Reply #18: Some are obvious. Some are insidious.

[LWolf]

Some aren't trolls at all, but are just expressing an opinion that the owners of the board don't want discussed. As expressed clearly in this sample from the hate mailbag. The disclaimer: the poster in question may very well have been a troll. I don't know who it was, and am not defending their posts. It's the DU response that I am pointing out:

<snip>

Let's Just Get One Thing Straight
From: S M <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2005 17:02:24 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Suspension

Its bullshit that you (1) suspended my privileges and (2) didn't respond to my post asking why they were suspended. If you are going to suspend someone for disagreeing with other users on certain issues then go ahead and post a big "NO FREE SPEECH HERE" logo on the web site.

DU RESPONDS:

>>> NO FREE SPEECH HERE <<<


http://www.democraticunderground.com/mail/hatemail_26.html

Not all tombstones are given because people are trolls. Some are given because people espouse views the owners of the site don't want on the board. Progressive/liberal views that have nothing to do with conservative or republican "trolls."

Others are banned because they lost their temper and picked a fight with mods, or with other DUers, too many times, even though they are card-carrying democrats.