PLEASE HELP

[I_Hug_Trees]

OK! Please help me out here. I'm new obviously. But already have been accused of being a troll and asked point blank if I am a homosexual in a topic. I am a lesbian and have no problem telling people that. I'm not ashamed of it. I am ashamed of my schooling since I don't have much of it---and to those who asked I appologize to you. I have a partner who is in retail.

Can someone just help me out a bit to tell me how things work here? I am really trying. And I am really excited to have found this site.

Thank you, Chris

[troublemaker]

1. One thing to know

be careful with information about yourself -- anything that could be identifying, not just by itself, but in combination with every other thing you say here.

Other thing to know, don't worry about anything anyone says.

[brainshrub]

2. Rule #1

Always say nice things about Brainshrub whenever you can... in every post.

Seriously, you'll be just fine. When I got started it took a few days to get the hang of things.

If you have questions, read the rules here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=register

or post in the "Ask the Administrators" forum.

[kevinhnc]

3. Try not to take it personally

It is not uncommon for freepers (read-alien insectoid republicans, frothing at the mouth) come here and try to start stuff between DU'ers. I don't know what thread that was, but perhaps someone read into it something you did not mean to say.

Just be yourself, everyone with an open mind is welcome.

Welcome to DU!!!!! :hi:

[Taverner]

4. Be careful of posting personal info here

Not that a DU'er would do anything, but the bastards at FreeRepublic go trolling here sometimes, and at one time they got someone here who worked in the media fired from their job. True story.


Oh yeah, and WELCOME TO DU!!!! :hi:

[Beware the Beast Man]

5. Best advice I can give-

do what I did; hang in the lounge for a while to build up your post count and your cred. Then venture out into the scary forums (kidding).
But yes, just be yourself, screw what anyone else thinks.
And welcome! :toast:

[I_Hug_Trees]

7. WOW

Thank you all! How nice! :)

Thanks Chris

[Robbien]

6. I read the thread you are talking about

And the person who did both (suggest you are a troll and questioned your sexuality) is a suspect disrupter. This is not the first time that person has tried such disruptions in order to cause people to leave DU in disgust.

My recommendation would be is to not take everything here to heart until you become familiar with the posters.

Welcome to DU fellow treehugger.

[salvorhardin]

8. What everyone else said

If you're new to internet messge boards, well, it can take some getting used to. All anyone has to go on here is just your words, and an occasional smiley or funny picture. In the end it's all just electrons splattering against someone's cathode ray tube or liquid crystals getting twisted unnaturally. Sometimes it can be hard to tell if someone is being facetious or malicious. Don't take it personally.

'Sides, DU is probably the most well-mannered, most well-behaved, nicest message board I've ever been on, and that's coming from someone whose networked messaging roots trace back to 1981. The mods here do a tremendous job.

...and if anyone is being deliberately obnoxious to you, just hit the little 'Alert' link at the bottom left of every message -- or come and tell me. I'll beat them up for you. Well, more likely sit on them, but believe me -- nobody wants that! :-)

[faithnotgreed]

9. hi trees. welcome to du

things can move quickly and for obvious reasons! emotions are cranking up here. i dont know if i can give much good advice but one thing i will say is please think about what youre writing before you send the post and make sure your thoughts and position are as clear as you can make them. im not concerned with writing skills or anything, im talking about conversing through computers can quickly lead to misunderstanding.

education should never be the hurdle and im sorry you feel ashamed of yourself for any reason. if you are unclear on something please do ask, there are a lot of people here so someone will likely answer whatever you sincerely want to know

and there are a large mix of people here and if you feel you have been misunderstood then you should either re explain yourself or if you feel someone has gone over the top in their response , then again please understand that emotions are running high and it may just be the best idea to ignore.

and the last thing ill say is that there are very few absolutes! except the sincere are very welcome and we deeply want the destruction to stop.

get out the vote.... and again welcome to our very large tent

[Bertha Venation]

10. Make fast friends with Bertha Venation.

Since you live in San Diego, and you're a lesbian, that shouldn't be too hard. I'm a native Southern Californian (Huntington Beach -- on edit: transplanted four years ago to Southern Maryland) and queer as a three-dollar bill. Welcome to DU! :hi:

I was accused of being a troll, though not in so many words, when I first joined DU because someone assumed that I was a white supremacist because my name is a play on the racist Griffith film. Well, it is, but it's Harvey Fierstein's play, not mine. ;) And I'm certainly not a white supremacist. :eyes:

:bounce: