General Discussion

2016-06-29T20:58:17+00:00

Usually when someone posts a "Goodbye Cruel World!" thread in GD it is less about explaining why they might be going and more about wanting to be reassured that they are, in fact, wonderful and that DU will never survive without their contributions. Tears all round and they're back in a little while. I'm not doing that. there will be few tears at my leaving and, I imagine, more than a few whispered cheers to various Imaginary Friends and Pope Awesome. I won't be back, because DU4 is not a good place to be. DU used to be fun. One felt that there was room for everybody. No longer. Because I'm not an American and don't live in the US I rarely posted about things which seemed ludicrous to me - the gun culture that's killing your citizens, the lack of any national healthcare, the ridiculous power of religion in the US, the reverence for the military. If I ever did comment on one of these it would usually end up with some keyboard warrior reminding me that they "saved my ass in WWll!" There were plenty of other things to discuss. All interests welcome. Not any more. The long, bitter run up to your election has destroyed what DU was. Endless squabbling about candidates, in-fighting, prejudice, misinformation, bigotry - this has all changed what was a thriving, lively vital community into a dead, paranoid wasteland of Clinton sycophants, clique-y apologists, Woo defenders and cat videos. Delicate Snowflake Underground: where no one has the right to offend you! Anything of substance has no place on DU at the moment. Once, DUers were able to talk about the issues and alternatives. Not any more. I made the mistake of posting that the more I saw of Hillary Clinton, the more she reminded me of the "Evil Hag Thatcher". Great mistake. Hidden post, knuckles rapped. You aren't allowed to show anything less than awe towards La Clinton. (Jurors bleated about the term 'hag' being sexist but that, as you know, wasn't my crime.) Democratic Underground morphed into Hillary Aboveground. You will adore Hillary! Resistance is futile! We will not rest until the frightful, war-loving old neoCon has been eased into the White House! There. Is. No. Alternative! And then they suspended the rules allowing the worst pro-Clinton/anti-Bernie posters to collect 16 or 17 hides rather than follow the guidelines for "civility". Success. Sure the Jury system in DU3 sucked but it's been replaced with something even worse and yet people are queueing up to lavish the most over-the-top, embarrassing gratitude on the admins for it. I'm a Socialist and always have been. I would imagine that there's no-one with a chance at the Presidency who is any more left-wing (by Europen standards) than our centre-Right clown David Cameron. And now, since the wealthy elite in my country have lied and misled in their engineering of the disastrous leaving-the-EU result, I have to put up with DUers who have no idea what they're talking about pontificating on what's wrong with the UK and/or the EU. Enough nonsense. And you can defend the owners all you like (I know it's their site and I know they can do what they like with it.) If this lasts long enough for replies you can say what you like about me - you know, the usual witty "good riddance"remarks. Go ahead, if it makes you feel better. I won't be reading it anyway. But it won't change anything, will it? Consider this - DU is now almost as bad as Free Republic. Of course there are many over there that we certainly wouldn't consider good - or even rational - people, but I'm not talking about the members. At least with old RimJob, although he might not be what we would term clinically sane, you know where you stand : there's an agenda, you're told what it is and if you fail to embrace it you'll be thrown out. Banned. At least he's honest enough for that.

Post removed Wed Jun 29, 2016, 04:58 PM Jun 2016

Post removed

26 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Post removed (Original Post) Post removed Jun 2016 OP

It's the Hillary effect. Aerows Jun 2016 #1

Comparing Clinton to Thatcher is outlandish, and pointless. HuckleB Jun 2016 #2

I disagree. Aerows Jun 2016 #3

They're not even close. HuckleB Jun 2016 #10

It's actually right on point, and I speak as someone that lived through Thatcher... truebrit71 Jun 2016 #5

LOL! Not even close. HuckleB Jun 2016 #7

We'll have to agree to disagree Aerows Jun 2016 #16

LOL!!! Absolutely on point. truebrit71 Jun 2016 #17

Oh, I do know that people have fallen for ludicrous propaganda. HuckleB Jun 2016 #19

Did you miss the part about living through it the first time? truebrit71 Jun 2016 #26

It is Aerows Jun 2016 #13

7 posts hidden in the past 90 days GusBob Jun 2016 #14

Sad, but I see exactly where you're coming from. I've been lurking Svafa Jun 2016 #4

See ya later! GusBob Jun 2016 #6

Bye pintobean Jun 2016 #8

See you on the flip side! Rainforestgoddess Jun 2016 #9

Hag is sexist and so is comparing her to Thatcher bravenak Jun 2016 #11

13 years here... I am so so sorry to see you go riderinthestorm Jun 2016 #12

DU is no longer fun because you got called out for using a sexist slur? lapucelle Jun 2016 #15

Wait Aerows Jun 2016 #20

Ruh roh. HuckleB Jun 2016 #22

The two week DU veteran .... Trajan Jun 2016 #24

Stay and fight back. guillaumeb Jun 2016 #18

Sorry to see you go Blur edhopper Jun 2016 #21

I never want to hear another remark about Hillary sufrommich Jun 2016 #23

Bye. I hope you find a forum that is a better fit for you. merrily Jun 2016 #25

Aerows

(39,961 posts)

1. It's the Hillary effect.

Reply to Post removed (Original post)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:01 PM

Jun 2016

I'm not stating that as good or bad, it just is.

HuckleB

(35,773 posts)

2. Comparing Clinton to Thatcher is outlandish, and pointless.

Reply to Post removed (Original post)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:01 PM

Jun 2016

The fact that your post was hidden is nowhere near saying "you must adore Hillary." It simply indicates that your post was an attack without true substance, rather than actual criticism.

Aerows

(39,961 posts)

3. I disagree.

Reply to HuckleB (Reply #2)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:02 PM

Jun 2016

I'm not inclined to get into a gigantic mix up, but I don't think the comparisons are that far off of the mark. Opinions vary.

HuckleB

(35,773 posts)

10. They're not even close.

Reply to Aerows (Reply #3)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:04 PM

Jun 2016

What's truly sad is that making such a ludicrous comparison is apparently considered an actual discussion point at DU in this era.

truebrit71

(20,805 posts)

5. It's actually right on point, and I speak as someone that lived through Thatcher...

Reply to HuckleB (Reply #2)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:03 PM

Jun 2016

I have no desire to do it again.

HuckleB

(35,773 posts)

7. LOL! Not even close.

Reply to truebrit71 (Reply #5)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:03 PM

Jun 2016

The fact that people have fallen for years of right wing propaganda, and now believe it as true, does not make it true.

Aerows

(39,961 posts)

16. We'll have to agree to disagree

Reply to HuckleB (Reply #7)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:06 PM

Jun 2016

I respect your opinions on many things, HuckleB. You state them well. On this matter, though, we don't agree.

truebrit71

(20,805 posts)

17. LOL!!! Absolutely on point.

Reply to HuckleB (Reply #7)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:06 PM

Jun 2016

Not interested in arguing with someone who clearly doesn't know what they're taking about.

HuckleB

(35,773 posts)

19. Oh, I do know that people have fallen for ludicrous propaganda.

Reply to truebrit71 (Reply #17)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:07 PM

Jun 2016

I'm sorry to see that you are among them.

truebrit71

(20,805 posts)

26. Did you miss the part about living through it the first time?

Reply to HuckleB (Reply #19)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:08 PM

Jun 2016

Where in the UK did you live during the Thatcher years?

Aerows

(39,961 posts)

13. It is

Reply to truebrit71 (Reply #5)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:05 PM

Jun 2016

and it is rather shocking that good, loyal Democrats don't see it. Sometimes you have to take off the shades and see what is actually going on at ground level.

GusBob

(7,286 posts)

14. 7 posts hidden in the past 90 days

Reply to HuckleB (Reply #2)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:05 PM

Jun 2016

DU is the problem you see

Svafa

(594 posts)

4. Sad, but I see exactly where you're coming from. I've been lurking

Reply to Post removed (Original post)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:02 PM

Jun 2016

since 2005, and now things are so different from the haven I once had here.

GusBob

(7,286 posts)

6. See ya later!

Reply to Post removed (Original post)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:03 PM

Jun 2016

pintobean

(18,101 posts)

8. Bye

Reply to Post removed (Original post)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:03 PM

Jun 2016

Rainforestgoddess

(436 posts)

9. See you on the flip side!

Reply to Post removed (Original post)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:04 PM

Jun 2016

Those of us who love you know where to find you.

bravenak

(34,648 posts)

11. Hag is sexist and so is comparing her to Thatcher

Reply to Post removed (Original post)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:04 PM

Jun 2016

The only thing they have in common is that they are women. Very different women, to boot.

riderinthestorm

(23,272 posts)

12. 13 years here... I am so so sorry to see you go

Reply to Post removed (Original post)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:04 PM

Jun 2016

lapucelle

(18,413 posts)

15. DU is no longer fun because you got called out for using a sexist slur?

Reply to Post removed (Original post)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:06 PM

Jun 2016

That was your crime. The real problem is that you don't think it's a problem.

Aerows

(39,961 posts)

20. Wait

Reply to lapucelle (Reply #15)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:07 PM

Jun 2016

You are judging people that have been on DU for over a decade?

100+ posts in and you are judging DUers? Wow.

HuckleB

(35,773 posts)

22. Ruh roh.

Reply to lapucelle (Reply #15)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:08 PM

Jun 2016

Trajan

(19,089 posts)

24. The two week DU veteran ....

Reply to lapucelle (Reply #15)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:08 PM

Jun 2016

*
.

guillaumeb

(42,641 posts)

18. Stay and fight back.

Reply to Post removed (Original post)

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 05:07 PM

Jun 2016

My understanding is that during the election campaign season, presumably from now until November, there will be no general criticism of Democratic candidates that can be seen as depressing the Democratic vote. SO there is some room for interpretation.

There is still criticism of particular ideas, such as the TPP, but posts advocating for a third party candidate (as a protest) or posts advocating voting for the GOP candidate are not allowed. And given that the point of the site is to promote Democratic candidates in a general election, that makes sense.