Should DU allow rightwing propaganda to be promoted here?

[geek tragedy]

Apparently there is a very pronounced divide in this community.

One segment takes the maximalist "freedom of expression" approach, that says it's wrong to hide content just because it is something people here would disagree with. One sees this in juror comments all the time "if you don't like it, don't read it" and things like that. The theory goes that silencing dissent is bad, and that the only cure for bad speech is opposing speech. Trying to silence viewpoints is bullying and authoritarian, especially where the rightwing material targets the President and thus is really just an attempt by sycophantic followers of the President to silence dissent.

On the other hand, there are those (including myself) that believe that if you allow wingnut propaganda to get mainstreamed and promoted, then there really is no point to DU's existence. One can go to discussionist, or the Yahoo! comments , or anywhere else in the Internet universe to find wingnut propaganda being promoted. If the rule is that all viewpoints are considered prima facie equally valid, what the heck is this place then? Communities are defined by their rules, or lack thereof.

So, should teleprompter jokes, Ann Coulter columns, allegations of Benghazi cover-ups, sneering comments about President Obama bowing to foreign leaders, disparagement of 'socialists' in the Democratic party, repeated reference to the "Democrat party" etc be considered within community standards at DU?

So, which comes closest to your viewpoint?

48 votes, 4 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Freedom of speech should be the primary rule, only hide in extreme cases e.g. blatant racism
	11 (23%)
	Promotion of rightwing propaganda is a per se violation of community standards.
	37 (77%)
	4 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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