Freeper.

[Marvelous_Smarty]

I am a complete newbie here. But there is something on this site that I find somewhat irritating.

Why does having a view on one topic that is not in agreement with others always gets one labeled a "Freeper?" On a thread this morning,
I expressed the heartfelt opinion that even a tired and slightly unmotivated US Military could not be defeated by anything less than a billion Chinese got me labeled a traitor and a "Freeper."

I feel that if the Democratic party had not been intimidated by Bush's sky high approval numbers last year we would have had a better candidate running on our behalf than Kerry and all I get is "Freeper! Freeper!"

If there is a manifesto posted anywhere on here on this site about what beliefs I am supposed to hold dear will someone please post a link?

I lurked here for a month. Registered and this place is even better when I can participate in the discussions. The DU Lounge is a riot and great fun, but Please, this "Freeper" shit is getting old and it has only been two days.

[movonne]

1. I kinda see why!!!

[Marvelous_Smarty]

3. Is a little Outside the Box

thinking so bad? If you go over all of my posts (Good God! They number over a hundred now) you will not find any flames even when some baiting is going on. True, I admit not being in complete conformity with all things Democrat, but a Freeper?

[Stephanie]

6. That would be -

all things Democratic, if you're going to use it as an adjective. I guess while you were lurking you didn't notice that.

[Marvelous_Smarty]

14. Oh,

so now semantics is enough for the pod people to start pointing and shrieking?

Come on people. It appears that there is this great fear of being infiltrated here. There is not a Freeper hiding in every shadow or behind every low post count.

[StandUpGuy]

46. But there are ignorant capitalist flag waivers.

and they must be stopped too.

[Stephanie]

52. Just trying to help you out.

Just a little tip.

[linazelle]

24. ditto

[Name removed]

67. Deleted message

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

[slutticus]

2. Calling someone a freeper...

...is against the rules. If someone does that, hit the alert button and the mods will take care of it.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Ditto for DINO

[nini]

4. that will happen.... hit Alert - then ignore on the user..

don't worry about them and stick around

[Djinn]

7. Unfortunately there's a lot of that

non idol worship of Kerry will also get you called a Nader-ite spoiler reagrdless of how many times you say you plan on votnig for Kerry (or in in my case would if you were a US citizen) some people aren't very good at arguing, that's all it is.

Even if I actually do think someone has freepy tendencies how hard is it to argue a point?

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. I get called Nadirite lefty all the time, usually by people who

have never bothered to click on my sig. Just a kneejerk reaction to my name, I guess. :shrug:

[SweetgentleJesus]

68. Fanatics!!

[Tosca]

8. That's really an odd thing to say...

"On a thread this morning,
I expressed the heartfelt opinion that even a tired and slightly unmotivated US Military could not be defeated by anything less than a billion Chinese got me labeled a traitor and a "Freeper.""

Tell me, any plans to sign up?

What do you mean by an unmotivated US Military?

[Stephanie]

11. Doesn't sound very patriotic, does it?

Why doesn't Smarty support our troops?

[progressivebydesign]

61. Are you the new gatekeeper for DU?

You're being really harsh... The new poster tried to ask a legitimate question, and you're being just downright rude. That's just a DU trait I suppose... So.. how long have YOU been here? 1000+ pots.. anyone can rack that up pretty fast. Hmmm..

Hey, I've been here since early 2001. See how easy it is for someone with more history here to treat you like shit for being newer?

[Marvelous_Smarty]

12. Well, you have to consider it in context.

The thread was about how the US Army would fare against Iran. Someone brought up the fact that morale was low and maybe fatigued from the war in Iraq. That is when I made my statement.

I served with the Rangers from 1987-1994. (Ranger Class 13-87). Participated in the First Gulf War.

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. Thanks for your service.

:hi:

[tabasco]

28. Class 1-87 here.

Last tough class. Hahahha. Hoooah Bro.

[DemoVet]

9. Hang in there

Some folks here still have a lot of growing and learning to do, just like anywhere. Welcome to DU, btw, and pop that alert button.

[jono]

10. Welcome to DU, Marvelous_Smarty!

:hi:

You should know that we already had candidate wars during the primaries, and they were nasty. (I was a moderator back then.) So you'll have to understand if folks are a little defensive when you attack Kerry, the man who will beat Bush*. Calling other DUers a freeper is against the board rules, so you should hit alert. But with an attitude like that this late in the game, you'd be wise to consider showing up with your flame suit or exercising your right to leave.

[LiberalManiacfromOC]

13. Same advice,

ignore + alert

[Marvelous_Smarty]

19. While I agree with

ignore+alert, I don't believe in it. Not the ignore option anyway.
Not going to kill me to listen. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, whether they agree with me or whether they are wrong! :)

[LiberalManiacfromOC]

35. well, whatever

im not the one being called a freeper *ahem* *ahem*



just kidding :)

[Moderator]

15. Please hit alert, if someone has called you a Freeper.

It's against the rules to do so, a fact too many of our regular posters lose track of with some frequency.

If you suspect someone of being disruptive, a troll or a conservative, please hit alert and let the moderators take care of it.

As for philosophies, this is a big tent message board. It is not against the rules to criticise, discuss or debate questions and hesitations one may have about Kerry and Edwards, but the greater goals of this site are to defeat George Bush. Advocating otherwise and actively campaigning contrary to those goals is not permitted.

Thanks for your participation, and welcome to DU! :hi:

[sandnsea]

17. So it's not just me???

Good to know, "smarty", good to know. Maybe you're just a Zell Miller Democrat, who knows.

[BillZBubb]

22. YUK, a Zell Miller Democrat!

I think I'd rather be called a Freeper!!!!!

[JohnnyRingo]

44. Hahahahah....LOLOL

An UGLY freeper

[thebigidea]

20. How could any one here question a Super Secret Commando Drug Dealer?

I mean, I buy your stories completely. There's no reason at all to question them.

Because one thing REAL drug dealers do is talk about it on the internet with complete strangers. That's how you know they're real drug dealers.

I think I learned that from that Johnny Depp movie or something. "Blow"?

Or am I thinking of an after school special?

[Marvelous_Smarty]

27. Dealt and did my time.

Paid a high price for my indescretions. Two things I don't hide. My military service and my past.

[thebigidea]

29. Yeah, well there's one thing I can't hide:

Hysterical laughter. Thanks for the effort, its appreciated.

[bobbyboucher]

30. Ranger/drug dealer/convict/entrepenuer

WOW! We can use a guy like that around here. Just think of the insights.

Welcome.

[thebigidea]

32. get Doug Feith on line three - have I got a deal for him!

[bobbyboucher]

38. Update: Ranger/Dealer/Convict/Entrepenuer/Thin skinned?

Wait, that's not right.

[thebigidea]

41. Doing 6 years of hard time generally creates Alda-like sensitivity.

Nonetheless, today I have learned just WHY the caged bird sings.

[Marvelous_Smarty]

36. Should you ever travel through Texas,

Live Oak 66
1001 N. Crockett
Sonora, Texas 76950
[phone]

Could use your business.

[thebigidea]

37. Can I wear my wire?

And big fake sideburns?

The password is: elongated kiwi in crisis. I repeat... the password is elongated kiwi in crisis.

[Marvelous_Smarty]

40. Only if I wear my tin foil hat.

[thebigidea]

43. Oh, but I'm a former bootlegger/CIA agent/UPS deliveryman

... with a dark past and a gigantic scar across my right cheek that kinda changes position each time you see me.

If you don't believe me, you must be a thinskinned conspiracy theorist of some kind.

Please call my toll free number for further assistance:

1 - 888 - 888 - 8986

[Ripley]

65. You are really funny!

I mean that! :D

[CatWoman]

56. don't forget your blonde wig

:hi:

[bobbyboucher]

42. See post #38

Texas sucks.

[Marvelous_Smarty]

45. Still welcomed.

[bobbyboucher]

49. Peace Brother.

Just pokin' some fun at the new guy. You should write a book.

[NightTrain]

21. Unfortunately, far too many folks at DU (particularly the...

...long-timers) have embraced the "pack" mentality. If someone accuses you of being a "Freeper" or something like that, it's because they can't think of an intelligent rebuttal to your point(s).

Suffice it to say, if you want to post at DU, it helps immensely to have a thick skin! :-)

[dweller]

50. and most often

a thick skull.

sad to see the welcome wagon is circling again.
dp

[AnnInLa]

23. Can we call someone a........

Can we call someone a chicken-entrail-reader???? (bill maher)

Welcome, Smarty....just be warned, you can't be thin-skinned around here! Don't take things personally, and don't be afraid to make your point, you will get some honest debate sometimes.

[Jaybird]

25. get outta here loser freeper

just kidding brother....but seriously, why sweat it if you dont like your treatment here...find somewhere else that resembles your beliefs more closely. The web is a big place

[RetroLounge]

26. Wow, a whole thread and you haven't mentioned

your Hummer yet.

You must be slipping :)

RL

[Marvelous_Smarty]

31. Hey,

I am trying for a little sympathy and acceptance here. Probably not the place to bring up so exnay on the hummerscray.!

[Th1onein]

53. Welcome to DU, Marvelous_Smarty!

eom

[slutticus]

33. Wow a whole thread and

you havent pissed in it yet....oops....nevermind :)

[oscar111]

48. ignore button is at...

it is the last little icon by a name, far right.

took me many pagaes of searching, then by accident.

I wish to end all icons on the web. Let's start with dear ol DU.

icons are too tiny to tell one from another, i have never seen a key for them, and i cant remember what they stand for,

plus, words would fit into the alloted space. or if not, make some more space. Icons waste our time.

PS i would get a chuckle out of seeing if those i ignore, have racked up 10,000 other people putting them on an ignore list. LOL Especially that prostitute ....well, better not name her.

[DBoon]

34. We do stuff like this because

We Liberals are actually werewolves. We seem like meek, normal people during the day, but after dark, when we hide in our dens and post to DU we become WILD CANINES!

You see, we get so sick of being nice people most of the time that our feral lupine nature comes out on this board.

[JohnnyRingo]

39. DU is like a huuuge auditorium full of people

While united in a cause to effect regime change in November, there is a very diverse mix of personalities and ideals.

By far the DU is, like any large group, populated by overwhelmingly good people.


Try to be considerate of others and turn the other cheek to the occasional sharp retort. And by all means....continue to speak your mind.

[LTR]

47. There are thousands of people that post on DU

And with all of those people, you're going to run into many, many differing opinions.

I've been here almost a year, and closing in on 5000 posts. Sure, there were posts that irked me in the beginning. I started a thread when I was a mere pup demanding an end to the blatant Catholic bashing going on in several posts, and I got raked over the coals for being too brash. People probably thought I was a major asshole.

Nonetheless, there is a bit too much paranoia here at times. That's because DU is reserved to followers of the Democratic philosophy, as broad is it is. In short, this is not a flame board for both sides duking it out. There are many, many boards for that. This one serves a purpose, and it serves it well. I for one, don't care if some troll with no life wants to post here, on a board that they detest. I think it says more about them than it does about anyone else. Are there people trolling on DU? Yes. And there's quite a few that have hundreds and thousands of posts. I know of a few myself. But as long as they follow the rules, I have no problem with it. If they start acting like assholes, they become transparent, and out the door they go. Simple as that.

We were all new once, and I'm sure many times we forget that. But newbies come here with different opinions. Many may even be undecided or non-political in their beleifs. Many have had lots of RW propaganda shoved down their throats and up their asses. I understand that. It's not like people were born to arrive at DU with a certain mindset.

Again, welcome aboard. This place may require a somewhat thick skin, because it gets pretty wild here. This isn't Free Republic, where it's all black and white groupthink and the members are reduced to just throwing up unfunny one-liner quips as replies to threads.

And remember, it's just a message board. This isn't Congress. And this board doesn't speak collectively for any one group (unlike what conservatives would like you to think). It's a friggin' message board. And one with a lot of people and a lot of opinions.

Enjoy, and keep posting.

[Name removed]

51. Deleted message

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

[Swamp Rat]

54. I hope you stick around, because there's a lot to learn from folks here.

One piece of advice though: Get rid of the Hummer.

Welcome to DU :toast:

[Kathy in Cambridge]

55. Oh, the irony!

:eyes:

[TheWatcher]

59. Exit....Stage RIGHT. :)

[Walt Starr]

57. Interesting thread from somebody who got tombstoned

Interesting indeed.

[Ripley]

62. Got that right.

Notice the enablers.

[Walt Starr]

64. Definitely noting

and I will remember.

[SuffragetteSal]

58. edited

[ClassWarrior]

60. I avoid doing that to people with whom I disagree...

...but sometimes it's really hard. Next time it happens to you, suggest that the offender back up his or her allegations and hit the "alert" button. Most likely he or she will back off.

And welcome to DU!

[louis c]

63. There was a lot of rancor

during the primaries. There was even some on the VP choice.

Now, we are getting down to the real reason we are all here, and that is to defeat the most dangerous group of individuals ever to occupy our government.

The "ifs" and "whys" are over.

There will be plenty of time to criticize and argue over President Kerry's policies for four years. Just don't lose sight of our goal, Bush Must Lose.

[progressivebydesign]

66. I'm sorry.. why exactly did that person get tombstoned???

Are we getting tombstone happy? I read the whole thread, and have yet to see anything that should merit a tombstone.. or did I miss something that happened off the thread?

It's so amazing to see the abuse of new posters here... I'm glad that when I got here in early 2001, that we didn't have that vigilante mentality.. because I'm certain I said some pretty stupid things... DU is getting just strange.

[Padraig18]

69. If somene calls you a 'Freeper', hit the 'Alert' button.

That is a HUGE breach of the DU rules, and the Moderators will delete the post, and possibly warn the poster who wrote it.