DU Peace Treaty: Will You Sign On?

[Dinger]

Till after THE Senate race in Massachusetts is done. If you sign on (yes), it means you will only post positive threads or replies (toward Democrats/DUers), even if it kills you.

If you select "no," it means something a little different, no, a lot different.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I have no problem with this, my dear Dinger...

I am rarely negative towards anyone, esp. Democrats. Blue dog Dems are another matter, however.

I take your pledge!

K&R

[Dinger]

2. *Hugs To You Peggy*

:grouphug:


And anyone else who signs on.

[hfojvt]

3. this seems like a bad idea to me

By the terms of this treaty if somebody posts a thread that says "Obama sucks" or "Democrats suck" or even "Coakley sucks" then I am not allowed to make a negative reply, or even to politely say "I disagree (or think you are wrong)"

This is a discussion board. We need to be able to disagree without always making it or taking it personal.

[Dinger]

4. People Can Still Disagree And Be Positive

Ex: "I disagree but I respect your opinion."

[hfojvt]

23. How much respect should I have for opinions that I think are wrong?

If I feel strongly that something is wrong, why shouldn't I say so? It's not personal, about you, although it is hard to separate a writer from his/her writing but just because I trash one of your ideas or OPs does not necessarily mean I will trash them all or that I am trying to say anything about you. It's about your thesis of the moment, not about you.

[bobbolink]

34. How much respect should Israelis have for Palestinians?

In other words, do you want to find a way to have peace, or drop bombs?

[hfojvt]

38. you are talking about people,

I am talking about ideas. If I say something you think is wrong, you should be able to say so without it becoming some kind of battle. I strive to refrain from personal attacks, but I don't feel the need to slip over into butt-kissing. "I think you are wrong, but I totally respect your wrong opinion."

[bobbolink]

40. Its the same thing. Its a very simple concept. All this "debate" is bogus.

If you can't disagree without being respectful, then you are no better than the RW. That's what they have done to us for years, and we don't need to do it to each other.

If you can't understand that, then maybe you need to be engaged with something else, because it IS the same as the Israeli/Palistinian example.

If you think that respecting another's opinion when disagreeing is butt-kissing, then you are part of the problem.

[hfojvt]

50. you just broke my irony meter

you couldn't seem to disagree with me without insulting me, and yet you are lecturing me to be more civil.

[bobbolink]

52. I'm a mirror.

When people treat me kindly, I respond in kind.

When people feel the need to denigrate me and talk down to me, I respond in kind.

After a while, I (and many others) get tired of taking crap and trying to respond with peace, and just get more crap. Many of us have tired of just being martyrs and door mats.

So, look to your own words.

And, I'm glad to have accomplished something today.....that "irony meter" needed to go anyway.

[bobbolink]

33. REally???? We could actually SAY that?

It wouldn't make our lips fall off or anything?

:hi:

[quinnox]

5. Yes, this place needs some civility and decorum

I agree that Du has become more "mean" lately and will not contribute to that bad atmosphere. I have been trying to be more polite in all my posts as a matter of fact.

[Robb]

7. I as well, believe it or not

...It's hard work. :)

[quinnox]

10. lol

It is hard work indeed at times, agreed.

[bobbolink]

6. I went ahead and signed "YES"... so now, will you be willing to be in my corner when

some jackass decides to attack *me* because my view is not to their liking?

Or, are you just asking for martyrs?

You see, if we truly want peace, then we have to come together as peacemakers, and embrace ALL who are trying to be "positive", and not just stand back and let them be attacked.

Your call.

[Robb]

9. Heh

Talk about getting into the spirit. :D

[bobbolink]

18. Yes, the spirit of unity, the spirit of coming together, the spirit of caring for each other.

As opposed to the spirit of Rugged Individualism and sociopathology.

In other words, coming together in a healthy way.... respecting individuality, and caring for each other at the same time. Hard for us to conceive of, but very possible... other societies do it, and we can too.

[Dinger]

12. Hell Yeah, I'll Be In Your Corner!

Hopefully I won't miss it. If I do, send me a PM and jack my ass up!:patriot:

[bobbolink]

15. Thanks!

:pals:

That's one of the best posts I've received in a very long time!

:yourock:

[Dinger]

17. You're Welcome,

and I meant it!:)

[bobbolink]

36. I'm humbly submitting one suggestion to help strengthen your plan.

I'm not the only one to recognize that a well-spoken and peaceful post will very often be ignored, and an OP that is said respectfully and kindly will often drop like an anchor, but a rancorous post will get lots of replies.

SO.... since MOST people want to be acknowledged, or they wouldn't be joining in a discussion, how 'bout we agree to give MORE responses to the kind and thoughtful posts, even if we don't agree to it all, than to attack and dis an ugly one?

What thinkest thou of that?

In other words, reward that which we desire.

[Dinger]

42. Great Suggestion bobolink

:)

[bobbolink]

53. Okayyyyyyy....

So, do we do something with it, or just file it away and fuhgit aboutit?

I thought your OP was great...do we want it to be something more than a few days duration?

[Arkana]

8. I propose a round of waffles all around.

Tasty waffles. With lots of butter and syrup.

And maybe some fruit.

[hfojvt]

24. dang it

I was with you until you mentioned the fruit.

I don't think butter is necessary either. Especially not if it is really margarine.

[Sebastian Doyle]

39. It better be real maple syrup

Not that imitation flavored HFCS crap.

The real deal, from Vermont (just like Bernie Sanders and Howard Dean)

[Arkana]

51. [presidentbartlet]WE DO NOT SERVE VERMONT MAPLE SYRUP IN THIS WHITE HOUSE!

[hansont]

11. The problem is not "peace", the problem is that some attempt to crush open discussion on a forum

that is meant for discussion. Then everyone starts getting their hackles up.

Pay attention, there are a very few posters that have DU up in arms all the time, and they are here all day and half the night trying to keep the place "on message".

People want to be free to discuss openly on what is supposed to be a "discussion board", so of course things get uptight under these conditions???

[Dinger]

16. This Is Not About "Crushing Open Discussion"

Remember, you can disagree and be positive. It is possible. Give peace a chance!:)

[Go2Peace]

21. This is OT on this OP, but that is the problem that sparks all this

There are a lot of people that disagree and are positive about it, just have a different opinion, but there are folks who work this board day and night that are *not* positive, and on the attack against anyone who is "off message".

It is human nature, when someone tries to silence you, you turn around and fight harder and then things get more nasty then they should.

They are the one's you need to talk to and who have the ability to stop the negativeness and attacks, which is the problem, not people's ideas and opinions. Because honest discussion is not threatening to our cause, rather it is those who are trying to make an open forum act in unison that create this phenominon.

[bobbolink]

19. Welcome to DU!

:bounce: :toast: :party:

[hansont]

30. Thanks! Been here a while, just read more than I post :)

[bobbolink]

35. Welllll, git bizzzy and start typing, then!

:hi:

[Robb]

22. I always like to say

...there are only two people on DU who can make you shut up. I ain't one of them. :D

[WeDidIt]

13. Other

I will definitely only post positive responses and OPs until after the MA election.

I will continue with this practice until the first negative post or OP after that election.

[me b zola]

14. I have been operating under my own peace treaty

I am a unabashed supporter of Obama, who would like to push him left w/o destroying him. I don't call names of those whose posts make me cringe, I know that most of them want the same things that I do. I know there are others like me, I just wish that more would sign on. We are all on the same team, wanting to move in the same direction.

[bobbolink]

20. very well said.

:yourock:

I'm not enthusiastic about Obama, and never was, but I certainly respect your position.

If we could all realize we are in this together, as you have expressed so well, we'd be much further ahead in creating a country we can be truly proud of.

thank you.

edited to say... I would be exceedingly pleased if Obama truly created change, and I would have to say "I was wrong about him". Yes, I would be pleased to be wrong, indeed! In the meantime, peace to you. :hi:

[me b zola]

25. And I respect your opinion

We cannot afford to self destruct, there is too much at stake.


Thank you for the kind words, they were much needed today. :pals:

[bobbolink]

28. Maybe some "kindness unity" will/can come out of all the ugliness.

There have been so many really good people who have given up and left DU because it has become so overtly nasty. But, we're told that's OK... there will be others to take their place.

But I'm one of those who believe that NONE of us is replaceable, and every good person has much to contribute. I miss all of those who have given up and left.

What we can do is to remember them by trying to find a way to create peace in the midst of the sociopathology.

Kind words are ALWAYS needed.... maybe we can find a way to make them multiply!

:pals:

[stray cat]

26. So if someone posts they want the GOP to win - I don't reply or agree?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

27. If someone posts that they want the GOP to win...

I'd alert on them.

There is NO place for that point of view here.

You don't have to reply.

[bobbolink]

32. Of course... there are just sooo many of us saying things like that, aren't there?

[Capers]

29. Why?

[LWolf]

31. I'm not sure.

I'll have to think through it.

To be honest, I've posted almost nothing about the Senate race in Massachusetts, positive or negative. I don't live there. I understand why it's such a hot topic, of course, but I haven't seen the rash of "vote for Brown/hope C. loses" threads. I've only seen the threads throwing fits about them.

Probably because I haven't been here much this week. :shrug:


I hope I do a decent job of staying on issue, so that if I post something negative, it's about the issue, not the DUer. Not perfect, by any means, but decent.

As far as the Democratic Party goes? I support the party as far as they support the issues at the top of my list. They've been failing for 9 years now to do so. I can't promise not to post something negative about the party, or about elected Democrats who have been complicit in the lurch to the right the nation has been on since Ronald Reagan took office.

That said, I can certainly refrain from any "anti-Coakley" posts, which would be against DU rules at this point, anyway. I certainly don't want another R in the Senate, whether I personally approve of Coakley as the Democratic candidate or not. That's up to the Democrats in MA.

That's about as far as I can go with a "Peace Treaty" during this campaign season, so I guess I'm an "other."

:hi:

Meanwhile, I'm actually more concerned about measures 66 and 67 in my state, since, if they don't pass, another bunch of teachers will be heading to the chopping block this spring. Those measures will make a bigger difference to all the people in my state, imo, than whether or not the Democrats retain a majority in Congress, since they seem determined to make a majority irrelevant by constantly compromising principles to make the opposition happy.

[ZombieHorde]

37. You could start a mass ignore list through PMs of those you feel are always mean to other DUers. nt

[Dinger]

44. I Much Prefer To Keep An Open Mind

I have used ignore in the past, but not for long.

[Hatchling]

41. This is like the best thread I have read here in a long time.

A commitment to civility, yes!

[graywarrior]

43. I'm trying to stay out of any threads that make me see red

[Iggo]

45. "...even if it kills you..."? Then fuck no. (n/t)

[taterguy]

46. I'll stop posting negative replies when people stop posting stupid shit

Present company excepted of course

[salguine]

48. Taterguy, I like the way you think.

[salguine]

47. How about a follow-up poll challenging DUers to think only the right things?

[GreenPartyVoter]

49. Is this sorta like a loyalty oath?