DU as microcosm of the Left

[Keithpotkin]

has any one else noticed all the in-fighting going on over at the lounge and the GD rooms lately.

every other day there are big arguement threads....usually ending up spreading to other threads, all of which are eventually locked.

people are raising questions of homophobia...anti-southern...anti-northern...sexism...etc. some of it could very well be valid, i dont read enough threads to notice the comments that the poster's mention, but i cant help but notice the huge arguements that those comments do bring about.

but this infighting is generally humourous, becaues we all know that 99% of DUers are good people, who are not sexist..homophobic etc. but yet, we still are inclined to fight it out, to find those who are still trapped in that old world mindset...and discuss the best ways change them or get rid of them.

the Right on the other hand ...is united..the left is not.

but the left changes over time, and growes intellectually stronger with these discussions, while the Right does not discuss, but rather changes only when money changes hands.

anyway...anythoughts on the current divisions on DU and the Left as a whole?

[KG]

1. DU is not microcosm of the 'Left'

of the 'democratic party' - maybe.

many members aren't 'left' and would resent being identified as such.

even the centrists and conservatives have free reign. :crazy:

[Ein]

4. Agreed. N/T

[xray s]

2. The divisions will disappear when the bell rings

The effort to defeat Bush will unite us all. After that we will be able to start fighting each other again.

[Semi_subversive]

3. I just feel like arguing

I can't believe that you have spelled argument with an extra "e". You must be a freeper or something. You're a bad person (sarcasm off)

I'm noticing more and more bitching and moaning over stupid stuff. If we are going to get our country back, we need to be united like the shitheads are! I didn't spend one and a half days in Viet Nam for nothing!

[Dirk39]

5. I looooove DU, I tell you one thing....

if a board like DU would exist in Germany - where I live - or other countries of Europe (it doesn't), at least after 3 weeks, there would be 20 DU-boards fighting against each other, stating that those other DUers would be worse than Bush.
As hard or unfair or unbalanced it will get sometimes, the people still stay here or come back and I really really appreciate this. It even seems to me that the "civil society" in the USA, even if it might be small compared to all those freepers, is still much stronger than everywhere else.
Hello from Germany,
Dirk

[Ein]

6. Hello from America

My friend just studied abroad in Germany, bought a Eurail (sp?) past and traveled all around Europe. He said it is generally much more liberal there, that you go to a newstand and there are papers published by every group from the libertarian socialists to the lassaiz faire capitalists. Is any of that true. I was ready to buy a plane ticket when he was done telling me of his experiences.

[Dirk39]

9. It's true...

at least about the ticket and the newspapers. And there are a lot of places that might be much more liberal than in some parts of the USA. But if you go to some hicks-villages in Southgermany and compare it to New York or San Francisco, it might be the other way round....
But in a way, we face the same problems, the USA is facing now, it's really not much different, it might be even worse, 'cause we had a kind of social-security-system once, and the neoliberals try to destroy it now. And the greens and the social democrats and socialists are the worse among those who destroy it. In a way, we have fewer people, at least fewer organized people, to oppose this mess, than the left in the USA. And the left in Europe is much more fractioned and seperated than in the USA.
Best wishes and be proud of DU and let it stay and get stronger,
Dirk

[Ein]

13. I hear

Germany Greens are trying to get a speed limit on the Autobahn, I agree with them, but I don't live with the Autobahn, so I have no clue what that might imply.

Interesting thing how the more left groups are trying to destroy the social security there, thats kinda like... backwards. I personally prefer Socialism to Capitalism, and I don't see where those socialists get off trying to mess with a good healthcare system.

The division among the left is odd, it seems to happen everywhere, I'd say it is a conspiracy but when I argue with most right wingers we usually end up agreeing to disagree on fundamental beliefs, so they might just have a different mindset, maybe more unquestioning or something, who knows.

I've been meaning to look up information on neo-liberal policies as I've heard Noam Chomsky comdemn it repeatedly in addition to what you say. Do you have any information relevant?

Thanks for the post :) (BTW, your english is good)

[Liberal_as_Fuck]

7. Looks like I'm going to fit in here perfectly.

Not because I'm anti-homosexual, or anti-southern, but rather because I love to argue about anything, and I keep it lightehearted. If the rest of the DUers are like you, I cannot wait to get going.

[silverlib]

8. Wecome!

I lurked long before I ever posted. This is a great place!

[Liberal_as_Fuck]

11. Thank you for the welcome,

it is appreciated.

[TheBigGuy]

10. There are multiple divisions at DU

there are the "candidate divisions" and stuff like the "north/south" division.

I dont take the north/south type of division too seriously as I think alot of this is just banter and that folks really arnt prejudiced like that here at DU.

I do think the "candidate divisions" are more acerbic and divisive.

[fabius]

12. If we don't allow diversity of opinion...

...then we become just like Republicans or worse, Nazis or Communists.

Actually some Repubs are (or used to be) independent thinkers. Still a couple out there. The Bush faction is just a machine but they don't command anything like a majority.

The good thing about a lot of argument is it makes us better debaters which we all need to be. Same with our candidates.

[PATRICK]

14. candidate competition

is very normal and mostly mild. As far as it is childish or destructive(the nature of competition?) it will usually end up harming the enthusiast when the candidate "loses". The rip roaring American campaigns of the distant past spilled real blood with shriller jingoism with open access to freely flowing liquor at male establishments.

Farflung electrons keep us from fisticuffs, though not perhaps from the booze.