I decided to ask DU3 for moral support

[Leopolds Ghost]

On an activist-related issue where I was http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023819691">defending my honesty and integrity to a friend.

I mentioned that it involved personal anecdotes about how gov't abuses of authority and harassment of dissent had directly affected my family in emotionally harmful ways which I didn't care to discuss on the forum.

I asked if there were any current or former activists on DU with (or without) similar experiences
who could provide moral support and perhaps indirectly prove to my friend that I am not a liar.

Zero positive response, two hostile replies. I know I posted it in the middle of the night but still...

mine countenance whereupon



Apparently the day has arrived when DU will serve as a forum for telling my friend I am a liar when I try to relate my own experiences abuses of our political system that we have all witnessed that have been central to discussion on DU for the past ten years. I might as well have posted on a conservative free-for-all site.

[Enthusiast]

1. In this society assholes have reached the saturation level.

Unfortunately you will encounter them nearly everywhere you go. Sorry about the bad experience, Leopolds Ghost. Feel free to visit and interact with us here in this rare asshole-free oasis.

[PurgedVoter]

2. You have my sympatly

When I read the responses to a post on DU3, I often get a feeling that it is a hunting ground where the compassionate are stalked by those without such feeling.

I felt like a home of mine was in decay, but still loved, before DU3. DU3 was never for me though.
I lurked instead of joining. While lurking I debated making a very concealed ID to join DU3 with. In the few conversations that I was motivated to join, the conversation quickly became one that I did not want to join. I finally conceded my interest and I only read DU3 when a search for information leads there. Even then it is often hard to extract good data. Even before DU3, it often seemed like sockpuppets were manipulating the Greatest and being protected as they hunted down people who posted real information. There are some great threads being produced on DU3, but exposed hearts get eaten as often as not. While this site is slow and often lonely the folk here all feel real and compassionate.

[No Elephants]

3. aw

Big hug.

[peace13]

6. There is a shortage of empathy, that is for certain! n/t

[Leopolds Ghost]

12. Thanks, PurgedVoter (and peace13)

I almost posted on my thread there to say that I wish we still had downvotes on DU3, so that I would at least know they didn't like what I had to say instead of silently judging me. :blush: You know what I Mean?

[No Elephants]

4. leftists are not the most welcome on democratic boards sometimes

And DU was always more centrist than, say, firedoglake

But you did get some other replies.

It's a mixed bag, true, but many message boards are.

FWIW, I don't think you are a liar and I am always happy to see you.

A little googling should get you links you can send to your friends.

Even members of the Kennedy clan have been arrested demonstrating.

[peace13]

5. What ever you do, do not take it personally!

It can be *ell over there. On your question about defending yourself.... I find that if I have to defend myself, more than likely, the person I am talking to is unable to process the information. Don't let the turkeys get ya down. So many in this country cling to their ignorance like it's the last twizzler in the bowl.

Take care!

[No Elephants]

14. Good advice! I love the turn of phrase, too.

"So many in this country cling to their ignorance like it's the last twizzler in the bowl."

Funny, yet sad, because it's true. And we cling to our biases even more, maybe me most of all.

[rpannier]

7. hfojvt is a twit anyway

i just avoid almost everything he posts

[Enthusiast]

8. I encountered two people that

seemed to have the goal of repeatedly harassing me. I put them on "ignore". It's much more pleasant without their bullshit. I only have these two individuals on ignore.

[No Elephants]

9. Bots, probably

[Leopolds Ghost]

10. Thanks for the support y'all *hug* ~_~ What I don't get is...

:hug:


What I don't get is, DU a few years ago (in, say, 2005-2009?) would have been far more supportive, I was honestly expecting support like on this thread. I expected a few neighsayers but not a complete disdain or anything...

As it is, unless a bunch of new comments came in yesterday, I can't even show it to my friend because it would just make him think I am paranoid and full of it.

I posted it in the middle of the night though, and I haven't had time to check back since early yesterday morning, though, so I'll go and see if anyone else responded.

To tell you the truth I was hoping folks might chime in with their experience of protest movements, but I can't seem to find a lot of Dems in real life who protest anything anymore. And it's a Democratic boomtown right now with a strong economy... if they can afford to live there then the system is working to benefit them. I guess that's why.

Even the gov't shutdown protest, geared to people lobbying on behalf of laid off civil servants, attracted only a dozen people.

[Leopolds Ghost]

11. Do people not reply to old threads on DU3?

I hadn't had the opportunity to look at the thread since I posted it, and it got a few more replies. But whenever I post on an existing thread, it seems like nobody replies except maybe the person I posted to... so I just posted some replies to them and I haven't heard back, the thread is dead... and it makes me think of whether that was always the case, way back in 2005 or whenever. Like when I go to a lot of threads you see a million people replying to one another.

[No Elephants]

13. Can't speak to DU3. I don't remember a lot of posting at old threads at CU2.

As far as a million people replying, I am not sure as many people post on DU3 as posted at DU2, expecially before Obama was President.

Democrats were more unified and DU2 was a haven when Bush was in office. After Obama was elected--even during the height of the primary-- there was a lot of division and no more haven. Unfortunately, I did not start posting at DU2 until Obama won the primary.

Not taking anything at DU3 personally is good advice.

As far as who replies, the only person who knows of a new post on a thread is the person to whom you posted.

[Leopolds Ghost]

15. Well, i guess i should have replied the day i posted then

Maybe I could have found a couple other activists on DU3

[No Elephants]

16. Again, though. If you google, I am sure you could find news stories to support

your statements to your friend.

I think those would be more convincing anyway, than agreement from anonymous supporters he does not know.