General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMy Apologies
I recently posted a thread called "Another Example Of Racism In America" about an experience I had earlier in the day. When I logged back on to DU I was notified that the thread was hidden by a "DU jury" because it was "Over the top, insensitive. e, or hurtful". I also was notified one of the jurors voted to hide it because he said it was "bs story troll". I did not intend any of these things while writing this. I had what I thought was an experience with racism, I did not make up any of it, and I certainly did not intend to offend anyone. I completely apologize and when I read what I had written again and saw that some of the ways I worded things couldn't be misunderstood and seemed offensive. Again I apologize. I don't want the other DU users to think that I am either a bigot or a right wing troll. I assure you I am neither of those things.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)johnnylefty2000
(73 posts)A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)johnnylefty2000
(73 posts)On Mon Jan 5, 2015, 07:34 PM an alert was sent on the following post:
Another Example Of Racism In America
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026044914
REASON FOR ALERT
This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.
ALERTER'S COMMENTS
troll bs story
JURY RESULTS
A randomly-selected Jury of DU members completed their review of this alert at Mon Jan 5, 2015, 07:48 PM, and voted 4-3 to HIDE IT.
Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: troll bs alert
Juror #2 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: I think the lecturing about how black people should raise their kids is inappropriate. We've had a string of threads with white members lecturing black people on DU of late, and they haven't been hidden. This one might be only because the member is new, but they should all be hidden. There are far worse bigots on this site that this new member.
CONSEQUENCES OF THIS DECISION
You will no longer be able to participate in this discussion thread, and you will not be able to start a new discussion thread in this forum until 8:48 PM. This hidden post has been added to your <a href="/?com=profile&uid=319969&sub=trans">Transparency page</a>.
IMPORTANT: Hidden posts remain on your Transparency Page for 90 days. If at any time your Transparency Page contains five or more hidden posts there are additional consequences: 1) your Transparency Page will be displayed and can be read by any logged-in member, 2) you will be unable to post until there are fewer than five hidden posts remaining on your Transparency Page, 3) if you are a forum or group Host and/or serving on the Malicious Intruder Removal Team (MIRT), you will lose those privileges.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)do find it a little strenuous to believe you heard her hard-to-believe
comments which were made "far away" and "under her breath"
in a gym. Still, wouldn't have hidden it because I would have looked forward to the likely hundreds of comments on such an OP.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)No mother is going to say that to her child.
I don't care what color.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Ending an anecdote about racism with a judgment criticizing and blaming the black parent for how she is teaching her child really struck the wrong chord. The OP author admits that the way he expressed it could lead to its being taken as offensive.
I'll take him at his word and accept that that was not his intent.
Response to pinboy3niner (Reply #22)
A-Schwarzenegger This message was self-deleted by its author.
Jim Beard
(2,535 posts)I have been posting off and on on political boards since 1997 and have never seen anything like this.
I agree with everyone. everyone is so right.
Its so wonderful to be here.
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)It happens. Don't worry about it.
ismnotwasm
(42,008 posts)The thing about hides you will see, is they don't always make sense, and some posts that are kept, it will seem they should have been hidden. The jury system is capricious that way, but it's an ok system in general.
Hang in there
On edit-- it might help to spend some time reading posts in other ethnic/racial groups, such as the African American group, the Jewish group, ect. To get a feel for topics. DU is so much more than general discussion.
Raine1967
(11,589 posts)Disruptive meta is a no-no. This one dances on thin Ice.
This op is not a smart move. I suggest a self delete.
Itwill make your DU experience much better, I promise. Read the SOP , read the TOS and check out the pinned thread at the top of GD.
Peace
Raine
pipoman
(16,038 posts)In other people's threads for the first couple hundred posts, then try an op. This will give you a better understanding of community standards and personalities of the board....
LiberalElite
(14,691 posts)what this was so bad that it was alerted on. I wouldn't have voted to hide. I have noticed that DU jury results don't always make sense.
RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)His got locked because he's new here.
The hate of some jurist overrides logic and common sense and is making DU into a place where a minority of people are controlling what people can say in an open and honest way. They are making DU suck.
840high
(17,196 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)Sorry that did not seem real to me at all.
I didn't see your OP, and I would not have alerted on it.
But these "anecdotes" we get here sometimes put people on guard.
We had a recent example of that with the fake Coast Guard guy.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)#12
johnnylefty2000
(73 posts)Is the post still up? Can you send a link?
cwydro
(51,308 posts)No idea if it is still up.
Feel free to look for it. It had over 400 replies last time I saw it.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)johnnylefty2000
(73 posts)A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)that thread will make you feel different about your hidden OP....
cwydro
(51,308 posts)I looked, but gave up too quickly lol.
That one was priceless.
chrisa
(4,524 posts)You could just post "The" in a post and then get it hidden because someone somewhere was offended somehow.
Basically, if you don't want hidden posts, avoid flame tinder, like OPs about race, meta topics (topics about DU drama), religion, or bashing Democrats. Not saying you shouldn't post OPs with these, but be prepared for the possibility of a random post nuking if you do.
UTUSN
(70,740 posts)femmocrat
(28,394 posts)It was a very close vote and could have gone the other way. It's just luck of the draw.
Sometimes it is better to avoid posting controversial matters when you are new, or at least until you are more familiar with what is likely to be alerted on. There have been a lot of trolls, so a low post count tends to make some DUers suspicious.
Don't give up, though! This is a great site and you will learn your way around.
P.S. I gave you a 5th rec. so now you are on the Greatest Page! Not bad for a newb!
johnnylefty2000
(73 posts)Scuba
(53,475 posts)Skittles
(153,193 posts)I've put LOTS of them on Ignore
Lil Missy
(17,865 posts)Marie Marie
(9,999 posts)I was not offended by what you wrote. Welcome to DU.
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)and knowing better than they, and the insensitivity with which you responded to her imaginary comment certainly paints you in a terrible light, so I can see why you ended this OP post like you did. I wouldn't have hidden it, however, because it is such a great example of people pretending to better, smarter, less racist, etc., than someone else.
It delves into an area known as "respectability politics", in which people point out that if others would just act in a "better" way, the problem would be solved. What they neglect to do is acknowledge that the "subject" of their "advice" lives in a climate of white superiority, a climate they help to enforce. People who practice this can be black or white, btw. It is similar to suggesting that slaves could do better if they would just educate themselves, while the white plantation owner and the society around them kill them if they try to learn to read.
This is a good article concerning this. You might not have written your OP if you had read it first, or may be you would have. lol
http://www.thenation.com/blog/176183/respectability-politics-wont-save-us-death-jonathan-ferrell#
That mom's actions may have had nothing to do with you. The kid may have had a cold and she didn't want to infect you, she may have been afraid for her child next to a stranger (white strangers have been known to lash out and smack other people's black kids).
There is an animal known as the "High Horse of Self-Righteousness, from which one can look down on others and see their missteps but, strangely, not see their own...
here.
Maybe it's time to step down from the saddle.
Btw - the first clue I got that this was a posting designed to highlight a negative situation (and maybe a fictional one) was that you didn't post anything about how to tie a damn shoe properly...
What the kid needed to know about was a "reef" knot - here's a couple of tutorials. Very handy to know, btw. And next time you see the mom, if you find yourself in a similar situation, you can actually have something useful to say.
http://www.ted.com/talks/terry_moore_how_to_tie_your_shoes?language=en