You know

[SomewhereOutThere424]

I've been to these forums for a long while now, even though I don't post much. I am not republican nor will I ever be -- but people with stupid difference in opinions here are quick to accuse me of being a freeper when they don't agree with everything I say. The fights here are inane, the comments like adding stupid 'fox news' puns like hen house and talking about 'wolfie' and making animal jokes is outright immature. We need more substance than this to the democratic party and obviously the american people are the only remaining backbone in the party asides a few good individuals.

Can't we be better than this? Than resorting to lame retorts and joking like 14 year olds, when we could be writing to people who have focus and can make a difference? So what if someone's name incorporates something? So what if you have a difference in opinion? The greater portion of these boards can be far more mature in their output, and I don't mean this in dissent to those who do post a truly mature manner and show they really care. I think that if the democratic party is to survive we need to stop dividing ourselves and start uniting, and that starts with cutting the immaturities and focusing hard on the topics that matter, not being diverse with the frivolous or irrelevant.

Let's keep on focus people. Maybe I don't have 1000+ posts, but I DO have experience in the collapse of good ideas, and it starts with devision and wasting your attentions and energies on picking out the immature, senseless things. We need to convey a better image as democrats than that. I don't refer to the people playing the 'blame game'. I'm playing it too. I don't mean people who have difference in opinion, by all means I have them. I mean the people who freak out and fly off the handle making these boards appear to be gamewinners.com's thunderdome. I mean the people who make their entire vocabulary derived to insulting things that exist outwardly away from politics, that don't deserve to be dragged in. We need to have a more mature mindset than that if we're going to get people to take us seriously.

And no, moderators, this isn't flame bait. It's a wake up call to my observation of these forums. The fanatic immaturity can stunt the focus and intent we have -- and by all means, we need all the strength we can get right now. I respect democratic underground, but I don't respect what it sometimes comes to within these forums.

[alittlelark]

1. Maybe you could find a site more to your liking.....

[Writer]

4. The OP is simply expressing his/her opinion.

If you don't like it, go find a site more to YOUR liking.

[shraby]

2. While discussing various things, we are also

emailing Senators, Reps, news organizations, etc. I think most of the posts you're referring to were put up by freepers to stir the water here. For the most part we are a dedicated bunch who punches like Muhammed Ali. We can do more than one thing at once, after all we are unherded cats.

[JuniperLea]

3. Maybe you should limit your DU lurking

to certain forums... or become a little more intuitive in your thread reading selections. You can generally tell in a line or two what way the wind is blowing.

There is an undue amount of frustration in the air and we are dealing with a total lack of logic and professionalism in the WH, so a certain amount of "venting" is to be expected.

Democrats are free-thinkers for the most part, so you are going to find a lot of very diverse and opinionated statements made here. Nature of the beast.

Maybe a new forum is something to be considered... a serious, no-jokes-about-it affair. Not my cup of tea, but there ya go... another opinion:)

[blondeatlast]

10. Note the careful, pithy phrasing of the OP's subject line.

If I pulled an SL like that at work, they'd come after me with open staplers.

[demzilla]

5. These are my people

even if I don't agree with every single post.

I think a lot of us come here to find a community where we can vent about the horrible things we see happening in our country. Sometimes we satirize Faux News, Limpballs and all the other right-wing nuts that have cast a haze of ignorance over our country. We need to do this to keep our spirits up, and because the bastards deserve it.

Sure, sometimes there may be a poster or two who are quick to judge, or to yell "freeper!", but I see a lot of intelligent discussions here, too, with varied opinions. . . . In these dark days, thank God for Democratic Underground. It keeps me laughing, when it doesn't make me cry.

[SnowGoose]

6. Yea, some of that bothers me too.

Especially as a humanist, I think people (and other life forms) should be granted a certain amount of respect just for existing.

I really don't like it when people go off on things like physical attributes. Barbra Bush: absolutely a cold-hearted evil person (if her various comments are any indicator), but who the hell cares if she's ugly? And the thing about her bulging eyes - she has Grave's disease - Geeze! There's plenty to criticize without resorting to that - it really does cheapen the criticism.

The thing to keep in mind is that you're hearing from a lot of people who have been marginalized in the national discussion. If I had a nickle for every time someone told me I "hated America", I'd buy someone in New Orleans a new house!

After someone has had shit thrown at them long enough, they decide there's nothing to lose by picking some up an hurling it back! It's not as if playing nice by the left/progressives/Democrats was EVER fucking reciprocated.

Like I said about 9-11. It's not right, but if you're surprised, then you're clueless (I mean 'you' in the general sense, not you personally).

[xxqqqzme]

7. I come here for information

AND levity. The wittiest people I know R very intelligent. I'd rather groan over a good pun or 'dead on' black humor observation than yards of dry posts. For the most part the people here R actively engage in passionate issues, dedicated 2 causes & wear their heart on their sleeve. DU provides an escape, a hide-out, a comfortable place 2 recharge. That's why I here way too much. I'll continue to call rove, saurove, cheney, unca dick - schwartzeneggar, steroid boy. They do not deserve the dignity of upper case letters nor any respect.

[applegrove]

8. We discuss things here. We don't like kool-aid. If you choose to

be a patsy that is fine. But don't try and make us grow down. The adolescents are the ones who refuse to think for themselves. We think with compassion, and yes - anger. Anger is a responsible reaction to willful negligence. In case you haven't noticed, the majority of the country is feeling it.

[blondeatlast]

9. There's plenty of political discussion on the Internets,

perhaps there's one that suits you better.

I like it here just fine.

[Moderator]

11. Locking

generally when people say "This isn't flamebait" it usually turns out to be just that.