Reply #55: WARNING: This post may be offensive to children.

[Jamastiene]

First off, I want to welcome you to DU. :hi:

Just so you know, it states in the rules here that if you are easily offended, that you will most likely not feel entirely comfortable here.

4. Content: Do not post messages that are inflammatory, extreme, divisive, incoherent, or otherwise inappropriate. Do not engage in anti-social, disruptive, or trolling behavior. Do not post broad-brush, bigoted statements. The moderators and administrators work very hard to enforce some minimal standards regarding what content is appropriate. But please remember that this is a large and diverse community that includes a broad range of opinion. People who are easily offended, or who are not accustomed to having their opinions (including deeply personal convictions) challenged may not feel entirely comfortable here. A thick skin is necessary to participate on this or any other discussion forum.

I have thought about your original post (OP, for short) and this is the best logical conclusion I can offer:

Just for the record, the word, "fuck," is in the Rules for DU.

Do not hurl insults at other individual members of this message board. Do not tell someone, "shut up," "screw you," "fuck off," "in your face," or some other insult.

While it says not to say those things as an insult toward individual members, it does not say not to say the word, "fuck," by itself. I can't say those things above to you or anyone else, but I can say "Fuck beer. I don't like it." all day long. Granted, I will have beer lovers furious with me and piling on me all day long if I continue to say it all day long. Beer is an inanimate object, which means it's not against the rules to say "Fuck beer."

While there is a rule about typing in all capital letters, it is not against the rules to type in all capital letters IF you are doing so to add emphasis or IF you want to convey to the rest of DU that you are, in fact, yelling. For instance, I can say "CALL CONGRESS RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!!" because it is not an insult to other members. It would merely show my disdain for some action the current figurehead who calls himself a president has taken, as an example. I can even say "OH FUCK!!! ANOTHER TORNADO WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED!!!" to convey that I am terrified of tornadoes. I would be screaming that in real life, and often do, so typing it in all caps in that instance would NOT be against the rules.

Here is a link to a more in-depth explanation of the rules.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules_detailed.html

I read them carefully recently at the insistence of administrators. That exercise was a blessing in disguise. I learned a lot from reading them.

I do understand that you want to protect your child, but please realize that it would be best if you could find a way to do so without doing it at the expense of the rest of the adults here.

If I am not mistaken, there are programs that you can purchase, and in some cases, obtain for free on the internet, that will block content you feel is inappropriate for your child to view. If you were to try that option, you could teach your child a somewhat sheltered and controlled lesson in politics at your discretion. This would appease you and at the same time not step on any toes, so to speak, of members of this forum.

I do hope this suggestion solves your problem. I am sure there are some here, who have more experience with protecting children from reality in the world and have used such software. I have merely heard of the software and what it can do, but I do know that there is software out there that can do exactly what you are asking us to do for you. Isn't technology great? If we harness its potential and let it do the hard work for us, it can make life better for us. This frees time for us to do other things with a feeling of safety and comfort that children are not learning the cold, hard reality of the brutal world of politics before they have learned the basics.

Considering that you have a problem with cuss words and harshness, I will offer a bit of advice:
For the love of God and all that is Holy, keep your child out of General Discussion: Primaries, better known as GD: P.

There is language in that forum that would burn the ears of the most hardened sailor imaginable. The Devil, himself, will not step hoof in that forum for fear that one of those people, who inhabit that forum, will take his job in Hell if they smell his weakness. Comparisons have been made to a pack of rabid wolves turning on their own pack and destroying one of their own. If GD: P was a building, the health department would have long ago condemned it for demolition. So consider yourself warned of that general fact.

More specifically, there are also depictions (caricatures) of Senator Hillary Clinton tied to a stake with fire underneath her. There are also open wishes to "euthanize" Senator Clinton based on the recent news of a racing horse named Eight Belles, the horse that was recently euthanised after breaking its legs in a horse race.

There was also, as recently as soon as approximately one month ago, a reference to violence against Senator Clinton in the form of a threat that if she continues her campaign until the convention, at least one person there hopes that she will be beheaded.

Particularly, if you are offended by the word, "Fuck," GD: P will definitely offend you as there are currently 6,323 threads with the phrase, "FUCK Hilliary Clinton!" in the subject line, followed by diatribes that many times include the words, "Bitch," "Cunt," "Whore," and/or other rude slurs against women. If you want to protect your child from that sort of thing, and some parents do, GD: P can be blocked in your options here at DU.