We haven't even hit the bottom yet

[cali]

Obama supporters posting truly offensive shit about Clinton, Clinton supporters posting truly offensive shit about Obama, the use of the worst right wing crap by supporters of both candidates, and Clinton supporters threatening Obama supporters with the Secret Service and FBI when there are no posts actually threatening Clinton.

I do not condone real threats against anyone, let alone the presidential candidates, but let's be clear: Obama supporters are not doing that; not on DU. I understand that Clinton supporters feel outnumbered and shat upon and I share their outrage about some of the shit posted here about Clinton. But there have been no real threats against either candidate here that I've seen. Nor are Obama supporters threatening violence at the Convention. I've seen a very few, predict it, and I wish they'd shut the fuck up, but there is not, as has been suggested by some Clinton supporters, any evidence of an organized plan for violence by Obama supporters.

Here's the thing though: To some extent, Obama supporters are provoking this by posting offensive and creepy stuff about Clinton.

Can this get worse? It's hard to imagine, but I bet that it will. And I have no solutions.

6 more weeks until PA and I fear what GDP will be like for that period, as well as fearing the ugliness in the real world.

Is there anything we can do to improve things here?

[MonkeyFunk]

1. It would help if both sides

cut back on the ridiculous over-the-top rhetoric and the pure hatred expressed.

It would help if the mods deleted such posts - there's no reason to be so hateful to one of our candidates. The differences between Obama and Clinton in no way warrant that kind of venom.

But I think it will just get worse and worse. Even when its pointed out to people, they insist on their right, even obligation, to be hateful jerks.

[cali]

2. I agree.

and yes, people insist that THEIR hate is justified. I wonder how bad it can get.

[MonkeyFunk]

4. Well

you're fond of using belittling names like "hillbots" and "hillshills" and the like. You're not really adding much to the civility around here.

[cali]

8. Only in response

and you aren't one to lecture either. I'm going to try harder not to respond to the outrageous. You should do the same. I've certainly seen you be derisive and nasty to Obama supporters.

[MonkeyFunk]

16. I've never once

used any term like Obamaton or Obamanation. I've never once started a thread critical of Obama.

Yes, I've called assholes assholes when they act like assholes. But I've never made it a group attack on all supporters, and always in defense of my candidate. I don't smear Obama. Never have.

My point is using childish terms like that, AND posting smear threads against a candidate, is guaranteed to get people's dander up, and as you know, it escalates - people play tit-for-tat and we end up where we are now.

[tekisui]

3. We, collectively, need to take a step back and take a breathe.

The divisions are unhealthy, the farther apart we drift, the harder it will be to com together again.

I hope everyone can just get off the hate.

[Daphne08]

5. I don't know but it's become much too divisive for me, and

I don't appreciate seeing my candidate trashed by other Democrats.

[rucky]

6. I don't even give as much of as shit about the attacks on the candidates

it's the attacks on the people here that piss me off to no end - when someone is trying to be objective, or make some sense, and all the sudden it gets personal.

[quinnox]

7. Obama supporters need to know Riot Police are prepared

And I'm sure they will be at the convention. So stop this nonsense about disrupting the convention, you know they won't be able to get more than a handful of drunk college kids to show up anyway, and be laughed out of the convention led away to the drunk tank.

Just stop talking smack Obama supporters and people won't be so touchy about the empty threats.

And Cali you are always right in the middle of these flame fests, don't play the innocent. Though I do get a kick out of your posts at times, lol.

[cali]

10. You've already had a bullshit flamebait thread locked

I've never made a threat and neither have the vast majority of Obama supporters here. You need to stop making stuff up. It's disgusting. There has been very, very little about violence at the convention or elsewhere. And I've certainly done nothing but quell any comments. You have a lot of nerve accusing me of threatening anyone. And YOU are the one posting flamebait OPs. Not me.

[blogslut]

9. We're not promoting anything to warrant accusations of violent action

There have been ugly threads on both sides but the fact remains, this new J'accuse is unfounded and borders on a kind of fascism. We Obama supporters have done nothing to deserve this.

[cali]

11. Sure, some Obama supporters have

been posting ugly hateful stuff. I'm obviously not saying they deserve threats of being reported to law enforcement, but some of the hate toward Clinton does provoke. And I for one, am going to try and stop with the hillbot stuff, even if I'm doing it in response.

[blogslut]

13. But you just did it

:)

[JVS]

12. Oh sure, ms. fired up and ready to go burn Denver to the ground.

:sarcasm:

[blogslut]

15. I went to Denver once when I was 12

That was 35 years ago. It was very cold and there was a blizzard and a really big mall.

I'll let you younguns go instead of me. Don't forget to bring your tootbrusheses. :hi:

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

14. The ignore list / ignore thread features are your friends. n/t

[Uben]

17. Those that have been here for several years

......should be tough-skinned enough to take almost anything that is dished out. I started a thread about Clinton having the lead in the popular vote yesterday and, like clockwork, the Obama camp jumped on it like white on rice. But to their credit, not one that I can remember stooped to calling names. Sure, we argued back and forth, and some got a little heated, but still I was amazed it remained as civil as it did. I thought to myself how that was a good thing, and wish all threads and posters could argue without calling people names.

If you are not thick-skinned enough to take criticism, be ganged up on (especially if you are a Clinton supporter), or even suffer a little name-calling, you really shouldn't be in GDP. A lot have left. I'm an old codger who can't be ruffled. You can throw it all at me and I'll keep coming back, and I hold no grudges against anyone.

I am a staunch Clinton supporter, but I don't hate or dislike Obama. There is a good chance I'll be voting for him for president.
I certainly will if he is the nominee. I truly do not hate anyone, although I do have a very strong dislike for Bush and Cheney and others.

So, if you get into an argument here, don't get flustered. It's easy to walk away from any thread. Let someone else take over or give it a couple of hours to die down. I am sure that there are others here who actually enjoy a strong argument, just as I do.
I just thank god that we are arguing about which democrat WILL BE president, cuz one of em is going to make it!

It's a good idea to take a set of facts and base your argument on them, not hearsay or "he said, she said". As you have seen, facts can be argued both ways, and some, like me, are not quick to cede anything! Ha ha! You'll get your argument, I guarantee! But I don't dislike any of you who disagree. In fact, I like you all because you are democrats! So, if I beat you down a bit, don't take it personal, I'm just fightin for my candidate like you are.

Just a little reminder, I am always right!