Tell me why you Love the Democratic Underground.

[Philosoraptor]

I love it because it is practically my only connection with the real world lately. I'm just now getting over an injury that has had me homebound for over two months and DU has been a literal lifeline to reality.

Breaking News, Opinion, lively debate and discussion, and thousands of voices from all walks of life, from all over the world, connecting, networking, spreading the word and excersizing democracy in a concrete way. By being here, reading and participating, I feel as if I belong to something important and purposeful.

I have learned a lot here, and I have changed a lot from what I've learned. I love to hear your various voices and opinions, this is a great place to hear what others think, instead of being internalized all the time.

And I don't think the founders and mods get enough thanks, they work hard, long hours, and they deserve our thanks and donations and respect. I've even met some of you DUers in person, but I get impressions of everyone just by reading what they've written.

Tell me why you love THE DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND.

[JeffR]

1. K & R!

I'd describe my feelings for DU, but you've done it for me. Well said.

Good luck with your recuperation.:patriot:

[Annces]

2. many reasons

I like to know what is happening politically, and this is great for that, with opinions too, so you can get a feel for how people feel about the subject.

You can sometimes get things off your chest, that you can't say to relatives, so it can be cathartic.

I like knowing that people care.

I like to read other people's well thought out replies, and it amazes me the quality of thinking by many posters.

I like the images people post.

[Frustratedlady]

3. DU is a place of respite from the madness of the world, today!

I found DU while reading the various blog sites to find someone else who felt the same way I did about where this administration was taking us. When I mentioned my fears to family or friends, I truly believe they thought I was losing it. Even with proof in hand, I got "the look" from many I spoke to...a quick switch of subjects...the announcement that, "ahem, dinner is ready" to divert attention from Mom. I finally quit speaking, but that just frustrated me more. The events were so bizarre, I could see why my family was more than a little bit concerned about my mental health. I mean...come on...you don't really believe that stuff......do you? Well, yeah, I did.

At DU, others believed the bizarre and not so bizarre, and they helped each other put the pieces together. I watched from the sidelines. I was mystified at how quickly DUers and bloggers could snatch up files from archives to use in refuting erroneous statements ...locate pieces they remembered from past newscasts or newspaper accounts...bits of theory here, and bits of theory there...almost like solving a crime. Little by little, the pieces began to form a jigsaw puzzle...a bigger picture which was becoming more and more focused. The picture isn't ready for framing, but...

I see the difference their efforts have brought about. By working together and "talking" through Cyberspace, the word is getting out and even the MSM (AND my family and friends) are waking up to the fact that maybe there is something to what we've been saying all along. Maybe we shouldn't believe everything the government is telling us. Maybe Mom isn't so far off course, after all.

In a nutshell, I came to this place to verify I wasn't whacko and I stayed.

[Kurovski]

20. Thanks for that. I think many of us have had some similar experiences.

I enjoyed your account very much. :thumbsup:

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Catherine Vincent]

5. Tell us more about your injury.

:)

[Philosoraptor]

16. Sort of a sports injury

Although not sports related, strained m'seff, but I'm on the good side of it now thanks.

[nashville_brook]

6. i don't actually

to say you love DU is like saying you love a building and, as a building, it's not that interesting.

some days it sucks here. some days it's interesting. there's often more groupthink than you shake a spacebar at.

i don't love DU. i love the exchange of ideas.

[yurbud]

7. naked photos in gallery. nuff said.

[Catherine Vincent]

8. LOL!

Now you'll have everyone heading to the gallery to check!

[yurbud]

13. Lol's is the HOTTEST

[PA Democrat]

18. Yes, but those naked photos are purely politically motivated!

[yurbud]

42. that was our best DU Meetup--but I still got a rock in my crack.

[Skidmore]

25. There's a gallery???

Really?

[gkhouston]

40. if you have the Secret Decoder Ring [tm]

What, you thought all those "kitty pics" in the lounge were actually felines? :shrug:

[Jo March]

9. The people - what DUers did for Andy Stephenson was awesome

I don't know many other sites that have come together like that to raise $50K for someone who really needed it.

DUers are the greatest group of folks - caring, knowledgeable, helpful and kind. We argue like family but come back together when we need to.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

45. Yes, that was one of our finest hours.

I especially like GD. Not nuts about the lounge. Clicky and they can be pretty mean. Some old and good DUers have left because the latest loungers have become pretty nasty and they like to gang up on people who aren't in the crowd. (yes, I've gotten the pm's.)

But otherwise DU is still my sanity. :)

[Jo March]

55. I like the Pet Forum

Lots of love for the furkids and some of the finest folks around.

Who can't love someone who posts a picture of a kitten?? :D

[Catbird]

10. Lots of reasons . . .

Lots of information on electronic voting systems.
Great photographs in the monthly contests.
Lots of cat threads with pictures of really cute cats.
Well-reasoned essays and discussions.
Great set of pointers to current news.
Fantastic user interface.
Reminders to leave the screen and write the letters and make the calls.

Thanks,everyone.

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

Philosoraptor -- hope you are feeling better now. Being housebound can be a good time for introspection, but after a while you feel that it's possible to have a little too much introspection.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[AlinPA]

11. Many, but big ones are people's sense of humor and originality.

[Dinger]

12. Many, Many Reasons:

* It's FAST
*My laptop has become my "newspaper" - It's the first thing I do when I come home- cop of coffee& DU!
* Damn, I can swear here!
* Excellent source of current events
* Diversity of viewpoints
* Pic threads
* A DEMOCRATIC community- I feel safe here
* I think it's pretty cool how I read news here, and hear it 2 days later it's in the "MSM."
*etc.

[ThatsMyBarack]

14. Signs of intelligent life!

And people's hilarious captions of *! ;)

[Cobalt-60]

53. Indeed

[tnlefty]

15. Popcorn, drinks and rowdiness - my kinda joint!

Then there's news, differing perspectives from folks in other states and countries...

[Phredicles]

17. It's a great place to vent about the fat shits running our country into

the ground without having to get into an argument about it (seems like everyone has "those kinds" of relative and/or coworkers...).

[saltpoint]

19. I love how the admins send over naked dancers to my house.

It's a generous gesture, and damned thoughtful.

[Philosoraptor]

21. Hey! How do you rate?

This is news to me, why wasn't I told about this?

[saltpoint]

24. Uh-oh. I forgot I wasn't supposed to say anything...

wait -- that's the doorbell. It's Tricksy & Roger again. Gotta go.

[itzamirakul]

22. Mainly I love the members...even those that I hate.....

I mean I hate some of their ideas and posts and they make me mad and I say things I regret and....
AARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG!:crazy:

But what makes DU, DU, IS the individual posters and the ideas they espouse that make one think...:think:

[mogster]

23. It keeps my mind off work n/t

:shrug:

[lpbk2713]

26. The wingnuts have websites devoted to nothing but slamming DU.

I could think of a lot of other reasons why I like DU and why I visit this website several times a day but when I think of the very fact that it pisses off those losers that much makes me like it that much more. We must be doing something really good for us to be such a thorn in their side.

[lonestarnot]

27. because I just do. And I don't have to give no fooking reason!

:evilgrin:

[librarycard]

28. DU is much more user friendly than, say,

DKos.

Although the DKos founder Markos is very bright, and I like his personality on TV, as well as his message, very much so, I find myself muddling through that long-winded site. DU and DKos are both great references, however, if needing to research, DKos in particular.

I had wanted to start a journal on DKos but found it difficult to figure out, time consuming, and punitive in its message when I didn't do it right...bold red words of "you didn't read the rules!!" Like I need to apologize to an inanimate object~!

DU is more relaxed in its format, less critical, and though I have found posters to be more aggressive here, I would like to try a journal one day.

[LeftyMom]

29. It's nice to talk to people with a similar perspective

I've learned things, made a lot of friends, found myself in love- I have a lot of things to be thankful to the community for.

[Gregorian]

30. The truth.

Similar mindsets.

When I found DU, I was put off. I thought people here were making mountains out of molehills. It literally took me a year to figure out that they were not. They were finding seeds that were growing into plants of truth.

Even in my favorite subject, biking, I was really discouraged when I discovered that not all bikers are liberals. Wow, that was a shocker. My experience up until then confirmed that biking was a completely liberal sport.

DU is a place where we all share something in common. A dislike for lies. I spend time in a photography forum. They're pretty liberal. But I also spend time in a machine tool forum. That place is like the grand canyon, with one side like DU and the other like Freak Republic. So when I come to the photography forum, or cooking forum on DU, we start out already having the basics in common. We may not have the same level of artistry that they have in the other photography forums, but I think being in a closer group is even better.

I would not be here if it weren't for the brilliant people who work hard to do the research that we all benefit from. So ultimately it's the truth that I find so important about this place.


If Free Republic had the truth on their side, and DU was the forum of lies and spin, I would be over there.

[wryter2000]

31. DU saved my sanity

I was starting to think that everything I'd been taught about this country was wrong. It seemed as if we WERE a Christian country, after all, and one that didn't accept the theory of evolution. It seemed as if doing anything we wanted to "enemy combatants" was okay. It seemed as if we could search and spy and detain people without due process of law. It seemed as if the flag was more important than the constitution. It seemed as if rich people were more important than the rest of us and that punishing people for being poor would make them stand up and fly straight. It seemed as if it was reasonable to hate people for not being heterosexual or...gasp...not white! It also seemed as if some elected Democrats (with notable exceptions) agreed more with the Republicans on these questions than I did.

When I discovered DU, I learned that there were lots and lots of people who knew that I was right and the country had gone crazy.

[wryter2000]

32. All that sounds great

But in truth, I just love Grovelbot.

[Catherine Vincent]

33. Me too!

I love a man that ain't too proud to beg. :)

[Turn CO Blue]

34. Because DU is my church

This is where I come for information, truth, fellowship and healing. I get fed and replenished here so I can go back out and face what is happening in the political world. And it is a great comfort to me know that I am not alone -- there is a DU army out here who also understand the foibles and dangers of BushCo.

I have learned so much here - I feel enlightened.

[Straight Shooter]

35. Dissemination of knowledge and the diversity of opinion and perspective.

Sometimes I stumble into threads of which I have absolutely no clue whatsoever as to the subject matter at hand, and am consistently amazed at the depth of knowledge which many DU'ers have for what are often quite arcane subjects. Fascinating.

I also get a kick out of the "barroom brawls" which sometimes erupt.

Last but not least, DU'ers have the best sense of humor on the planet. Despite the very real tragedies going on in the world, despite the fact the U.S. is staring into the abyss, there are many good folks here who come out with zingers that literally make me laugh out loud.

Thanks for asking, Philosoraptor. DU is the well from which those thirsting for knowledge come to drink.

[Momgonepostal]

36. DU is a welcome refuge from the FReeperville that is...

my hometown. I love being able to come here and read thoughtful posts from people who look at the world in much the same way I do. We may not always agree on everything, but for the most part I feel very much "one of the gang."

I skimmed the LTE's in my hometown newspaper today. Apparently, today is right winger day. Every single letter looked like it was written by a Bush minion.

Thank you DU for being my daily FReeper antidote!

[Ioo]

37. Non-Stop Stream of Hot Porn - Oh I mean because I need to know...

I am not alone...

[napi21]

38. Because I live in Ga and everyone around me is a RW NUT!

DU is the only place I can actually have a decent intelligent conversation, or even disagreement, and enjoy it!

DU is also terrific for keeping us all aware of what's going on in the world! I don't know of ANYTHING that has excaped our scrutiny!

[The Traveler]

52. I live in GA

I feel your pain. :)

[mimitabby]

39. a good source of news

i can get the latest news here; complete with sources. Always!
great!

[ElboRuum]

41. Hmm... I'd have to say that it's the free donuts.

Well, actually, no.

I post on other boards where Freepers occasionally show up to soil the place with flame wars and general stupidity, and while I get a charge out of squashing them under my heel, it does get a bit tiring or boring at times. DU is a nice respite where you can actually discuss things civilly without worrying about some snot-nosed chickenhawk with an armchair Rambo complex ruining your conversation.

[Rosemary2205]

43. DU has changed my entire life.

Even the way I relate to my job and my family has changed because the people of DU have given me so much to think about. So often some really thoughtful and informative posts are made, or someone will post a link and there is real information on that site ....etc etc etc. DU has just opened up a whole new world for me.

IMHO the guys that run this place are doing more for America that probably the Congress itself ever will -- well OK, maybe a small stretch -- but certainly they provide a conduit for more accurate information than Cable media all put together.

[eridani]

44. All the geeky expertise

Need the perspective of someone who works in an emergency room? Someone fluent in Lithuanian? Someone who knows the nutz and boltz of the Internets? Someone who has lived in or visited any of the many locales that get mentioned? Odds are you'll find it here. Also, the best summary by far of current news.

[TheFarseer]

46. good place to vent, get obscure news

and uncover new ideas.

[LSK]

47. interacting with thousands of like minded people

Links to great articles, great discussions, able to goof off in the lounge, topic forums, polls, activism, CSPAN debate threads, I can go on and on and on...

Also GREAT software. I would be lost without "My Posts". Journals rock too!!

[wiley]

48. The moderators. The administrators and

the constant push by DU members to turn therapeutic rants, complaints, observations and disgust into action items and ongoing events. And the courage of members to defend their positions, and change them or maintain them based on feedback.

The persistence of DU members to keep an issue going after the MSM has dismissed - or ignored it. It can take a good seven days to reach a lot of people.

:kick:

[sakabatou]

49. I can bitch, moan and gripe about the world

and people will agree with me.

[tinfoil tiaras]

50. Sometimes (well, alot of the time) it makes me laugh

and sometimes it makes me cry (well, feel really sad). I've gotten alot of self confidence from being on here and I'm not as afraid to speak out about politics and stuff.

Thanks, DU! :D :patriot:

[GreenTea]

51. My question would be to Skinner, EarlG & Elad....

Has it fulfilled your intentions, hopes of progressive participation & ideas?

Had you hoped for more at this stage?

What has surprised you most?

Almost six years, and soon to be 100K usernames(not to mention the many, many who just stop by to read)what changes have you seen?

Does the overall influence of this site, kick your ass?

What STILL knocks you out about this site?

What do you see next for DU?

Is it a grind, or do you look forward each day?

How hard is it to keep things in perspective and adjust to the necessary changes as it grows?

How do you expand DU?

And personally what caught my eye 5 1/2 years ago, was the "Top Ten Conservative Idiots" that should NEVER ever change.

I like the way you guys use to respond to all emails, volume understandably changes things. I do have my own personal thoughts and feelings I'd love to share, but then I do when the frustration and joy occurs... and DU is always there... mostly warm feelings and FREEDOM....

Cheers to all three of you dudes!!!:bounce:

:smoke:

[mogster]

54. OK, I also love DU because of the easy and fun

way of donating, lol :D
I finally checked my Paypal for donating again and here this beeg flag comes up right next to my name, yowzah!

[RebelOne]

56. I love DU because we are of like mind -- we all hate GWB.

[HughBeaumont]

57. Like minds and a voice for all beliefs.

No one telling you there's something wrong with you because you don't support Lancelot Link. No one spreading Kool-Aid disinformation campaigns that you have to constantly prove to be incorrect. People like Octafish and others for providing much-needed information on the travesty that is the post-Eisenhower Republican party. People like Paul Thompson, reprehensor, petgoat, JaneDoe, HamdenRice and others who provide much needed information on 9/11 and why we should never give up the fight for the truth.

Plus the wraps are TO. DIE. FOR.

[Philosoraptor]

58. nobody told me about wraps!

I feel left out or a lot of these french benefits.

[HughBeaumont]

59. You have to play this song within ten notes to get them . . .

I'm still trying to recover.