Barack Obama
Related: About this forumI'm taking a break.
FIRST, a note: This is being posted in the BOG, to other BOG members and hosts. I realize that what I say may drive some people to frantically start pounding out responses on their keyboards, but if you have something negative to say, please PM me.
I'll still be lurking around, K&Ring all of your threads, but this place (DU...not BOG!) is depressing me. I'm going through some things in my personal life that require a decent attitude.
I just want to give all of you, especially the BOG hosts, my love and gratitude. I don't know who all the members of the BOG are, but I just looked over the list of our hosts and we truly have the most incredible DUers keeping watch. And, an extra helping of that gratitude to NYC_SKP.
With the coming election, this place should be focused on defeating Romney, not attacking other DUers. I got dragged into an idiotic pissing match because one DUer decided to choose an old post of mine on an LZ post to reply to. I'm no fucking Judas. I liked LZ and will still defend her/him. The gravedancing is beyond disgusting. The recent attacks on MineralMan, who is still a DUer, are sickening. Whether you like him or not, there is no excuse for the "mean girl" attacks on him.
Back on DU2, I had gotten into a minor battle on one of LZ's threads. Pretty sure it was just one of those "K&R if you like our President". Those usually brought out the worst in people. Anyway, I received a PM from LZ that said something like, "Don't waste your time. It doesn't bother me." Lately, I feel like I'm wasting my time and it bothers me. I was a fairly long-time member of TPM and came here only because I couldn't access their site from work anymore. It was a rough transition. Eventually, I figured things out here and learned to enjoy it more. Lately, that just seems to have changed. Posting a positive piece about our President brings a flurry of attacks, some are even personal attacks that juries let stand. We have regular posters that continuously post negative pieces about our President, even now, during an election season. The time when we really need to pull together to defeat the Republicans.
Last nite, I went through GD, Latest and Politics and found so few things that were focused on getting Pres. Obama reelected that I became disgusted. So, I came here, again, and read through some old threads to make me feel better. You guys are the greatest. The only thing that truly bothers me is that the BOG seems so isolated. That we're often ridiculed in some threads. I've seen the way our hosts deal with detractors. I don't see that kind of maturity and restraint anywhere else on DU. This group should be the model for all other groups. Shit. We shouldn't even NEED the BOG! But, that's another rant.
I'm tired. Not healthy. Stressed out. I want to focus on November. As much as other current events, such as Trayvon Martin, are important, they've taken over DemocraticUnderground and turned it into something other than a site for Democrats to discuss politics.
I wonder if we, as a group, can turn that around.
Oh, and I promise that if this gets any negative attention, I'll delete and would request our hosts to lock.
Thank you, BOG.
annabanana
(52,791 posts)See you when you get back..
And, for the record, your handle always gives me a chuckle.
Response to Wait Wut (Original post)
freshwest This message was self-deleted by its author.
DevonRex
(22,541 posts)I understand. I truly do. I've been tempted as well. Hell, almost every single day. Specifically I hate the targeting of people. There's another one up today targeting someone else. Is this really what we've come to here?
Luckily we do have this group. And when you're ready, come here to discuss all things Obama and the upcoming election.
Number23
(24,544 posts)"ridiculing" the BOG are some of the ones here that I find have very little to contribute. About anything. EVER.
Their incessant focus on the BOG and BOGgers is the one thing they adhere to like a bloated tick otherwise they would never have anything to talk about. Anyone that has a problem with President Obama and his supporters on a Dem (or that bills itself as such) web site in an election year in which Repubs have OPENLY stated they wish to reverse women's rights, civil rights, progress on the environment etc. is letting out a massive cry for help. They deserve our pity much more than our scorn.
But I understand what you are saying. The personal attacks, the 4th grade behavior, and the people whose lives are so empty that they actually chase people WHO DO NOT MATTER around this web site hounding them is a new low, even for DU. MineralMan has annoyed me soooooooo many times over his posting tenure here I've lost track and the comments he's made are worthy of denouncing. But considering the man has no power whatsoever and that some of the folks burning calories chasing after him don't have a leg to stand on their damn selves when it comes to disgusting, offensive comments makes all of this even more absurd.
Number23
(24,544 posts)I read this article on CNN a few days ago and was struck by how much this piece IMMEDIATELY reminded me of DU.
'Does the internet breed killers?'
http://articles.cnn.com/2012-04-19/opinion/opinion_keen-breivik-internet_1_facebook-page-mass-murder-social-media/2?_s=PM:OPINION
So much of what I see here reminds me of that. There was a post in Meta recently bemoaning attention whores and I gave it a mental rec but didn't do anything beyond that. But there are alot of people here that DU literally IS THEIR LIFE. And you can tell who they are. Their every thought goes up in GD or now, in Meta. They are constantly screaming about... something. They share the most intimate details of their lives here without a second thought. They have to respond to EVERYTHING, even posts that are not in any way remotely to or about them. And like you already mentioned, they create enemies lists and act as though they are being paid to attack posters here because they don't like them, as if anyone gives a damn.
I'm not saying that being on DU will create mass killers. Not exactly. But I am saying that there are alot of people here who are just INVESTED in every word that gets posted here.
I have seen people here post the most egregious, offensive, upsetting shit about black people. And I have gotten mad as hell and I NEVER forget the name of anyone that posts shit like that. And yet, as upsetting as that is to me, that's pretty much been the extent of my behavior to such things, except for one case about a month ago when I reminded a poster of something truly egregious they'd said about blacks. It just doesn't matter to me as much as it apparently matters to others. DU doesn't matter to me as much as it apparently matters to others. But then, I have a life, a family and real things to actually worry about.
I know this is kind of a strange post, but your post really resonated with me and reminded me of this piece I'd just read on CNN. I'm really not trying to threadjack.
JNelson6563
(28,151 posts)I have noticed this and I marvel at it. I can't imagine DU (or any other obscure internet forum) being such a big part of my world. It's very unhealthy and it says a great deal about the folks with this issue. "Unhinged" comes to mind.
Of course all of this does neatly explain the cluelessness I see all around me here as to how real world politics really work. When all you know is DU and internet squabbling, well it shows in one's commentary.
Julie
Number23
(24,544 posts)Perfectly said. Perfectly.
grantcart
(53,061 posts)Work has reduced me to just a few minutes a day.
I stay out of the nonsense and just spend a few minutes on the areas I enjoy.
great white snark
(2,646 posts)Your posts do not go unnoticed. Thank you for your unwavering support for our President.
Whisp
(24,096 posts)and visit that place of frustration you have almost daily, myself.
Take some time off and come back later, we need your good voice.
Whenever I feel that frustration I think of all the tons of load the President and his family has to bear every minute of the day - all the hounds of hell nipping at them constantly. So I hang in to do that little speck of almost nothing in this huge docket - even if it's just to slap around a disrespectful poster here that rips on the President every chance they get. It's not much, but it's something. Even if it's just to recommend a President Obama support thread.
It's a speck of something.
sufrommich
(22,871 posts)of a forum in self destruct mode.
Wait Wut
(8,492 posts)I just want to thank all of you for the support. I'm still in exile, but lurking and reccing. I've posted a few quickie comments. I thought things had improved, but my blood pressure still goes up every time I come here.
I noticed something yesterday, though. I went through some of my old posts and realized that some of the most annoying people have also had some good things to say. I've recced and posted on threads of posters that normally make me want to punch my monitor. It's sort of like real life, when you think about it. How many of our friends do we agree with 100% of the time? Shit. My best friend is a Republican. You can imagine what that's like. Although, she's drifting further and further to the left.
Anyway, keep up the good fight. We ALL need each other. And, our President needs all of us. Hell, our entire country needs us.
politicasista
(14,128 posts)Music and Reading/Studying are my best friends.