What Brought You Here, to this, the Coolest of all Political Websites?

[mopaul]

maybe it's just because you're cool.

[Bouncy Ball]

1. What was that guy's name?

Bartcop, I think.

[Garth Beaumont]

38. total

depression!

[The_Casual_Observer]

94. The build up to the war, starting in 2001.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Freaked out over the coup in 2000

[KoKo]

79. Me too....that's why I joined.

[brainshrub]

3. Will Pitt told me about this site.

Been hooked ever since.

[Quakerfriend]

4. dkos led me here.

BTW, I LOVE your art work mopaul!

[sam sarrha]

5. I heard that they summarily execute freepers...

:woohoo:

[BR_Parkway]

6. Freeper on another unrelated board told me I sounded like "those retards"

over at DU, so I looked it up, sounded like my kind of place.

[Disturbed]

9. Freeptards on another site..

were putting DU down so I came here poste haste. I was banned from that site shortly afterwards for my diplomatic posts. HAHAHA

[smoogatz]

7. Links to the Top Ten Conservative Idiots on Buzzflash

I still look forward to it every Sunday night. Brilliant. And don't forget the key!

[cbear70]

14. common ground

Common ground/common sense.. which came from the John Kerry board.. people kept talking about the great debates going on here and I checked it out..lurked for a long time before joining but have found I am addicted to this site..its the only place that I feel safe in..and the only place where people understand how messed up the world is. After the joke election, I needed that.

:toast:

[DURHAM D]

20. Buzzflash sent me here. n/t

[SmokingJacket]

43. Buzzflash here too. nt

[yorkiemommie1]

8. desperation

desperation to find sanity last year. what a godsend this site is.

[troubleinwinter]

10. Walt Starr's writings on Raw Story regarding AWOL's undeserved ribbon.

It's how I found out about DU.

[Lannes]

11. The gift basket

[mopaul]

27. the free toaster oven did the trick for me

[blondeatlast]

50. Damn, I just got a toaster! What makes you rate? nt

[knowbody0]

12. i was in an abyss

and stumbled in here. it is like a safe cave in a storm. i am grateful

[maveric]

13. Accidently! I was looking for a site on "Conservative Idiots" and guess

where google directed me to??? That was Jan, 2002.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

15. The desire to...

slum with the best of them. ;-)

[classof56]

16. You know, I don't really remember.

That's what advancing age and lots of Merlot can do to you, I guess. But I'm sure glad I found DU. It's been my anchor, my refuge, my place of sanity in this nutso world. However I found it, I'm sure as hell glad I did.

Tired Old Cynic

[Just Me]

17. A "faux" blog for Iraqis.

I was trying to connect with the people experiencing the neoCONs' policy,...and found myself on a blog, that falsely "labeled" itself as a voice for Iraqis,...AND the fascists connected me to DU via reference to you crazy people.

Isn't that delicious!!!! :bounce:

[jayfish]

18. Just Prior To The 02...

elections, I had just about had it with the SCLM. I was jonesing for some real news and information with, at the very least, a neutral presentation. I can't tell ya how exasperated I was. Well one day I found him BartCop. Man, that was the shit. I found DU in his links. It was pure heaven. I made a donation about a week later, just to be able to search the archives. And I've been here ever since.

Jay

[yowzayowzayowza]

19. Election 2k research.

n/t

[Mira]

21. All my anti Bush Bumperstickers during the election

made a 70 or so year old lady stop me in the post office parking lot, and she told said the one missing was the one from DU and that I needed to look for latest breaking news.....
Been here ever since.

[blondeatlast]

51. Wouldn't you love to know who that was?

I sure would... anybody willing to 'fess up?

[omega minimo]

22. The urbane and Uber-cool MIKE MALLOY!!

:evilgrin:

a comment on his show from a smart, funny Brit with a sexy accent




edit for FUNNY :hi:

[SalmonChantedEvening]

23. presidentmoron.com link to

The top 10 idiots list. Then it was the articles, then Bob Boudelang. It just grew more habitual from there ;)

It has since become DU, Bartcop, allhatnocattle, Altercation and Air America. Daily. And a hundred other sites I link to from here.

And so it grows, and so do I.

:D


PS - Stephanie Miller is a Goddess.

[dave123williams]

24. Buzzflash.com links to it...the top 10 conservative idiots is awesome...

[dave502d]

25. The voting system.n/t

[me b zola]

26. Looking for the DNC website, but it was down

Now I can't imagine trying to get through the mess that our country is in without the refuge of DU.

[earth mom]

28. I came here as a refugee to get away from a freeper invasion

on another site I was posting on. It was right after the stolen 2004 election and I was sick to death of their snarky smirky chimp worshipping crapola.

I'm lovin it here! O8)

[WilliamPitt]

29. Flopping around like a boated marlin in May of 2001

I'd been writing politics for a while and giving it away to whomever would publish it. It was as much therapy for me as it was trying to set the record straight; my head had been bent since December 12th of the year before. Came across DU looking for places that might publish my stuff. Got invited to join the Underground forum (now gone), and got hooked.

I put the word out in the Lounge last night that I was taking a break from DU, and I am. But I saw this thread on a pass-through and wanted to jump in and say something. I'm going to speak in code so this doesn't get locked.

I'm sorry. I had several good reasons for posting what I posted on Tuesday, and if Skinner hadn't (wisely) barred any discussion of the topic, I'd have posted a thread explaining and apologizing. I say wisely, by the way, because I put an update/explanation/apology on my blog, and it turned into this insane 100+ post flamefest of such vomitous proportions that I wound up deleting all the comments and locking the goddam thing.

In other words, I got to experience for a few seconds a small slice of what it must be like to be the Blue Man Group in this joint, and I can tell you, man, they deserve all the leeway and trust they can get. But that's a story for another day.

I came here because I needed an island of sanity in this slowly swelling pustule of smiley-faced fascism this country has become. Over the years I have been here, I'd like to think I have done more good than bad in this community.

Unfortunately, when I fuck up around here, I tend to do it in a klieg-lights-across-the-sky/firebombing-of-Dresden kind of way. I have spoken to and apologized to the person we are not supposed to talk about around here, and he was a hell of a lot more gracious than I would have been were I in his shoes. When the smoke clears and the Skiner edict is lifted, I will explain myself more fulsomely. But in short, I had my reasons and I feel like a dirtbag. Ah, duality.

So yeah. I came to DU to preserve some sanity. In the process I gained some sanity, and lost some. So it goes. I'm sorry for my part in damaging this community. I will see all you hepcats in a week or two, after the team of Clydesdales I have hired finishes the process of pulling my head out of my ass. I will be checking PMs now and then, so if you need me, you can get me there.

[Just Me]

35. Forgiveness still exists, guy.

:hug:

Relax.

'kay.

And, please, don't allow the buggars to steal all trust from you. I am here to swear that, the few cons are NOT a reflection of us all.

:hug:

Now, just let it go. Move on.

[Amaya]

40. I am glad you're here.

"I came to DU to preserve some sanity. In the process I gained some sanity, and lost some."

Yep.

I know I don't say much, but I see what goes on here.
I don't know the whole story with this situation since I'm not on here too often, but I know you. You're a good man.
Forgiveness come from within. Maybe that's stupid, but it's what I believe.

FWIW, my 2 cents.

[mopaul]

41. you don't gotta justify nothin' about nothin'

passion, that's what we got around here, passion and duty.

[blondeatlast]

52. We won't give up on you if you won't give up on us.

Hope to see you soon, guy--wouldn't mind sharing another beer and wings, either!

[LibDemAlways]

71. Self-delete

[annabanana]

59. It's OK Will

Everyone spends a fair amount of time with their head up their own butt. (You just have the great misfortune to do it so damned in front of the whole class)

[Selatius]

92. Self-delete

[Auntie Bush]

30. Someone at the Draft Clark '04 site. A long time ago.

When I first got here this was a pro Dean site and a few Clarkies came over here and had some wild arguments. I almost left it got so vicious. Glad I stayed!

[lonestarnot]

31. The 2nd Stolen Fuck Over Election....I needed DU!

[amazona]

32. bartcop

I'm not a cool person so that can't be it. But most of ya'll are very cool. :toast:

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[AndyTiedye]

33. I Did a Google Search for Post-9/11 References to "Reichstag Fire"

I figured that somebody else must get it.

That search let me to DU.

[Pachamama]

60. Wow...me too! I think it was a google search of Reichstag & KristallNacht

...then I got a link to the DU, was amazed and excited and got hooked and the rest they say is history....

:hi: Andytiedye!

[AndyTiedye]

68. I Had Actually Run That Search A Number of Times Before DU Came Up

The number of recent hits for the phrase "Reichstag Fire" has
continued to accelerate, both neutral historical references
and articles drawing parallels between 9/11 and the Reichstag Fire.

I've considered charting the number of hits over time. This would
be the "Reichstag Fire Index", a rough guide to the rate at which
people "get it" about 9/11.

[Pachamama]

98. That would be a great index !

But don't forget to add Kristall Nacht as an important reference point for people too...

That was the "turning point" for things getting real bad"....for my Grandparents living in Muenchen, Germany at the time, it was the "index" for when it was time to get the hell out of Germany because it was going to get bad, real bad.

I agree with the parallels of 9/11 and the Reichstag Fire and even the forces and reasons behind both.

But right now its the "Kristall Nacht" parallel I'm looking for...when and what is going to hit here that will be the equivalent. I see the policies and commentary against Gays currently, so will it be something against the Gays, or the Muslims? And what form will it happen in?

I think that is when I pack the Pachababies up and head North of the border.....when the US Kristall Nacht happens...

[etherealtruth]

34. I have never posted anywhere in my life ...

...I had been reading through DU for quite some time (as well as a slew of other progressive sites --- which is where I undoubtedly stumbled upon DU). After the last "election" I was devastated and desperately needed commiseration----unfortunately I had never registered so I was unable to share in everyones grief.

I decided * was probably going to do many more horrific things and I needed a place where like minded people would share my pain ---- I've learned a tremendous amount from people here, and am constantly challenged to reassess my positions (which is great!)

Thanks

[immoderate]

36. I saw Skinner on C-SPAN with Brian Lamb in 2001

--IMM

[GalleryGod]

47. WoW! Early Skinner! Mine was the Late Great Media Whores Online

RIP:cry:

[blondeatlast]

54. God, how I miss MWO. Devastating. Damn. nt

[immoderate]

101. I hope the "Horse" is OK

--IMM

[tavalon]

102. I remember that one!

Great site!

[DemonFighterLives]

108. I think it was the Media Whores list that brought me too

I was on a quest for input. I visited "What Really Happened" for quite a while and Bush Watch and finally came upon DU Latest Breaking News. It was in my estimation the fastest news source around. The freepers and others at another site would not hear the news for at least 2 days if ever in our great conservatie media.

It was like a breath of fresh air. You can only beat your head against the wall talking to freeps for so long.:banghead:
After dubby's coup and 911, I was originally scared to post here an lurked for about a year. I grew some spine and figured that Patrick Henry would have said, " I have but one life to give for my country". This battle is big, but if they want to gitmoize me it will not be in vain.
:hide:

[UTUSN]

37. You, mopaul, YOU (NO sarcasm) nt

[RBHam]

39. They excerpted one of my rants...

I came and stayed...

My web site is gone, but it's far more important that I connect with others here than run a vanity web site only crazies like me and the NSA ever gave a damn about...

[greatauntoftriplets]

42. Searched for craphead (*) jokes in February of 2001....

Led me to Top 10 Conservative Idiots.

Lurked until the following October. I've been here longer than people know....

[mopaul]

44. wouldn't be the same place without ya'

and all the other flavors and tones and shades.

[NeoTraitors]

45. Like any American with a shred of patriotism,

I got here as soon as it became obvious that Bush lied to get us into war. I had been 'part of the problem' by supporting the war in the beginning. I came here to be part of the solution.

[Dr Fate]

46. A Will Pitt interview on Mike Malloy 3 years or so ago.

Back when Malloy was local out of Atlanta...

[Blue_In_AK]

48. Well, I AM cool, but

it was a link from another web site that brought me here.

[blondeatlast]

49. I simply googled democrat*, discussion, I think.

Several sites came up, including the DNC and FR (go figure).

I saw the name Democratic Underground and was truly intrigued.

I think I lurked for maybe--15 minutes!

[Amaya]

53. Bartcop

in 2002. Been here ever since.

[Cleita]

55. I had battle scars from fighting with the fat headed illiterati

of other bulletin boards where they allow Republicans to post. This website was a refreshing change.

[mtnsnake]

56. Needed some ammo to counter a neocon & did a Google search

to find it and it led to some great posts at DU.

I think my Google search words at the time were "lying fucker bush"

[lucca]

57. Air America led me to the DU..

During this past presidential campaign, the DU became for me, finally a place where I could go to get informed, find out what was really going on, and a place that shared my liberal views.

The "DU"....can't go a day without it.
Your are the best!

[LSK]

58. its because a freeper on another board lit a fire in my belly

And another person on that board pointed out this website to me. A few years ago I didnt know a conservative from a liberal, now I am damn proud to be a liberal.

[XOKCowboy]

61. Walldude...

I work with him, he's a good friend and fellow True Lib. During the last election he turned me on to DU.

Thanks buddy. Now I'm hooked.

[cry baby]

62. Randi Rhodes message board had a link.

Sure glad I found DU.

[XOKCowboy]

72. Election Night..

I was switching between RRMB and here. They were the best source of info for what was really happening that terrible night. Provided a lot of solace also.

[proud patriot]

63. I love the U.S.A. and want to defend the Constitution

:hi: saw Skinner Elad and EarlG holding up
the sign in the rain at the inuagural on Cspan.

[tblue37]

64. I read about it on smirkingchimp.com (eom)

[ebayfool]

65. Olbermann's MSNBC site had a dKos link, followed it - saw DU link there

followed it - & finally found a home!

Do I get brownie points for finding Olbermann before tripping over the KOEB? LOL!

[pinto]

66. Bartcop

[Sugarcoated]

70. I wish I could remember

I was debating some people on a message board and wanted to learn what the hell I was talking about. The more I found out, the more I realized we were in this mess because I wasn't informed, I wasn't paying attention. I got involved in the 2004 campaign, and somehow through links or a web search found this great site full of souls who care as much as I do. It's my favorite web place, I can read the front page, and scan the General Discussion threads and find out everything I need to know that's important. I wish I could keep up, I don't know how you all do it.

[tavalon]

103. I can tell you how I do it

by spending way too much of my fucking life here. Way too much! My friends eyes glaze when I say the phrase, "On DU............".

[BeFree]

67. Buzzflash.com

Sent me here. Funny, I was quite intimidated the first coupla of months. Thought all the people here were just too cool but when I read all the arguments going on I thought, "Hey, I can do that!" <grin>

Have seen so many good voices not go so quietly into the night, from here. And am refreshed by all the new voices constantly entering the fray against the evil empire we now face.

All through the ups and downs on the rollercoaster ride of bushtilian politics, you DU members have kept me head and shoulders above the sniveling, brown-nosing, anti-American degenerates who I am forced to deal with face to face. Thanks. Long may we live!

[FreedomAngel82]

69. With me

it was just google/yahoo. I was looking for democratic message boards and found this one.

[LibDemAlways]

73. After the 2000 selection and the total

takeover of the MSM by repuke whores, I was desperate to find a good anti-Bush site. At first I was a Buzzflash junkie, and they led me here. DU has been my cyber home since spring of 2001.

[coffeenap]

74. Andy.

[sakabatou]

75. Bill-O'Reilly-Sucks.com

[jokerman93]

76. Well it all started...

Early one mornin' the sun was shinin',
I was layin' in bed
Wond'rin' if she'd changed at all
If her hair was still red.
Her folks they said our lives together
Sure was gonna be rough
They never did like Mama's homemade dress
Papa's bankbook wasn't big enough.
And I was standin' on the side of the road
Rain fallin' on my shoes
Heading out for the East Coast
Lord knows I've paid some dues gettin' through,
Tangled up in blue.

~ Bob Dylan


:toast:

Aw heck. I really love you guys...

[Geek_Girl]

77. The John Kerry Forum

After the Dan Rather CBS mess I found this site from the John Kerry forum.

[KC21304]

78. For Mother's Day, 2001 my daughter donated and signed me up .

And I don't know what I would do without it. Thanks sweety.

[viva la resistance]

80. my brother told me about it and ever since I have got my news and

info from here. Just registered but for over a year now I've
come here and see even more now how the Corporate media is the
reason we are one nation under the dollar. It's not even news
anymore but rather control by means of propaganda. Of course
some are better than others but they all have blood on there
hands. 

[stevedeshazer]

82. Glad you're here n/t

[applegrove]

81. I couldn't take the freeper obfuscation and hatred of the unprivileged

that seeped through every single one of their posts. I found the DU. Love it!

[deadparrot]

83. A random Google search. nt

[kansasblue]

84. democrats.com

I worked some of their Kerry projects. After the election when the exit poll controversy was breaking Democrats.com was referring to articles at DU about the exit polls. And no site I have found is as active as this one.

[NuttyFluffers]

85. word o' mouth on Jennifer Gov't message boards. n/t

[SheepyMcSheepster]

86. the build up to the iraq war

somehow i found my way here through google while i was looking for information.

[Quixote1818]

87. A fellow Wes Clark supporter told me about a post on the site

Once I found the post and looked around I couldn't leave. You can check out but you can NEVER leave!!!! It's addictive.

[Athame]

88. I rode in on the Media Whorse online

Miss that horse. :kick:

[Greybnk48]

89. The last "election"

I barely know how to navigate on the internet but was so upset I googled "liberal blogs" to see if anyone else in the world felt like I did (Nov 4 or 5). I found Kos, who mentioned the BBV site. Went there and many were mentioning DU. Started coming here daily about the 10th. Been here almost every day reading and learning since. Thank you everyone!!

I've passed this site to quite a few people, many who now come here every day or several times a week.

[leftofthedial]

90. so pissed off after the coup of 2000 that I couldn't see straight

I think it might have been the Top 10 Conservative Idiots that finally hooked me.

I signed up and mostly lurked for awhile. Then I spent a fair amount of time traveling for work (remember "work"?) and was not online. I totally forgot my original username (believe it or not) and came back as leftofthedial.

[La Coliniere]

91. One thing led..

to another. A rude political awakening (rather a rebirth of political conscience) caused me to seek out information I couldn't get from the MSM. Common Dreams led me to Buzzflash led me to Truthout led me to DU led me to ................. You get the picture. I was a reader for 2 years before I started posting. I still mostly read posts, but the DU community continues to be part of what sustains me. Knowing there is a community in this country that hasn't fallen victim to the propaganda and nationalistic insanity heaped upon us gives me sustenance and hope. We are the truth seekers and we shall prevail in the long run. Viva la DU!

[eleny]

93. I followed the yellow brick road!

From a Yahoo group.

[Selatius]

95. I came here to get away from another site, Guerrilla News Network

I used to post on there frequently, and it's totally a free-speech zone. If you want true freedom of speech, you post on their forum, but nothing is gained without losing something else. There are ultra-rightwing Likudniks and neo-nazis that come and spew their junk on the board as well even though the site has a leftist bent. I posted on the GNN boards as an outlet of sanity in a sea of insanity (Mississippi).

Anyway, as time wore on, I found myself and the board being affected by the hard-rightwing elements. I came to share ideas, not engage in combative flame wars at worse and debunking at best using facts they were ignoring or were ignorant of. Most of the latter posts of mine were spent trying to debunk the talking points the rightwingers were spewing and other stuff. (Ever tried discussing whether the Holocaust existed or not?) Eventually, I went and looked for some other website, and this one was the candidate. I believe there are a few other GNNers who post here as well. This handle is the same handle I used on the GNN boards. It's just that the nutjobs were eating away at my last nerve on there.

I consider myself a Libertarian Socialist (The star in my signature represents left libertarianism), but I am sure there are others who are even more hardcore than I am with this ideology. I know enough to carry me to this point by looking at history and contemplating the behavior of the bosses of our world, but the ones I'm talking about have my respect in that they know beyond what I know.

As I said, there is a price for everything. I gave up a forum that truly lives by freedom of speech (I liked that) but had its problems with neo-nazis and other such kinds for a forum that has limited freedom of speech in comparison but is not affected by the neo-nazi/rabid pro-Likudnik/Holocaust denier/racist element.

I'm not slamming GNN or DU for the differences. Both sites have their strengths. I remember Libertarian Socialists and Marxists used to hash out their differences over achieving a better order of things with regards to whether it should be done through the state or if the people should do it directly, and I see here a ton of great stuff as well and a lot of critical thinking, especially with the leaders who represent the Democratic Party. I like both of that.

[EFerrari]

96. I was working on line with a group of folks from Ohio and Florida

from the day after the last faux election. And someone kept forwarding threads from DU. I was so mad, I couldn't even see for days but did manage to see "DU" on those forwarded posts.

[Must_B_Free]

97. I used to be "Beware_Of_God"

before I got banned for asking if Zionism was real or a conspiracy theory. I think I joined during election 2000 recount. I have no idea how I found this site; probably from a link off yahoo message board.

I would love to see an old archive of that first year. The only people I remember over the years are mopaul, William Pitt, NNNH0LI, Eloriel, bob the drummer, angry white democrat, octofish, very few names do I remember, unfortunately. I remember the "moderate" - j carlos jacinto.

[mopaul]

105. i used to be 'frank stein'

i think bartcop's link led me here, much to the mod's regret.

[AlienGirl]

99. Bartcop! n/t

[tavalon]

100. I went to a teach-in (yeah, that's what they called it)

in Austin, TX to see someone, can't rightly remember who now. But there was this other guy speaking there who, while I had never heard of him, completely blew me away. I remember the fellow who introduced him screwed up his name - William River Pitts. Anyway, I bought the guy's book and at the back of that book, he mentioned DU. I decided to come take a look. Now, I'm addicted. Bastard! ;-)

[REP]

104. "Calico Cats Admit Fear Of Attorney General" - April 2002

Saw a link to that article on usenet, followed it and never left.

[entanglement]

106. outside link to top 10 conservative idiots n/t

[in_cog_ni_to]

107. Right after the 2000 repuke thievery of the election

I was on another board debating repukes and was constantly looking for MORE facts to throw at them and I came upon a site that linked to DU. I've been here ever since. This place saved my sanity.

[devinsgram]

109. Looking for like minded people who

had the same views as I.

[Dee625]

110. 1. Spam - 2. Election '04 - 3. Landing at a DU Meetup

My first visit here was a result of a Spam e-mail. It reported that there were problems with my attempt to register at Democratic Underground. Problem was I knew I had never registered here. So I came here and registered to report the bogus spam.
Found out I couldn't even start a thread in the problem section because I was a new user so I had to piggyback onto someone else's bugs thread.

After doing the "recount" of Ohio 2004, I came here to read your forum on election 2004. Posted a few times then.

Weekend before last I went to the teach-in in Columbus and meganmonkey and demodonkey very nicely invited me to dinner at the DU meetup. Met some other great folks there and promised them I'd try to post here. It's been frustrating because I've wanted to PM them a few times and can't because, again, I'm a new user. I'm not good at post slutting so it'll be a while. But I'm trying.