Reply #40: Yes, we know know how you vote in polls. [View All]

[Skinner]

We have never made a secret of the fact that we can see how you vote in polls. In fact, I admitted it just a couple days ago, in a thread eerily similar to the "dogshit" thread, albeit not nearly as over-the-top. For the record, the "dogshit" poll is only the second time we have ever banned people for voting a particular way in poll. The first time was a few months back -- I can't remember the exact wording, but the basic idea was that the Holocaust was a fraud perpetrated by Jews.

This is really quite simple.

I would prefer not to be the administrator of a website where 40% of poll respondents are perfectly comfortable expressing their agreement -- for whatever reason -- with the idea that "black Christians are dogshit." I would also prefer not to be the administrator of a website where a bunch of people are perfectly comfortable expressing their agreement -- for whatever reason -- with the idea that the Holocaust was a fraud perpetrated by Jews.

I also believe that the vast majority of people here would prefer that they not be associated with a website where a significant proportion of our membership expresses agreement with the idea that "black Christians are dogshit" or that the Holocaust was a fraud perpetrated by Jews.

Oh, and then there's the fact that we have many fellow DUers -- black Christians and Jews -- who probably don't appreciate knowing that a significant proportion of DU members are willing to vote for the racist or anti-semitic option on polls.

As I said, we would prefer that our site not be known as a place where its okay to say that "black Christians are dogshit" or that the Holocaust is a fraud perpetrated by Jews. If members think it's productive or funny to make it look like we tolerate that kind of thing, then they should be prepared to take the consequences.

This is all probably going to be moot anyway. Because in a few months when we unveil our complete overhaul of the site, how you vote on polls is probably going to be made public so everyone can see it.