I feel like I've hit alert more in the last week...

[VelmaD]

than I had in the previous 3 and a half years I've been on DU. Anybody else having that same feeling?

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. yep lurkers are coming out of the woodwork

and they are not that friendly

[Midlodemocrat]

6. I agree with that

...I don't respond in a nasty fashion, I don't think it is very mature, but there have been some unpleasant things posted here recently.

[Midlodemocrat]

2. Well, I have been a lurker for a while,

but they have been some questionable things posted here lately.

[LamedVov]

3. Being new here

What do you mean you've hit alert?

[kick-ass-bob]

5. down and to the left

of each message.

This alerts mods of a 'bad' post.

[John Q. Citizen]

7. button on lowerleft of posts to alert mods to trolls, terrorists, and

trouble makers.

Welcome to Du LamedVov.

[chiburb]

4. Oh most assuredly...

It isn't even fun to argue with them anymore...

Also, do they seem to travel in pairs or trios? One to stir the shit and others to "pile on"?

[John Q. Citizen]

8. Yep, I've noticed that too.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

25. It gives their trolling more "credibility", LOL. "I agree! As a party we

Dems SUCK! We should just become more and more like the Republicans!"

[LisaLynne]

35. Oh, I'm glad somebody else noticed it!

It's probably one person, with a couple of different screen names or something. I kept hinting around about it when it happened, but I didn't want to get in trouble for calling people trolls or something.

But, yes, they would post something stupid and then all of a sudden, there would be two other posters totally agreeing. Just a pattern. Thought for a second I was being paranoid.

[Donkeyboy75]

9. Sure.

Some suspicious newbies...and some tried and true assholes.

[liberalmuse]

10. I don't think I've hit the 'alert' button more than twice...

and it was because these were trolls making ugly, racist remarks. Other than that, I stay away from that button. There's something about 'informing' on people that bothers me.

[yardwork]

31. That's an admirable way to feel, but think of this

The mods can't be everywhere, and if you decide not to hit "alert" on a freeper who is causing trouble here, it's very possible that they will still overlooked and cause more trouble.

Longtime DUers aren't going to be affected that much, but think of the lurkers who drop in to read here now and then. They see a nasty post written by a troll and give up hope.

The trolls do this because psyops works. Please hit alert when you have any doubt about a post or poster. All it does is alert the mods to take a closer look. If the mods decide the post is ok, then the poster will never even know.

It's better to be safe than sorry. If you have any doubt, please hit alert.

[DelawareValleyDem]

11. Yeah, Everytime i wander into GD

[Wat_Tyler]

12. Yeah. Lots of trollery, baiting and general assholery.

[Fenris]

23. My alerts have been generally directed at one giant asshole.

And I do mean physically giant.

[Wat_Tyler]

24. Like Godzilla?

:scared:

[Fenris]

26. Mechagodzilla even.

He's like a zombie. He never seems to die.

[LisaLynne]

36. general assholery

That's going to be the name of my autobiography.

[tjwash]

51. mine will be called "general asshatery"

[sui generis]

13. Okay I'm coming out of the closet now!

I am a big bleeding heart liberal homo who wants to round up every neo-con on the planet and ship them off to Afghanistan or Mississippi and let them pollute and corrupt themselves to death, and save the trees and the water and the air and the whales and put government religion back in the closet where it belongs and abolish the death penalty for everyone except people who interfere with elections!!!!!

(Woops - can I take that back? I thought I was on Free Republic when I wrote that.)
:evilgrin:

[seimmud]

15. No you cant

(and between you and me, i know you are serious. ;) )

[Phillycat]

14. Yes, AND it's not low-count posters either.

Either I have less tolerance for hate-filled bullshit from long-time posters, or they're getting worse.

[plcdude]

16. hey friend

we've got your back, no worries.

[short bus president]

17. *cough* *cough* WHINER! *cough*

:P

[VelmaD]

18. put a tampon in it...

and shut up :P

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

20. That was wrong!

so wrong

[VelmaD]

22. Sorry...

inside joke. :)

[JimmyJazz]

27. I've been here too much then, 'cause I got it

:7

[short bus president]

41. tacos and corndogs again, dear?

:P

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

28. Oh - ok!

*shudder*

:)

[VelmaD]

29. Blame short bus

he did it. :evilgrin:

[short bus president]

39. Don't blame me!

When I die like poor Kenny with the colonic dehydration poisoning, it's gonna be ALL YOUR FAULT for being so MEAN.

And shit yeah - Chavez got my back! He speaks the truth, and if what the ladies tell me is true, carries a pretty big stick, too.

:P

[sniffa]

19. which posts?

the ones ripping kerry or the ones scapegoating gays?

i'm sure there's more, but those are my 2 aLert hitters

[VelmaD]

21. add the ones scapegoating women...

and you've got it

[Texasgal]

44. Or how about those

Red state whiners....Ugggg, I have enough of that shit to last me a lifetime!

[auburngrad82]

30. Yep. Just go into any thread with "gun" in the subject line.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

32. Yep

there's one I ran into on the LBN board who distinctly reminds me of a freeper I sparred with for a year on another website. Her style is EXACTLY the same as this person.

I've hit Alert a damn lot in the last week. It's been ridiculous.

[Skittles]

33. I AM SICK OF THEM

THEY ARE EVERY F***ING WHERE. If I wanted to listed to their pathetic, ignorant TRIPE all I have to do is turn on cable news, read the newspaper, listen to hate radio, talk to my coworkers. WHY CAN'T THEY STAY OUT OF THE ONE PLACE I GO TO FOR PEACE? FUCKING ASSHOLES.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

34. I've seen you on some of the threads

where I've been hitting alert too. You and I seem to think alike!

[Skittles]

37. they are so g.d. easy to spot

they make me arch and hiss

[SixStrings]

38. Ok...1st post, here goes...

Well, I had to post sometime - here goes. I've been one of these 'lurkers' you guys talk about so much. Your election (I'm Canadian) scared me to death, so somehow I found this site and realized that not all Americans are brainwashed bible thumpers - a major relief. I've learned a lot too...Never trust the major media (being Canadian, I know this all too well. We have the CBC which is state owned and a major propaganda machine for our federal gov't - would you say something nasty about your boss? - neither does the CBC) and there are a lot of like-minded people in our two countries with basically the same goals and desires. I will not get into what happened with your election - although I believe as much foreign input you get the better - save that for later. I am confused though...
I do not understand the fascination with 'outing freepers'. Your country is more polarized now than ever and this constant bashing and negativity towards people who disagree, or who post something slightly controversial is exactly the kind of behaviour we should be frowning upon. I mean, c'mon, someone's post count is cause for suspicion? That's ludicrous and immature IMO...Do you want new members or do you want to stagnate with the one's you have now? Your mandate should be to grow and spread through any means possible - the more people that come to this site the better. Scaring them off with childish antics and BS rules is not helping your cause.
We have to realize that with 'Free speech' there is a trade-off. In order to validate this notion that we live in a 'free society' we have to have the option of just scrolling past what you believe is offensive, untrue, racist, etc, etc...Give people the choice to see both sides of the coin, not what one person or a group of people 'deem' unfit for the rest of us to peruse. I keep thinking back to Frank Zappa when he was testifying in that censorship thing you had a few years back...he kept saying, "Who gets to decide what is offensive?" and that is the whole crux of the argument. If I cannot see the message in question how can I decide if it's offensive? Who is making that decision for me? ...Sorry for the long post, but I can;t get past the hypocrisy...Thanks

[A-Schwarzenegger]

40. Cheeky first post!

Welcome & duck. Or not.

[VelmaD]

42. First off...

this is a private message board. Consitutional guarantees of "free speech" don't apply here. This board was started by Democrats for Democrats...hence the name. Serious debate of the issues is encouraged but disruption by people who have obviously come in to stir shit up ins't tolerated. There are plenty of boards on the net where people can go to fight with the "other side". This board is not that place. This is supposed to be a safe space for Democrats.

[blondeatlast]

43. Normally I welcome newbies, but

if your first post is all about telling us what's wrong with DU, I can't do that.

Arm yourself with a sense of humor and practice ducking.

So you're here. Make the most of it.

[blondeatlast]

45. Plenty of political forums that offer both sides, so how'd you find your

way here? I'm curious, didn't the name give you a hint?

I assume you read the rules and lurked well enough to know that this is not an "open" dialog.

This is a social club, a meetup, a motley crew of e-activists, and we don't need to welcome those that don't share our views.

You want nonpartisan debate, boy are you in the wrong place. Why don't you post the same stuff over THERE and dsee where it gets you.

If you think I'M huffy...

[chiburb]

46. But you ARE huffy!

I'm just sayin...

;-)

[blondeatlast]

49. Why, thank you! nt

[SemiCharmedQuark]

47. Welcome, but read the rules page

This site is for progressives. If you like GWB you're not welcome here and if you believe in what he stands for you probably aren't welcome here either. Free Speech doesn't apply to a private messageboard.

[jimbo fett]

48. I just posted a warning about a lurker but I guess the mods don't like it

when you "out" them with a post.

If you're curious who this lurker is you can PM me.

[Skittles]

50. many times the Mods take the alert under adivsement

and watch for further evidence.