Reply #12: Shouldn't you alert readers to Irony?

[cgrindley]

Freep often calls DU treasonous. To tell you the truth, it is unhelpful both ways. They're political, fiscal and social conservatives, pretty much on the right wing of the Republican party, whereas DU comes across, regardless of what a lot of people claim, as fairly middle of the road group of capital D democrats.

As far as the zotting goes... have you actually looked at a DU forum? See all those "deleted by moderator" messages? They don't happen on their own, you know.

DU is just as closed a shop as Freep and everyone knows it. Posters who dissent from a very narrow line or have the audacity to contradict other posters are frequently called "trolls" or worse, accused of being Republicans or, god help us all, Freepers. It's a constant battle to remain civil at times, and people's arguments are often utterly irrational--appealing more than likely to some personal tale of woe or relying entirely on some one issue philosophy. There's a huge culture of entitlement.

At times, it's just as nuts around here as it seems to be on Freep.