When did this place become the home of anti-choice?

[AnalystInParadise]

From the people bitching about people wanting to keep their lawns looking nice, to the people wanting to outlaw football because of potential injury, to the those who want to ban Pit Bull's for no reason, the fucking authoritarianism of some is disgusting. If someone wants to waste their time cutting their grass, then watering it, then cutting it again, let them, it is their freaking choice. It is your choice to close your windows and wait until they are done or be ok with their grass cutting. If some kid wants to play football or soccer or rugby, and their PARENTS have no problem with the inherent risk, then it is no one's business to interfere. And if someone wants to adopt a pit bull puppy and love and care for it, then who cares if they want to adopt one. Pit Bulls are amazing dogs, I have had three in my life and never felt anything but love for them. I am a Democrat because I support Abortion Choice, I am a Democrat because I support Gay Marriage Choice, and I support Grass cutting every day of the week if someone wants to, playing football because a kid wants to and adopting a pit bull because someone wants to. Take your jackboots and desire to control others somewhere else. I rarely post, but these last few days have infuriated me as I have watched others act like they are some kind of superior human because they don't cut their grass, or let their kids play football or they sign petitions to ban pit bulls. The average American is not some fucking anthropology specimen to study, and it is NOT FUCKING WEIRD to want to cut your grass, play full contact sports or want specific dog breeds. GET THE FUCK OVER YOURSELF. Sorry for the rant, but it has been difficult watching these anti-choice sentiments here.

[mitchtv]

1. why, I oughta alert that!

but instead ,thanks,nice rant

[AnalystInParadise]

2. Not looking to offend any individuals

just don't understand how some choice is better than other choice.

[Scootaloo]

3. Well, for the first example, the lawns...

Watering lawns requires the use of the very definition of a public resource - water. Water spent hosing down an inedible, decorative crop is effectively wasted water. And the more arid your area, the bigger a waste it is. It in in effect squandering a necessary resource, just so your house in Arizona can look as though it's actually in an English meadow. There SHOULD be ordinances thaat restrict ornamental waster usage, and that give some sort of preferential treatment to using native regional flora as yard plants.

[Scootaloo]

9. Shutting down golf courses would be an amazing environmental victory

Given the amount of fertilizer, herbicide, and insecticides they pour all over, plus the constant hosing.

What I do know is that someone running their sprinkler isn't using water from their bath tub to do it.

[AnalystInParadise]

12. Ironically

I lived in Southern Arizona for a few years before I moved to Hawaii, and I had a Super Green lawn. I used hardly any water from the tap. Instead, I used rain barrels that I collected water from during Monsoon season, in fact many of my neighbors did the same. And again you are deciding what is and what is not a waste. If someone wants keep their lawn green and is willing to pay the financial cost, then I have no problem with them doing so. My yard consequentially did look like an English meadow in Sierra Vista, AZ and I was environmentally conscious, but I would have used all the PUBLIC water I AM ENTITLED TO. See that's the thing, water is a PUBLIC UTILITY and as long as I am not violating existing WATERING ORDINANCES, I don't care how much water I use. Here in Hawaii, I also have a nice Super Green lawn that I water often and mow every Sunday. I did it earlier today and I can assure you it has nothing to do with masculinity or a desire to keep up with the "Joneses".....I do it because I enjoy the appearance of my nice cut green lawn, the same reason I play football in my 40's, I ENJOY IT. Just like the reason I have two pit bulls I ENJOY my dogs.......Don't tell me what I can and can't do, stop taking my FREAKING CHOICE away from me. FUCK, it is like Repukes in here sometimes

[Scootaloo]

13. Who said anything about your masculinity?

That's a very odd thing to bring up to someone who's talking about water conservation and xeriscaping.

[Heddi]

21. and obviously doesn't care about limited resources

Per his...rant? " I don't care how much water I use"

Too bad he can't see that usable water is in limited supply. Sure sure, he may use a water barrel but what, like 90% of people don't. The millions of acres of golf courses don't use rain barrels.

And if he's using rain barrels, then why does it matter that he's paying for his water, which is a public utility, so who cares how much he uses as long as he's not breaking any exisitng water laws (what he said upthread). So using rain barrels or not?

But he don't care.

He said so.

" I don't care how much water I use"

We're facing an ecological disaster re: usable potable water. But this guy. " I don't care how much water I use"

Awesome.

BUT DONT YOU TELL HIM HE CANT PLAY FOOTBALL!!! GODDAMN IT! That's fascist shit! He'll play all the fucking football he wants. Just don't ask him to think about the water depletion this planet is facing. " I don't care how much water I use"

[AnalystInParadise]

24. I don't care

It is a public utility, I use public utilities and I pay for them. I don't care. But please continue to lecture me about how you are my better. I enjoy it so.

[Heddi]

26. Water is a limited resource. You should care

There will be a potable water shortage relatively soon. Perhaps not in your lifetime, or even mine, but it will happen. Desalination is expensive and cannot keep up with the demands of a rapidly growing planetary population.

But hey, you got your manly lush green lawn (since you're so concerned about your manhood, as you pointed upthread), so why SHOULD you give a fuck about the other couple of billion people on this planet?

I mean, really. The nerve of people. Caring about others. that's so...so...liberal

[AnalystInParadise]

31. I care about everyone

I care about their rights to choose what is best for them and their family. I know I have some nerve to support the rights of women to get abortions, our gay and lesbian friends to marry each other, people to own pit bulls, kids to play football, and people to do what they want when they want with their lawns and PUBLIC utilities. I am a monster.....




At least I know what Public Utilities are for.

[LostOne4Ever]

62. Actually its an issue Now.

I live in west texas and the water out here is already running low and we have watering bans almost every single year.

The bigger and richer cities are now trying to get deals with smaller towns so that they can have more water as it is currently.

The idea of running out of drinking water out here where it can and has exceeded 120+ Degrees during the summer is scary.

[AnalystInParadise]

64. In West Texas

i would agree with you, I am from Texas originally.

But West Texas is not everywhere. My mind in this issue is closed, in the absence of regulations or limitations put in place by the city, county or state, I will use what I want from a Public utility and there is not a damn thing wrong with that. If I was wasting water in drought, then yes, I am a criminal. People are making this ridiculously complicated.

[LostOne4Ever]

67. I agree with you on that

But I am just noting that there are places where water supply is an issue currently.

[AnalystInParadise]

72. And if

I lived in those places I would tear up my lawn and replace it with less thirsty crops. This has less to do with water for me and with authoritarian mindsets.....

[cui bono]

42. You should care about how much water you use. As has been mentioned and ignored by you,

water is a limited resource. That's why people want to limit certain choices, because of people who don't care about the consequences of their choices and how it affects others.

There are laws in place about speeding, theft, murder... shall we take those off the books and leave it up to choice? We can get a glimpse of how that would look like with the "stand your ground" laws. Do you think those are working?

[bhikkhu]

51. Use as much as you need, but in most places water is a shared commodity

Waste shouldn't be encouraged. Of course you're allowed to waste water, but don't expect any awards for it. A little more "we're all in this together", a little less "my property is my kingdom" would temper things.

on edit - all natural resources are limited. In this country everything tends to be free market - use all you want as long as you pay for it. The problem there is that all resources are limited - cost is often the only means to limit use, "what the market will bear". The heavier the demands on resources, the higher the prices goes, and the worse off it is for those who can't afford it. There is a real cause and effect there; in my area a few years back new construction raised water usage to the point that the infrastructure had to be expanded significantly, and at great cost. Everyone's water bills went up to pay for it, permanently, and there are plenty of brown lawns in town where people literally have to choose between using water and putting food on the table.

That's going to be more common as climate change sets in. Essentially waste raises everyone's costs, so you're allowed to, but its certainly not helping anyone.

[Skittles]

55. it absolutely gives him away

[AnalystInParadise]

57. The grass thread the other day

had comments about masculinity and lawn care. You would have known that if you were informed about this topic, but instead you chose to attack the messenger. I got it.

[Scootaloo]

82. No, I chose to tell you why people might be concerned about it

Namely that people on DU realize that living in the desert hand maintaining the fifth green on your doorstep might be wasteful of an increasingly scarce public resource.

It's not an attack on you, though you seem very insistent on taking it as such. While screaming that people who disagree with you are fascists and republicans.

Congratulations on you for both paying a water bill to water your lawn (or using your own collected water, I'm not sure which you're doing, you seem to say you did both?) However it's my experience that municipalities tend to severely undervalue and mistreat their water resources, leading to wasteful consumption and degradation of this most necessary of the commons. The logic of "I PAID FOR IT IT'S MINE!" doesn't really fit well with water, since again, it's a community resource rather than a private one.

But hey. You want to be angry. you go ahead and be angry. But I have to tell you, it makes you look a little silly, you being all raged-out at someone who has a My Little Pony character for an avatar.

[AnalystInParadise]

84. Actually

I am happy and smiling. The angry people are the ones trying to take choice away from me in their oh so progressive but really regressive world view. But it's cool, fortunately their views are outside the norm.

[rl6214]

20. But if you've got a well maintained, healthy lawn you use less water

And part of that is keeping the proper length and you use less water.

[AnalystInParadise]

34. Exactly

But what the hell, we are just primitives that don't understand that mowing grass, playing football and wanting the dogs of our choice is inherently wrong and evil.

[Egalitarian Thug]

48. Or, you can simply devise a sliding scale for pricing water that makes it

stupidly expensive to have a lawn. Coercion is not required, Scootaloo.

[AnalystInParadise]

60. See

I actually have no problem with that.......

[HumansAndResources]

68. Yes - This is how Most Nations handle Public Utilities

The first X kilowatts or cubic-meters are cheap - so even the poorest can have lights and bathe. Then the price goes up for those who want luxury-living or use a bunch for produce things to sell. This is better than the "one price for all" system.

My ideal would be we each **Own** our Individual Shares of Natural Resources like water, so we can use our share without answering to anyone, paying only for the "service" of delivery and choosing who does that. If we want more than our share, we can buy excess from others **Who Are Willing** to sell theirs to us.

[AnalystInParadise]

70. I also have no problem with this

n/t

[BlueToTheBone]

94. You left off the horrible chemicals that are then washed down the public

drains into the communal water. Yep, there should be ecological laws. But of course, property owners trump all. (I'm one too, but I do try to think of the generations to come)

[NutmegYankee]

4. Now now, you're about to anger your betters.

[LearningCurve]

19. LOL

[cthulu2016]

7. rec'd for rant quality

I don't know that I agree on every particular, but it's a good rant stylistically

[AnalystInParadise]

10. I don't know if I agree

with everyone in my rant either, BUT I believe they have the choice to do what they want. And that is my whole point.

[madville]

8. There are control freaks everywhere

Who are never content with trying to manage their own lives, they want to intrude on everyone else's party as well.

[Egalitarian Thug]

47. And so often it is those that have utterly failed to do just that, that are the most insistent

that everybody else comply with their wishes.

[leftstreet]

11. Get your pitbulls off my lawn!!11

DURec
nice rant

[delrem]

14. Hey, you can cut my grass if you want! I'm all for it!

[KittyWampus]

15. WOW! You've been here a whole 4 months and you want to know when this place became ANYTHING?

LOL!

did you forget which account you were posting under?

[AnalystInParadise]

22. LOL

If you read my posts, you would have seen I have lurked here for YEARS.

[Heddi]

27. How would we know you lurked here for years???

You have a sign on date. Not a "started lurking on" date.

And I'm quite sure you've been here for years. Lurker? Um, no.

[AnalystInParadise]

30. I'm sorry

Are you trying to accuse me of something? Or are you just angry that not everyone wants to be a part of your little fascist tea party where you decide what people can and can't do?

[Heddi]

32. Hi. You really shouldn't post while intoxicated

Care to back up in any way anything that points me as a fascist, or a tea-partyist?

because i think you're a troll, zombie, or sock? (which you haven't denied)(because you probably are, but that's okay, just as long as we're on the same page)
because I think your OP is shit? (because it is, because you can't back up a single thing you've posted)
because I think you're a greedy shit for not giving a shit about how much water it takes to keep your lawn lush and green? (because you said so in your own threads)

You should look up the word "fascist" because you really don't know what it means.

[LostOne4Ever]

63. Many of us have

I have actually lurked here from time to time since 2002, but only started posting in april of this year.

Problem is no one has any way of verifying this for either of us

[freshwest]

80. I haven't seen any of this being called out here. Useless without links to the problem.

I have no interest in any DUers's choice of canine breed, lawn maintenance routine or chosen sport.

Broadbrushing the DU community by saying it is made up of jack booted thugs, fascists, anti-choice authoritarians, and then equating it with women and gay rights is an insult to both groups.

Being born either is not a choice. Demanding the right to the freedom to live with the same rights of privacy and respect as others not discriminated against in law and society, is nothing like choosing a dog, sport or landscaping one's home. We are talking about freedoms that define one's entire lifetime, and those rights are not for others to judge, and not trivial.

It demeans both groups and close to the slur that being gay is 'a lifestyle choice.' That comes from RWers.

You mention that the OP has been a member since April 19th, 2013, but says here he has been at DU for years. The date one signs on is unimportant, but the content of posts are.

I object to mocking the important issues of the two discriminated groups to the way a person wants to live their life in choices with no comparison.

I think the OP is a call-out and a slur against DU in general, and borderline sexist and homophobic. What do you think?

[AnalystInParadise]

89. LOL nice attempt to silence dissent. The search tool is your friend

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023473674

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023480664

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022824583

[sheshe2]

95. Without paragraphs

it is difficult to read this OP. Much less understand where they are going here.

It is a broadbrush that is being used and it paints a convoluted picture.

I agree with you, freshwest:

"Broadbrushing the DU community by saying it is made up of jack booted thugs, fascists, anti-choice authoritarians, and then equating it with women and gay rights is an insult to both groups."

I feel a lot of anger coming from this OP and yes indeed a mocking tone.

[Egnever]

16. Sing it brother!

Sweet rant!

[MicaelS]

17. You have to remember that some people feel

That they know what is best for the rest of us. If they can't tell the rest of what to drink, eat, read, watch or do, why they feel they are the ones being oppressed.

If we would only LISTEN to them, and do exactly what they tell us to do, why the US would be a perfect place. Of course all their finger waving is just for our own good.

[AnalystInParadise]

28. MicaelS

You hit the nail on the head, our so-called betters know what is good for us. I am enjoying the personal attacks, kind of proves my point about them being jack booted thugs. I think there is a place in the political landscape they would feel more at home in than here. Most people here seem to be tolerant and accepting of others. Most people here seem to be just fine with choice being the way we should live and let others live. There is always that small fraction though that seeks to tell us poor deluded fools the errors of our ways and how if we just obeyed them we would be better off. We are just unaware of what is for our own good, and they will force us to see they are right. Oy vey!

[jberryhill]

83. How do you feel about lead in paint or gasoline?

[AnalystInParadise]

87. Gasoline is what we have for now

Still waiting on science and government to bring me something better for my lawn. And paint, I tend to not use. Steel framed house with brick, no need for paint

[jberryhill]

88. You should have stayed away from those paint chips long ago

[Dustin DeWinde]

58. so saying water shouldnt be wasted is now fascism?

Seems like some folks are internalizing and adopting teabag thinking.

The original poster said he doesn't care how much water he uses. Others correctly pointed out the selfishness of that sentiment. No one here is stopping him from selfishly depleting a shared resource, but we sure as hell have a right to voice our opinion on his selfish attitude.

[AnalystInParadise]

59. Not at all

Telling me that using a public utility how i want as long as I am willing to pay for it does have an authoritarian taint to it though. If the city places restrictions on me, I GLADLY follow the restrictions. If no restrictions are in place, then I will use as much freaking water as I want to. And if you don't like it, tough crap, I am violating no laws, breaking no social contract. I am practicing my rights.

I have enjoyed the laser like focus on water usage and the ignoring of other issues. It really kind of proves my point that others know better for me and mine and therefore I should obey my so-called betters. No thank you.

[Dustin DeWinde]

61. so you know water shouldnt be wasted but you waste it anyway

Because your city has not gotten around to restricting it yet?
You won't think of your neighbors till you are required by law to stop squandering shared resources, then you complain of too much regulation.

Show self control and maybe you wouldn't need to be so heavily regulated.
And as long as you aren't breaking any laws you are indeed free to behave selfishly just as others are free to criticize your selfish behavior
See how that works?

[AnalystInParadise]

69. Nope

If it is not a problem, I have no need, want or desire to restrict myself. Please continue to lecture me about how you are my better because I won't acquiesce to your viewpoint. I show self control when self control is needed. If it is not needed, I am free to do as I want within the law. Therefore, to quote Rage Against the Machine "F^&k you I won't do what you tell me". But I am saying it with a smile on my face and in a spirit of friendship.

[Dustin DeWinde]

73. self control is always needed. most of us learn that well before adulthood

And you keep referring to people who disagree with you as your "betters".
Whatever floats your boat I guess. But kindly leave me out of your fantasies..

[AnalystInParadise]

75. I am not the one trying to browbeat

and coerce people to change. I guess you miss all the threads where anyone who wants a green lawn, wants to mow it, wants their kids to play football or likes pitbulls is treated like an oddity.....Here's the bottom line, most people like their lawns, like football and don't give a shit about breed specific legislation. The oddities are the people trying to force others to abandon what they believe in.

[LostOne4Ever]

66. How is that different

than the city banning watering the lawn?

Its a restriction isnt it? And if water is an issue don't people have the right to lobby for more restrictions?

[Heddi]

18. Wow. You have gained some insight into DU since you signed up in April

I've been here since 2001. That's 12 years. 12 years in October, actually. I'm not really familiar with these shocking revelations you're going on and on about. I mean, 12 years in, you'd think the anti-choice, anti-lawn, anti-grass cutting, anti kids-playing-football contingent would be pretty well known.

But they're kind of not. In any way, shape or form.

So really, you're kind of talking out of your ass, if you want to know the truth.

I'd say "welcome to DU' but 1) I have a feeling you've been here before and 2) I have a feeling you'll be back again once your current incarnation is banned.

Oh, and paragraph breaks are free here. Admin doesn't charge for you to use the "enter" key after sentences. You should try it. It would make your silly yelps easier to read (and mock)

[AnalystInParadise]

23. Nice

ad hominem and accusatory. Nice. Would you like fries with that?

[Heddi]

29. You shouldn't be posting on DU while you're at work

You're supposed to be asking that of your customers, not other posters.

it pays to pay attention!

Lol re: ad hom and accusatory. Say, you haven't read your own OP by chance, have you? Because when I looked up "ad hominem" and "factually inaccurate accusatory thread that paints people with a broad brush" on Wikipedia, it just linked back to your OP...

[AnalystInParadise]

33. :)

Please by all means, keep it up. I'll let you have the last word, since part of the authoritarian mindset is to dominate others no matter the facts of the matter. So please, continue. I am done with you.

[olddots]

43. Is there a new word called attentionistic ?

there should be .

[Iggo]

25. Never.

[A Little Weird]

35. Do you think it's ironic

Do you think it's ironic that your post about how "DU is becoming the home of anti-choice" criticizes what people can choose to discuss? Should people have to run their ideas by you first? Or maybe the admins should modify the terms of service based on what you deem acceptable to have an opinion about.

I think a better solution would be for you to either a) weigh in on discussions about pit bulls, football, or lawn cutting schedules so that you may enlighten people who have not considered your point of view, or b) trash the thread so you don't have to be bothered by it. Just my opinion.

[AnalystInParadise]

38. No

but you are proving my very point. People are free to CHOOSE to say whatever they want, I am free to CHOOSE to criticize them for their ignorance. They are free to ignore me or CHOOSE to criticize me right back. My rant just concerns choice, that is all.

[A Little Weird]

39. If you're not trying to shut down discussion on DU

If you're not trying to shut down discussion on DU by implying that people are "jackboots" or "authoritarians" for having certain opinions, then I fail to see what your rant is about. In other words, you are criticizing what people should choose to discuss. In any case, I reserve the right to discuss whatever I want and I don't need to "get the fuck over myself".

[AnalystInParadise]

40. I think you do.....

But that is my opinion and I am free to wield it, just as you are free to wield yours. The fact that you have trouble with that logic chain tells me all I need to know. I don't want to shut anyone up, but I won't be fucking silent either. Get used to it.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

46. I have now changed my mind about you.

I don't think we will have to "get used to it".

[AnalystInParadise]

54. Ok

Thank you???????

[Jenny_92808]

36. In some republican areas, it is.....

against the law to catch rain water. Repub's have to go!

[AnalystInParadise]

37. And that is insanity

Rain barrels are awesome. I even learned how to make my own to keep out mosquito's and other pests from my caught water.

[Samantha]

50. Well I too have been here since 2001 and I think your rant is simply fine

I too lurked for months until one day someone posted something that made me so angry I had to jump in. I understand how that works.

I too lose my patience for people who try to tell others how to live their lives. I am totally non-judgmental and I look for that in others.

Everyone seems to need a rant everyone once in awhile to get things off their chests; many here do that.

Yes, rain barrels are awesome. Anyone who learns to make them to ward off mosquitoes can't be all bad!

Sam

[AnalystInParadise]

56. thank you Samantha

There is a cool place here in Hawaii, in Waianae on Oahu specifically that teaches you how to make rain barrels and also how to channel the runoff from your roof into the rain barrel. Waianae is pretty dry for Hawaii so every little bit helps.

[liberal_at_heart]

41. there are self righteous people on the right and on the left that think they know best and know how

people should be living their lives.

[Egalitarian Thug]

44. This is the defining difference between the prevailing mindsets. The authoritarians feel

it is perfectly fine to force their will on others. Egalitarians feel coercion is antithetical to liberty.

When the option of force is removed, negotiation and persuasion must suffice and creativity is required.

[Rex]

45. It's changed so much for those that cannot stand anything but an echo chamber.

Bless their little hearts!

[Pretzel_Warrior]

49. So while we're on the subject of choice, analystinparadise, what are your

Opinions on legality of abortion and the rights of gay people to marry?

[AnalystInParadise]

53. Pro-Choice on Abortion until Third trimester

Pro Choice on gay marriage, or better yet, complete equality for gay and lesbian couples in all areas of public life.

[Dustin DeWinde]

71. so in the third trimester you get to

Tell the woman what she should do?

How very magnanimous of you to grant two trimesters of choice before imposing your views on strangers.

Are you a republican by the way?

[AnalystInParadise]

74. LOL

Since 1.5% of abortions occur after the 24th week, I feel pretty comfortable with my opinion. I said I was against it, I never said I would stop someone from doing it. I never said I would criticize anyone who got one. I said I was merely against it, I make no argument in making my beliefs law and I make no condemnation of anyone who gets an abortion after the third trimester. Unlike my so-called betters, I don't want to change anyone's behavior.

[Dustin DeWinde]

78. so you can be against third trimester

Abortions which are none of your freaking business, but folks can't be against you'd selfish views on water conservation?


Well alrighty then. Now you are boring me. Good day to you, sir.

[AnalystInParadise]

86. Yeah

It's called choice, I love your binary logic, I am against it, therefore I must hate it. Not at all, I am against it, but if no laws are being broken it is none of my business. Just like my fucking lawn, my kids playing fucking contact sports and the kind of fucking dog I want are none of your fucking business? That's a lot of F bombs......but LOL sometimes you need to use swear words to get a point across. I am not trying to take abortion away from anyone, SO WHY do people feel it is in their interest to take things away from me. And that is the whole debate, I might be against something but I will DO NOTHING to stop anyone from pursuing it themselves.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

52. Are you longing for the days when every other thread was about sex?

[B Calm]

92. U too. . .

just kidding

[ridhithomas]

65. Keep green

I have a lawn and find it to have good qualities.Use lawn sprinkles to keep it green as well as healthy.

[LostOne4Ever]

76. I doubt you are the only one who feels that way

But liberalism is a broad ideology and the democratic party is an big tent party. You get a variety of people with different ideas here.

Civil/social/ Left wing libertarians like myself will probably agree with you on every point. In fact, I do agree on all those issues.

However, other groups here might disagree depending on the issue. Some might feel that water is a scarce and valuable public resourse and will object to it being used in a manner they feel is wasteful. Some groups here might feel that contact sports pose too big a danger to kids and lobby for laws that remove the physical aspects of the sport. Other feel Pit Bulls are simply too dangerous and pose a threat to the public safety (even though fatal dog attacks in general are less frequent than people getting struck by lighting) and should be banned.

But you got to realize, this is both liberalism greatest weakness and our greatest strength. We accept everyone and are open-minded to every idea. By listening to a wide array of views and opinions we expose ourselves to far more information and can make better decisions. However, it also means we have alot of divisions we have to work through. The union supporter and the environmental activist are going to but heads now and again. The Civil libertarian and the public safety advocate are not going to see eye to eye on things like spying or smoking bans.

Its hard at times, but its what makes us...us! Its one of thing things that separate us from conservatives and why we liberals are almost always on the right side of history.

[Sotf]

77. It isn't universal...

Choice is only for certain things... The right things...

Other things should be dictated because people don't know what is best and thus require enforcement in some form or another (economic, legal, social) to properly conform.

[kestrel91316]

79. DU has more than a few closet RW authoritarians.

They have, like, a single liberal stance on perhaps abortion, but then are extremely RW about everything else. And the admins give them a pass for years.

Makes me wonder about what the real purpose of this place is - perhaps DU is just more kabuki theater, more bread and circuses to make us think we are doing something worthwhile. And all the while, somebody is laughing at us.

[Egalitarian Thug]

90. You're quite right, but the purpose is plain. This is an income stream for the owners.

It might have been begun for any number of reasons, but it grew, and though the monthly revenues aren't making anybody wealthy quickly, it is more than most people realize. In addition, the sale price would constitute a comfortable retirement for all and there are other, less obvious but still valuable benefits to the owners and their families.

They didn't hit it big like Markos Moulitsas, but don't kid yourself, DU is a valuable asset.

[progressoid]

81. You've been a member for four months.

Issues of individual choice have been discussed here for years. Sometimes you'll agree with the majority of DU, sometimes you won't. It's what we do.

[AnalystInParadise]

85. Signed up four months ago

Lurked since about 2004.....The Manning/Snowden/Surveillance thing is what finally convinced me to sign up and talk.

[lamp_shade]

91. Generally unhappy people who feel a need to go against the grain

on just about every issue. That's my observation of many of the authoritarians I see on DU.
Good rant, BTW.

[Inkfreak]

93. heh. fuck authoritarians.

I like to play football on my freshly cut grass while the sprinklers are left on for my pit bull to play with. Then we go to Olive Garden.

There are no shortage of complaints in the form of OPs here on DU. Yours could be included. My advice is to ignore em. Or embrace em. I love reading some of these flamefests. I do enjoy how some posters have lasered in on a sentence or two, rather than address your rant on the broader point.