ENOUGH! No more "cutesy" insult names! I'm going blind!

[Dogmudgeon]

Allow me just a teensy weensy little RANT.

I know we're all mad-as-hell, etc., but I must have read close to fifty of these deliberately-mangled names in the last hour, and my ever-so-small brain hurts.

The Repukes. Repugs. Repigs. Not too difficult to figure them out, but they're still a visual distraction. What's so abhorrent about just calling them "Republicans" and then insulting them?

Same thing with using an asterisk instead of the word "Bush". It takes newbies real work to track down why it's done anymore. Hell, it's an effort for me to remember why it's done!

But the real problem is when people mangle the names of people that most of us don't pay much attention to anyway. Like the self-involved newsreaders on cable TV. I just saw the name "Whora O'Donnell" and spent about five minutes trying to figure that one out. (I think it's "Nora O'Donnell". Right?) Perhaps it's because I consider Nora O'Donnell a lightweight whose serious journalism amounts to ... nothing. But it still took some time and effort to figure out the target of the insult.

If you're the author of that post, relax, it's not a big deal, I'm not taking it personally, and you're not alone. I had to pick an example, and that was the most recent one. But when so many of the active DUers are doing the same thing all at once, it gets to be a drag.

We should leave the junior-high antics to the Republicans. There are plenty of ways to insult those who have vandalized our republic without becoming a vandal in turn.

Very well. Let us return to delivering our electoral ass-kicking in progress. I've got about a zillion GOTV speeches to give later today.

:evilgrin:

--p!

[kiahzero]

1. It's childish and immature. (n/t)

[Bluebear]

2. It took you FIVE MINUTES to decipher Whora O'Donnell?

:wow:

j/k

[Dogmudgeon]

13. Okay. I exaggerate.

Three and a half, tops.

But it sure felt like five minutes.

Then, once I figured it out, I realized who it was.

Imagine my distress!

--p!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. I guess you're right -- calling somebody a Republican is insult enough.

But I admit to succumbing to the childish pleasure of using mean nicknames. I mean, really -- what fits better than Rush Limpballs?

[npincus]

4. What about "Limpballs"?

[file83]

47. You mean Rumsfeld?

:rofl: I keed, I keed.

[bigtree]

5. Whora works for me

[Dogmudgeon]

9. She does?

Then fire her! Immediately! Please!

She's a do-nothing newsreader and the deliberate misspelling of her name cost me several minutes of my life.

:)

--p!

[mitchtv]

32. Perhaps "Noron"would be easier?

as for repuke? I agree I only use "Pukes"

[AlCzervik]

6. i call them "Republics"

[Oeditpus Rex]

37. So do I

They like to say "the Democrat party"? Tit for tat, asshats.

[seabeyond]

7. repug is half the letters of republican. rep doesnt work. i always type dem

for democrats and fundie for fundamentalists, for no other reason but to shorten the word. have issue with it, really sorry, ... but not changing.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

19. There's no "g" in Republican. Repub is half the letters of Republican.

:eyes:

[Catherine Vincent]

8. Nice rant, ya Pig!

:hi:

[Lex]

10. Well, if you are going to get really excited about something

I suppose this topic is as good as any.

[Cleita]

11. For one things, real Republicans are not the enemy, however,

those who have taken over the Republican Party have to be distinguished from their Goldwater bretheren, so that's why those names come into the conversation. I suppose, we could say neo-cons, ad nauseum, but that starts making for boring reading down the road. Are you also against "freeper". That works for me.

[porphyrian]

12. But we want to talk about the repoopies... - n/t

[unpossibles]

14. What about Republicons? it's a bit more subtle

and I like some nicknames. Sorry.

Lush Rimbaugh
Bull O'Lielly
President Bullsh

[Mythsaje]

15. I'm with the other poster

who does it to shorten the word...and to differentiate the freeper types from the few remaining ethical Republicans.

We'd have to go a long way to sink to THEIR level in this arena.

[Infinite Hope]

16. I agree. Isn't "Republican" insult enough?

People on here often just want credit for having the "creativity" of a 13 year old.

[madinmaryland]

17. The "Asterisk" came from Garry Trudeau and Doonesbury.

Caught on quite quickly here!

[Jo March]

41. The asterisk indicates that he WAS NOT ELECTED

It's like an asterisk in sports - the team may have won a game but had an illegal player.

* was not elected. He was selected. Hence the asterisk.

It's not a cutesy nickname.

[tblue37]

48. The asterisk also looks like a certain anatomical part, one that we could

also use to refer to him, but it isn't a polite word to say out loud, though I understand that Dennis Leary has a whole song about it, spelling it out and everything.

[Karenca]

18. The nicknames are fun.

They are actually more fitting than their given names---And they deserve them all.

[Bobbieo]

20. Nicknames Are fun!- Are You Setting Up A Social Club

That only a select few know what you are referring to. This is discrimination against the newbies!!! It's the initials that drive me crazy!!!

[Karenca]

22. No, what a weird question you asked!--Y'know the Social Club.

When I was a newbie, I didn't know what n/t meant. So I asked. All the rest was so easy to understand.


I don't think it's discrimination against newbies---really, the nicknames are quite obvious.


What initials drive you crazy?

[Bobbieo]

23. SCOTUS for one - Took me forever to figure it out and

why should I have to ask for the meaning of a nickname like Tweety? When these things are done its like you are creating a cliqiue an "in group" or social club. In other words, this is rude behavior!!!!!

[Karenca]

24. SCOTUS is actually the name by which the Supreme Court

goes under--just initials---
Similiar to the
Same as the IRS for the Internal Revenue Service or
the UN for the United Nations,
or the USA for the United States of America.

It wasn't a made-up name here on DU.

Google SCOTUS and you will come up with this page: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/.

-"Tweety" is not exclusive to DU. Think about how Dwight D. Eisenhower was called 'Ike',
or Bill Clinton is affectionately called 'Big Dawg", or Fiorella Laguardia was referred to
as 'Little Flower" You can google Tweety and see for yourself-http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=tweety+matthews&btnG=Search

The names that you accuse people of using to form a clique, an "in group" or social club
are a part of POP culture, and not indicative of 'rude behavior".

Noone here is trying to exclude their fellow Democrats.

[UTUSN]

21. Somebody got ticked at my Matt PUDGE coinage

They were SURE I was slurring his (or anybody's) WEIGHT. There is NO such word as "pudge." It has NOTHING to do with "pudgy." And Matt PUDGE is not overweight. I mean, he's ALREADY got a surname that is denigrating. Other attempts, like "SLUDGE," are not better denigration than what he's already got. PUDGE suggests a self-esteem-challeged "putz" type. Something like "FUDGE" would probably be EVEN MORE politically incorrect, scatological...

HEY!!!1 This is war and in war you demonize your enemies!!1 As LIMBOsevic would say, "Lighten up!!!1"

[11 Bravo]

25. To each his own. I personally believe that ...

Whora O'Donnell, Limpballs, Sean Insannity, O'Lielly, GE Russert, pRick Sphinctorum, the Coultergeist, Cruella Harris, the Gropenator, Good Hair Perry, all freeps, and a host of others are repuke apologists for * and Darth Cheney. Of course, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[seabeyond]

26. tweety.... what would we do if it wasnt tweety nO MO. i mean

life just wouldnt be the same, wink

[tinfoilinfor2005]

27. You're right, you're right, I know you're right.

I wouldn't want anyone to think that I disrespect junior, pickles or ma-barker-bush. Or brother Zeb.

[H2O Man]

28. Hmmmm .....

Thinking of Norah, and going blind.

[stop the bleeding]

29. !!!

:rofl: :spray::patriot:

[AZBlue]

30. Couldn't agree more!

I think "Republican" is enough of an insult!

[lectrobyte]

31. The * thing is from Doonesbury. And Kurt Vonnegut. If it's good

enough for them, good enough for me.

[Jed Dilligan]

33. I always wondered which (Vonnegut or Doonesbury)

I kind of assume it originated with Trudeau and the Vonnegut association reinforces it.

I also thought that it was a way of implying that his actual name is unspeakable, like Yog-Sothoth.

[Ms. Toad]

57. Actually, I don't think its from either

My recollection is the same as http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2591396#2597724

I recall the big fights the 2004 election created when he apparently was elected and someone asked the question as to what to call him then (he wouldn't have been elected a second time if he hadn't been selected the first time, he didn't win the second election - he stole it, etc.). Most folks who had been using it before continued using it.

[Bake]

34. I can't bring myself to call them "Republicans."

My term of choice is Repukes. When you think about it, most of the names that you're complaining about have a great basis in reality: Limpballs (does it get any better than that?), Tweety, Smirk/Shrub/* etc. Darth Cheney. They're all perfect because they FIT. Let the newbies take some time to figure it out. It's not that hard.

Bake

[Karenca]

35. I agree

I always refer to the Repukes with the names they deserve, whether I'm
typing on DU, or having a conversation.

It's really not that hard to figure it out...:hi: :thumbsup:

[butterfly77]

36. Its not Republican its....

RepubliCON...

[kestrel91316]

38. It's not "Republican", silly. It's "ReNAMBLAcan".

[Marie26]

39. For real

I think the * thing is silly, and some of the nicknames are juvenile. It's hard to tell who people are even talking about sometimes. Kindasleezy? Whorea? Just grow up. Bush loves demeaning nicknames; that alone should give people pause.

[Erechtheides]

40. I...

agree. Not enough to rant, probably, but I'm agin' it.
It's as silly and meaningless as "Defeatocrats."

[badgerpup]

42. edit...shoulda read the whole thread first...

question answered upthread. :blush:

But I did get a really big snort-chuckle-guffaw when somebody referred to Rump Leakage as 'Rush Limbaugh' a couple weeks ago...

:rofl:

[bobbolink]

43. I'd be content if DUers could remember that we're on the same side!

It seems like this is the place to come when people want to rip somebody, and feel superior.

Enough already! Act like you would if you were in your state Dem office!

You wouldn't purposely go into your state Dem office and crap on everyone, would you?

So, don't do it here.

Thanks.

[stepnw1f]

44. lol

[jonnywishbone97]

45. is the republican party new?

Ive always called them repukes and I dont see the need to change tradition.

[shanti]

46. so freakin what!

jesus christ on a crutch - we have more important things to worry about, doncha think?? :eyes: BE YOURSELF!

[tblue37]

49. Nah, he gave up the crutch. Now he cruises on a

trailer hitch.

[Redstone]

50. Have a drink, would you? Relax. I think there are a few more important issues

than that right now.

Redstone

[Hubert Flottz]

51. I do it because I'm in my second childhood...

today.

Moran = Republick'ems!

[BurtWorm]

52. If you feel sick to your stomach when you see those words

that's kind of the point. ;)

[NuttyFluffers]

53. I'm a stick in the mud and I approve this message

:evilgrin:

[Marr]

54. I don't get it either.

I don't use those little nickname titles and never have. I just try to be clear when I'm typing- it's hard enough to be clear with real words and real names.

[bluedogyellowdog]

55. Okay

But I still get to call them My Pet Shrubmonkey and George Felix Macaca :) :bounce: :bounce:

[Sugar Smack]

56. I like "Throaty Rita" myself,

the rest I don't really do.