Reply #88: Yeah, I understand your point (ignore it), but I entered a couple of this character's

[Peace Patriot]

threads, hoping to find more info on the Connell plane crash and the lawsuit, and found this obsessive poster slandering Larisa Alexandrovna, and her fighting back against it almost alone. I don't know Larisa, but I do know her work and have found her to be an excellent journalist. I also don't know Cliff Arnebeck, Brad Friedman or any other of C-2's targets, except by their work, which I find immensely valuable. So I simply couldn't tolerate this misuse of DU and wretched treatment of someone who is doing a courageous job on behalf of all of us and our country, and the slandering and dissing of other people whose work I respect. I mean, this might as well be Hannity or Limbaugh, for the lies and smears that this poster has been splattering all over DU. That is intolerable.

Perhaps we should all just post one comment on any future such threads: "Known lies." And let the thread gather dust. But Larisa, as an investigative journalist, cannot let lies about her work stand. And there is also the matter of these malevolent posts spreading disinformation. That is difficult to ignore. DU should be a reliable source for leftists and others. We should not sit idly by and to let DU be trashed like this.

Posters like this are also an opportunity to provide good information and analysis, in response. So it's a dilemma. There are enough trouble-making gadabouts at DU (including the same people in different guises) to keep up a considerable din of bullshit in threads like this, that disinform. Should we ignore it, if it's an issue of importance? The OP is garbage, but it's objective is to stink up other people's work that is not garbage, and that is, in fact, of fundamental importance to our democracy. Again, a dilemma.

I don't listen to Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity, so I don't face this dilemma with them. They are polluting our PUBLIC airwaves--airwaves that belong to you and me, and that have been monopolized by their crap for too long. But that is not my interest. They wouldn't accept my calls anyway. But DU is supposed to be a progressive forum. I am generally uncensorious. I never put anyone on my "ignore list." I've never asked that anyone be banned. I like the free-wheeling discussion at DU. I welcome argument and debate. But I don't know how to deal with such blathery falsehood and obsessive attacks as this, except to try to bring some sanity, reason and information to bear.

We are all "on stage" here. People come here, to DU, looking for ways to understand our political world, looking for good information and interesting arguments. Sometimes they participate; sometimes they don't. There are many "lurkers." So, what are they going to think of an OP like this, if no one counters it? If they know little or nothing about the matter, they may think it's acceptable. And what will they think of Larisa's work, or election integrity work, if no one replies? They may think that there is some taint to it. They may think they don't have to worry about our election system. Or they may just think that DU is stupid or useless, and never return. So, although I see your point, I hesitate to take your advice.