New Wingnut Blog Alliance Not Your Father's Trolls

[Mensa]

A new blog alliance called "The Pirate Fleet" or
"Pirate Armada" (they've 
used both, and I don't

understand the difference) has been swarming the comments at
Progressive 
websites. the first reaction is

to call them "trolls", but that may be a mistake, as
you'll see.

The Pirate Fleet lists over thirty blogs, most of which carry
the skull and 
crossbones icon of The Armada

and its blogroll, and apparently they also recruit
non-bloggers who just 
like to post comments. They've

been seen on <em>Firedoglake</em> and
<em>ThinkProgress</em>. They back each 
other up and attack in large

numbers. These are not your father's trolls.

<a
href='http://dreadpundit.blogspot.com/2006/03/pirates-code.html'><img

border='0'

src='http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/214/753/1600/armadagrandadmiral150.jpg'></a>

When a moderator at <em>Firedoglake</em> edited
comments to read "GOP troll" 
and posted IPs, the Pirates

immediately declared victory, and posted screen captures,
claiming that this 
"proved" that the Left

doesn't have ideas that can stand up to debate.

This is their so-called "Pirates Code":

<blockquote>1. No unnecessary profanity or obscenity.
2. No personal insults or threats.
3. Stay on topic.
4. Tell no lies.
5. Back up your mates.
6. Pirate posting names are allowed, but not "sock
puppets"*.

* Using a sock puppet means posting under two or more
identities at the same 
time, in the same forum.

It's cheating, and site moderators will be able to tell that
you're doing 
it.</blockquote>Progressives

need to engage these people with reasoned debate every time
they show the 
Jolly Roger.

[louis-t]

1. They won't get far..

Note they have to use "reasoned" debates, and "tell no lies". Not much chance of success there.

[MissWaverly]

2. I love the smell of election dirty tricks in the morning

yes, let's just eliminate all free speech, let's go to blogs where people pay to subscribe
and express their opinions and take it over and spout the talking points of our paid
masters, oh, looks like another GOP campaign in progress.

[blondeatlast]

14. I think you give them too much credit, actually.

And do consider that today is a holiday of sorts...

[MissWaverly]

15. No, I don't give them too much credit

I was a friend of Andy Stephenson and what happened to him was no joke.

[blondeatlast]

21. Point well taken. and my apologies--and sympathies. nt

[MissWaverly]

22. thanks

lets hope for a better day here, I still like DU folks who are the greatest.

[MissWaverly]

17. Yes, April Fools Day should be tied to the GOP

the only problem is that we have been celebrating it for 6 years

[tanyev]

3. Fanatical extremist followers of the Flying Spaghetti Monster?

[Mensa]

4. They are circling the drain or something....

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/4/1/125616/6546

[Sparkly]

5. LOL

It cracks me up how they take on names like "Pirate Fleet" and "Patriot Warriors" and such... :rofl: I imagine them in a little treehouse fort with a sign saying "No Girls Allowed."

[BR_Parkway]

6. You owe me a new monitor, this one is now covered in coffee!

[laheina]

9. These are the kids that cheat and change the rules

only to yell "No fair!" are they not?

[blondeatlast]

13. Oh, no, laheina, didn't you read his post? They are FAR too smart for

that... :sarcasm:

[Capn Sunshine]

7. After some of what I've read here last week

It would seem the pirate invasion is in full swing, albeit without overt troll behavior. They seem well disguised enough although the mask slips frequently.

No offense to the pirate FSM contingent, may you be touched by his noodly appendage.

[MADem]

8. Sad little peckers; pathetic losers, really

I guess they aren't getting all of the traffic they used to; the vibrant comments, the engaged debate, the chortling and chuckling, flush with Bushit victory. Gotta do SOMETHING to motivate the minions, seeing as this misadministration is letting them down at every possible turn!

But hey, I guess that is their modus operandi--when they run out of ideas, they go beat up people, go screw with them for childish sport, make a total pain in the ass of themselves--yeah, that's the ticket!!! It may not solve their problems, but it'll make 'em feel LIKE A MAN!

HARK!!! THERE---!!!! On the HORIZON!!!

I SPOT one of 'em, yonder, there!!!!!!

[TheBaldyMan]

10. if they stick to the code they should be welcome anywhere

but as the Mexican flag mangler postings of the last few days have proved there are RW posters who just don't 'get it'. They inhabit the fantasy-based community. Having said that that so-called pirates code is just common or garden netiquette (as it was once known).

[norml]

11. So they consider it a victory when they get outed as GOP trolls?

I've been successfully monkey wrenching on Fwee Wepubwik for many years.

Were I to be identified as a troll and banned, it would be because I'd made a blunder, not because I'd made a brilliant move.

They probably want to be banned in a hurry, due to their inherent laziness and stupidity.

[blondeatlast]

12. Sounds like fun! Bring 'em on. nt

[MrPrax]

16. Smart tactic...

Sows seeds of discontent and suspicion on 'progressive' boards.

Given that BushCo has lost some much public support, it makes sense that former supporters on the 'Net would abandon 'GOP' styled boards and seek alternatives. Some might not be 'trolls'; many are just republicans that don't like Bush.

[0007]

18. Argh!

[OzarkDem]

19. They're here, too

We had quite a problem with them in the Ohio forum. We've also seen a case or two of so called progressive blogs locally in Ohio that consistently bash Dem candidates, while posing as liberals.

Ways to call them out:

Post threads that are critical of Republicans, e.g. highlighting cases of corruption. They usually won't respond. They respond only to complaints about Dems, not about Republicans.

Another hint: if they think a poster has caught on to their game, they'll bait the poster in tandem and do all they can to get them banned. Mods should be on the lookout for a sudden increase in "alerts" regarding regular high count posters who have never been a problem before by posters who are relatively new with low post counts - the people alerting you may be the "pirates".

[Beacho]

20. Check each on of these kooks blogs

and see if THEY allow comments.

Bet I know what the answer is....

[iconoclastic cat]

23. Uh, okay. I'm sure someone...somewhere...cares.

It's just not me. I already know what I think. I give any credence to what Republicans and conservatives think, regardless of their behavior.

[NYCGirl]

24. Well, if one of their "rules" is "tell no lies", they couldn't possibly be

Republicans.

[annabanana]

25. If they tell no lies..

We will just be able to ask, "are you a pirate?"

Besides, If they tell no lies they will have to come around or leave.