Is it my imagination or are there more disrupters than usual around here?

[kma3346]

It seems like every other thread lately (particularly those having to do with Cynthia McKinney, immigration, sexism, racism, and other "hot button" issues) has an inordinate amount of really aggressive, argumentive, and persistent posters spewing sarcasm and insults to those they disagree with. Last night, I couldn't believe how nasty the back and forth replies were getting. Some of these posters were obvious trolls (and were eventually removed), but some of them were people with over 1000 messages under their belt and were a little more subtle in their attacks (and backed off before they got in too deep).

I haven't been on DU long enough to know if this is a regular occurrence, but boy, the atmosphere seems to be getting more and more poisonous. I've been away for a while and I hadn't been on DU for a couple of weeks and can see a big difference in the tone of the conversations. It's amazing to me that anyone would hang around on a discussion board, where they totally disagree with everything the board stands for, long enough to get 1000 posts just so they can disrupt people here. Don't they have anything better to do with their lives?

DU'ers are not going to agree on everything, but namecalling is hurtful and doesn't accomplish anything positive. I'm very suspicious of any so-called DU'er who calls another DU'er a "moonbat" or who says "you liberals..." Maybe we should ignore and alert a little more, and respond a little less to those who obviously will never, ever change their mind and just want to argue and put others down. It's a waste of time and energy, doesn't result in anything constructive, and it raises everyone's blood pressure!

OK, I'm off my soapbox! Sorry, I really didn't mean for this to turn into a lecture!

:yoiks:

[tatertop]

1. sumpin' very fishy going on here

that is for certain

[BlueEyedSon]

2. yup

[texastoast]

3. Yeah

And my thread got locked last week for calling one a freeper.

:blush:

They do come around, usually when they feel most threatened or when the light shines a little too brightly on their sacred cows.

[TomInTib]

4. I don't think you know what the hell you are talking about.

Just kidding, of course.

There has been a little more rancor here than usual.

But there are a good many hot-button issues at present and views here are very divergent on some of them.

[Atman]

5. Ironically, some of the most merciless flames directed at me...

...were in response to my post suggesting that perhaps we needed to be a little more civil around here.

Go figure. I think the general tension everywhere, not just on DU, are reaching a fever pitch as Bush gets away with lie after lie after lie. Not just lies that cost a young woman the use of a blue dress, but real lies, which are costing jobs and lives. People are fed up, and lashing out.

I've been among them, I admit. I'm not proud of it, if it's any consolation, but sometimes you really do need to stand up and FIGHT.

Now, if we only could move the fight to off the message boards and onto the street where it really belongs!

[libnnc]

6. yeppers. Romper Room school has dismissed

The kiddles have nothing else to do but bug us.

[flyarm]

7. yes siree..i have seen it as well! ..n/t

[dogday]

8. I am not saying everyone should have the same

opinions, but when they get as extreme as they have gotten with a right wing slant big time... If I see and hear we are a nation of laws again, yet nobody is upset about the laws this President has broken repeatedly, it makes me wonder what is the agenda of these so called right wing Democrats????

[goclark]

12. BINGO !

I think they get such high posting numbers because they just give a simple "yep" to something they agree on then they go back and forth with people.

At least I hope that is the case.

I just find it hard to believe that DU is that divisive.

Difference of opinions is one thing, but badgering is totally different.

[bryant69]

It is comforting to note that this disagreement

Must be the work of a Freeper.

For surely there would be no disagreements if we were all true Democratic Undergrounders.

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

[kma3346]

18. Disagreements are OK

And inevitable, in fact. It's the namecalling and sarcastic attacks that I think are destructive (and unnecessary).

[Avalux]

9. Don't respond, use the alert button.

The moderators are here to take care of disruptors; and it's best to not engage them in arguments. So - yes, please use the alert button and we'll do what we do best. :hi:

[raccoon]

10. No, it isn't your imagination. I've noticed it too.

Remember, ALERT is your friend. So is IGNORE.

[Saturday]

11. I don't understand it either,

how can people with over 1000 posts talk like that to other posters? Makes no sense to me, how can they be freepers?

[dogday]

17. They are a mean determined bunch of people

It there is one thing we know, it is that......

[yorgatron]

24. post count means NOTHING!

i've been here a long time,and i've seen plenty of people with 1000+ posts get tombstoned.

[havocmom]

13. GOP ain't got nuttin' dis election year. Can't have us talkin' issues

The GOP is the party in power and things are going to hell in a hurry. They sure can't run on their record. They have nothing helpful to offer on important issues. They have become the party of obstruction of justice and destruction of democracy.

So, yeah, we are seeing a whole lotta hot button, emotional wedge issues of not very pressing importance taking up time and space around here. Best guess: it keeps too many of us off track AND gives the winger hate radio talking gas bags fuel for the aspersions they like to heap on liberals.

[windy252]

14. It's not just you.

There seemed to be an explosion of disrupters lately.

[quinnox]

15. I haven't noticed it

Sometimes du can get pretty heated, nothing new about that.

[IsItJustMe]

16. I think there is honest difference with the immigration issue because

people come at it from very different backgrounds, experiences, and views. I feel that blanket statements must be challenged and that's when I tend to post. But immigration is a real problem that should be discussed in a responsible manner.

To me, it's not as simple as open borders or charging illigal alliens with felonies. There has to be some middle ground somewhere.

[AllieB]

19. It's been really tense on some of those threads

which is why I avoid them. It does seem that there are folks fanning the flames though. Do you really think they're trolls, or just conservative Democrats? That's the problem with being a big tent.

I would just press the alert button if you see the term 'moonbat', or any other dead-giveaway term.

[KittyWampus]

20. Someone posts a thread with your exact same title weekly.

[msgadget]

21. Maybe...

After returning from a long break I noticed an onslaught of attacks by centrist supporters first but attributed it to how important regaining the majority is and then those anti-liberal voices either faded away or I avoided certain threads - can't tell which. Then came the immigration debate and, surprisingly, the first attackers weren't the racists but those accusing others of being racist! Okay, McKinney changes her hairstyle setting off a very fishy incident and people who would defend their chosen candidate for biting the heads off kittens think she should be arrested.

We're all different, from different regions and backgrounds and there's a lot of pent up frustration (speaking for myself here!) in addition to the disrupters, those among us who have an agenda beyond discourse and constructive debate.

Don't leave the soapbox just yet!

[PsN2Wind]

22. Perhaps you need to explain to us

"everything the board stands for". Or are disrupters those that might disagree with what you believe it should stand for. We are allowed to have different points of view here. That is what makes it Democratic and differentiates us from the Dittoheads>

[kma3346]

25. Very good point

That was definitely a poor choice of words because you're right, we all have different points of view. I guess I was mainly disturbed about the personal attacks and putdowns that I've been seeing.

[The_Casual_Observer]

23. Even the long time DUers can be pretty loose with the personal

attacks if you happen to voice an opinion that is from out of left field. And who doesn't honestly once and a while have an opinion or comment that is weird? I found myself in that situation a few times, and it can get really horrible and creepy.

[catmandu57]

26. Tell you the truth

I hadn't noticed any big upswing. I've been here a long long time and have fought off the troll infiltration attacks, the alert and ignore buttons are your friend, if someone is disrupting let the mods know they'll take care of it.
Stay away from hot button flame bait threads, if you want to see real disruption wait until the primaries get going, that's how gd politics was born.:hi:

[Moderator]

27. Locking....

If you feel that someone is a disruptor/freeper/ troll,
please use the alert feature to notify the
moderators. They will take the necessary action.


If you have further questions or concerns, please
contact the Administrators.

Thank you.


DU Moderator