Does anyone feel defensive when they log in to DU?

[liberalnurse]

I myself love the concept and format of DU. I use to pass on the word about this fine forum to new and enlightened democrats who wanted to know more about making a difference and getting *bush out of office. Today, I am much more hesitant to do so and when I do, I make excuses and warn them of the hostile bashing behavior; rationalizing the acts and feeling much less empowered than before...

I feel like a defensive driver now when I log on. I find that even in spite of the terrific job the mods and Skinner are doing, the intend to slam another democratic candidate permiates the boards.

Well, I'm still here but my role of advocate is on hold until after the first round of 04 Primaries. It's a shame, we need to involve as many grassroots activities as possible...

I'm a Dean supporter and I'm going to Iowa next month to back the leading democratic candidate. I'll embrace the others too as I'm proud of our field. The trolling bashers who still find ways to infect DU are not using their thinking caps.

[Cha]

1. Thank you so much for going to Iowa

and all the good work it involves!

I know what you mean about "defensive", but it won't be long now before the primaries are over and we see if our campaign, that we worked so hard for, is the winner! :yourock:

[liberalnurse]

2. I do it for America and

the party. I know its the right thing to do. I feel like I'm serving my country.

[Cha]

3. Me, too! And "Getting It Back"!

:toast:

[deutsey]

4. Very much so

I come to DU first to look at LBN, then I prepare for gladiatorial combat in the rest of the site.

[liberalnurse]

5. It does not make it easy for the

new and inquiring democrat. DU is a fantastic concept and veneue for indormation but the intrustions are intimidating I think.

[deutsey]

7. I do not recommend DU anymore to friends

just because many of them are not as "hardcore" as I am and I know some would be completely turned off to politics by the nature of many discussions here.

[Kanary]

12. I don't either, or even recommend for myself!

The first thing I learned here is not to ask ANY questions about another candidate, or you'll be handed your head. Yeah, they say it was an attack, however you phrase it, but the simple fact is that there is so much hostility that any question at all is seen as an attack. So, I just let 'em all do their thing, and stick with my candidate, and figure I don't need to know about the others. I'm to the point where I don't WANT to know anymore. And that's just sad.

What really gets me is the lack of responses. There is very little actual conversation... it's all talking past each other. But, today, I got just plain ticked when for the umpteenth time I asked a question and nobody could even respond. Y'know, you sure don't see the serious candidates doing that. They know they can't just ignore people if they want to be voted into office. If ya want people to be involved, you have to be willing to give them the time of day.

So, yeah.... it's not something I'd recommend. Too bad.

Kanary

[wanderingbear]

6. Not so far..

Havent been here long,But useually by this time Im on the ban list..
So far I havent had anyone disagree with me..Yet..

[Cha]

8. Your website is awesome! And Colorful!

Welcome to DU! :toast:

[wanderingbear]

10. Thanks...

My philosophy is life is to short to be boring..Add some color..

[wanderingbear]

15. Ok..One Argument

That turned out to be a case of Mistaken Identity.

[Guaranteed]

16. LOL

Oh sure.

Because, in reality, your website was an informative and stimulating database for progressive activists. ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wanderingbear]

19. I never clamed it was all that..

Its just my personal Website.

[Turkw]

9. There is nothing wrong with debate, you have the right atitude, first we

debate, pick a candidate, then we kick ass.

Part of the hostility comes from people who want us mad at eachother. I know that the disruptive "Dean" supporters on the Clark blog are Bush supporters. We have had some real Dean supporters drop by, they don't post the nasty messages. I post now and again on another candidates blog, to join in the discussion, not disrupt it.

When we have a candidate, then we attack. I posted a thread about fighting the Repubs. tonight:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=946016

[deutsey]

11. There is some debate, which is good

I see more smearing of a lot of candidates, not just the one I support.

[G_j]

13. I'm very happy with the new set up for GD

I haven't even visited the candidates forum. I've done the research I need on the candidates already. I doubt if anyone is saying much new there.
Before the new forums were set up, I became absolutely bored with the redundant threads. People were so busy arguing that when actual scorecards were posted on the candidates put out by different organizations, very few seemed even interested.


I'm so glad you can actually carry on an intelligent discussion in GD again!
I'd gladly steer someone to DU, but I might suggest they avoid the candidates forum.

[spychoactive]

14. it's a jungle out there!

personally i absolutely LOVE the DU, being onboard for only two months i haven't seen nor heard enough to know whether the hostility and negativity is cyclical, or due to the primaries, or republicans logging on and stirring things up intentionlly (something i had not even thought of until i arrived here) are these the "freepers' i read about? why are they called freepers???...

as a kucinich kid i must say the whole dean v clark plays out like wrestling here at the DU sometimes, i have a solution...here it is: my candidate wins that's who we vote for november, your candidate wins in november ..that's who we vote for...as long as we all know that, we'll be fine and these lil' internet cage matches will be a fond memory when we have the presidency back...

thanks for being here
one love
spike

[tkmorris]

23. Oh great

Your jungle reference fired off some bored neurons in my brain apparently. Now I have "The Message" from Grandmaster Flash playing over and over in my brain in an endless loop..........

"It's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I keep from going under. Heh, heh heh heh heh."

[Sapphocrat]

17. Yeah, and it's funny you should mention...

...feeling like a "defensive driver." Upon first glance at your subject line, my first thought was about defensive driving.

It's not the candidate slams that drive me off -- I can avoid those easily enough (all hail Skinner for splitting GD!) -- but when I see it's going to be one those days full of gay/anti-gay/it's-all-the-gays'-fault threads, I just want to go off and slam my head against a wall until I lose consciousness.

So, yeah, I have to brace myself before the front page finishes loading. The feeling is kind of like... Have you ever lived with somebody in a bad relationship? You leave work, you drive home, and when you round the last corner and your house comes into view, your stomach kind of drops... and you think, I should be happy to come home at the end of the day... I shouldn't feel like this... And then you walk in and see if everything is okay, or if there's major trouble brewing, and you're about to catch hell for something. And you wonder why you ever bother to come home again. But then -- to cut to the punch line of a very old joke -- you realize you need the eggs.

[Guaranteed]

18. Hey man...

I feel ya.

I'm not gay. But, I feel ya.

There's just so much bad blood going around here nowadays. No one really knows who to trust. And there are a lot of scumbags, truly, around. I'm trying to get one tossed right now, but the mods aren't feeling it. It's tough. I know what this guy is going to turn into, you know?

Just a massive tool.

Anyway, it's a fight, either way, and I'm with ya, right by your side.

Right on. Keep it up.

[wanderingbear]

20. Tool..

You said tool..LOL..lol...lol..

[Guaranteed]

21. You know what you are. nt

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[spychoactive]

25. huhuhuhuhuh

he said MASSIVE tool..huhuhuhuh...

ok it's getting late

i still love it here at the DU

one love
spike

[Kanary]

22. Thanks, sappho and bullgoose..

My reasons for the "defensive driving" might be different, but it all adds up to the same thing.

Unfortunately, the "defensive driving" means putting on armor, and that affects other losses.

It's sad.

Kanary