NEW GOP Meme on the DU: Why can't GOP types be on the DU - if nice?

[applegrove]

I'm noticing this trend. Where A GOP type tries to nicely make their way onto the DU. Fine to ask the question every so often - especially for new members. It seems like a good idea - "if they behave we can take them on" but in practice - it is hard for any discussion to go forward on places where there is a mixed element.

"There are thousands of boards where you can discuss with a freeper or a repuke. And you can put up two websites at the same time.

We don't allow repukes here - because they have not shown a pattern for anything more than obfuscation. And we like debate. And we have a right to a place to go to discuss amongst ourselves. With intelligence and good information.

Issues GOP types bring up again and again that are lies include:

1) Germany's poor economy is because of liberal policies. TRUTH: Germany's economic voes are because they have huge immigration from Middle East and Eastern Europe, they are integrating Eastern Germany into their economy & they went with the Euro so lost any monetary policy options to devalue their currency and thus stimulate the local economy.

2) Fascism comes from left of centre politics. And the leaders are left of Centre. TRUTH: Fascism comes from right wing leadership.

3) Etc.

Why do we need to be involved with a bunch of myth makers? They lie about the facts so that the facts work backwards to the "reality" they want.

Why on earth would we want to debate the issues with purposely phony facts? It is hard enough when we debate with the facts that are known. I mean there is so much secrecy in the WH & GOP, and that makes it hard to be discerning as it is.

WHY ON EARTH ADD ANOTHER LEVEL OF MISINFORMATION AND FALSEHOODS by letting in GOP "role-players"."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=509905&mesg_id=511663

[SmokingJacket]

1. I read that crap every time I open the LTE page of my paper...

I come here to get some in-depth discussion and analysis of Democratic ideas. If we let GOP discussion go on here, we'd spend all our time batting the same damn balls back over the net, forever...

[BlackVelvet04]

22. I'm an administrator of another

message board that is both liberal and conservative and I have to say that you are right....we bat the same ball back and forth, over and over and over again. Righties don't usually hang around long and that's fine with me. I've gotten so I ignore them most of the time.

There is a definite pattern to the posts when a rightie joins. Usually the first couple of days everyone makes nice, then the rightie gets nasty and then the liberals vent all of their frustrations for a couple of days and the rightie ends up getting banned.

I advise, from experience, that DU stay for liberals only.

[applegrove]

26. Thanks for the input. And first hand experience. It must be terribly

difficult to be an admin on one of those mixed sites. Particularly one of the ones the GOP targers.

[BlackVelvet04]

35. It's very difficult and I admit I find it very hard

to take. I was stalked on the internet by some rightwingers and I don't suffer them easily. I don't find it hard to ban them.

One of them called me a bitch and then complained because they got banned...well, duh, you don't call the admin a bitch and hang around long. They're not too bright, ya know?

[applegrove]

42. Nice that the internet has easily enforced boundaries in well admin-ed

forums.

Sorry for you. Your work is important. I for one don't think I could do it. :yourock:

[SmokingJacket]

28. Yes, and I think there's a place for that discussion...

Debate is important. It's frustrating at times, but important. Personally, I'm not good at it. When I debate my republican family members, I find myself wanting to throw stuff.

DU is my refuge... I think that's a legitimate purpose.

[Career Prole]

2. GOP types?

None for me, thanks. DU is my safehouse. :hi:

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. My sanctuary.

[Warpy]

13. Same here, I've found that mixed boards just don't work.

Right wingers are mean, petty and vindictive. I've had my ISP threatened for daring to disagree with them. I wasn't insulting, I just presented uncomfortable facts.

They can't tell the difference between attacking a position and attacking them, they project all their nastiness onto everybody else, and they simply do not play well with others.

I'd rather be here. At least when I disagree with someone on this board, I know they'll be grown up about it. Sometimes they clean my clock so well I have to change an opinion, sometimes not.

[fknobbit]

18. on Every board I have seen allow 1 "GOP types in" they breed fast

and soon became a crescendo of limpball regurgitations. Any form of intelligent conversation becomes doomed to failure. I had no need to hear hannuty, oliely or oxy rush, it's why I'm here. If I feel like screwing up repukers days I go over to military.com, God the swiftboat types are fun.

[tatertop]

3. It's hard enough educating Democrats who aren't up to speed

Let the enemy waste someone elses time.

[RufusEarl]

10. Do i ever agree!

I've been emailing back a forth with a christian friend of mine, and it just get me crazy after awhile. He refuses to listen to me or anyone, if it doesn't coincide with his beliefs.

It's the same way with freeper, they don't want to discuss anything they have their minds made up no room for discussing different positions.

[tatertop]

17. And there is so much happening all the time it's hard to keep up

Nice to be able to come to a website with news
you can use and (at least some) insightful commentary.

If I wanted to argue with a republican idiot I would
go down to the corner bar ;)

[lastknowngood]

4. It's really quite simple. They can't be nice they're assholes

n/t

[Mythsaje]

5. I can see both sides...

I actually started posting here because I was tired of debating people I couldn't get through to...people who just didn't get it.

I eventually withdrew completely from my other boards. Even though I still run into some nastiness here, it's still a bit more like home.

[MsUSA]

7. ditto, ditto, ditto.

"there's no place like a political home" :toast:

[froshty1960]

6. I agree

My analogy is that I'm a graduate of the University of North Carolina and (naturally), a big basketball fan. So, I like to go to the UNC basketball boards and talk about our opponents (particulary Duke University) drive us crazy. There's nothing more annoying when someone from one of our rivals visits the board and starts spewing anti-UNC memes. I feel the same way about DU. This is a site for progressives to hang out, talk to one another, and not have to worry about debating yet another yahoo who thinks that Bush is wonderful or that tax cuts for the wealthy improves the economy.

If I want to debate a Republican, I can talk to my boyfriend. What I like about DU is that I know that I'm hanging with people who, for the most part, share my concerns about this country and what we can do about reversing all the damage that Republicans have done without hearing someone defend them, no matter how "respectful."

[MADem]

8. It's not like there aren't any other forums to go to

The D stands for DEMOCRATIC. It's like some asshole going to a pie-baking forum and wanting to talk about barbecuing....sure, it's all cooking, but it isn't THE PURPOSE of the forum. IMO, when ya see 'em, tell 'em to read the rules, and if they can't get behind them, they need to move on. No harm, no foul, but no bullshit, either.

[StClone]

9. As the original post stated

"We don't allow repukes here - because they have not shown a pattern for anything more than obfuscation. And we like debate. And we have a right to a place to go to discuss amongst ourselves. With intelligence and good information."

[politicaholic]

11. Dems willingness to openly debate amongst themselves seen as weakness...

when in reality it was the intention of the framers of the constitution to have checks and balances and a free forum for dissent.

Republicans use half truths and cherry picked facts to build a house of cards. They then compare this large house next to the substantial model that is built through facts and intellectual compromise and they say "Look how much bigger our house is than theirs, our opinion must be right!"

The labels that we put on parties are intended to be a mere point of reference to begin with. Republican and Democrat labels were not intended to be a concrete ideology. Concrete ideologies are never solid. They are always held together by either lies or faith.

[brainshrub]

14. DU is for Liberals. Period.

I visit other forums when I want to talk to a con, but DU is where I hash out ideas first.

I think of DU as a gym for Liberal political wonks. You talk among friends and get a feel for what you beleive in.

This is why I don't understand the logic of people who sit around and blog about how stupid DU is and complain that they can't join without getting booted.

They are like a pack of teen bullies sitting around the parking lot of the gym, and wonder by they aren't allowed to disrupt people who are working out.

I should add, that Liberals who attempt to disrupt, join or complain obsessively conservative forums are just as pointless.

[Spiffarino]

15. This is our place

DU is a forum for like-minded individuals. FR is the same place. They ban anybody who strays off the farm, and so does DU. BFD. That's the way it should be. There are privately run forums that cater to particular political frameworks and this is something everybody wants and needs.

Keep DU Democratic. I don't mind Repubs if they're nice and if they fit into DU's political framework. If they don't, they should go to a forum that fits better.

It's called choice. Get used to it.

[hatrack]

16. Simple - because there's nothing to talk about with them

And when there isn't anything to talk about, why bother?

[Ignacio Upton]

19. Well, then why can't Dem-types be on Free Republic - if nice?

nt.

[EC]

20. Well, are we here to debate or brain-storm?

There are many other forums to debate, but few to discuss and brain-storm.

[applegrove]

27. Oh - if you go to "mixed" sites - there is no debate. That is the issue.

That intelligent & discerning discussion cannot take place with GOP types on the boards. They mis-inform, try and tech hate, tribalism & classism (in the last case often using the word trayler-park), and ever other manner of stopping informed discussion.

We are here because we want to debate the facts & issues. You cannot debate if someone uses false facts. If GOP types allowed reasoned debate - they would not be banned.

Brain-storming is the icing on the cake. But not the cake.

[MrBenchley]

21. This is a board for Democrats...

Do these "nice" bobos invade gardening forums event hough they're not gardeners? Do they jump onto sports fan forums to point out that they don't like sports?

[radio4progressives]

23. DU could have a restricted Forum ... just for mixing it up..

i don't know if software permits or prevents that kind of capability or not. freeper site bans liberals - they have no tolerance for contrary thinking or arugment. but we have "right of center" in the party that are members of this board - so why not (if possible) set up a forum where those two groups are likely to debate/discuss their differences? (such as they are) providing software capabilities can limit their participation there and not spill over to the main forums..

[KoKo]

46. There are enough fights here already between DLC and Lefty Progressives

plus all the groups inbetween. Who wants to deal with the RW Repugs that most of us have to be around out there all the time?

There's enough variety here on DU that it's not an "echo chamber." :shrug:

[Lefty48197]

24. Plus, it's like arguing with a 13 year old

.

[MrBenchley]

25. It's not like we have a shortage

of mindless silly Democrat-bashing now.....

[Tactical Progressive]

29. There are 4,862,954 sites on the internet

where you can waste your time arguing with fascists.

[Obamarama]

30. All "GOP-Types" should fry in hell.

[applegrove]

32. Just because I find it useless and intellectually patronizing to have

a serious discussion with them.. doesn't mean they should rot in hell. There is the odd one who is serious about the issues. But mostly - the GOP types on the boards and spewing myth. If I wanted to spend my time with "political operatives" I would work in politics.

I prefer to discuss with real people. Du is full of them - at times - and I find it annoying and a waste of time as it is. You never know who the troll is. Once a week is too much. Don't undo the rules. DU works. IMHO. Real people. Real discussion.

[Obamarama]

33. I understand your point, but I still beg to differ.

They SHOULD fry in hell. And that includes the ones that infest my own family.

[Nay]

31. If I want to mix it up with GOP types, I'll start a fight at work. I come

here for:

up-to-the-minute news, gathered by people who are interested in facts

intelligent discussion of issues

a feeling of refuge and sanity in a world that is, frankly, effin' nuts

Please, no GOP types!

[zbdent]

34. When you aim your message at idiots (boiling Repuke messages

down to bumper-sticker mentality), you shouldn't expect the idiots to act like Harvard scholars . . .

[applegrove]

40. Hey - I'm the furthest thing from a Harvard scholar - and making up

facts is patronizing to me! It should be seen as patronizing to everyone. But apparently 20 percent don't see it as such. And the other 15 % of the Repukes are getting rich or powerfull of the lies. Then there is that 3% who actually enjoy the diminishment of other human beings so that is why they participate.

[Generator]

36. We already do

It's spelled DLC. (though I admit they often aren't very nice)

[LittleClarkie]

37. How can a GOP type be trying to make it onto the board

when it's a DUer who's making the suggestion?

[applegrove]

41. Because when the GOP types themselves used to log on here and

make the request - they'd get booted off. Nobody likes someone with 3 posts who wants the rules changed.

Now it seems - "I have this GOP person I'm discussing with somewhere else - who wants in to DU. Why are our rules so harsh?". It is a legit question. But there are good reasons why it has never happens.

Let's watch and see if it turns into a trend. Barbarians at the Gate. If it increases as the election approaches.

This discussion about if DU would work with Repukes may need its own forum some day.

[omega minimo]

38. Are troublemakers tolerated for "entertainment"?

:yoiks:

[Doctor_J]

39. If GOP-types could think or have reasonable discussions,

they'd be Dems.

[CJCRANE]

43. Perhaps it's part of Rummy's war against blogs.

Getting RW talking points onto DU will effectively neutralize it.

[Catchawave]

44. If ya want to chat with a republican.....

...marry one. Believe me, it's not as much fun as it sounds :silly:

I need my DU balance :hi:

[Skittles]

45. you cannot debate the brain-washed

honestly, it is bad for my health. I live in Texas; if I want to hear sheer ignorance from the misinformed, I can throw a f***ing rock and hit a freeper-type; I don't f***ing need them here.