Etiquette QUESTION: How best to deal with a rethug spy on DU?

[RiverStone]

I discovered DU a few months ago, and with that discovery entered the world of blogging. Y'all rock! Newbie observation...

Under DU Discussion Forum rules it says: "Members are expected to be generally supportive of progressive ideals, and to support Democratic candidates for political office."

So I spot an obvious (in my eyes) Freeper today, a rethug malcontent looking to stir things up. Of course, he MUST be a Ditto Head spy cause he was supporting BushCo's decision to go into Iraq. Today. On DU!

He was verbally torn to shreds and within 1/2 hour most of the posts kicking his ignorant ass were deleted by a DU moderator. Yep, he got folks stirred up alright. Tapped into our collective rage. Folks were downright mean, deservedly so. I think the thread was locked or moved? I wondered, if we smell the stench of a suspected rethug; is it normal practice to drag him out into the light of day (tar and feathered) till the heat of the discussion gets the attention of the moderators? Or does one press the "alert" button and the troll simply gets zapped away?

Believe me, I have no desire to advocate any form of censorship; but going back to the Forum Rules, we are expected to be supportive of BLUE ideals. Which I am, with a passion! I presume that also means protecting our turf.

:kick: :headbang: :kick:

EDIT: Somewhere in the mix, there is civility too. Don't want to model wingnut behavior either. Simply seeking the balance point.

What say you?

[Rockstone]

1. I support alert

the other is what freepers call a "zot" and I see no reason to resemble them.

[LittleClarkie]

19. For a minute, I couldn't figure out why you were answering yourself

Ugh, must be getting late. River...Rock... duh!

[Joe for Clark]

2. Truth.

[Horse with no Name]

3. Personally, I like to poke them for a bit

and point them out to others.
It's a game...let as many people see them before the mods lock them.:evilgrin:

[Mr_Spock]

5. It is fun to play with ones trolls for a bit

before "alerting" on them.

[radwriter0555]

16. Yes, I like to play with my food for a while before tossing it up in the air for the pack

to set upon and tear apart.

Good clean fun for the whole family!!!

Honestly, if someone is really atrocious, the alert button is your best friend. But it's okay to bat them around a bit.

[calimary]

26. LOL!

Nicely put!

[susanna]

25. That's my thing.

I watch them for a while, which maybe I shouldn't. Mea Culpa.

The fact is, it seems a little easier (IMHO) to get them booted when they have a nice backlog of crap they've been spewing. I kinda ignore the easy targets with low numbers, myself. That's kind of like shooting fish in a barrel. And I'm a fair sportswoman. ;-)

I give them time and space to show themselves. That's always been my motto.

on edit: clarity

[SidDithers]

4. Alert is usually the best way to go...

but that doesn't mean you can't play with them until they're gone. Just be careful not to break any DU rules yourself, they can be very infuriating sometimes. Cheers.

Sid

[CornField]

6. Ever saw a cat with a mouse before the cat kills it?

:evilgrin:

[Erika]

7. Collective rage? I doubt it.

How about collective humor. Much more like it.

[RiverStone]

10. Agreed. Some rage, but plenty of humor too.

This is afterall, fun. :-)

[patricia92243]

8. I think it is funny when they "out" themselves. They can't keep their hate under control.

I just ignore them. It is pitiful that people don't have a life of their own and have to go to a forum to make trouble.

[Mojambo]

9. Alert. Moderators get paid GOOD money to handle these things. n/t

[Joe for Clark]

11. Maybe -

But those people went out of their way to save my ass at least twice.

SO I will definately go out of my way for them.

They are VERY good here - and deserve our "looking out for".

Joe

[notadmblnd]

12. You slam their faces into the hard wall of reality by using facts

no name calling and ridicule, but that's just my 2 cents.

[hsher]

13. Do nothing

[pinto]

14. Never heard that tar and feathering was "normal practice" anywhere, let alone

here on DU. Alerting, though, is a good choice if you feel someone is abusing membership privileges.

Thanks.

[RiverStone]

15. Well, it seems we are well versed in various forms...

...of public humiliation (and humor); as it applies to Bush/Cheney. Lots of spirited debate around here.
I figured whats good for the goose, is good for the gander (if the gander is republican). Hence, the tar & feathered reference.

Though I try to practice non-violence even in my tone; though not always successfully.

OK Pinto. Happy to press Alert if needed. Thanks!

[pinto]

28. LOL. Agree totally on the Bushco assessment. Thanks for the rest, as well.

:thumbsup:

[Warren DeMontague]

17. Alert button.

The DU rules are also pretty specific about "calling out" people as trolls, F-----rs, etc. etc.

But, that said, I do know that it is possible to enjoy oneself with these individuals within the confines of the DU rules until their frozen pizza is ready.

[Swamp Rat]

18. Bring 'em on!

:D

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

22. No, Leave Em Where They Are. We Don't Want Them Or Need Them.

And hitting the alert button is most definitely the appropriate thing to do.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

20. Urban dictionary - "What say you?"

A question asked mostly by radio/TV personality/talk-show host Bill O'Reilly. It means, "What do you think?" or "What are your feelings on the subject?" Variation: What say ye?

Bill O'Reilly to caller: "What say you?"
Caller: "I say you're full of shit, Bill!"

[RiverStone]

24. Ummmm.

No conspiracy here. Believe I first heard it from my college debate coach, some 20 odd years ago.

Maybe Bill took the same debate class? I do recall there was this arrogant prick...

[Viva_La_Revolution]

27. no, but he's claimed it, and it grates on my nerves.

and you never know what might be mistaken for 'freeper talk'.

Be careful when playing with 'trolls', cause they might not be.

:)

[caligirl]

21. I like the method my now deceased dog used to catch a possum on the fence. she slapped the fence

several times, knocked the guy off the fence and bit him in the neck, then coolly she left him and walked proudly into the house knowing she earned her meal that day.

[uppityperson]

23. Ask and double check what they mean

do a search on previous posts to see if there is a pattern, then alert.

Alternatively: Send pms to your friends asking them to join in the fun. Post a thread "lookie here a freeper want to come play" and get prepared to have that locked and a private message from moderator that you are not supposed to do that and will get kicked off if you continue to do that. Poke them and annoy them and call them bad names, preparing yourself again for the moderator message.

Or alert, including a message in the alert as to what you suspect.

[Union Thug]

29. Personally, I like to participate in the blanket party..

They asked for it by walking in and picking a fight...

[silverlib]

30. My favorite moderator statement/post

One time when some of us played and some of us hit alert and some of us did both.

"Sorry, I just banned your new chew toy."