I'm not a "PaulBot," not welcome on DU

[RitchieRich]

Making 34K, I donated a car to NPR instead of selling it, only to be blacklisted after posting about NDAA- later having even the most lukewarm comments censored. I went on their site yesterday for the first time in a good while, dismayed to see on the sample of stories I checked that the comments / discussion had degraded to a lowbrow, partisan insult contest.

I came to DU with the hope of finding a community where I could get less filtered news and interact with like minded people. I've been posting many DU stories and funny pics (for the non-readers) on my facebook page, in an effort to promote DU.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=579039194

I posted a story on DU for the first time yesterday - on NDAA. Really, I just posted about the latest twist, as I wanted to generally discuss it and have a specific question answered: why wasn't it vetoed. I actually got some articulate and thoughtful responses which served to partially answer my question and make the prospect of voting for Obama a second time more palatable. I take the loss of civil liberties (as related to NDAA) to be the most pressing issue facing us, and the least discussed. Needless to say, I feel very strongly about it. I mentioned in the post how I had "seriously looked into Ron Paul" because of his stance on this issue. In the comments I later stated one of the reasons why I no longer considered him to be an option. When I went to copy the link so I could post it, I saw it was all gone. I'm wondering if I should continue here, or if DU is only interested in preaching to the converted.

[RockaFowler]

1. The site is titled Democratic Underground

So when you mention Ron Paul - a lot of us get upset. He's a Republican. And in advocating for him on a Democratic website, you lose all credibility.

[warrior1]

2. sometimes you have to have

a pretty thick skin to play in the sand box here.

I'm been around for awhile and there are times where anyone can post a topic and it becomes a fight. Why, not sure why. But people here are generally good. Stay a while.

[RitchieRich]

14. :)

thanks

[mac56]

3. First of all, welcome to DU

It's not clear why your post was deleted. But I think once you have been here a bit longer you will see that DU isn't "preaching to the converted" by any stretch of the imagination. There is more diversity of opinion here than any political site I've ever seen.

What is NDAA, anyway?

[RitchieRich]

16. http://www.aclu.org/search/ndaa?show_aff=1

I'm sure its because I violated the Terms of Service, without knowing it. My bad, but I explicitly stated that I wasn't going to vote for Paul, so, ?

thanks!

http://www.aclu.org/search/ndaa?show_aff=1

[Scuba]

4. Hmmmm. An example of....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/124078598

[mac56]

7. My thoughts exactly.

That thread opened a lot of eyes.

[lumberjack_jeff]

8. Agree. n/t

[DevonRex]

35. Could very well be.

Or someone who is simply new to politics on the net and is very interested in learning.

[bemildred]

5. The most pressing issue facing us is a corrupt Congress.

All the other ills we have flow from that.

[Scuba]

9. I would argue the most pressing issue is fair elections.

[Renew Deal]

6. DU (in general) is more about preaching to the converted than arguing with Paul zealots

It's a home for Democrats and like minded people to discuss issues. It's not an open forum like AOL chat rooms where each side hurls talking points. Parts of DU are like that (Guns, I/P, Creative Thinking, etc.).

So the arguments you'll find on DU is between Democrats. They get pretty crazy some times. But in the end our goal is supposed to be electing Obama and more Democrats. If you're unsure about that goal, then unfortunately DU is not the best place for you.

Some people get around that by only posting negative information about Obama but never stating that they'll vote against him. That's another matter.

[Scuba]

12. Disagree. We're about a lot more than electing more Democrats....

.... we're also about vetting those who claim to be Democrats and helping to shape Democratic policy positions.


I feel strongly we should be welcoming those who are turning against the right-wing. One shouldn't have to know every liberal talking point to be allowed to be a DU member.

[mac56]

18. +1000

[RitchieRich]

19. I actually do understand why...

as per my example in the main story about NPR being a nasty insult contest, would hate to see another good venue go that way.

[Scuba]

21. I hope you stick around. If you get banned, it should be after ...

... refusing to accept facts, continuing to post right-wing memes, or some more substantial offenses than saying you once like Ron Paul. Welcome to DU.

[Renew Deal]

28. Here is the DU "Mission Statement."

I didn't say anything about "talking points." You did.

Mission Statement

Democratic Underground is an online community where politically liberal people can do their part to effect political and social change by:
• Interacting with friendly, like-minded people;
• Sharing news and information, free from the corporate media filter;
• Participating in lively, thought-provoking discussions;
• Helping elect more Democrats to political office at all levels of American government; and
• Having fun!

After more than a decade online, Democratic Underground still hosts the most active liberal discussion board on the Internet. We are an independent website funded by member subscriptions and advertising, and we have no affiliation with the Democratic Party. Democratic Underground is a truly grassroots community where regular members drive the discussion and set the standards. There is no other website quite like it anywhere on the Internet.

We are always looking for friendly, liberal people who appreciate good discussions and who understand the importance of electing more Democrats to office.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=aboutus

[leveymg]

10. Stick around for a while longer.

There's been a big upsurge of late in Alerts and Juries hiding any posts that even vaguely suggest troll behavior, which is what expressing support for non-Democrats, including Paul, is considered. The board is going through something of an identity crisis at the moment, but by and large, DU is still a valuable and interesting place.

You'll see things posted here that are virtually unique, and it's a good global and political news feed.

Hang in there, and welcome to DU. Please post more on NDAA or related subjects.

[lonestarnot]

11. Whatever Ritchie Rich. Whatever.

[hootinholler]

13. First, Fuck Ron Paul

Second, welcome to DU.

Third, we have a forum for whining about DU.

[leveymg]

20. I'll second that emotion.

RP's probably the sanest and most principled of the GOPpers, particularly about privacy issues and military intervention, but that isn't saying much.

[kestrel91316]

30. RP is big on privacy issues until it comes to women's reproductive rights, and then

he's just another white male 1%er who considers it his duty to shrink government down so he can shove it up my you know what. He is rabidly anti-choice.

[leveymg]

33. Good point. RP is definitely NOT a consistent thinker.

He's also not so hot on racial issues, or more accurately, is a newcomer to the concept of racial equality. That still makes him enlightened compared to most in his Party, who are consistent bigots.

[RitchieRich]

25. ha!

that was much nicer than "Fuck-off, Paulbot."

(I didn't even know what a Paulbot was but assumed it was bad.)

[qb]

15. Welcome to DU

[Mz Pip]

17. You aren't going to get much sympathy

if you start posting reasons not to vote for Obama. If you don't consider Obama an option this is not the place for you. This is about electing Democratic candidates and that includes the President.

While Obama may not have lived up to the expectations of many people, the alternative is just plain horrible. Voting for Ron Paul, who hasn't a snowballs chance in hell of getting elected to prove a point is just a vote for Romney. Want to see your civil liberties really trashed? Just get Romney and a Republican congress elected.

[RitchieRich]

22. really not tying to rally for R...

I do get that this is a place for Democrats. I have voted straight D since Bush 2, moving away from independents. Hard right and hard left seem like crummy options though. In my perfect world there would be a possibility to vote for those who vote according to their own conscience, not party doctrine. Surely of two choices, neither is 100% right.

[Bluenorthwest]

27. Ron Paul is a Republican not an 'independent'

In fact, there are zero 'independents' running for national office. Well, Sanders, and he's not your 'moderate' dream date, now is he?
It is hilarious, all the talk of 'independents' which just means GOP. Paul is and always was a GOP DC insider, in Congress since time immemorial. He's GOP Classic. And a nut on almost all issues like the rest of his Party, the GOP.

[Fire Walk With Me]

23. And you've mentioned RP in both your Subject and in the message.

Mmm Hmm.

[RitchieRich]

26. granted

I gave up on him when I looked more into his stance on gay and abortion rights. I get that there are a lot of fakers. This is why I posted a link to my facebook page to attempt to prove my assertions.

I just hope that my godlike skills of persuasion don't cause DU to let in the actual fakers.

[KurtNYC]

24. Posting on DU has been a long lesson in all the ways you can be misunderstood

It has helped me be more clear and direct in what I say because as the OP points out some here will react to part of what is written without processing your whole viewpoint. For me, I now re-read my posts before hitting "post my reply" and see if there is any way to make my points in a less ambiguous way. I change pronouns to nouns all the time and avoid all sarcasm and idiomatic expressions. (Sarcasm is probably my pet peeve here because it is a form of bullying yet we not only tolerate we have a variety of similies to use on the victim as well. I would love to have a filter that just hides all posts that have the sarcasm smiley in them.)

DU is not an echo chamber. Some may say "I never expected to see ______ written on DU" but politics are ultimately individual. Your chief causes are probably not exactly the same as mine.

As others have said here, give it time. Don't be thin skinned -- often the person most likely to respond to your post or OP is someone who DISagrees with you or your facts. I like that because you can learn more from someone who thinks you disagree than someone who just gives you attaboy. And I respect a well constructed argument even if I disagree with it's thrust.

Welcome to DU.

[mac56]

31. +1000

[Erose999]

29. Establishment Democrats like Obama need challenge. I fucking loathe RP and his supporters, but they

do represent competition with the President of civil liberties issues and thats not necessarily a bad thing. It says a lot that the pressure for civil liberties issues among the candidates comes from the right. The president needs to get his shit together and stop supporting the fucking spooks and their agenda of surveillance etc.

[HughBeaumont]

32. The Paulite on my FB page posts a LOT about NDAA.

Doesn't like Dems or Reps, but obviously leans right every which way. I see a lot about NDAA from him.

Paul is a sore spot because he's right of center on some issues (budget, drugs, war) and far to the right of right on others (economics).

Welcome to DU.

[sadbear]

34. Ron Paul isn't against the government doing the things he's says he's against

He'd just rather it were the state governments raping us instead of the federal government.

[HughBeaumont]

37. Oh, don't forget corporations. Perfectly OK for them, also.

[DevonRex]

36. Welcome to DU. nt