What brought you here?

[DiverDave]

I've been thinking about how I found this sane place in this bizzaro world.
I had been sorta lurking over at Democrats.com not doing much.
They had a link to here, and the rest is, well maybe not history, but it sure has helped counter the * fans I know.
I tell folks that see my bumper sticker that there are alot of REALLY smart people here and I learn everyday.

So, thanks folks, I get some solice that there are some (sorta) sane folks in the world.

Dave

[Walt Starr]

1. January 20, 2001 brought me here

Been here ever since.

[lynettebro440]

18. Found this heavenly site

while googling liberal anything. I was trapped in a world of stupidity and ignorance and was about to loose my mind when I found you all. Thank you for letting me know I wasn't the only person on the face of the planet with an intelligent thought and rational.

[annabanana]

112. Welcome Llynettebro440!

This is a fine place indeed, for those who wonder where America went!
:patriot:

[proud patriot]

66. You and me both

A long 5 years Walt Starr

[dmr]

69. Same here

Arrived the day DU opened its doors. That was one very heartbreaking day.

[kansasblue]

2. I was working action items from democrats.com and...

they kept mentioning this site.

[bunkerbuster1]

3. I saw the top 10 Conservative idiots linked in a Usenet group

Used to come to DU for that, and for Bob Boudelang's wonderful rants.

Didn't even peek at the forums for a year or so. Been posting since last year.

[ixion]

4. I thought I was losing my mind... there was a huge disconnect between

what I was seeing and what was being reported after the WTC thing.

I was wondering if there were others out there who noticed the same thing.

I googled, and found DU. That was in early 2002. :hi:

[TheFarseer]

5. In general, the Iraq war

In specific, I might have been looking for an anti-Rush or Hanitty or whatever site and found the top 10 conservative idiots.

[Puzzler]

6. For me...

... it was a link from the DailyKos. And I found Kos through one of Howard Dean's forums.

-P

[gademocrat7]

7. Was reading Buzz flash and came here.

It is an oasis in this desert wasteland of corruption and greed.

[bryant69]

8. I think Google? I qwas looking for some liberal forums

And this one was the best organized and the easiest to navigate.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[woodsprite]

9. That sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when I woke up 11/3/2004. n/t

[ScamUSA.Com]

56. same here

[XemaSab]

75. Exactly

I knew *of* DU before, like I always made it a point to read top 10 conservative idiots, but THAT was what got me posting.

On edit: Member since Nov 10, 2004.

[AuntiBush]

86. I logged-in just to respond to your post!

Woodsprite, same here! I remember writing a report while glancing at the polls on CNN with all those elaborate boards. The closer it got to midnight the more I began to switch from ABC/NBC/CBS/MSNBC/CNN. Everyone had it called for Kerry. I was feeling fantastic, but anxious.

Minutes before midnight I remember Wolf/CNN looking absolutely shocked mentioning something like "wait a minute!" Flipping fast through the above mentioned stations everyone was having that "wait a minute" accounts and 1 station mentioned Fox.

My heart sunk dead center. Sitting on the edge of my bed I was in shock as those long moments went by. When I finally laid down I was in total shock and disbelief.

The next day, I jumped on Google and search for sometime like "truth." Finding truthout.org led me here and I've been hooked ever since. This is a place of solace where we can feel good, and bad together and not so all alone.

[mopaul]

10. fate

[jbnow]

11. I'd found Kos through Josh Marshall

and after the election the irregularities wasn't a big thing there. They were to me. I was for no particular reason trying to do county by county comparisons in key states and my son told me they were doing that here.

I couldn't sign up then, it was closed. But I could read and feel less alone.

[jojo54]

12. I found DU right after Bu*hco stole the '04 election.

I think I searched in Yahoo for political forums 'cause I needed to yell and scream my head off about how stupid half of the country can be.

added thought: this is the best website I have ever come across. The people here are well versed in the atrocities this administration has caused and you all are the best bunch of people to lift me up when I need it.

Thanks to the ones who created this site and thanks for letting me be a part of it.:toast:

[helderheid]

13. same here

[Griffy]

95. me too.. the election, and I have learned alot fast... thx DU! nt

[peace frog]

14. I'm a newbie who found DU through another member

and I joined up with great pleasure... what a comfort it is to be among like-minded souls, a warm sea of blue.

What brought me here was my heart-searing indignation and helpless dismay at what has become of our once-great nation. We have fallen so far, so fast due to the coup d'etat of a hideously corrupt, criminal administration, and I am grieving over it still. Thank you all for helping me take action to register my strongest resistance against this deplorable dictatorship.

[AllyCat]

15. Found this site from the Clark '04 forum n/t

[velvet]

16. November 3 2004

I was following your pResidential election on the net, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I had to know more about wtf had happened. I looked at many sites and one (I think it was Kos) had a link to here.

Been a constant reader and intermittent poster ever since.

[JHB]

17. Bartcop

Saw some interesting references to DUers there, and decided to check it out.

[shelley806]

19. Before the debates, this link was included in an e-mail from Kerry's

Campaign or the DNC (can't remember which), where they listed links and contacts to respond to post debate. I luckily linked onto the link for DU, and Skinner had a huge list of polling contacts. It was beautifully organized, and I felt like I was making a small, but direct contribution. I was at DU every debate, post debate and on election night, where I saw CNN change the poll results from a win for Kerry to one for B*. I was here post election too, examining all of the exit poll data, etc. I've been SO impressed with this site...after the awful realization that the 2000 selection was stolen by SCOTUS, and the 2004 election was stolen by Diebold, I think I would have lost my mind without DU!

[HockeyMom]

22. Same here

from Kerry's Campaign Website.

[shelley806]

26. You're probably right about that! TU...What a year (not even a year)

it has been...

[4_TN_TITANS]

125. Kerry's campaign blog...

someone mentioned DU on Kerry's blog. I quickly discovered what an invaluable source of info DUers were during the campaign. Invaluable....

Thank-you all!!!! :hi:

[neweurope]

20. Looking for facts about 9/11. Then after your last "election"

I wanted to see what Democrats said about the election - they didn't say anything at all. So I remembered DU - and have stayed.

-----------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[nicknameless]

89. I always feel so relieved to find DU members from around the world.

It's depressing to think that people outside of the U.S. see our criminal-enterprise-and-endless-war government as a reflection of what Americans want. So many of us feel unbelievable outrage, despair and gut-wrenching anguish over what is happening because of our country.

"Bush to the Hague!" indeed!!!

Thank you so much for being here! :hi:

[neweurope]

97. Hi nicknameless! The world knows. Even when we say

"the Americans" we know that there are many people like those on DU who detest what their country has become. I for one am afraid that my own country will be like yours before long. Our only chance is to stick together. Thank God for the internet.
:hi:

-----------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[nicknameless]

107. “I for one am afraid that my own country will be like yours before long.”

OMG neweurope, why is that? I always think of Germany as a place where the citizens are well-educated, and VERY conscious of their past and the treacherous path that led them there. I wouldn't think that the German people would ever let that happen again.

And doesn't your form of government make your politicians more responsive to their constituents? Our Democratic politicians know that, in our 2-party system, we can only choose between them and the criminal right-wingers.

I'm definitely for sticking together as a world community. (I like your avatar! ;) ) We have to fight for our right to peace, safety and livability on this little blue planet of ours.

Don't ya LOVE the internet?! What a lifeline to sanity, to information our government is trying to conceal, and to great people in other parts of the country and the world!
:toast:

[neweurope]

111. People don't learn by their father's mistakes. We won't

hurt Jews again - but thanks to your government and all their disinformation and blowing up train stations we now have the Muslims. Our people are as shallow as yours (the majority), our military-industrial complex not as influential but as greedy as yours... Germany always tried to be like the USA, we usually were just ten years behind. Lately we're catching up *sigh*

I'd like to discuss this further but I have to leave and will be gone for three days.

-----------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[countingbluecars]

21. I linked up

after reading something on Michael Moore's website. It was at the time of the Ohio recount/certification. I lurked for a while. I think some of the first threads I read were the posted by the KOEB.

[Romulus]

23. after the 2000 election fiasco

I felt like my country was stolen from me . . .and from everyone else.

[Child_Of_Isis]

24. I saw a DU bumper sticker one day. n/t.

[DiverDave]

28. I hope my bumper sticker

gets folks here.
I drive I-95 and the Philly/Wilmington DE. area everyday...lots of people to see it.
Oh, I have had no negative reaction at all...not much positive yet either, though.

[tanyev]

25. I don't even remember exactly how I found DU;

it may have been through Free Republic. And I don't remember how I found that festering sewer, but I know there was a period of time when I would check it regularly. Anytime there was a new Republican outrage or screw up, I would head over there thinking, "OK, surely there's no way they can defend that." But they always did, so finally I got sick of going there.

I do know the first thing I found on DU was the Top Ten Conservative Idiots list. As soon as I read it, I knew I had found the right place.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

27. Linked from Presidentmoron.com

To the top 10 idiots lists. Then came the articles, Bob Boudelang, then the forums. Mandatory Malloy got me posting regularly.

Kickin for the truthseekin' crew! :D

:kick:

[kevsand]

29. My wife (davsand) has been here almost from the beginning.

She had been on some other boards, but once this turned up, it's pretty much been home for her. She would show me stuff on here from time to time, and I have been reading off and on for almost four years. She has also been kind enough to forward my occasional thoughts to you all every now and then.

We had one of the very first (if not the first) DU meetups in December of 2001 in our basement here in the midwest. There are some pretty cool pictures from that still floating around out there.

I finally registered on my own earlier this year in order to participate in the Clark Supporters Forum. Now I'm thinking I may need to enter a twelve step program. ("Hi, I'm kevsand, and I want to spend all my time on DU...")

[tavalon]

115. LOL

It was actually my boyfriend who suggested that a 12 step group might be in order. This place is addictive, I'm afraid.

[MsTryska]

30. heee.......

i am a regular at another site where i get called all sorts of names and get the pileon from a bunch of libertarian, pseudo-libertarian, hardcore Rushite mostly teenage, male twits.



well one day one of the twits posted a link for here - this was just before the elections. that's when i found my way here.

[La Coliniere]

31. Buzzflash had a link that I clicked on

and I've never looked back. Thanks for the daily dose of sanity DU!

[Kaylee]

32. The run-up to Iraq.

You would never know from my post count, but I've been lurking here since the run-up to the Iraq war. I felt I was in a bizarro world, where no one else saw that pre-emptively striking a country could not be right. That the path the administration set us on after 911 and its cowboy arrogance was setting us up for disaster.

I felt alone and sought out people who saw through the looking glass. You guys have kept me sane. Who knew how bad it was really going to get.

[ernstbass]

33. Kos had a link in an article

[Stirk]

34. A link from Hypocrites.com

I miss them. :(

[JNelson6563]

35. I saw Skinner on C-span

with a sign that read DemocraticUnderground.com. :toast:

[meganmonkey]

36. Hate mailbag

Spring 2004 when I started dating mistermonkey, he introduced me to DU by reading to me from the hate mailbag. He has a username but has only posted twice. I had never used a message board in my life, and resisted even entering the furums. Then one day I saw the 'Toons thread on the homepage and I had to sign up so I could thank nostamj for doing the toons.

Now I'm hooked. ;)

[manic expression]

37. Michael Moore.com had a link

I've been hooked ever since.

[malmapus]

121. Same here, michaelmoore.com

Got sick of seeing this country going down the shaft and was reading through his policaial groups links, then saw the DU. Checked it out and been hooked since.

[hippiegranny]

38. buzzflash

They were my first indication that I was not totally insane and all alone; found that site back in the winter of 2001. I got here shortly afterward because they linked to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots. This site is my second home!

[mod mom]

39. suggested by CO Activitists when organizing post election rally in

Columbus OH. I started on ER + D, used LBN for info and just recently ventured over to general discussion. I have become the resident DU er with the group of activists I associate with (I have even had a call from a high priced prominent progressive attorney from DC who wanted me to find a particular thread here.)

As much as I love DU, the one serious problem is that it is highly addictive.

[jsamuel]

40. After the election and JohnKerry.com was going, I came here

The election made me worry even more about the state of the country. I thought it was bad enought that so many people would still vote for Bush, but to see such manipulation of the voting process!

I can't stands its no mores!

[question everything]

41. As bizarre as it may sound

I subscribe to the WSJ "best of the web" with its nasty barbs at anything which is not rabid Republicans and it posted a link to a story from here. Don't even remember which. So I came to investigate.

This was when last year primaries just started and when I resigned to the fact that once MN caucus would arrive, the winner would be declared.

But coming here and finding so much information about all the candidates, and finding such an oasis of dedicated liberals after seeing nothing but rabid Republicans around in day-to-day life, was a life saver.

This site helped me find the blogs of Edwards and later the Kerry-Edwards, it helped me find the way to make donations and, of course, put me in touch whenever either of them visited the Twin Cities.

And of course, now, it keeps the hope alive that we are not doomed for a rule by ignorant reactionary people. It keeps the hope alive that there are still many people who do not want to just go along with their lives but want and are active in their communities. This site provides wonderful links to stories and commentaries not found on MSM, putting many stories in perspective. And, of course, I was grateful to be part of that overwhelming support for Andy when we came together as one community.

[European Socialist]

42. After 2004 stolen election...

was looking for secession posts-didn't find many-still think some form of Blue State separation (not war) makes more sense every day. Probably get flamed like last year, but still like this site.

[pointblank]

43. Hannity.com forums believe it or not. (I'm so ashamed)

I used to post there during the follow up to Iraq, when I was in my post 9/11 revenge stupor...I soon woke up and realized I was on the wrong side. Then I began going up against the horde over there, but its really no use...they are brain dead.

Anyway, they would frequently mention this place, and of course bad mouth it, so I checked it out and lurked for awhile and just recently started posting with some frquency. I dont agree with everything said here, but its the most sane place I have come across.

[jsamuel]

54. Welcome to DU!

:bounce: :beer: :hi: :headbang: :yourock: :woohoo: :applause: :patriot:

[coffeenap]

44. Son met Andy Stephenson, I met Andy, Andy

invited us here. I am forever grateful to him.

[rabbit2484]

45. Shock and Awe

I believed going to get WMD's in IRaq was right until that first night. Found DU the next day and never left.

[brak]

46. I was tired of discussing politics in other forums

[tanyev]

47. Kick!

I love reading how people found their way here.

:kick:

[DiverDave]

124. I am interested in the motivations also.

Lots of interesting stories.

[sendero]

48. An employer..

... told me about Media Whores Online (RIP apparently)

I found the link to DU there.

[Tommymac]

49. From Action Alerts on Kerry discussion board last summer

I joined last fall, but didn't post much because I was so active on the Kerry boards. But I read here almost daily; and used the election and contact links, especially during the post debate poll actions a lot.

I tried to maintain over the early winter on another more 'moderate' site, but didn't have the heart or energy for it. I was so disgusted and disheartened the DNC and Kerry abanonded We The People. After watching the Congress endorse the vote in early January I gave up. I rested for a few month's; got away from everything real for a while to recharge; and when I heard Howrd Dean was elected to be DNC chair my eyes opened; the DSM got me out my chair and back online. And I choose to come here...it seemed like a cool place where I didn't have to pretend to be something I was not; could vent my anger or cheer when I felt like it.

[RagAss]

50. Reality hit me when everyone around me

seemed to accept the fact that there was nothing unusual about exit polls being wrong for the first time in our history. It was like waking up in the Twilight Zone. I followed the Truth on the web and it led me here...waited many months before I actually joined and began posting just a few weeks ago. I've never regretted it. Thank God and You folks for this place.

[The Magistrate]

51. Came Here Off The Old "Media Whores On Line" Site, Sir

Shortly after the invasion of Afghanistan....

[Jim Sagle]

67. I really miss them, don't you?

Somerby's OK but unreliable.

[The Magistrate]

84. It Was Pleasant, Sir

The front page was great, and the forum rather like an alley fight: immensely enjoyable. My moniker there was "Court Historian".

[deadparrot]

52. I was looking up one stupid Bush quote or another...

and my Googling led me here. Though I didn't join until mid-2003, I think I probably lurked since 2002, though I can't be sure.

[CantGetFooledAgain]

53. Three words: "Truth is All"

Found a brilliant post of his on reprinted on Truthout.org after the 2004 "election".

Came here and just started reading. I think I've become addicted. I read it all day long, and I've lost my need for mainstream news. If its important, I find it here. Discussed from all sides too (all sides that make any sense at all, that is).

[cynatnite]

55. Al Franken

It was after I read his book and I suddenly didn't feel like I was the only one that thought half the shit on TV was bogus.

I got his site and did a little more searching and here I am :)

[DanCa]

57. It started with a search for liberal view points

I got tired of being harrased on the old aol boards and chat rooms. Than I found DU. I lurked for along while until I felt comfortable posting and the rest is history. This is the best place on the web IMO. No one here has been really mean to me or has sent me a comp virus like the aol chat room has. You guys are the best. Even when we disagree. Keep rocking DU. Your my bridge in troubled waters.

[Raksha]

58. November 2, 2004 brought me here to DU.

I knew from the early hours of November 3rd that there was just NO WAY Bush won the election, but I didn't have any hard information. All the freepers on my home board were screaming "Get over it!" and even the liberals seemed befuddled and inclined to buy into the "values vote" b.s. we were fed right after the election. So I went looking for a discussion board where people took election fraud seriously. I spent some time at Smirking Chimp and then somewhere I found a link to DU. I stayed because it had the best election forum, with the smartest and most dedicated activists I've ever seen. I spend more time on GD now than in the election forum these days, but that is still true.

[Verve]

70. Me Too!

November 2nd, I was in a state of shock and stumbled upon this place by googling accident. It's been a great outlet ever since!

[marions ghost]

87. ditto

the morning of November 3rd, 2004 I knew we had crossed a great divide...between those who believed the election was legitimate, and those who knew it was not. Stumbling around on the web that day, I found a discussion going on at DU where people were already questioning the results and arguing the pros and cons. But more than that it was a place where I could feel the utter dismay of others, the exact same horror I was feeling...the awful realization that the unthinkable had (again) occurred. And as I followed the gathering body of evidence it became apparent that we have no real mechanism for the thorough and timely investigation of a presidential election. Instead we have a system protected from public inspection.

I'm not prepared to go on with business as usual living in a country that allows a bunch of losers and thieves to hijack the federal government, calling it an "election." The corruption in this country in general is mind-boggling, and we are all paying the price. 'Bringing Democracy to Iraq' is a cruel joke. We don't have it here.

[Blue_Tires]

59. blind rage over the '02 elections

led me to bartcop, which led me here

[pinto]

60. I found the site via BartCop or Buzzflash, forget which.

[texanwitch]

61. I started with Randi Rhodes massage board, then Mike's, and now

DU.

I now tend to let my Email go because of DU, I must have my DU.

[Roxy66]

104. Me too..Randi Rhodes message board

I saw the link in a thread and I was hooked

[rumpel]

62. Truthout Will Pitt and 11/2/2004. Straight to election forum.

The election results were so bizarre, I even ha written to one of the truthout regular contributors. I said basically unless we the people do something about this it's history.
He did reply and agreed.
Then Will Pitt mentioned DU and I lurked for a while. I did not know how to use a blog then, but here I am.

:hi:

[SeattleGirl]

63. A friend

She sent me a link to an article on DU, and after I read that, I started looking at some of the other things on the site, and I remember thinking, "I'M NOT ALONE!! I'M NOT ALONE!!" I don't remember exactly when I first read DU, but know it was after 9/11. I am eternally grateful to my friend for pointing me in this direction!

:toast:

[Lilith Velkor]

64. Conservative idiots

[Initech]

85. Same here.

A link on the IGN boards brought me to the Conservative Idiots list and I think I've read pretty much every single list multiple times since then.

When I first started posting, the whole Terri Schiavo crap happened.

[jzodda]

65. Swiftboat scums brought me here

It was back in Sept 04 I believe and I was going their forums to read about what their major malfunction was all about.

There was a link to here and the rest is history.

[MelissaB]

68. JREGrassroots.org had a link to DU

I lurked for a while, but was intimidated because the site had so many members. BTW, the John Edwards site is still nice. It's small and has lots of friendly people.

[Lerkfish]

71. I came here because I thought DU would not make

tin foil hat remarks to me.

well, THAT was wrong, but by and large, its a great place to get real information that isn't available soon enough in the corporate media.

[OrwellwasRight]

72. Frylock brought me!!

Thanks, Frylock!!

:hug: :pals: :hug:

[NAO]

73. a link in a post at John Kerry's website forum

Which was the place I spent most of my time up thru the election.

I liked the unrestricted (or less restricted) atmosphere here at DU. The Kerry moderators got a little enthusiastic sometimes, but I had to concede their point that it was the official website of a US Senator and a presidential candidate.

I really liked the Kerry forum. It had features I really miss like the ability to click on someone's name and pull up all of their posts.

[katinmn]

78. That's where I was. It then morphed into CGCS and LUTD and

one other.

The old Kerry forum used to get so heated that the moderators couldn't keep up. :) There were some really conservative Dems over there as well as far lefties. Lots of us posted on both Kerry's site and DU until after the election.

[katinmn]

74. Skinner posted on another forum I used to post at and I followed

him back to DU.

He was trying to educate people on the Swift Boat Liars.

I think I got here during the busiest time.

[Pirate Smile]

76. We finally got the internet a little less then two years ago. I didn't

know any of the sites that now actually get some TV coverage.

The only one I had heard of was Drudge. I would go to the standard news sites (CNN, MSNBC, NYT, WP) but nobody really covers breaking news very quickly. I would go to Drudge and be disgusted but I didn't know of any alternatives on the left.

I googled Drudge and found the Smudge Report and DU is a link on there and I was sooooo thankful to find it, and then find out about all the other blogs, etc. all over the Internet but nothing is as good for breaking news, heads-up notices, and just general discussion as DU.

I wish I had found it sooner and I wish I would have had internet access sooner.

You feel so lonely just having the newspaper, news magazines and the Corp News channels to listen to in getting your news. It is so isolating. You feel like the world has gone insane and noone else has seemed to notice, then you find out, you are not alone.

[Laurab]

77. Salon.com

That's where I first found out about DU - links from their discussion board. I can't remember how long I lurked before I joined, but it was a while. I finally signed up after the election. I was apolitical all my life, but * changed that. What was going on was impossible to ignore even for me, which is why I can't understand why other people haven't awoken yet. Funny, I rarely read Salon anymore, don't seem to have the time, but I can spend hours reading things on here.....it's a place of sanity in a world of insanity for me.

[dalaigh lllama]

79. I heard about DU from a friend

last fall. Lurked here for months, waiting for some terribly clever user name to occur to me before I joined. Finally gave up waiting for creativity to strike and jumped in. This is my source of sanity in a world gone mad.

A note to all you lurkers: don't be bashful! Jump in and start posting.

[OrwellwasRight]

82. Perhaps DVJNU is terribly clever.

What does it stand for?

[dalaigh lllama]

122. No, it's terribly pragmatic

just my initials

[blonndee]

80. After the "election," I was really depressed and I was bitching about Okla

homa and how everyone here seemed to be a W-worshipping, fundigelical hick. A friend of mine told me about this place and so I checked it out. Thank gods (goodness, fate, whatever) I came here. I don't post much, but it saves my sanity to know I'm not alone.

[skids]

81. A stolen election. n/t

[MadisonProgressive]

83. A freeper told me about this place!

He was a real asshole, but I have to thank him for the reference!

[kster]

88. I read this

article http://www.jhu.edu/~jhumag/0204web/vote.html I knew things were not right,started reading everything I could about it, watched the primaries got involved with the Kerry campaign/blog they would post a lot from here. I kinda figured Kerry was trying to beat the machine and the train ride was to try and beat the media by taking it to the people.

After the election I knew something would come out if Kerry lost. So I watched for the site that looked like they were doing the most about it. And the rest is history.

I hoped Kerry would have come out fighting like gore did ,but after further review I think, what he did was best, because if he would have fought the election, who would have kept an eye on Bush and crew.

Heres to fighting the good fight :toast:

[bunny planet]

90. I found DU right after the shoplifting of the Presidency 2004.

I would have gone crazy without the company I found here in the midst of my misery. I wouldn't have to face four more years (hopefully a lot less now) of His Fraudulency's insane reign alone.

[Stormy78]

91. My bf

He showed me this site so I registered and got hooked :D

[schrodingers_cat]

93. Welcome, Stormy!!!!!

:bounce: :hi: :bounce: :hi: :bounce: :hi: :bounce: :hi: :bounce: :hi:

Sounds like you found a great guy.......

I was Googling 'definition of fascism', and lo and behold, a bunch of posts on that very subject were underway. I was hooked within minutes. While my friends are great, many also 'can't be bothered' when it comes to the issue of politics. I fear for the ways that this administration's decisions will affect them 5, 10, 15 years down the road, and wish that they would see....please, sweet friends, open your eyes!!!!

[AndyTiedye]

92. Googling "Reichstag Fire"

Every few weeks after 9/11, I googled for recent hits on the phrase "Reichstag Fire".
So much about that horrible day and the way the powers-that-be reacted
to it seemed suspicious to me.
Surely others must have their own suspicions.

One of my google searches turned up Democratic Underground.

[schrodingers_cat]

94. Hi Andy Tie Dye (n/t)

:hi: :hi: :hi: :hi:

[EnfantTerrible]

96. Mark Crispin Miller

I saw his show "Patriot Act" in NYC. He handed out a list of websites worth visiting. I've never looked back.

[Helga Scow Stern]

98. Found it after 2004 stolen election. n/t

[Ladyhawk]

99. Firefox 1.0.4

:P

[TheModernTerrorist]

100. a link

to the Top 10 brought me here... I forget where the link was, but I lurked the site for years before I actually made an account.

[SW FL Dem]

101. A woman I met at the Dem Convention in Orlando, 12/03

told me about DU. I lurked a week or two before joining. Like everyone else, I am thankful I have DU to let me know I am not alone in my frustration with the current administration.

[emanymton]

102. ABB!

Bush Lied. People Died. Media Cheered.

[mogster]

103. I used to hang out at motherjones

and the democrats.us.
According to my bookmarks, I've been here since midsummer 2004. But I registred after the election (when reg. was opened again).
At mojo and democrats.us, both silent backyards, the DU is the remote whisper from the motorway - where things move on fast.

Turned out to be true ;-)

Mojo has since closed their board.

[Gasping4Truth]

105. Michael Moore linked to a thread

about a picture of flag-draped coffins in an airplane. The heartbreaking "conveyor belt" one.

Since that day I keep coming back. Mostly for lurking.

Mainstream media here in Belgium are in general anti-Bush, but that doesn't mean they give you a clue of what's really going on. The jailing of Judith Miller was described as "another setback for the freedom of press in the USA" and that was it.

Before a story finally erupts into the headlines, we can sense the rumble and the pressure buildup months in advance here at Democratic Underground.

Often I wish such a forum should exist for the EU too. It would allow me to make a little more sense of the political construction I make part of.

Thank you DU, and keep up the pressure!

[Ms. K]

106. Came here because of a very good friend

Pacoyogi told me about the site, and I finally came here. I haven't left, and I'm working on my post count, LOL!

[FourStarDemocrat]

118. Welcome Ms. K!

Have fun here. :)

I first came here through a combination of links from Buzzflash and the Clark'04 board in early 2004, but didn't actually post much-mostly lurked until several months ago. I was very impressed with the discussion boards, and a little overwhelmed at first by the huge number of forums and membership numbers. But I got used to it and it has become a plesurable addiction. :)

[swag]

108. I don't even remember how I got here.

I can't remember whether I first saw the site shortly after the Supreme Court appointed Bush, or whether it was in the run-up to the Iraq War - both were such distressing periods, when it seemed as though all of America had gone mad and that there was no rationality left.

I think I probably "discovered" DU a few times through Googling key words related to my concerns over the election and later over Bush's pre-Iraq war-mongering. I do distinctly recall getting some critical information via DU that I used in letters of August 2002 to my Senators and Representative, attempting to encourage them to halt Bush's march to disaster in Iraq. One Senator and my Congressman did the right thing in that regard. US Senator Gordon "Hairboy" Smith did not listen to me.

[Skittles]

109. 2001, I poked around the web desperately searching

for ANYONE who felt like I did - that democracy was stolen, that the Supreme Court was a DISGRACE, that GWB is a PIECE OF SHIT. In other words I was searching for the TRUTH because believe me, I wasn't finding it in Texas. I found William Rivers Pitt, and he referred to the DU. I am FOREVER glad I did too.

[eridani]

110. 2003, Dennis Kucinich campaign

Joined to advocate for my candidate, and found it well worth sticking around.

[October]

113. November 2000 sent me searching...I found DU

Ever since...I start my day with coffee and DU.

:donut:

[Henny Penny]

114. I was reading a newspaper article...

that was complaining about people getting their news from blogs. One of the blogs cited was Juan Cole's, so of course I got online and checked it out..

I thought "this guy is good... much better than the news paper, I'll read this instead."

After reading for a while I started checking out the sites he linked to and DU was one of them. I haven't looked back. This place is a great resource.

[tavalon]

116. I went to a teach-in in Austin

There was a guy who spoke who said everything I believe in. I bought his book, read it five times and then finally read the back where he gave profuse praise to DU and gave his username. I came over here and got addicted. What's funny is I was reading Buzzflash for a long time and had even occasionally read truthout, especially when that same author had an essay there but I never made it over here until I read that snippet in the back of his book.

The book which is a great collection of essays is called: The Greatest Sedition Is Silence : Four Years in America
by William Rivers Pitt

[in_cog_ni_to]

117. The THIEVERY of the 2000 election.

I'm STILL MAD AS HELL about it! :grr: I THANK G-D EVERYDAY FOR DU....it truly has saved my sanity. I LOVE this place!:loveya:

[madmax]

119. Same here!

And a profound loss of faith in the U.S.S.C. Prior to 2000 I voted but, that was the extent of my political activism. All that changed with Bush v. Gore.

120. du

I had the site bookmarked, but didn't read it until the rove was named for outing valerie plame. It seems like a lot of forums out there on yahoo are just yokels wanting to talk about sex. At least here there are some ideas, though I am not a political junkie. I surely didn't get excited about Kerry. I think this country is very scared of the liberals and that is going to be used for a lot longer by people like rove and bush. Corporations are deciding what happens in our country, just too much. :eyes:

[Ron Mexico]

123. I saw this site mentioned in one of DC's free newspapers, and

one day I saw the site in my bookmarks at work. I have a buddy who is a former co-worker and has been a DU member for over a while, and I now have his desk, so when I caught sight of this site in his bookmarks I decided to give it a whirl.

[long_green]

126. I was routed to this site by some freepers

When I first got online I spent most of my time talking college football. The politics on those boards are, well, "yikes!" is the word that springs to mind. One fine day, one of the hatriots put a link on his favorite team's board and I followed it. I am in that yahoo's debt.
I hardly need add that the tone of the man's (not a lady, surely)post was "can you believe these idiots?" Yes, I do.

[nicknameless]

127. I started out on a different, progressive site, trying to save my state

from the impending right-wing coup. I soon learned that most of the people there weren't much into activism.
They liked to chat, but even then, they often didn't stay on topic.

I needed to find people who were SERIOUS about activism. Someone posted a couple of DU links on my state thread and I checked them out. THANK GAWD!!! Right off, I found people on DU were VERY serious activists. They were determined to get things done, to fight for democracy and put an end to election fraud.

I am SO grateful ... not to mention, completely addicted.

[really annoyed]

128. My switch from right to left!

I had NOBODY to talk to about it. My parents just think I'm crazy for going liberal.

I had NO FRIENDS who were Democratic - until I spoke up to one of my closest friends, and I found out he was liberal too. That helped me out a lot.

I found this site via one of the front page articles, right after the 2000 election. I lurked for a LONG time before I decided to post. I joined before the 2004 election.

I think I generally like it here. I'm not a "message board" person and I'm more hostile on the internet than I am in real life. :evilfrown:

I'm trying to be nice..... :evilgrin:

[tanyev]

134. Welcome to the light!

Glad you're here. :hi:

[really annoyed]

142. Thanks!

It feels good to be liberal! :)

I know I made the right choice here!

[RONSTOO]

129. I ve been on Hannity boards

and a derogatory term over there is " weve got another DU'er here ..go take your crap back there "



So I decided to check it out and here I am.

[gollygee]

130. F 9/11

I started looking for some answers and wound up here.

[charlyvi]

131. A link from DailyKos.

I thought I was the only one--an FDR dem who thought the shrub was ruining everything I was proud of in my America. Then I clicked here and found I wasn't alone. And I think we are GROWING--those good years under dems weren't an illusion. The sulky repubs who feel shrub is a great leader are realizing that they don't quite eat as well, or get to go on vacation as much. The rhetoric is not working on the repub side--their base is finding that free market is all has actual consequences. LONG LIVE DU!

[Kerrytravelers]

132. I lurked on and off for a while, linking from other sites...but wtmusic

suggested I register and post!

[DemGirl7]

133. was looking around the web for some pro Democratic party sites

and I went to this site, and the 10 Ten Conservative Idiots list for that week got me hooked.:hi:

[Jersey Devil]

135. The demise of the MSNBC Bulletin Boards

I used to post regularly at the MNSBC Political News Board until it closed down in December of 2001.

I found DU through Bartcop and joined in 2001 though I did not post here regularly until the 2004 primary season.

[ProfessorGAC]

136. Heard Skinner On The Washington Journal

One Saturday morning in February of 2001. Checked it out the next day. Been here ever since.
The Professor

[Rich Hunt]

137. I met some DUers

I went to an anti-Bush protest and met some DUers there. Before that, I didn't really have a political "home", although I think I also encountered some of those people during the 2000 selection, albeit under a different name.

[bj2110]

138. I first showed up here on the evening of Nov. 2, 2004, after not believing

what my TV was telling me. I showed up and found a home with others who became convinced that BushCo stole the election.

[rman]

139. PNAC, basically

Someone pointed me to their website shortly after the Iraq war had started. Plans for invasion in place long before there was reason to do so. So i went looking for more, and stumbled upon DU.

[CitrusLib]

140. My sister turned me on to it.

[movie_girl99]

141. a deep desire to get educated

in politics. This place and those here are a fountain of knowledge.

[RagAss]

143. Great thread...let's get some more input ...kick

[napi21]

144. I was at a Howard Dean meetup, and some guy was talking about

DU. I wrote down the address and looked it up as soon as I got home. Been here every day since!