I speak for the Newbies (only myself actually)

[SaveABug]

many have been around for a long time, and offer their views, but are treated with, if not derision, then indifference. It's a mistake.

This is the inclusive party. Get a clue.

[pasadenaboy]

1. everyone has been nice

to me.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. OH YEAH YA BIG FREEPER!!!!

Just teasin' ya PB :D Down the road in Orange County.

[Terran]

51. Pasadena native here

Born there and lived in Altadena until I was 17.

Dirk

[Wonk]

3. Go on, name names, or is this just a blanket criticism of all non-newbs?

BTW, naming names might get you banned. Expect this thread to be locked shortly.

[SaveABug]

6. if you're looking for a fight

you came to the wrong place.

Threats to ban me because I ask something.

I guess your thousand threads mean something.

I'm not trying to hassle anyone, and if this thread gets locked, well that's the way it is. Didn't mean to start anything controversial in your brain.

[Wonk]

12. I don't have the power to ban anyone, btw.

Just pointing out that folks who make a habit of posting vague slams against DU in general have a tendency to get banned sooner or later, in my experience.

DU has all kinds of posters with different posting styles.
http://www.winternet.com/~mikelr/flame11.html
http://www.winternet.com/~mikelr/flame52.html
http://www.winternet.com/~mikelr/flame1.html

[SaveABug]

15. I don't have the power to ban anyone, btw.

I know that. I wonder how, from what I said, you decided that I am one of those who:

"folks who make a habit of posting vague slams against DU"

I didn't. I love this place.

[Wonk]

16. "This is the inclusive party. Get a clue." See post # 14.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/about.html

[proud patriot]

4. Well then let me just Say Welcome Underground

Can I buy you a drink


or should I stick my dragon on em'

[kixot]

5. sorry if you've felt that way

Don't take it too seriously, there are jerks and people having jerky moments (yours truly) but if you stick it out we all eventually become community.

[SaveABug]

7. I know, I'm a jerk at times

but to be threatened with banishment? garsh. sarge. what did I do?

[eileen from OH]

8. What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?

I'm a relative newbie and everyone's been very nice to me and even gave a great deal of help about my chigger bites which may not seem like a Big Deal but it made me insane enough that I considered cutting off my legs or doing something really crazy like supporting Lieberman.

eileen from OH

[roughsatori]

13. I was wondering about your chigger bites

It's funny last night I said to my father: "Remember those chigger bites we used to get camping, a women on DU got them--I wonder how she is?" And now here you are.

Glad to hear you dealt with the creepy crawlies.

[eileen from OH]

20. I say this in the nicest possible way. . .

but if you were still concerned with my chigger bites, enough to discuss it with your family, well, you really do need to get out more.

eileen from OH (just kidding! Thanks for the thoughts)

[roughsatori]

I rarely get out, you're right

I didn't say I was obsessed with your bites. Just that I mentioned them last night. My parents had 6 kids so when we came back from camping with those bites it was memorable.:P

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

9. It's a tense time.

Much is at stake. The Whole Future, in truth. Add to that the fact that there ARE instigators in our midst, and you get a volatile brew.

Have patience with us poor old monitor addicts. Pity us for the lives we lack. ;-)

[SaveABug]

11. Thank you

for the understanding. We all get a little overbrewed at times!

[SoCalDem]

35. And the other day, I excluded you from the EVIL bugs

You did not sound particulary ready to be gecko bait.. and my son even drives a bug.. :)

We like "some" bugs. You don't bite do you??? :):hi:

[SaveABug]

46. I just occasionally rise to the challenge

I remember my horny toad post. I was pulling some weeds this afternoon and saw one less than one inch long. I also saw one that looked like it had been around a few years. Huge. My front and side and back yards are overtaken with horny toads.

I'm a good bug. They like me.

edit: these are true sightings - I have dozens in my yard. Today, I saw the smallest one yet. And the biggest one yet. I can't believe more people don't have them. They ARE my yard. and my neighbors - which is a field.

[rucky]

10. What does a newbie like you know anyways!

Let me know when you get to 250 posts.

:evilgrin:

Seriously, tho. The seniority card is a lame one to play. It's not like we all crawled out of the cabbage patch before we discovered DU.

[Wonk]

14. Take two. How inclusive would you like DU to be in your ideal world?

Should we encourage a bunch of dittohead wingnuts to join us to "liven up the debate"? I think not. There are other web forums like that for folks who want that kind of environment.

[SaveABug]

18. That's not the point.

are you having fun? look at what I've posted. I am not a wing-nut and don't appreciate being associated with one. Why don't you give it up and just let people respond? Bring up the reserves!!!!!!

I'm one of the good guys, damn it!

[Wonk]

21. I think I get it now. This is about a thread you started in GD that got

zero replies. Would you like a pity kick?

[nomaco-10]

24. Wonk, check for a pm please. eom

[SaveABug]

26. In case he missed it

Wonk, check for a pm please. eom.


say please?

[SaveABug]

25. You're a funny one

damn. Talk about personal attacks. You are an expert. You walk a fine line. I guess the gods love you. I wish I did to. I try. I do try.

[salmonhorse]

31. You mean to imply...

...that people actually post as a form of personality/popularity reinforcement?

:shrug:

That'z whack Wonk ~

[salmonhorse]

17. I hear'ya, Pal...

Sometimes it's all like, "The Tribe HAS Spoken!!!

It is a sometime game Ancient & Old; join or be chastised by apathy if not indifference and/or neglect by your 'peers'...

Whatever ~

:shrug:

"inclusive party"? Not always ~ more like a Utopian Ideal perhaps :grouphug: that inclusive party thing

[roughsatori]

19. "get a clue" ? You talking to me?

Making a blanket rude statement like that to a board with over 30,000 members may be one of the reasons you have been treated with derision.

Also, posts complaining about DU don't really excite me very much.

If you think you are being treated with derision it is best to address it in the tread where it happens. That way you can clear things up more easily. You may find out you misread someone, or find out that they just think you are uninformed. Then refute them with facts.

Welcome to DU.

[SaveABug]

22. No - I don't think I responded to you

also

Take a look at the clique around you. I truly care about this board, and have not been derisive to a single one - no matter how rude and ignorant they may seem to be. I didn't make a blanket statement without fact - I made a statement based upon what I personally have seen. I made that clear in the original post.

I am not the enemy. However, I am not an ignorant responder to words. You didn't even know I wasn't responding to you.

[roughsatori]

33. You posted a post to all members (read your own post again)

You specified no one, so it was a blanket statement.Maybe you don't know what you are writing.

Your ploy of being a victim is silly. (My oh my, I feel derisive suddenly, and I have no guilt about it at all.)

[SaveABug]

34. I know exactly what I write

and I don't write about blankets. Maybe you have the beginnings in your head how to write a story about victims, but leave me out of it. I get the feeling your reality, no guilt at all included, has nothing to do with me. Guilt? Derisive?

[roughsatori]

36. You are making incoherent statements

If you get some rest and think clearly, and then write specifically what you want to tell the grownups, we might be able to understand you.

[SaveABug]

37. I am no doubt older than you

mentally and emotionally.

How about a truce? I lay down my arms first.

[nomaco-10]

41. Yeah, rough, call a truce, if you don't....

she'll out wit you and then beat you up. BAWAWHAHAHA

[SaveABug]

43. I missed the juvenile humor

excuse me.

[Wonk]

39. Re-read post #0 and post #23 as if they were written by someone else. nt

[SaveABug]

42. Whatever - enough is enough

I lay down my arms for a minute of peace.

[SaveABug]

23. This wasn't meant to be a flame bait thread

I'm not responding anymore.

[SOteric]

27. We often make it a point to reconsider our treatment of newbies

and it's possibly overdue.

I do strive, at least from time to time, to be inclusive. My recent "10 Things..." thread is an example where I and others made it a point to respond to each and every poster and to welcome some newer posters.

It's not an intent to exclude. Many of us have limited time to spend here, and we get used to filtering out the signal to noise ratio by responding for the most part, to those posters we already know well. It's not a habit we get into with the consciously aware part of our faculties.

All that notwithstanding, I feel your post was worded in a manner that is both heavy-handed and brusque.

I recognise the worth of your statements, and I'm willing to put forth the effort. But I wish you'd asked in a somewhat more civil way.

[SaveABug]

28. You may be right, and probably are

I just felt compelled to defend. I didn't ask something regarding belief in the end of the world, for crying out loud. I thought it was simple, and I saw fools come out of the woodwork.

You are right, though. The original question was, if not simplistic, then just plain. Generic. Too obtuse for the obtuse.

Next time, if I get the opportunity, I will be more civil. (unlike those who responded in this current thread - for the most part).

[davidinalameda]

29. we treat everyone equally

we all get treated like crap equally

but we're family :-)

[SaveABug]

30. I can live with that!

yup!

[salmonhorse]

32. Now that works for me just fine...

:toast:

[Shanty Oilish]

38. Spare the rod and spoil the newbie.

:)

[Rowdyboy]

44. Hell, spare the rod and spoil...

the old timers. I've seen some VERY senior members here catch hell. And, trust me, absolutely FASCINATING threads that deserves dozens of responses disappear on an hourly basis. I've posted pieces I expected to see debated for days only to see them sink more quickly than the Lusitania!

[Shanty Oilish]

40. Newbies...breakfast of champions.

:9

[Rhiannon12866]

45. I welcome all newbies

I have been here for quite awhile and have over 3000 posts, but am still a newbie compared to many on DU. I was welcomed on my very first post by the incomparable newyawker 99, and have felt like I belonged here, ever since. I don't know what your experience on DU has been, but I welcome you most sincerely. I know how good that welcome made me feel, so I have always made an effort to welcome others, in kind. I find that they often know a great deal more than I do.:shrug:

Yes, this is the inclusive party, and we have a very big tent. If you had a bad experience here, I am truly sorry. With over 30,000 members, it is not easy to keep track unless someone really gets out of line.:-(

For what it's worth, I welcome you and hope you stick around long enough to get to know people and become part of this unique community. I happen to know that most on DU feel as I do.:-)

[Lady President]

47. I understand

I agree that it can be frustrating to be a newbie, especially because I know that I'm mainly a lurker and have been reading here for a very long time. I have a low number of post, but not necessarily a low level of knowledge. Personally, I don't mind having my opinions and beliefs questioned by anyone, but I too have been on the receiving end of a couple uncalled for responses.

Bottom line, there is no place better to get information, so I stay here. I just hope we're not losing out on even more information because of shy newbies.

Btw, I read through the thread before posting and no one who has been rude to me has written a message. Don't want to appear I'm baiting anyone.

[SaveABug]

48. I know most here are not baiting or waiting

it is a great place, or at least has been. I hope it stays that way. I lurked a long time reading some incredible essays, and hope it continues.

[Cheswick2.0]

49. this is a rough place, buck up

No one is going to follow any particular set of rules except those laid out by management, deal with it.

When people get to know you better you will have a new perspective because people will be answering your posts more. In the meantime try not to be the attitude police.

[ikojo]

50. SaveABug...if you are feeling unwelcomed might I

suggest visiting the UndergroundRailroad when she posts on Mondays. I visited her thread on Monday and she made me feel SO welcomed! She reads each and every response and responds herself.

Undergroundrailroad :yourock:

[davidinalameda]

52. UGRR is the best!

I love her and she has kept me sane too many times!

[bloom]

53. yeah - what got me was

when I FINALLY got a thread that a lot of people were intersted in posting on - along comes an oldtimer to blast it because s/he thought it wasn't worthy of the attention.

But that's the way it is around here - I guess.

[Rhiannon12866]

54. Not necessarily! I hope nobody would catagorize me as an

old-timer, but I welcome hearing from new people. It's kind of a breath of fresh air.:-)

I always make a point of welcoming new people, since newyawker99 welcomed me on my very first post and I remember how great that made me feel. I felt as if I really did belong here. I have received nothing but support from the DU veterans, most of the time (knock on wood!), and am sorry that you have experienced otherwise.:-(

A small number of posts is not indicative of how much anyone knows about politics. My friend, who I persuaded to register, has just a little over 100 posts, but knows more about politics than I ever will. She's out working for the Democratic Party, however, and doesn't get much time on DU. So you never really know about anyone.:shrug:

For what it's worth, I sincerely welcome you to DU. I am glad that you are among us and hope that you stick around and give us a second chance. The Democratic Party has a very big tent and DU should reflect that. As the election draws nearer, DU will become an even more exciting place and I would hate for you to miss it. Also, I will be looking for the next thread that you start!:hi:

Rhiannon