If a someone rejects Obama

[nobodyspecial]

and doesn't post a thread about it in DU, does it make a noise?

I just don't get all of the threads that say...
I tore my bumper stick off of my car.
I hung up on a campaign volunteer.
I unsubscribed from an email list.
I won't vote for Obama.

What do the posters expect to gain from it? Do they think someone from the campaign office is going to call them, promising to change their ways if only the poster doesn't leave? Or, are they looking for applause? Oh, the tide is turning on DU. Oh, all the cool kids hate Obama. I better renounce him publicly so they'll like me again.

If you don't like Obama, fine. If you don't want to vote for him, fine. But why the need to make such a spectacle about it? It reminds me of the Christians that feel the need to draw as much attention to themselves as possible by praying in public.

[TwilightGardener]

1. Posts like that are where the policy and political discussions end

and look-at-me! begins.

[muffin1]

2. I didn't know the rules had changed.

We can only post now if we think Obama is teh great? I was under the impression that this is Democratic Underground, not Obama Underground.

[Bluebear]

7. "a someone rejects Obama"

Rejects, now. Like a jilted lover.

[muffin1]

16. ...

Exactly. Good thing Shrub wasn't as "hot", this place could have gone off the rails much earlier.

[emulatorloo]

20. You are great at twisting people's words. It is what you do best.

There is nothing in the OP that remotely suggests Obama is a jilted lover

However I really do admire your tenacity and inventiveness.

[nobodyspecial]

24. There are all sorts of twisting of my words

going on in this post. Don't miss farther down when I'm basically accused of being a troll.

The only thing missing is an actual answer to the question.

[MrDiaz]

33. in the words of

Jim Rome, "why does anybody do anything... because they can!"

[emulatorloo]

39. Best answer yet!

[Solomon]

46. lol. what gets me is, they call themselves out

By their responses to posts, and then complain that they are being called out.l

[LooseWilly]

84. Actually, the word "rejects" does tend to be used in a romantic context quite often

"Noun: A person or thing dismissed as failing to meet standards or satisfy tastes. " (http://www.google.com/search?aq=f&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=reject+definition#sclient=psy&hl=en&source=hp&q=reject&pbx=1&oq=reject&aq=f&aqi=g5&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=10593l12013l0l13711l9l9l0l0l0l7l443l2211l1.3.3.1.1l9l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=20dbb3f1de671a75&biw=806&bih=515) ...

"Social rejection occurs when an individual is deliberately excluded from a social relationship or social interaction. " (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_rejection)

"We all know that the phrase heartbroken is reflective of a social rejection." (http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/09/29/social-rejection-literally-affects-the-heart/18895.html)

Given the fact of the romance context that the word is often used in... the argument that there is a connotative connection is, in fact, quite legitimate.

Given that there is a contextual connection between the word "reject" and connotations of romance, the use of the term to describe Obama does, in fact, create a connotative connection between Obama and the idea of a "romantically spurned individual"... a "jilted lover", if you please.

You can try to deny it, if you find it inconvenient... but John McCain could also try to deny that his assertion that troops will be in Iraq for 50 or 100 years is an assertion of militarist de-facto occupation...

I'll leave it to other readers to decide if they think Obama is trying a bit overly hard to compensate for his occasional "rejections"...

[ConservativeDemocrat]

11. No one is saying you can't be an attention whore...

Hell, the rules don't even say that you can't completely lie about the President or deliberately misrepresent his positions (at least so long as they are leftist lies and misrepresentations). It's just that doing so is not constructive. You won't convince anyone other than people who already agree with you.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[muffin1]

15. Just...

:puke:

Conservative Democrats are a large part of the problem. Let me know how that works out for you. On second thought, don't.

[TheWraith]

3. Some people are drama queens. Others are attention hogs. Many overlap.

They're the same people who come over to you in the office while you're trying to work, and start rambling about how terrible THEIR day was. Because, God knows, they and only they are really important.

[demwing]

5. You all sure complain a lot

for people who complain about complaining

[treestar]

29. Drama Queens and Attention Hogs are Pains in the Ass

If they are allowed to complain and get attention, I don't see why it is wrong for the listeners/audience to complain about it. Listening is harder than being a drama queen, so your victims are tired at the end of a day.

[FredStembottom]

45. +50,000

The several names I see hear who contribute nothing to threads at DU other the sneering, insinuation and harassment!

Day after day. Thread after thread.

Pages and pages of threads with their spamming appearing after each comment by others. Like mosquito swarms.

And then..... topping it off by complaining about drama-queens?

[dawg]

4. Maybe they just want to vent.

Maybe they want to discuss the reasons why they are so disgustipated.

Maybe they are just seeking fellowship with like-minded people. I know that's why I came here when Bush the lesser was installed as President. It seemed like the world had gone craxy, and everything I had ever believed about my country had been a lie.

DU was a place where there were others that felt the way I did. It was comforting.

Some liberals are feeling that way now about President Obama.

And I'm not entirely in their camp. But I have seen enough to be concerned. There is a messaging problem, at the very least, with this adminsitration.

I'm glad they are coming here to vent, and not going someplace else. We need their votes in 2012, and engaging them is the best way to make that happen.

On the other hand, calling them Firebaggers and insulting them serves no purpose at all.

[nobodyspecial]

17. I've never called anyone a firebagger in my life.

It's a stupid, silly word -- and divisive as you pointed out. If you view this post as insulting, that's on you, not me as I didn't insult anyone.

[dawg]

27. Oh, I don't find your post insulting.

I'm just trying to answer your question as to why people make such posts. The more we understand each other, the better we can co-operate.

[Mimosa]

80. Agree, Dawg

This topic isn't all that constructive, either. ;)

[gateley]

6. The frustrating thing for me (on both sides) is that they

always devolve into each side trying to convince the other and no objective discussion is accomplished.

[dawg]

9. No one admits to being wrong.

But attitudes do gradually change. Good arguments will evenutally bear fruit while bad ones will fail.

I've read lots of your posts, gateley, and I always take them seriously. Others, no so much. And it has to do with how things are presented and whether someone is seriously discussing something or just spewing talking points.

[gateley]

61. But everybody here cares and if you're able to get past the

"are you CRAZY?!?!?!" posts and get someone to explain things to you, there's a lot to be learned. And agree, my mind has been changed frequently due to being able to consider another viewpoint I didn't even think of. And I have to admit that I'm wrong a LOT! :7

:hi:

[nobodyspecial]

18. Agreed

I'm in the middle.

[lamp_shade]

8. Looking for applause.

[Enrique]

10. what do you expect to gain by posting this?

what does anyone expect to gain by posting anything?

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

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

[William769]

13. Let me see if I have this correct.

You don't like people that critizie the President or are unhappy with him because they feel they have been let down by him. But you have no problem whatsoever if they come here to praise him. Do I have this correct?

They have a word for that and your not going to like it, that is in fact what you mean.

ON EDIT: also the same can be said about people only prasing the President "It reminds me of the Christians that feel the need to draw as much attention to themselves as possible by praying in public."

[nobodyspecial]

19. Where did I say that every post has to praise the president?

You will not find that in ANY of my posts. Go ahead and search.

I specifically outlined *exactly* the types of posts I was wondering about. Nowhere in the OP did I ask why people posted things critical of the president.

[William769]

21. "Nowhere in the OP did I ask why people posted things critical of the president".

You didn't have to. :eyes:

[nobodyspecial]

53. Yes, people are very good

at making things up all on their own, as evidence by this thread. I didn't say most of the things attributed to me.

[Name removed]

Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TheWraith]

23. Anti-Democrat positions on a pro-Democrat website are not considered equally valid.

Sorry.

[William769]

25. I don't like what the President has done with "Democrat" positions.

That doesn't make me Anti-Democrat.

Sorry.

[TheWraith]

26. The proprietors are not responsible for people's misperceptions, either. nt

[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

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

[William769]

40. misperceptions from either side. NT

[Bluebear]

65. You hater!

:silly:

[bvar22]

42. How about Pro-Republican Economic Policy?

Is that acceptable?


Thats the problem I have with Centrists.
They agree with Republicans too much.


You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[frylock]

47. yet you have no problem with anti-democratic positions in a democratic administration..

weird.

[sabrina 1]

56. Agreed. Maybe you have answered the OPs question.

When Democrats see a Democratic Administration signing on to non-democratic positions, they become concerned. So, they post OPs registering their opposition to those non-democratic positions.

I have never seen them post an OP promoting non-democratic positions such as 'let's put SS on the negotiating table as part of some Grand Bargain'. I HAVE seen OPs such as this OP describes, slamming such an anti-democratic position. And where else would you expect to see people complaining about putting SS on any bargaining table if not on a Democratic forum?

I would much rather be able to go directly to whoever is advising this President and ask them to quit. But since that is not possible, if enough people post their disgust with these kinds of anti-democratic proposals coming from a Democratic WH, maybe eventually, it will get their attention.

[nobodyspecial]

69. If you want to accomplish something, it ain't going to happen on a message board.

"if enough people post their disgust with these kinds of anti-democratic proposals coming from a Democratic WH, maybe eventually, it will get their attention."

Write your reps, call the offices, pen letters to the editor, raise funds, donate, march, stand on a street corner. You aren't going to change the world posting on DU.

[sabrina 1]

71. Hilarious.

None of us had a clue about political activism until you came along! We really thought all we had to do to change the world was to post on DU :eyes:

Did it ever occur to you that you don't have a clue what people here do politically?

[nobodyspecial]

72. They certainly seem to roll their eyes a lot

and act indignant.

[sabrina 1]

73. Oh, they're not acting.

A wee bit slow on the uptake aren't we? :rofl:

I am having too much fun, I swear!

Here's a hint. Don't bite so quickly! It's always better to think before you jump!

:hi:

[hfojvt]

77. you think standing on a street corner is more effective than a post?

Why is a letter to the editor more important than a post on a message board?

Here's one example. When you google Unfairtax, this is the 3rd result. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1690043&mesg_id=1695544

If writing something that lots of people read might make some difference, then a post on a message board might get more readers than a letter to the editor, and do so nationally as opposed to locally.

If calling a rep makes a difference, then why doesn't making an OP that says "call Congress right f*cking now" make more of a difference if it results in five or six people making calls? Isn't even that more than the impact of just one call?

As for marching, well I have gotten protest information on DU - because somebody posted it. Where is the anti-war rally at Lawrence? I looked it up on DU. Where and when is Bush visiting KC? Looked it up on DU.

My favorite was that for a while if I googled "hfojvt" the top result would be a post where I suggested heckling Ann Coulter when she visited Lawrence. Because I was in the hospital shortly before her visit, I never made it to her speech, but she was, in fact, heckled, and she lost her cool, and it became a bit of a national story. Did that happen because of a suggestion I made on DU? It's possible. Maybe not, too, but it is possible.

[polmaven]

36. There is a big difference

between criticism, and what the OP was pointing out. I saw nothing in the OP that says criticism is a problem. It isn't. But outright hostility is another matter.

[Maraya1969]

44. This forum is for Democrats and there is nothing "looking for attention"

type of thing regarding praising the President. He is our President and I respect him. I think there are too many people here who are actively trying to hurt him. Even this thread had at least 5 rec's and when I clicked on it is was at zero. Who are those people?

[frylock]

48. i proudly unrecced this swill

[dtexdem]

14. Oh, so posting our feelings on here does no good?

Then what are we doing here? What are YOU doing here? If you support or praise Obama, do you think someone from the campaign office is going to call you?

Or do you only want to chase away from DU those of us with problems with Obama?

[nobodyspecial]

22. I often ask that myself

and spend less and less time here. Where in this thread did I praise Obama? How about making a list of all the threads I have started in which I praise Obama.

And, no, I don't think what I post here makes a bit of difference. It's a message board. I'm just procrastinating on a work project.

[Name removed]

51. Deleted message

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

[emulatorloo]

32. I doubt you have ever posted an "I ripped up an Obama sign" thread

Your posts are much more substantive.

OTOH, I do think OP has a point.

The "I hung up on the Democratic Senate Campaign caller after I told him to get fucked" threads don't really move the discussion anywhere. They are basically vanity posts.

Not that there is anything wrong with vanity posts on an Internet message board.

[nobodyspecial]

35. Thank you for getting my point

You are apparently the only one judging by this thread.

I can't believe the pile on for just questioning that tactic.

Frankly, I don't come he often because anything substantial is usually ignored. This used to be such a different place. Maybe we can have a Republican president to unite against again. Won't that be just swell? :cry:

[sabrina 1]

57. It used to be a place where war was not supported and SS

was vehemently defended. So, you have a point, although in a few months I'm not sure how much you know about how it used to be.

I have been here since 2004, under a different name which I changed for personal reasons, and I never remember seeing support or any defense of or attempts to rationalize Republican policies . I can only assume that for some people, if a Democrat is doing something, it must be okay. The problem they are having is that for most of us, no matter who is doing it, if it's a bad policy, it's always a bad policy. I'm still anti-Imperial wars. I'm still anti-Republican attacks on the Social Safety Net. I haven't changed. But now I see attempts here to try to defend these things. So, yes, it has changed.

[Bluebear]

59. It certainly has. Imagine Negotiating away "entitlements" under Bush

The whole tenor of this place changed when "our" side decided to.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

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

[nobodyspecial]

31. He's not my hero

Find any post where I say or imply that Obama is my hero, I worship him, I don't think he can do any wrong or that others shouldn't criticize him.

BTW, check again. It's 154. But, still easy enough to search to prove I'm some sort of "traitorous" Democrat that actually will still vote for Obama.

And do you really think that White House staff are wasting their time posting silly threads like this on DU?

[emulatorloo]

38. Some folks have to resort to putting words into your mouth so they can "win" an argument

If they can't refute the stuff you said, they get frustrated. So they claim you said stuff you didn't say. Then they can argue with the words they have put in your mouth

[Little Star]

34. Skinner is that you with the hidden profile & 154 posts???....

I don't think we need you to tell us what we can & can't talk about here on DU,tyvm!

[Rex]

37. Who here on DU won't vote? What is this group I keep seeing the usual suspects

posting about? Can someone point me in the direction of all the posters...I don't believe it and call BULLSHIT! :eyes:

[Bluebear]

82. Crickets!

[rbnyc]

41. If a someone rejects a someone who criticizes Obama...

...and doesn't post a thread about it in DU, does it make a noise?

:eyes:

[bvar22]

43. Just curious,

but what personal need of yours was filled when you posted this OP? :shrug:

How did that work out for you?


You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[nobodyspecial]

55. Killed some time

while I procrastinate on a work project.

Working out just fine. Thanks for asking.

[bvar22]

60. And THAT answers the questions you posed in your OP.

No Charge.


"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans.
I want a party that will STAND UP for Working Americans."
---Paul Wellstone

photo by bvar22
Shortly before Sen Wellstone was killed




You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[nobodyspecial]

67. Don't agree

There's usually much more hand-wringing and emotional angst in those posts. They usually are quite sincere.

[Bluebear]

79. IOW pointless flamebait

[Denzil_DC]

49. I've thought this many a time. Sheer drama. rec anyway n/t

[DeSwiss]

50. So you'd rather everyone just "hush-up" about it, eh? Nice..... :-/ n/t

[JNinWB]

52. "But why the need to make such a spectacle..."

Narcissism plus ADHD = ODS

[Bluebear]

64. Welcome to DU! You got the lingo down quick!

[nobodyspecial]

54. FYI, I didn't alert on any comments on this thread

I don't know who did or why so many were deleted.

[cherokeeprogressive]

58. It's a message board. A discussion board.

People discuss all kinds of things. Most posts you can figure out by reading their subject lines. If you don't like the message, don't open the post. That way, you don't have to worry your beautiful mind over criticism of President Obama.

Problem solved.

[Claudia Jones]

62. even more of a concern...

What if a body meets a body, comin' through the rye?

[Number23]

63. Some folks will never get as much attention in real life as they get here

You can tell the ones. They fill up GD and to a lesser extent GD-P day after day after day with the most mindless, inane OPs like the ones you mentioned. They treat GD as a personal twitter page.

Just pat them on the heads and go about your day. Better they're here than out on the street somewhere bothering folks.

[woo me with science]

66. Here we go again.

Another OP about DUers. :eyes:

[elehhhhna]

68. we are venting our extreme frustration and disappointment. duh.

[AntiFascist]

70. I think Obama himself is to blame....

after all, he basically stated that it is up to the people who put him in power to light a fire under them (figuratively speaking) in order to actually bring about change. Maybe a General Strike would catch his attention? I hear rumblings....

[ecstatic]

74. Why? they're trolls trying to undermine the democratic nominee

so that Perry can win next year.

[Bluebear]

75. More asinine by the day

[Hart2008]

76. Sorry, the Democratic Nominee for 2012 is not yet decided. rungaryhart.com!

Please kick the thread!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1909234

[Raine]

78. Denial is a powerful thing

[DirkGently]

81. Why would someone create a call-out post suggesting opinions they don't like shouldn't be voiced?

[Skittles]

83. you need to know

how disappointing Obama has been for SOOO many people