I need to say this- Hating Bush does NOT make one a democrat.

[KyndCulture]

Ok I've already had one rant today, but lawdy I need to get this off my chest.

I post to a lot of boards and blogs and I'm seeing a trend that has me in a snit. I can't call them trolls, because they aren't blatently smearing us, just underhandely doing it... but I am noticing an upshoot in disgruntled republicans that HATE Bush but don't share any of our core democratic values joining our communities and this is really distressing me.

Yes, we are the party of the big tent, I try really hard to accept everyone. However, what I am observing is people coming to our boards and blogs, displaying BLATENT racism, sexism and homophobia (still hanging onto those talking points) but want to claim they are democrats/liberals/progressives because they really hate the neocons in general and bush in particular.

Lord, give me strength, to accept these lost souls and try and help them clear the bullshit from their foggy brains and give me patience to not call them trolls.

Has anyone else been experiencing this?

[Texasgal]

1. I've seen it myself...

However,it should be a GOOD thing that some republicans are turning their backs on Bush.. what do you think won us the mid-terms?

We should be HAPPY that people in general are seeing through shrubs lies!

[BootinUp]

2. I dunno, DU has always been

quite diverse. I have seen offensive (to me) posts since I first looked in summer of 03. But of course there are posters who do not belong or share the values of the Dem party. If they are here because they hate Bush, might be a good opportunity for them to learn something. :shrug:

Gotta have a thick skin on the internets. :)

[mike_c]

3. there is another side to that coin, one that I readily admit to....

Despite being a loyal democrat for thirty voting years, I now find myself "outside the fold" on many issues where my views are much more liberal than the prevailing democratic party line. That's not so unusual on DU, but I think it is unusual in the larger population, and DUers from that population are often taken aback by the comments of folks like myself-- LIBERALS whose party identity is a marriage of convenience for the most part. In the last couple of elections I've found myself voting Green more frequently than Democratic, and my party identity has shifted to somewhere between dem and green. I am no longer a democrat, in the strict sense, and threads about putting party loyalty above all else don't resonate with me.

Truthfully, I think it's more useful to think of political bent as a continuum with conservatism at one end and liberalism on the other. Everyone falls somewhere along that continuum. We might call some regions "republican" and "democrat" but those are not all inclusive, and their boundaries are not very distinct.

[KyndCulture]

5. Oh I agree in the shade of grey theory...

but when you see things like "that so gay!", or "did you bring your flying monkeys with you tonight" addressed to a woman who's disagreeing....

Then I ask the universe for patience. Yes they are seeing the light, slowly, but my patience is so burnt to a crisp after six years of this.... sometimes I just plain get pissed.

[jgraz]

4. I think it's great -- let's welcome them to the enlightenment, albeit 300 yrs late

The new message of economic populism is strongly attractive to disgruntled redneck repugs. And don't worry, they are so weak-minded that they'll abandon their stupid prejudices in order to fit in. I've seen it happen before.

[KyndCulture]

6. yes yes...

but give me patience until they do.

[jgraz]

9. You know, I don't think you need to rely on patience

I'm a strong believer in ridicule and verbal abuse. It's important to clearly demonstrate to these losers how unacceptable their views are and that their beliefs actually do disqualify them from membership in the fellowship of rational adults.

Remember, most of these folks are completely deferential to authority and power. You'd be surprised how much of an effect this election has had on them. Throw in a little old-fashioned public shaming and they'll bow down quicker than an evangelical preacher in front of a gay hooker.

Edit: becuase speeling is impotent

[bliss_eternal]

15. jgraz makes an excellent point...

bottom line, most of them ARE at their core bullies. Look at today's neo-cons...bullies and cowards. Stand up to them and call them on their bullshit. many will back down. Those that won't end up looking like bigger idiots and assholes.

When you speak truth to their insanity they can only back themselves up with more crap.

The unfortunate thing is sometimes you do get dogpiled. I've had the shit flamed out of me taking on some of these creeps. Somehow all the likeminded losers come out of the woodwork with more bullshit. :banghead: Sometimes to be honest, I was outnumbered and I had to walk away.

Sometimes I'm fortunate in that there are some kick ass mods around that put an end to it, and start deleting offensive posts and tombstoning members.

My only regret was wasting my time and getting upset by it. But I can't tell you how many times people contact me privately to say, "thanks" because I gave their feelings and issues a voice and it was appreciated.

:hi: jgraz!

[bliss_eternal]

12. I understand your frustration, Kyndculture...

and I feel your pain. :hug: I think it's admirable you are seeking patience from the universe in dealing with such people. :hug:

My honest impression is that some are merely trolls. Of those types, they think it's enough to say they hate gwb--that this is all people like us require to be welcomed into our fold. :eyes: Once here, they slowly start to release their true agenda. They are careful about not directly breaking rules, but they skirt them regularly and are blatantly offensive on all the issues you speak of in your op.

Then there are others that may sincerely dislike him and the direction the right has taken the country. They may be seeking to understand us and the party more. Or they may hope that the party will continue to drift more to the right. They want to see us abandon those issues and people that would make the party more "palatable" to them.

I noticed this "trend" after we had a few members in the last year or so that "outed" themselves as "former republicans." They were welcomed with open arms, but over time I noticed a few of those people were rather disruptive. They seemed to be the ones that were most intolerant of our views, nasty to the glbt community, immigrants, women, minorities, choice, etc.

They aren't ready to change to embrace progressive ideals, so instead they try to change us from within our ranks. I feel it's important to be aware of that.

I used to try to talk to people like that, in an effort to "educate." Sometimes I sincerely wanted to foster understanding, and see if we could meet half-way. When it's becomes obvious they aren't interested in any of that--they merely want to take the party, the board, our members, etc. further right, and piss on everything I hold dear and true--I say fuck it, and hit the alert button. ;)

Why stress myself out and waste my energy on assholes that just want to bully the rest of us, to become the intolerant pieces of shit that they are?

[KyndCulture]

14. Ah Bliss you nailed it.

I am seeing those bush haters showing their true colors and it truly pisses me off.

An incident today on one of my blogs, where this dude says.. THAT IS SO GAY. Sent me off into oblivion.

I truly wanted to bitch slap this mofo. How DARE you say you are a democrat and say that?

Get thy talkingpointed ass far away from me. Hating bush is easy... embracing the core values of our party is not.

You don't automatically get a dem card just cause you think the president is a smarmy idiot. There is MUCH more.

I really am trying, but I swear, I am getting a sense of our party being hijacked by weirdos who think we will accept them and their hate.

[bliss_eternal]

16. Unfortunately, there are still too many Dems willing to allow it...

How many times have you seen threads on DU advocating we abandon "the gay thing"? :eyes::puke: I recall some of the threads after the '04 election and I was shocked, offended and very hurt. For some, it's all about winning--all about being able to say they are a part of the party in charge.

For people like that it has so little to do with equality for ALL--what I consider a progressive ideal. For them it's just about winning. Fuck the people that are losing us elections--fuck women and choice. Fuck gays--why do they need to get married anyway? Fuck the poor--I have a job, I've got mine--they should get theirs! Fuck illegal immigrants. :banghead: It's ALL bullshit. You know it is, or it wouldn't make you see red. ;)

I was told to sit down and shut up when I've stood up for the glbt community, when I've corrected people that post blanket statements about Jews, gays, women and people of color. I took much shit over fighting the nominations of Supreme Court Justices that were anti-choice. You know what? I don't give a shit. I'm staying in people's faces about ALL of those issues, it is my right. As long as people are pissing on the glbt community, the sooner they will find a way to piss on me and take away the few freedoms I have.

It's up to people like you and me to continue to speak out on behalf of those that can't. It's up to us to speak up and support populations that get told to sit down and shut up because they are losing our elections. :hug::hi: To stand beside our brothers and sisters and support them, and tell those racist, bigoted, homophobic, bullying assholes to sit down and drink a big steaming mug of shut the fuck up. :D

[KyndCulture]

24. well apparently I have yet again pissed off some DUers

I apologize for saying B***h slap.


for crying out loud I was talking about a guy. Grow a skin people. Please. It's slang and in no way was I talking about a woman.

[mentalsolstice]

7. Definitely not

Being a democrat means having a broad world view and tolerance towards those different from you. That's where it starts...

[LWolf]

10. Hear, hear!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[CrispyQ]

8. They are hijacking our party.

In this world of up is down, black is white, it will soon also come to pass that conservatives are Democrats.

The democratic wing of the democratic party will either have to fight for our party (& I suspect the infiltration of corporatists may be to great to succeed at that) or we will have to branch off & start our own LIBERAL party.

I suggest we call it the We the People Party. ;)

[Lars39]

11. Progressive Democrats of America:

www.pdamerica.org

[CrispyQ]

19. Thank you for the timely reminder!

I will donate & bookmark the site!

:thumbsup:

[G_j]

23. our world is in a state of emergency

It was that way before Bush stole the office and the situation it so much more dire today. In this emergency people with courageous vision, resolve and will are essential. There is really no way to survive with continued politcal games.

[hsher]

13. Yes, and I agree, but...

Hating Bush does not make you a Democrat.

However, it feels soooooooo gooooooooood.

[bliss_eternal]

17. LOL!

So true. ;)

[populistdriven]

18. so...... none of the Terrorists are Democrats?

:dunce:

[UTUSN]

20. Neither does LUERVING Shrub (make one a Dem) n/t

[tinfoil tiaras]

21. Second time I've agreed with you tonight

:)

I hate it when people think it's "cool" and "rebellious" and "trendy" to hate Bush. I've hated the bastard since 2000, when I eventually found out that he stole the election at the tender age of 9 or 10. It really pisses me off when I see people that were "republican" in 2000 (in 3rd grade...hehe) but now are "uuugghh..i'm so hardcore i hate bush soooo much!!11" They're just as bad as Freepers to me, imho.

[KyndCulture]

22. This is my sticker I made... I've had it for a year.

click my sig if you want one.