Attacks on DUer's families and loved ones

[Pushed To The Left]

Well, it finally happened. I made the mistake of mentioning that my girlfriend of 5 years was a Bush supporter, and she was personally attacked by a fellow DUer. I have seen the same bullshit before here. Someone talks about a conservative brother of theirs, and a fellow DUer chimes in, "Your brother's an idiot!" WHAT IS THIS CRAP?? Are we supposed to, as loyal liberals, disown all family members, friends, and significant others who don't agree with our politics? That's bullshit.

Newsflash: There are people I don't agree with politially that are GOOD people and I don't HATE them! There are people I agree with politically that are bitches and assholes. Sorry to burst everybody's melodramatic bubble. :grr:

[m0nkeyneck]

1. ignore them..

it's a maturity issue

[sam sarrha]

2. it is patience or civil war.. they are dividing and conquering us..

dont let it happen..

[xultar]

3. Well they beat up on other progressives....worse than that so

what gives. Sometimes we treat each other worse than the freepers treat us.

[liberalhistorian]

55. That's for sure!

And sometimes we act like freepers and refuse to even acknowledge it, which is incredibly hypocritical.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

4. umm calling your gf an idiot is different from expecting you to break up

with her...and its not really a personal attack...

your thread made it sound way more melodramatic than it is.

[Darth_Kitten]

5. Personally I have no compassion for Bush supporters....

nothing against your girlfriend but I could care less about Bush supporter's "hurt" feelings. :)

[La Lioness Priyanka]

7. i agree. we are a political board..and against conservatives.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

53. i concur

[kaitykaity]

10. I'm with you.

Don't want your conservative friend/family member
criticized? Don't mention them in a place where people
do a whole lot of criticizing conservatives.

Kinda simple, really.

:eyes:

[Darth_Kitten]

13. Thing is, I know plenty of "conservatives" who hate Bush.....

and I'll worry about others nearer and dearer to me. :) Bush supporters don't deserve my energy. :)

[Career Prole]

17. So wise, and so simple. We should put this in the rules so folks know

going in that they should keep the skeletons in their closets in their closets.
I couldn't abide a conservative gf myself, but hey...that's just me!
:eyes:

[Pushed To The Left]

36. Criticism is fine

Calling a DUer's family members or loved one names is a whole different situation.

[kaitykaity]

39. We call conservatives names all the time.

If you don't want your conservative family members called
names, don't discuss them here.

[Jackie97]

65. Here's the thing about that.

I'm going to admit something at the risk of getting in trouble. I've posted on a conservative board. A lot of them are pretty damn stupid; claiming that anybody not like them is a Communist and all.

I've said some really nasty things to them as a far leftist, and got the vice versa in return.

However, when I mention that my family voted for Kerry, they NEVER SAY A WORD TO INSULT THEM. Perhaps it's because they're not actually there to "discuss" things with them; making them care less about my family. (If any of them are reading this board, please don't do anything to change that. I'd hate to be made a liar out of). They'll insult me all to hell (mostly because I'm really inflammaory toward them. lol), but not my family or friends who voted for Kerry. The same goes for this really far leftist board that I post on. I mention having Bush supporters as friends, and they never say stuff like "Your friend is an idiot!". They say all sorts of nasty things about Bush and they seriously discuss how to promote their politics, but they don't spend most of their cyber time bashng family and friends from the other side. They seriously discuss it at times.

The truth is that some of you all just flat out act like children.

You want to promote the left? Stop spending so much time bashing Bush supporters and let's seriously talk more about what we can do. It seems like some of you all spend more time hating Bush and conservatives than you do actually doing something about what you believe in. In other words, act like adults. Most of you are adults.

[Bucky]

75. Exactly! Just like women who don't want to be raped shouldn't walk DT

Exactly! What excellent insight, KaityKaity! It's just like the inherent logic of saying women who don't want to be raped shouldn't walk thru poorly lit downtown alleys. If you don't want your conservative friends and family members to be personally attacked, you should pretend that they don't exist. The victim is obviouly the guilty party here. Why can't people see the logic of this?

</sarcasm>

[Name removed]

78. Deleted message

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

[Bucky]

84. You can stick up for yourself in a discussion board. People not here can't

Yes, of course my analogy was overwrought. It's still wrong to personally attack people based solely on heresay about their politics. It's one thing to say "Condoleezza Rice is an idiot" because she's a public figure. It's better if you back it up with facts a/o logic, but still fair game.

It's a different thing entirely to here some DU poster say "my GF is a Republican" and based on that alone start calling the woman in question an idiot. Besides being hurtful to that DUer, it also is pointless and self destructive. If you help to turn DU into a house of insults, you both dumb down the discussion community we have and needlessly alienate those Democrats among us who know decent, loving conservatives in their lives.

These, of course, are also the people who are in the best position to possibly turn around the votes and beliefs of these conservatives. All we gain is the self gratification of insulting strangers. What we sacrifice for that self gratification is our common decency. Please tell me what good comes from calling people idiots. Venting is good, but winning by building a more supportive cyber community is far far better.

[tx_dem41]

87. Bucky....thanks for speaking for what I hope is the majority of the people

on this board.

[Pushed To The Left]

Excellent points!

[Pushed To The Left]

101. Excellent points!

[tx_dem41]

70. Pushed to the Left

I am fairly new to the board too, and agree with everything you have said. Basically, you have a bunch of people who know nothing of your loved ones making a rash generalization. Just ignore it, and realize that you are better than the people making such judgments.

[Pushed To The Left]

97. Thanks!

[Skittles]

74. people who vote for bush ARE stupid

nt

[Name removed]

102. Deleted message

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

[Skittles]

104. awwwwwww - I'm hurt, PTTL attacked me personally!!!!!!!!!!!

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

[Forkboy]

107. Looks like you have a fan

I wonder,if he was Pushed to the Left where did he start from?

[Skittles]

108. don't know, don't care

:D

[AZCat]

110. Now all this thread needs is a reference to Hitler

Then we can lock up and go home. :)

[Swamp Rat]

112. There you go:

[AZCat]

114. Waaaaaahooooo! Hot diggetty!

Alert the mods! This one's ready for the archives!



OT Note: That billboard I told you about (the "Go To Sleep" FoxNews one) has been replaced. I hounded my friend about it, but she claimed she was busy and kept forgetting to take the digital camera to work. I'm sorry - I failed to get you a picture of it.

[Swamp Rat]

128. Awww! I was WAITING for that pic! Oh well...

:cry:

[AZCat]

129. Fekk... I'm sorry

I really need to get out of the stone ages and get myself a digital camera - it would end my reliance on friends who (as you can see) don't always respond in the most timely manner.

I always like your posts and I was looking forward to what you would have done with that, but I guess I'll have to wait and see if they'll rerun the advertising campaign.

[Swamp Rat]

130. Well, that's why I just added the "Watch FOX NEWS" to the pic above.

Here's my latest :D (today):



edit: That's David 'Horrorwitz'

[AZCat]

132. Oh. My. God.

I almost can't bear to look at it.

:scared:

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Very nice work!

[Name removed]

122. Deleted message

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

[Pushed To The Left]

143. Don't blame me

if you're not man enough to do what I do.:evilgrin:

[mitchum]

120. Very true, Skittles

and there is NOTHING wrong with the truth

[jonnyblitz]

29. me either. people who post on political discussion boards

need to grow some thick skin. I sometimes talk about my freeper dad and get snarky comments on here about him and expect it. no matter what one posts, somebody can and will make a comment that makes me hit the roof. oh well. I can leave if i dont like it.

[Walt Starr]

43. Same here

IF they keep it to themselves, fine, but as soon as I find out somebody is a Republican I cut them off.

Life's too short to waste on shit like that, IMO.

[Skittles]

106. AMEN

nt

[mitchum]

118. Neither do I

They ARE the enemy

[JaneDoughnut]

6. You're right, it's inappropriate

But I have disowned two Bushies in my own life, though not for the simple fact that they were Bushies. One was a step-relative who I never cared much for anyway, who loves to shout falsehoods and call them his opinions, and then rant about how the blacks are destroying his old neighborhood. The other used to be a good friend, but she emailed me and DEMANDED I show respect for her and America's majority. Sorry, I think a majority of the majority are idiots, and I won't prostrate myself at her feet.

On Edit: We should also remember that most of these "wedge issues" that have created such a great divide between Kerry supporters and Bush supporters were invented by Rove himself. Bush, the great uniter. We are in the middle of a cultural battle, and I've chosen sides. I know I'll lose a few friends, but I'm trying to save the future.

[jellybelly]

8. of course...

ALL Freepers should be ignored and broken up with. There are no good Freepers, silly.:) All Bush voters want to construct concentration camps and blow up everything in site. They also drink oil. Haven't you read the other threads:crazy:

[Prodemsouth]

11. I don't know about the last sentence about drinking oil. Of course they

would not want to blow up their own homes or property. Everything else I agree with..yes really. Look up the fourteen points of fascism and compare them to the Bush Admin-it is a fascist regime. All fourteen points are there. Those who support it are fascist or enablers of fascism.

[JaneDoughnut]

58. We all drink oil, metaphorically

We use oil to plow our fields
To package our foods and bottled water
To keep the water systems running
To transport from factory farms to cities

Oil addiction is a serious problem. Too many people on both sides of the divide don't recognize its magnitude.

[nascarblue]

9. I know what you mean...

It's just there's such a high number of republican trolls on the internet that it's difficult to not throw some insult out there. Most Bushista's either are completely unreasonable and illogical, or they're plain not knowlegdeable on just how corrupt the Bush administration really is...

And just like any message board, Dem or Repug, there's always a bunch of backwards folk. But I take it if it's your chick, she probably is reasonable. DO me favor...have her go to this page and watch the Windows Media files. You won't find this on television but it's a must see. I guarantee it's the most shocking and enlightening video you'll ever see. I especially recommend the Micheal Ruppert and Indira Singh links if you're pressed for time. But please make sure to check them all out and show them to your girlfriend.

http://911busters.com/911-Commission.html

[HEyHEY]

12. Take your girlfriend and hit the road!

;-)

[Bluebear]

14. She was "personally attacked"???

Someone found out where she is and beat her up? I is confused.

[linazelle]

40. LOL n/t

[bloom]

59. That is what I thought he must have been talking about....

somebody stalking and attacking DUer's. OMG!!!!!!! :)



P.S. Somebody refered to my fundy, biblically literal, "libertarian", Bush-loving brother as an idiot - and guess what - as far as religion and politics goes... I agree with him/her.

[Raster]

15. good points. Just as an exercise, ask your girlfriend to post over the

*OTHER POLITICAL SITE* that her boyfriend is a democrat and supports Kerry. See what happens. And no, I don't think two wrongs make a right. However, I do think that posting something to the effect that my dad, girlfriend or dog is a bush* supporter on a *POLITICAL* site espousing the opposite view is an exercise in futility. What did you expect, a rousing chorus of "Kumbaya?"

[La Lioness Priyanka]

19. but we are liberals...we umm can never be harsh...

in fact if we imply that someone is an idiot...that is huge personal attack...akin to physically hurting them :eyes:

[Raster]

31. My Dear Lioness, I think part of our problem is we are not harsh enough.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

32. ohh i agree...i was being sarcastic....i think we need to do some

severe ass kicking

[Pushed To The Left]

34. If a Freeper told my girlfriend

that I was an idiot, she would tear them up!

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

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

[tx_dem41]

73. Well...what I expect....

is that people on this board would be more compassionate than that "other political site". Silly me...I guess I was wrong.

[Skittles]

89. f*** compassion

I refuse to be compassionate towards people who actively support an administratin that is DESTROYING AMERICA. I'll CALL IT LIKE I SEE IT.

[tx_dem41]

90. But.......you haven't even "seen" his girlfriend....

so how can you make that statement? Oh, and I live in Texas too.

[Skittles]

93. I'm disgusted by ANYONE WHO VOTED FOR BUSH

nt

[tx_dem41]

96. I don't want to live in a world where I ....

am disgusted by half the population. I want to live in a world where I feel my beliefs can lead that other half.

We see the world in opposite ways, obviously.

[Skittles]

98. if they weren't swayed by the past horiffic four years

I don't there's much we can do; half the population is awaiting COMPLETE DISASTER before they'll see the light.

[Pushed To The Left]

109. You're not compassionate towards DUers either

Even if you despise all Bush voters, making a personal attack on somebody close to me is an insult towards me. You hate me for who I choose to be in a relationship with, and that's your problem. But don't expect me to be a nice guy about it when you attack those close to me.

[saracat]

137. She is YOUR gf,not ours. Why do we have to like her? Or respect her?

In a perfect world , we would respect all people I suppose, but this isn't a perfect world. And this isn't a case of love me love my dog. You chose this girl .You have to live with it. Some of us don't like Bush voters. I won't tolerate them anymore. I think they are evil or stupid and nothing in between. But that is MY choice. YOU don't have to approve. I dumped some family members over this issue. I don't want to be surrounded by their influence. I am not insulting you. I just wouldn't extend more courtesy to your gf than any other Bush voter. On the other hand I probably wouldn't comment about her in response to any of your posts either, as she isn't my problem. JMHO

[Pushed To The Left]

141. I'm not asking anybody to like my girlfriend

I'm just saying that they shouldn't expect me not to get offended if they start calling her names. I wouldn't do that to them.

[saracat]

144. I guess a person voting for Bush isn't very important to you.

So I have to assume this election wasn't that important either. For most of us a Bush voter is an anathema. We view them through a filter of horror for what they are doing to our country.Apparently, you can live with this. Many of us can't.You might not be asking us to "like" her. You are, however,asking us to respect her. And many find it impossible to do that. This is all very sad, but the Bush voters , and those who enable them,have brought this on themselves.

[Pushed To The Left]

146. You never read my posts

Otherwise, you would know how passionate I was about this election. I'm still active politically. I am a monthly donor to the ACLU and PFAW due to the election results. I still meet with a Democratic meetup group every month. Yes,it drives my girlfriend nuts! Her politics drive me nuts! You don't have to agree with who I date, but if you think this election didn't mean anything, you just don't know me.

[Iris]

16. Uh - most "conservatives" I know base their values on racisim and

homophobia and can't even spell the word "progressive" much less understand a progressive idea. I'm not going to condone racism, homophobia, ignorance and the fear that comes from ignorance no matter who such a person is involved with. Being progressive and liberal is about how I want to live my life and what sort of society I want to raise my children in. While I certainly wouldn't "disown" a family member for being conservative, I would limit contact with him/her. And I most definately would not consider marrying someone who didn't share my core values. That's just be a recipe for disaster.

[Pushed To The Left]

44. It can be tough sometimes

Both of us were more moderate when we first met. She has moved to the right and I have moved to the left. I couldn't have a relationship with a member of the religious right. My girlfriend is a moderate conservative.

[Skittles]

68. she supports BUSH

that is ANYTHING but "MODERATE"

[Bucky]

79. *POP*

Pardon me while I bust yer bubble... but, yes, millions of people who are politically moderate voted for Bush. I think they were hoodwinked about Iraq and al-Qaeda and unjustly scared about what liberals might do vis a vis "gay marriage", but there's no point in denying that they're moderates rather than conservatives and yet still supported Bush for reelection.

If I bought your silly premise that anyone who supports Bush is automatically a conservative whom I can never hope to persuade to vote for our side, I'd also be conceding that Democrats can never again win a national election. Your suggestion that all Bush supporters are conservatives isn't just wrong, it's literally hopeless.

[Skittles]

105. hoodwinked or just f***ing stupid

take your pick

[Deja Q]

18. To double standard is human:

I know Republicans who are damn good people, nevermind that they otherwise cheered when Wellstone's plane was crashed and he was pronounced dead.

While we all want peace, it's easier for some to overlook the vile actions of the others.

It's called human nature.

And there are Republicans who did not feel that way about Wellstone and are utterly good people. Some Dems are nasty critters too.

Here's the point: While each of us will ultimately make a glib generalization, the reality is is that it may not be true.

[GingerSnaps]

91. You are so right!

"Some Dems are nasty critters too."

I received a bunch of PM's about how nasty some can be. I don't bother hitting alert because I would prefer for everyone to see how nasty some of them can be.

[RetroLounge]

20. How was she Personally Attacked?

Is she on DU?

Maybe she should have alerted the mods?

RL

[noiretextatique]

21. well

she couldn't have been "personally attacked" because she wasn't here. it was rude, but what do you expect?

[Solly Mack]

22. I hate it when people do this...it's a snarky way of calling people out

and it's a cowardly way of doing it as well.


Why not:

Hit alert

OR

PM the person who offended you directly

OR

Not mention your right wing girlfriend

[La Lioness Priyanka]

23. or not pretend something major happened

this thread should have been titled

"someone called my gf an idiot when i said she was a republican"

whats all the drama for?

[Bluebear]

25. Ah. I see. I thought someone had attacked her, like violently

I pictured someone finding her address and beating her up, which I couldn't imagine, since the OP used "PERSONALLY ATTACKED HER!!!" as a descriptive! Phew!

[Solly Mack]

26. No kidding. Someone on DU called a republican an idiot

Oh yeah, that's never happened before..

[La Lioness Priyanka]

27. or that its untrue

[Solly Mack]

28. true

[Pushed To The Left]

38. Not calling anybody out

I responded to the poster who made the comment about my girlfriend in that particular thread. It's something I have seen here before and I find it disturbing.

[Solly Mack]

42. You are still calling attention to the thread and that particular poster

It's not exactly hard to figure it out, ya know.

[Pushed To The Left]

46. You haven't figured anything out.

I already dealt with that particular poster on the other thread. Now, tell me this: If I was trying to draw attention to a particular thread, don't you think I would have posted a link? I don't give a damn if the poster from the other thread sees this or not. I'm speaking in more general terms, using my experience as one example.

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

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

[Name removed]

51. Deleted message

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

[Skittles]

67. VERY COWARDLY

INDEED

[Revolucionario83]

24. Not very nice

I have some conservatives in my family, and sometimes we argue and all that other stuff, but that doesnt mean im gonna not love them any less. I avoid making personal insults.

[jdots]

30. I too have some scum for relatives

i attack thier thier greed all the time and would love it if DUers would join in because they desrve being attacked for thier blind ignorant comfort zone. No nobody beat your girlfriend up from DU we wouldn't physically harm a republisenile unless they took the first shot.

[Prodemsouth]

33. I have no problem with Conservatives. I do have a problem with people

who blindly follow Bush.

[Skittles]

71. I don't

people who support Bush are trashing my LIFE, MY COUNTRY, MY FUTURE. I WILL CALL THEM EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE.

[Gryffindor_Bookworm]

37. Thank you.

I've been told I should disown my ultra-conservative brothers. I'm talking about the men who took turns sitting by my bed and holding my hand while I slept for the first couple of months after I was raped, the men who would kill to protect me, the men who can't be in my presence without giving me two really big hugs and saying something along the lines of "I love you, baby sister."

They're not evil. They're just politically misguided. I will never disown them.

[Pushed To The Left]

47. Thank you too!

Your brothers sound like very kind people!

[Digit]

41. Can you provide a link to the EXACT thread where this happened?

Not that I doubt you, but I have really not seen any attacks. Maybe you were mistaken and took it out of context.

[JanMichael]

45. It's just a message board man, suck it up!

It's not as if someone confronted her in person for Zues's sake.

This is a highly partisan board, if you didn't think that someone might be less than gentle, kind, understanding, etcetera, when you made your "confession", you just weren't thinking in the first place.

[Charlie Brown]

48. Dude, it's just a message board

These kind of "attacks" you describe have no bearing on a person's reputation and harm no one. They're a dime a dozen on any online message board. If people don't want their conservative friends, relatives, etc. lambasted, then why do they mention them on a thread here? They certainly know the results to expect. If your girlfriend is for some reason upset with posters here, she should be equally upset with you for calling attention to her politics on a predominately progressive board.

[Catherine Vincent]

50. grow some thick skin, it's only a message board

[MissBrooks]

52. They called my mother names earlier today.

I can't believe the hate.
It's so sad.

[Bluebear]

54. Who called her what?

Could you point it out so we can share your sadness and defend Mom?

[Digit]

60. Yes, show us where this happened.

Inquiring minds want to know.

[Bluebear]

62. I'm distraught that I can't find where they attacked her poor mother

And she is nowhere to be found. :(

[Catherine Vincent]

56. p.s.

'your girlfriend of 5 years'

Time to ask her hand in marriage, dontcha think?;-)

[Dem2theMax]

57. I'm really going to hear it for saying this,

but lately DU has been filled with hate. So I'm not surprised. Whether it's a lot of freepers trying to disrupt, or the fact that DU'ers in general are VERY stressed out over what is happening in this country, the board in general has changed a lot since I started posting. It's a shame really. And it's not about being thick or thin skinned. It's about being able to discuss subjects in a respectful manner with each other.

Flame away, tell me to leave DU if I don't like it, whatever.
I'm only saying what I've been seeing lately and it saddens me.
We are better than this.

[JaneDoughnut]

61. Maybe that's the point of the original post

We DO have to live side by side with these people, even if we can't understand them and may even hate the most extreme among them. HOW DO WE DO IT? I've come to the conclusion that people who voted for Bush either A)are uninformed or believe outright falsehoods, such as the documented tendency of Bush supporters to still believe we found WMD in Iraq, B)are looking out for themselves, and see that less taxes will indeed benefit them, at least in the short run, or C)are really extreme wingnuts motivated by racism, homophobia, twisted versions of Christianity, etc.

But then there is a fourth group of Bush supporters that I am only now beginning to understand. They realized that Bush was dangerous and incompetent, but they had no real reason to believe Kerry was any better or that he had any clue about how to handle the mess we're in. I believe Kerry would have been a great President for this time, but he did not do a very good job of communicating that to this group of people.

The fourth group I can understand. A, B, and C, I must really struggle to regard with respect.

On Edit: I do hope you won't leave DU, even if you get flamed. There is a lot of passion and anger among us right now, and the DU is a natural place to vent it. And there are many more people on here with good ideas than there are flamers and haters. DU has been a huge help for me during my post-election confusion.

[Digit]

63. I must be missing something....

I have not seen alot of hate. On the contrary, I have seen alot of compassion.
Where, what threads are you speaking of?

[Skittles]

69. he's pissed because I won't coddle his bush-loving girlfriend

nt

[Pushed To The Left]

115. That's the point I was trying to make

You said it much better.

[Jackie97]

64. I agree.

People who do stuff like this are probably have the luxury of living a leftist life where they hardly know any right wingers. That has gotten on my nerves.

I'm proud to say that my family voted for Kerry. However, if they hadn't have done it, I would have been annoyed if some stranger said to me that my mama was an idiot. When I was growing up, insulting one's mother was a good way to get punched out. It seems to be perfectly okay on here.

I am going to admit that after the elections, I had some really bitter feelings toward the people who voted for Bush. I've slowly started getting passed those feelings though. I think some on here should do the same. Otherwise, they come off as drama queens, and nobody will take them seriously.

[Skittles]

72. I LIVE IN F***ING TEXAS

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[Jackie97]

76. I know.

I live in NC. That's not nearly the same. I know. I think the answer is to start getting as pushy for your agenda as they are for theirs.

I have to admit that being a far leftist in NC has made me a bit on the mean side.

[Skittles]

80. BUSH is trashing our lives, our country, our FUTURE

DAMN STRAIGHT it makes me mean to know PEOPLE ACTUALLY VOTED FOR THAT INCOMPETENT PIECE OF SHIT.

DO NOT GET "PAST" THOSE FEELINGS; THAT'S HOW THE GOP KEEPS WINNING.

[AZCat]

81. It's more than that

He's trashing the lives, countries, and futures of those that didn't even have the chance to vote for or against him.

I wonder how the average Iraqi feels about those who voted for Bush. Perhaps the poster could email any of the Iraqi bloggers to get their opinion of his Bush-supporting girlfriend and then he could compare it to the response here.

[Skittles]

83. you got it

I'm done being courteous to people who support Bush - they do not deserve my respect PERIOD.

[AZCat]

86. Bush votes kill people

It's that simple. Voting for Bush is like letting your friend drive home drunk from the bar. The voter has made a decision to let a lunatic stay in control and endanger the lives of others. Should we console the person who made that kind of decision? Let them wallow in the false logic that persuaded them to make a wrong choice? I think it's a personal decision (just as the vote was) but I don't enable Bush supporters anymore. It's life-and-death and they need to see that.

[Skittles]

88. thanks AZCat

you get it

[AZCat]

94. We're not the only ones

Thankfully there are enough of us out there (most of my friends, for example) that understand this. While we all (or almost all) have friends or relatives that supported Bush, it is time for the coddling to stop. We need some sort of a national intervention, where we sit down and patiently explain to those in our lives what a Bush presidency means. Sure, it won't do any good now - I started on my friends five years ago - but it is important for the long run. I have found that you can't convince everybody (no matter how charming you are :)) but once you have made it clear where you stand, it gives you a reference point regarding future relations with the person.

Not everyone is willing to do this unfortunately. My mother and I have talked about this, and she works in a red state in a building that has lots of Bush supporters, and she doesn't feel comfortable "outing" herself. I argue that it is important for that reason alone - so other "in the closet" supporters will see that they are not the only one - but she is reluctant anyway. She doesn't think they would tar and feather her, but she does think it would affect her ability to do her job and I can't convince her differently.

[Skittles]

66. I refuse to coddle people who support this evil misadminsisration

PERIOD

[AZCat]

77. I just finished "What's the Matter With Kansas?"

I got "What's the Matter With Kansas?", by Thomas Frank, for Christmas. I finished it yesterday. Your post reminds me a bit of what Frank calls the "plen-T-plaint", what he defines as "a curious amassing of petty, unrelated beefs with the world. Its purpose it not to really evaluate the hated liberal culture that surrounds us; the plen-T-plaint is... aiming instead to infuriate us with dozens, hundreds, thousands of stories of the many tiny ways the world around us assaults family values, uses obsenities, disrespects parents, foments revolution, and so on." (page 123 of Frank's book)

I am not accusing you of being either a right-winger or a freeper, but I do think you should perhaps consider whether or not this "slight" deserves the response you have given. Is it really that important that some anonymous poster on a message board didn't show what you felt was the appropriate level of respect to your girlfriend? Perhaps you should instead consider why this incident has so aggravated you, instead of lashing out immediately in a manner that (IMHO) resembles the method I described above.

[Pushed To The Left]

99. You probably won't believe me

But I had thought about starting a topic about this subject before it happened to me. I wasn't only talking about my experience, I was talking about a trend that I have seen.

[AZCat]

103. Okay, but how about posting "differently"?

Find something you want to talk about? Fine, but I try to follow a simple pattern when posting a thread on something.

First - if you are making a complaint, be careful to explain what it is you are complaining about. If you are referencing a news article or other thread, post the relevant sections (or link). If we can't understand what your complaint is, you're just asking for ridicule (that seems to be the nature of internet forums).
Second - post what you think is a solution to the problem. I don't want to hear anyone carping about something if they can't offer possible solutions. Got a problem that you can't figure out? That's okay too, but explain that you are looking for answers - that you are not just bitching.
Third - you're not the forum police. If your problem is with the behavior of other posters, ignore them. If you notice a trend (as you state in your post) then perhaps it warrants a post, but it is also possible that the problem is with you, not the other forum members.

Note: I violate this pattern regularly. I don't think this should be some sort of mandatory pattern, but I do think it is a good way to get productive responses to your threads.

[tx_dem41]

117. But AZ Cat....

who's the one really being overly aggravated on this issue?...I would say its the person who says to an "anonymous poster" on a message board that he hates his "anonymous" girlfriend (realizing you didn't express that feeling in your post).

[AZCat]

119. I didn't see the "offending" discussion

So I don't think I can say one way or the other. I don't think (based on the posts in this thread) that the poster used the term "hate" but again, I didn't read the original thread.

:shrug:

[tx_dem41]

123. Read up and down this thread....

"Hate" has been used quite ......"liberally" (sadly enough to my liberal self).

[AZCat]

126. But those people (as far as I know) haven't started threads

Starting a thread to bitch about something like this (even if the word "hate" is used) seems an overreaction to me (or incorrect reaction - perhaps alerting is more appropriate).

Again, I didn't see the original thread. Perhaps the poster has sufficient reason, or perhaps he is not representing the situation accurately and is blowing this out of proportion.

[Cronus Protagonist]

82. Well they ARE idiots - you can still love them, though

Why does someone elses opinion of your loved ones affect you so? Is your love that easily derailed?

[onecitizen]

111. Gee whiz..........

given the tone here lately, calling someone they don't know an idiot is rather mild, I think. :-)

Everyones nerves are shot. We're tired and disappointed and some of us are in fear. It comes out in our postings sometimes. Whenever I get snippy, it isn't personal. It's just my utter dislike for bush (and anyone who says ANYTHING nice about him) coming out. Try not to take it personally. We know how you feel now, that will help us when responding to your posts. I know I will be more sensitive.

[GingerSnaps]

85. Did you post that in the lounge?

Some people find the need to attack others because they are missing something in their life or they are being abused by someone or they have problems at work. Sometimes they hate because they are going along with someone else that they like and they want to be part of what they consider the "in" crowd.

Use your ignore button...Check my message thread out...some people hate because they find it entertaining. It's also not normal to hate people that you don't know. Don't worry about it put them on ignore :hug:

[Skittles]

92. sometimes they attack because they are sickened by Bush

and the people who support him

[GingerSnaps]

95. I didn't mean you Skittles

I was relating it to my message thread and I didn't turn the other cheek tonight and I should have.

[Pushed To The Left]

113. Those are good points.

People will sometimes attack in others what they hate about themselves.

[Forkboy]

116. Does that mean you have no compassion for DUers

as you attacked Skittles for?

[Pushed To The Left]

121. I have compassion for all people

I would never attack a DUer's loved one like that.

[Forkboy]

124. Yet you did attack another DUer

Maybe it's just what you hate in yourself?

[Pushed To The Left]

131. I defended myself

[AZCat]

133. IMHO your response was disproportionate

Regardless of the actual discussion, to go from posting a reply in the original thread to starting a thread with the express purpose of calling attention to the said behavior is an escalation, not merely defending yourself.

If you had just posted (or alerted) in the original thread, that would have been defending yourself. This is extending the argument beyond you and the original poster and beyond the original thread.

[Pushed To The Left]

136. This was more general

It wasn't only about my experience. It was about something I had seen happen to other DUers as well.

[AZCat]

138. So that makes it okay?

:shrug:

[Forkboy]

134. uh huh

There are people I agree with politically that are bitches and assholes.

People that vandalize their dentist's office and brag about it online are pretty stupid.

Grow up.

Even the rules state A thick skin is usually required to participate on this or any message board.

People here tend to not like Republicans whether they're your gf or not.

[Pushed To The Left]

140. Okay...

"bitches and assholes"

That was a very general comment. I have met people with similar views that I don't get along with. I regret the profanity, though. That's not usually my style.

In the second and third example, these posters were getting very nasty and I was defending myself.

[noiretextatique]

125. good point. thakfully, i have don't know many bush voters

don't have any in my family, and would never even consider dating a republican. i'll save my compassion for people who don't support lying, murdering dimwits who routinely attack anyone and anything remotely "liberal."

[Lenape85]

100. I HATE CONSERVATIVES AND WOULD NEVER DATE OR BEFRIEND THEM

You might think I'm an asshole for saying that, but because I'm a college student who is vulnerable to the draft, I could never, in my mind, forgive anyone who voted for *

[noiretextatique]

127. this is pure melodrama

it seems you are the one encased in a melodramatic bubble. some people think your gf is an idiot because she voted for bush, and not just on DU. it seems you need to deal with that since you love her vs. expecting everyone to play nice just because it's your girlfriend.
i know some good people who voted for bush too...i also think they are idiots because the reasons they voted for him are idiotic.
in fact, i have yet to hear a remotely reasonable or intelligent pro-bush argument, even from the best of people.

[Name removed]

135. Deleted message

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

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

139. Yes, I noticed that the username is "too clever by half", not surprised

by the Bush voting gf, probably friends are all Bush voters too etc.

[Pushed To The Left]

145. I was a moderate

who usually voted Democratic anyway. The actions of the religious right are what pushed me to the left. I figured the best way to destroy the radical right was to strengthen the left. I have found that I am much more liberal than I thought I was.

As far as your insults go, your post tells me all I need to know about what type of person you are.

[Name removed]

142. Deleted message

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

[Moderator]

147. Locking...

Flamebait.

-DU Moderator