all too common for members of this message board to label anyone with a slightly different point of view as a disruptor. We disapprove of this behavior because its intent is to stifle discussion, enforce a particular "party line," and pre-emptively label a particular point of view as inappropriate or unwelcome. This makes thoughtful and open debate virtually impossible.

Democratic Underground is a "big tent" message board which welcomes a broad range of progressive opinions. As such, you are likely to disagree strongly with many of the comments you see expressed here. Please do not take these differences of opinion personally. The simple fact that someone disagrees with you does not give you the right to lash out and break the rules of this message board. A thick skin is usually required to participate on this or any message board.

Please note that, strictly speaking, sweeping statements about entire groups of fellow progressives are not considered personal attacks. However, they are often inflammatory and counterproductive and the moderators have broad discretion to remove such posts in the interests of keeping the peace on the message board.

There is a difference between forceful advocacy for a particular issue (which is allowed), and personally attacking people (which is forbidden). If you can't tell the difference, you are likely to get into trouble here.

Do not "stalk" another member from one discussion thread to another. Do not follow someone into another thread to try to continue a disagreement you had elsewhere. Do not talk negatively about an individual in a thread where they are not participating. Do not start a new discussion thread with the purpose of "calling out" another member or picking a fight with another member. Do not use your signature line to draw negative attention to another member of the board.

If you just don't like someone, please be aware that you have the option of putting that person on your ignore list. Just click on the appropriate icon on one of that person's posts.

We do not typically delete threads which many members may consider to be "flamebait." However, the administrators will occasionally remove threads which we arbitrarily consider too rhetorically hot or too inflammatory. Please use good judgment when starting threads; inflammatory rhetoric does not normally lead to productive discussion.

If you are the type of person who just can't get along with other people, and if you seem to repeatedly cause trouble, eventually we will decide that your presence is a disruption and we will ban you. It doesn't matter if you are a progressive or a long-term member of this board.

There are no exceptions to these civility rules. You cannot attack someone because they attacked you first, or because that person "deserved it," or because you think someone is a disruptor. We consider it a personal attack to call a liar a liar, to call a moron a moron, or to call a jerk a jerk.

For detailed information about how we enforce our personal attacks rule, please read "What is a Personal Attack?"


DISRUPTION AND INAPPROPRIATE POSTINGS

Do not post unpublished information on troop movements, military maneuvers, or any other information which may compromise U.S. national security.

Do not post messages that advocate harm or death to anyone, threaten the livelihood of anyone, or otherwise harass anyone. Do not send email, snail mail, phone, fax, or other messages to anyone if your intent is to threaten or harass, and do not encourage others to do the same. Do not take your disagreements off the message board and into the "real world," and do not do anything to try to harm or harass any member of this message board in the "real world."

Please do not post messages or jokes that could be construed as advocating harm or death to the president, or that could be construed as advocating violent overthrow of the government of the United States. The Secret Service is not known for its sense of humor.

Do not post personal information about any other person, even if that information is publicly available. In addition, Democratic Underground does not condone or encourage efforts by individuals to "dig up" information about other visitors. You may post the public contact information for public figures, but you may not post anyone's private information without their consent.

Do not post duplicate topics that have already been posted.

Do not use our message board for personal fundraising, for-profit advertising, or selling products or services. We will occasionally make an exception in cases where the product or service contributes to the Democratic or progressive cause.

Do not post messages that are entirely in capital letters, unless you are trying to indicate yelling or intense emotion.

Do not post sexually explicit images or messages. If you wish to discuss topics of a sexual nature, please exercise an appropriate level of maturity and sensitivity.

Do not post graphic images of violence. If you have a legitimate political purpose for posting graphic images, please provide a clear warning in the subject line of your post.

Stay on topic. Don't jump into an unrelated discussion and introduce a barely-relevant tangent in order to bring up your pet issue.

Do not spam the message board.

Click on this link to read all the rules:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules.html




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RetroLounge Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:27 PM
Response to Original message
5. There is no Free Speech on DU.
This is a private, moderated site.

RL
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Egalitariat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:32 PM
Response to Reply #5
15. Correct. Free speech, as protected by the 1st Amendment, only limits the
Government from punishing you. When radio stations across the country took on the Dixie Chicks for criticizing *, this free speech was not infringed upon.

Free speech does not mean freedom from any negative consequences. Just freedom from persecution by the government.

DU can ban you all day long, and your rights (as in those protected by the Bill of Rights) have not been infringed.
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Blue-Jay Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:29 PM
Response to Original message
8. Wah.
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gollygee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:30 PM
Response to Original message
11. Doesn't this belong on Ask The Administrators?
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Moderator DU Moderator Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-10-05 01:34 PM
Response to Original message
18. Locking...
If you have a question/complaint about DU policies, please ask it in ATA (The Ask the Admin Forum).

Thank you for your understanding.
-DU Moderator.
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