Thoughts on posting at DU

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

Posting on an internet board like this one is very different from talking to someone in real life. For one thing, there are no preconceived notions about an individual based upon physical characteristics. One is known here merely by username, avatar, and, most importantly, the words that they write.

It is what we write that not only tells other people about us, but tells us about ourselves. It is interesting sometime to sit back and look at one's posts and reflect on what they show. Kindness? Sympathy? Generosity? Fear? Anger? Sarcasm? Hate? Are the qualities showing up in your posts the ones you wish to hold?

It is important to remember that everyone does not espouse to hold the same qualities as valuable. Some look at posting here as a game, perhaps even a war, while others look at it as a means of obtaining information from sources that they trust. Others look to the board for companionship of like-minded individuals. And there are some brilliant souls here who use the board as a forum for their creative genius with words (oh if only I had their talent!).

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it is important to realize that people are here for different reasons, but all are bound by certain core ideals of supporting the Democratic Party and progressive thought. We all choose our words and actions, but we can always choose to choose again. If certain threads here have gotten you in a frazzle, it may be wise to consider backing away from them for a while, and to take the time to examine the qualities you wish to cultivate and to express, since the only way most DUers know you is through your words.

[NanceGreggs]

1. Very thoughful and intelligent post, my friend!

and RECOMMENDED!!!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. This is indeed an honor, coming from you

since you are one of the brilliant writers to whom I referred.

[NanceGreggs]

26. Thank you so much, ayeshahaqqiqa!

In replying to this, I just noted that I referred to your post as "thoughful" -- I guess I'm really not that brilliant a writer after all!

[Divine Discontent]

48. and yet... you brought laughs and a smile to many people's faces with that cute response! ha

you are amazing. and props to ayeshahaqqiqa!

[stellanoir]

2. Thanks ayesha for this thoughtful post and gentle reminder,

K & R'd

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

9. Thank you

from a person whose words and posts I always appreciate for their wit and wisdom.

[MethuenProgressive]

3. Fine post! Thanks!

rec!

[doublethink]

4. ........

[madokie]

5. So true, thanks

[ulysses]

6. well said.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

10. as were your posts

on the thread about NCLB.

[ulysses]

17. thank you.

I've certainly "gone to war" on DU often enough - trying to be a little more measured these days.

[provis99]

7. its why I don't reveal my profile

I'm uninterested in having other posters look up my profile, then fitting me into a box based on preconceived notions of what I just wrote.

[lumberjack_jeff]

15. Well at least you had the foresight to not call yourself "lumberjack".

FWIW, I'm more of a Monty Python fan than a axe-wielder.

[ulysses]

16. you're ok

by me.

[lumberjack_jeff]

18. To be honest...

I don't always work all day.

[ulysses]

22. but do you wear...

ok, you knew I was going there, right? Too easy.

[vickitulsa]

19. Great sense of humor there, Jeff!

And as the OP so beautifully pointed out, I learned from reading your words that your handle seemed to be a bit of a misnomer or slightly misleading -- though not purposely, I see.

Just goes to reinforce the OP's wise views and affirm my own practice of remaining as openminded as possible to embrace as many of my fellow DUers as I can.

(BTW, I chose "vickitulsa" to be informative but also non-inflammatory and hopefully offer little to incite prejudice. Intentionally bland, if you will. I've always seen pre-judging to be one of the least attractive of human traits!)

LOVE the Monty Python reference, too!

[H8fascistcons]

32. Sorry Vickitulsa

I wear my heart on my sleeve, can't help it. Every time I see what these criminal Fascist republicans have done to our country, I have to speak out in the strongest of terms, hence my handle but i'll try to be diplomatic about it...
Regards.....

[vickitulsa]

53. Oh I don't think you should apologize one bit!

In fact, I love your handle!

And I would suggest that it is very unlikely to create a negative (toward you) image or idea in any other DUer's mind as well.

When I was younger, I used to wonder if it could ever be a good thing to feel hate in one's heart at all. But after some long while pondering the many aspects of it, I concluded comfortably that it is entirely appropriate to hate certain things.

Cruelty, for instance, comes to mind immediately. I recoil from cruelty of any sort, and it's fair to say I hate it!

I'm sure you've noticed that cruelty is a trait very commonly found in the hearts of the fascist cons who've been pushing our nation and our very culture toward truly despicable behavior. When I think about that, I feel a powerful revulsion and anger, as I know many do here, also. I believe we should ALL speak up forcefully against the monstrous things they do.

I surely never meant to imply (in explaining my reasons for choosing a tame username for myself) that there's anything wrong with a different reasoning! If you happpen to catch my posts on DU, you'll see I'm pretty much a heart-on-sleeve kind of person, too, once I get started talking.

Notice what's happened in this one!

Oh, and a big welcome to DU!

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

11. Excellent post. K & R.

I think if I were to chronologically follow all my posts, I would be able to track how my initial relief at finding like minded people having (mostly)intelligent discourse about the state of affairs evolved to trying to contribute my views evolving to being more open minded to ideas that challenged my conventional wisdom evolving to actually becoming politically involved in my own community in ways I'd never imagined.

And, my first posts from 2004 would probably make me cringe, a bit, LOL, because I've learned so much between now and then.

I've tried to be mindful of what I've posted, but I've definitely let emotion rather than reason rule in far too many posts.

Thanks for the reminder.

[Celebration]

12. all this makes it very interesting

Very wise, plus I love your avatar.

[NV Whino]

13. Well said

and thank you.

[lumberjack_jeff]

14. Well said.

But it depends on the topic. For a great many topics, I'm here to learn. For a couple of topics I have some domain expertise, and for a couple of others, I have firmly held beliefs (and I'm not full of shit, dammit! ).

Your reminder is timely. The democratic party is a loose coalition of interests. If I alienate people who share 90% of my goals due to an argument over the 10%, there's no chance that either of our 90% will become policy.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

20. Very well put!

And when I saw your username, immediately the Monty Python song came to mind.

[malaise]

21. Lovely post

K & R

[Warpy]

23. Wonderful post, thank you

I think people on this board whose posts I've felt compelled to slam would be shocked to find out how many times I click "back" instead of "post." Words, especially my words when something has gotten my nose out of joint, can truly hit as hard as any fist. I try to restrain myself from using them too often, but human frailty takes over and I'm a very bad Buddhist.

I do use ignore for habitual offenders. If I can't see what they've written, I won't disgrace myself by replying to it.

[live love laugh]

24. "...all are bound by certain core ideals of supporting the Democratic Party and progressive thought"

For the most part, yes. But not always.

[caseycoon]

25. K&R! Excellent post! Thank you. :o) n/t

[pacalo]

27. One of the most important social graces a person could have would be the ability to choose one's

words carefully, both in writing & in speaking.

I choose my words carefully
I keep them soft & sweet.
I never know from day to day
Which ones I'll have to eat.

[UpInArms]

28. thank you for always being so generous with your wisdom, ayeshahaqqiqa

you are a DU treasure

[Dora]

29. Wonderful, Ayesha.

[John Gauger]

30. Thank you greatly.

These are simple truths that we all should know, and yet somehow they often get away from us. You do us a great service with your gentle reminder.

[blondie58]

31. well said, ayeshahaaqqiqa

and good advice for all of us to follow.

Now, I must admit though, that I form a mental picture (key word mental!) from people whose postings I read frequently. Now you, are an Indian maiden, with beautiful black braided hair and with all of the adornments than an Indian princess would have.

Thank you for stating this so eloquently.

[pattmarty]

33. Hi from Arkansas Ayesha, Marty

[casus belli]

34. Right you are, and good advice.

It's easy sometimes to get caught up in the turmoil. I think a lot of us would be served well by taking a step back. Thanks for the reality check.

edit: how did spellcheck miss "wold"?

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

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

[uberllama42]

39. What the hell are you talking about?

None of that has any relation to the OP, which you should read again if you are new here. For that matter, everyone on this board should read it and think it over. I know it gave me some much-needed perspective.

Nothing that happens on Tuesday could possibly terminate Obama's run for the nomination, much less his entire career. He could lose every delegate in Texas and Ohio, and it still wouldn't crush his campaign. Furthermore, I don't know how you got to be so clairvoyant about race relations and the outcome in November. What if Obama wins the nomination? How would that affect race relations? It would take quite some effort for either Democrat to lose this election (which is not to say they won't find a way). Why are you so sure of all this?

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

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

[rosesaylavee]

43. ...

[uberllama42]

57. I didn't even see the reply before they took it down

Judging by how incoherent the first post was, I didn't miss anything.

[rosesaylavee]

59. Just more blather.

I alerted. I bet others did too. No doubt yucking it up with other buds over in freeperville.

[pnwmom]

46. This is the second straight anti-Democratic party post I've seen from you today.

Apparently you're a third party pusher.

[FedUp_Queer]

49. Evil?

Is this a joke? Let's come back to earth here. Hillary is not evil. Obama is not evil. This post strikes me as nothing but a silly bit of hyperbole and caricature. As far as the CTV story, it's on them to prove it, since they are making the assertion. They say one thing, Obama says something else. I give Obama the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps my legal background and education requires me to put the burden on the one making the assertion, but that's where I put it. It's not Obama's job to prove something wrong. It's CTV's to prove it true.

Regardless, this guy seems to really miss the point of this post, whose sentiments I've thought about for a long time. DU has become much too petty and descended into name calling, silly parsing, and losing site of the bigger issues. Each side seems to have decided that their candidate is perfect and the other one is not only wrong, but evil, unethical, a liar, and a GOP-er in Dem clothing. That's the crap I used to hear from the GOP when I worked in the House of Representatives (and when I was a Republican myself), which just turned me off from the GOP, among a myriad of other things. The point is that disagreement is fine and understandable and, in fact, desirable, but calling a fellow Democrat "evil" simply because you disagree with them is just plain silly. DU really has come to be nothing more than a place to enflame and engage in hyperbole. So, why do I keep coming back? Because I think liberals can be convinced to be logical and rational in their allegiances rather than emotional and irrational. I refuse to believe that DU is beyond repair.

[PerfectSage]

51. Rotfflmfao

Shut up "CokeMcCaine"

[skepticscott]

36. It's also important to ask

how much truth has been suppressed because of the fear of offending people. How many plain and direct and necessary statements have been tossed aside in favor of content-free pap? How many times have you acquiesced to something that you knew was wrong or untrue simply to avoid a confrontation or hard feelings? And what were the consequences of that reluctance to be forthright? While truth is rarely all on one side or the other, it is undeniable that some things are more true than others, in some cases much more true, and those things must be defended vigorously. Foolishness and nonsense pollute our society and must be unhesitatingly condemned for what they are. In the long run, truth trumps attitude. Every single time.

[The Straight Story]

37. I'll kick to that

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

38. Honestly. Even though I get to VENT,...I rarely feel ashamed because,....

,...I advocate for something GREATER than just me.

I express anger and disgust and frustration with gross language but, I do so without any profiteering to myself.

I want to advance a true democracy where the field is LEVEL and EVERY human being has an opportunity to participate.

I do not live in a democracy.

I live in a corporatocracy.

Money rules.

[mitchtv]

41. "Always make your words soft and sweet, because

someday you may have to eat them." I realize that is not totally possible, and I suppose I should be the last to be speaking, but I do sometimes have to change my words after thinking a bit before I send message

[LibDemAlways]

42. Thank you for this.

I was called an idiot on this board the other day when I did nothing more than ask for advice about a survey I received in the mail.

Because of the anonymous nature of the board, people seem to think it's ok to launch personal attacks and engage in name calling of the type they would most likely refrain from if talking to a stranger in person.

It's easy to put the attack dogs on ignore, but it would be better all around if posters would try to keep the discussion civil and respectful of opposing points of view.

[rosesaylavee]

44. Very kind and thoughtful thread.

Thank you.

K & R

[Tresalisa]

45. Great post!

and

[pnwmom]

47. A good reminder for us all, at a time when many of us are probably

feeling frazzled. Thank you, ayeshahaqqiqa. And thank you for your consistently thoughtful posts.

Recommended.

[jeff30997]

50. ayeshahaqqiqa ?

Hey that's a Freeper's name!!! I'll report ya!!!

[underpants]

52. ayeshahaqqiqa?? WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!???!?!?

great post

[mother earth]

54. K & R and in full agreement! Thank you, ayeshahaqqiqa!

[Annces]

55. And also how you answer or if you answer n/t

[defendandprotect]

56. An excellent reminder, save for one point . . .

... but all are bound by certain core ideals of supporting the Democratic Party and progressive thought.

For at least some of us, IMO, "the core ideals and progressive thought" come first and are the basis for our decision making on who we support --- in the sense of small "d" democractic measures.

Options are limited within the two party system and I think that many of us are trying to support the Democratic Party and its candidates --- however, they do not always necessarily support the core ideals and progressive actions many of us require for our support.

There are, of course, many people here whose threads we have read during the primary days who want the "support" to come before the weighing of the ideals, before the testing of the progressive nature of the candidate ---

[no_hypocrisy]

58. Well stated ayeshahaqqiqa.

I post with the expectation of civil discourse, and perhaps some levity while discussing intense, serious topics. And along the way, to find a friend or two.

[BoneDaddy]

60. Well said

I am working on my approach as well... Thank you for the reminder.