Reply #79: To you and guidod:

[AZBlue]

Unfortunately you're right. It can be very frustrating on this site. I'm a moderate Dem on the average - very left on some issues, slightly right on others, middle of the road on the rest. I take each issue on its own and don't accept rhetoric from anyone - I'll do my own research, questioning, reading and decision-making, thank you. I'm also open-minded, which I think is a hallmark of most Democrats. I'm open to new ideas and information and am not scared to admit when I'm wrong or change my mind.

Can't say that about all here at DU. When I first got on this site I thought for sure I'd leave within a week. There is a lot of name-calling and attacking each other instead of discussion, exchange of ideas and conversation. Debate, even when heated, is great. Immature personal attacks is not.

Obviously I stuck around though. Despite my initial shock at all the mudslinging, I've found some very rational and sane posters here and it's still a great site for finding information. The two General Discussion forums have the threads that tend to be more heated - for facts and activism, try your state forums and the others.

Plus, I hope that if those of us who are open to discussion stick around, we'll gain in numbers and maybe convert some of those with closed minds and ears. I never want to see everyone on DU think alike - how awful would that be! I'd just like to see a little more civility! I'm sure we can do that.

Oh, I forgot to say: Welcome to DU!