Waiting in line at the ice cream shop, just turned 5 people on to DU. Every little bit helps.

[LuckyLib]

Our ice cream parlor has computers set up on the internet on a ledge while you wait to be served. I logged on to DU and let it sit. Top story on proposal to remove Executive office funding from Cheney's office. One woman says, "Is this for real? Is this like the Onion?" My reply, "No, ma'am. This is where you get the real news you can't get on television." One older guy -- "Really?" A Mom to her teenager, "You'd like this honey." Second woman: "Democraticunderground.com -- I'm going to remember that."

All in a good day's work.

[PDJane]

1. Good for you!

one person at a time. Change comes one person at a time.

[SharonRB]

2. Good job!

[bliss_eternal]

3. Oh goody...

...maybe some new trolls. :shrug:

[liberal renegade]

6. maybe not.......

B-)

[bliss_eternal]

9. Maybe not...

...but the op didn't seem concerned at all about finding out if people shared the ideology of people that are members here. So why not?

:shrug: Just seems an odd thing to do, imo.

[live love laugh]

26. What's odd about telling people about DU? They can make up their

minds once they visit the site.

[roguevalley]

31. why do people here have to share all the same ideology? I am a

flaming radical liberal and I know not everyone else is. that is what makes this place great.

[bliss_eternal]

33. Um, gee...I don't know...

maybe because the people that created it say so. :eyes: Perhaps you should review the rules, guidelines, etc. The stuff that says that we are democrats, progressives, blah, blah.

Taken from DU forum rules:
2. Who We Are: Democratic Underground is an online community for Democrats and other progressives. Members are expected to be generally supportive of progressive ideals, and to support Democratic candidates for political office. Democratic Underground is not affiliated with the Democratic Party, and comments posted here are not representative of the Democratic Party or its candidates.

Clearly not my rules, not created by me. Oh and while you're at it, recall it's Democratic Underground--not political ideology mash-up underground.

But thanks so much for feeling the need to "argue" with me over merely expressing a difference of opinion. The whole point you and others are making about "differences" being so great here, is being proved SO WELL.

Thanks for making me feel so "welcome" to express a "difference" in such a welcoming environments as this. :)

[bliss_eternal]

44. for roguevalley...

...sorry, I can't edit my prior post anymore, roguevalley. It wasn't my intent to be rude or off the cuff with you. I was a bit distracted earlier. Sorry about that.

I appreciate that you are a flaming radical liberal. It's good to see here. I also appreciate seeing some other "progressive" perspectives that have helped me to see some things from a different point of view that I hadn't considered before being a member here.

If you follow some of the other responses I've rec'd on this thread alone, maybe you'll understand my concern.

I (and others) have faced quite a bit of rude behavior based on just expressing a different opinion on DU, on a variety of topics(women's rights, glbt rights, people of color, immigration rights, etc., etc.).

While some on this thread have countered my comments with "differences are great," they simultaneously took the opportunity to try to make me feel bad for expressing a counter view/opinion. It's ironic and kind of funny. They're asking what my problem is, while beating me about the head for saying something outside of what others here shared.

It's a contradiction in terms that seems lost on a few, but it inadvertenly proved my point.

If I can't even have a discussion with other "progressives/liberals/democrats" that is civil and respectful, why on earth would I welcome those that aren't(Dems)here? I'm quite familiar with what it's like to try to have a discussion with a rabid right winger. Sometimes, (forgive me for saying this)it's not all that different from communicating with some here, that have self-identified as "liberals." :(

Btw, no need to answer, I know you're busy, etc. I'm just clarifying my stance for you, since you asked so nicely--which I really appreciate :hug:).

Take care,
bliss :hi:

[roguevalley]

47. Sweetie

Hugs back atcha. :hug:

[City Lights]

4. Way to go!

:yourock: :toast:

Welcome, ice cream parlor lurkers! :hi:

[Elspeth]

5. But did they think that the big story of the day was circumcision?

That seems to be all any folks can talk about right now.

[mitchtv]

7. I am going to a Telephone company reunion tomorrow

I will be soliciting for DU. I was after all the shop stewart, and people respect my opinions. Thanks for the reminder.

[murielm99]

11. I had a meeting with

some of the Democrats in our Congressional district this morning. We are working with a candidate to defeat the republican incumbent.

This guy wants to visit blogs. He already has done some of that locally, answering his critics. I told him to come to DU. A couple of the others there wrote it down, too.

We may have some new friends soon!

[bliss_eternal]

8. Do you know if they were even Democrats?

...helpful to what and who exactly--to invite strangers here, not knowing their political ideology or background?

:shrug:

[LuckyLib]

10. I have no idea. But getting people to read and think for themselves means exposing them to other

ideas, other voices. Knowing about sites like DU is the first step.

[bliss_eternal]

12. I can appreciate that you want to open ...

...people to other ways of thinking. Nothing wrong with that and you're entitled to the opinion that what you did is a way to go about it.

But there ARE other sites on-line, that provide such information. Sites that don't offer the same sort of "interaction" people can find here. The kind of interaction a disruptor or someone not yet OPEN to this way of thinking may find irresistible.

The information in itself isn't always enough to "open minds." One must be willing and able to engage in critical thought. Some (on both sides of the political spectrum) aren't always capable of that, and would rather lash out at those offering ideas they don't understand or are opposed to.

Just my $ .02.

[karlrschneider]

14. You're right. Inviting people here is a really dumb idea.

...

[bliss_eternal]

15. I don't think I said that...

I think you know that I didn't say that.

I think that I "implied" that inviting people here w/out knowing if they are at least Democratic or progressive first, may be a bit impulsive and that it could create problems. Perhaps it won't.

I don't think there's anything wrong with being cautious about who I tell about this site. If nothing else, it says I'm concerned about the members and don't want to see anyone needlessly hassled about their beliefs.

[karlrschneider]

16. DU is moderated. Usually very well. Occasionally not so much but overall

problems are handled expeditiously! :D

[bliss_eternal]

18. No. Really...?

...as if I didn't know. Gee, I wondered who all those alerts I make go to. :sarcasm:

Given that you seem to just need to disagree for the sake of doing so,
(or to have something to do) I don't feel this is productive. Feel free to respond--but I assure you I won't see whatever else you may feel the need to say. Welcome to my ignore. :hi:

[Mythsaje]

23. Disruptors are dealt with sooner or later...

Even if it were five to one odds, five trolls for one genuinely open person (odds I seriously doubt) it would nevertheless be worth it in my opinion to bring them here.

[bliss_eternal]

34. This entire exchange is a great example...

....of why I rarely post in GD. I stated my opinion, knowing it was "different" and there've been no less than four people that feel the need to argue about it, and to tell me how stupid they find my opinion. It seems you share that opinion--that's fine, you're welcome to it. Just interesting, given some of the same contradicted themselves saying they are so welcoming of "different views' here.

That point, would have gone much farther had I been allowed to have my difference of opinion--without all the belittling, denigrating and general nastiness. Nice.

FYI--there's "trolling" and "disrupting" that skirts the issues and nothing ever comes of it. But perhaps you've never experienced that here.

[tbyg52]

30. At risk of getting myself flamed...

This is a public forum, at time of this post. Anyone can come here just by stumbling across it, which is how I got here. I don't see much difference between that method of arriving here and having it pointed out to you by someone, even a stranger in an ice cream parlor. Last I heard, a secret handshake wasn't required just to look..... ;)

[bliss_eternal]

35. Well, that explains a lot.

Like why you need to dogpile me for expressing an opinion.
Welcome. :eyes:

[tbyg52]

45. I was not aware that I was "dogpiling" you,

whatever that is (I can make an inference, but have not heard the term before).

I *thought* I was expressing an opinion in a civil manner. Sorry if you thought otherwise.

Upon edit: You seem, to me, to be implying that I am some sort of second-class citizen due to my method of discovering DU. Some welcome!--and not sure why you felt I needed even a sarcastic welcome, as I've been here for a while, if you will notice.

Incidents like this are why I often vow to come here just to read, if at all.

[Spazito]

32. Wow, I had NO idea I belonged to a site that is supposed to be

akin to some secret club where credentials have to be presented before they can even know of it's existence! Thousands read DU, you don't have to register to read the site, you do know that, right??? Thousands more register but rarely, if ever, post, you do know that, right? Those that register, post and (gasp) even donate don't have to show approved Democratic documents to participate, they only have to follow the rules, you do know that, right?

[Name removed]

38. Deleted message

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

[Spazito]

39. Whether you have me on your ignore list or not, I am going

to respond to your post. I can only wonder if you read your own words, your own posts after hitting "post message". I wonder because you talk about responding with respect yet I saw little respect, etc, within your posts to the OP and others who disagreed with your point of view and expressed it.

LOL love the "alleged" Democrat, no lack of respect there, eh. Given I am a Canadian, probably another reason you might want to "ignore" me, I have never "alleged" I am a Democrat, in the party sense, as it would be illegal for me to be one but, I suspect, you used the "alleged" terminology for another purpose.

[Name removed]

41. Deleted message

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

[bliss_eternal]

42. Self Delete

:)

[bliss_eternal]

43. Obviously...

you are aware of the rules, or you wouldn't be citing them to me.
DU is a membership forum--for Democrats.

Not at all sure why you need to respond to a "differnce of opinion" in such an adversarial or antagonistic way. Plying me with condescending questions and all. But that is certainly your choice to do so.

I'm off to exercise my choices.:)

[karlrschneider]

13. You obviously have a COOL (!) Ice cream parlor.

:D

:toast:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

17. Recommended! nt

[sleipnir]

19. Oh Good. They can get lots of information about Circumcision today!

I can only hope tomorrow brings about a more useful conversation.

[ClayZ]

20. Good! K and R

[chknltl]

21. Well a few here do not agree with you...

...I am not one of them. I :toast: you for this CLW. Thanks for an inspiration. I look forward to finding creative ways to turn folks on to the DU now too. BTW, if I bump into the situation where I can turn a freeper candidate on to the free republic I just might do that as well. WHY? Because it will gnaw at the freeper, knowing that a "Dummy", (that is what they call us...without the capitol "D") was more open minded than anyone in the entire free republic. I will be polite and supportive of him when I do this and ask that perhaps he could find it in his spirit to pass the favor along to a future candidate for DU should he run across one. Secondly how keen would that particular freeper be to mess with us...who knows I might cause a ripple by doing that...well it COULD happen ya know!

[Mythsaje]

22. I'm hoping that my bumper sticker has brought a few people here...

But I've recommended DU to a few people. I think the chance of bringing in a troll is relatively slim and, well, so what? We've had trolls before. It's not like they pillage and carry it all away with them, after all.

[stellanoir]

24. "Is this like the Onion. . .?"

LOL. . .kinda is sometimes.

[live love laugh]

25. Way to go! n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. I pulled in a gas station one day

and these 2 girls in the car behind me saw my DU bumper sticker and asked about it. They said they didn't think there were any Dems in Kansas. They were excited!

[tbyg52]

46. Exactly. And that bumper sticker came from the owners of DU,

who give it out with paid memberships.

If that isn't pretty good evidence that *anyone* is welcome to look at DU, I don't know what is.

[IndyOp]

28. My DU t-shirt is on the way! My best mode of advertising. (n/t)

[treestar]

29. Good job!

:yourock:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

36. An excellent day's work!

:kick:

[SalmonChantedEvening]

37. Well done CLW!

:applause:

You're what DU is all about :)

[Spazito]

40. Excellent idea! WTG!

The more people who learn about DU the better, imo. I am sure the administrators of the site agree as well, that is the purpose of the bumper stickers we can get with our donations! I tell as many people as will listen about DU and how much I have learned since discovering it.