Pssst! Hey you undecided DUers...over here!

[Stuckinthebush]

OK...is everyone here now? Good.

I'm calling the meeting to order.

First item on the agenda: "What the hell is going on with all the supporters of candidates at DU?"

I'll kick off the discussion and perhaps we can all figure out what's going on and how to cool this place down a bit.

This place has become a madhouse, no? The Obama supporters are yelling at the Hillary supporters who are screaming at the Edwards supporters who are beating up the Obama supporters. Meanwhile, all of them are laughing at the Kucinich supporters for supporting what they call a non-serious candidate. Whew!

Now, I know we talked about this in our last meeting, but it bears repeating: It is important to not get pulled into the brawls and I'm proud of all of you for resisting the urge to jump in and get messy at times. I know we had that one incident with Bob getting mad about being called a Hillary Hater, but that's all cleared up now and he's not taking that bait anymore. Good work, Bob.

So some things that we might want to get across to this community we all love:

1 - All of these candidates will be much better than the current group of morons in charge.

2 - The GOP is going to come after the eventual nominee full force, so it might be a good idea to NOT help them trash our Democrats.

3 - All of these fine candidates do stupid crap. When they do, supporters don't have to defend them. Acknowledge the stupid crap and move on.

4 - It's not a bar fight, when another candidate does stupid crap, don't pile on if he/she is not your candidate. Point out the stupid crap and move on.

5 - Just because someone supports another candidate it doesn't make them a Hillary hater, or Obama hater, or hater.

6 - The main point of the primaries is to find the best candidate who will hold up progressive ideals, run in the most ethical way possible, and be able to beat the GOP in November 2008. Perhaps it would be better to treat the primary season like a job interview (a prolonged job interview) instead of a college football game. The team to support is not the Hillary or Obama or Edwards, etc. team, it is the Democratic team. Go fighting donkeys!

I know we all agree that it hurts our souls to see this beloved community like this. Ultimately, we are all fighting for the same goal aren't we?

OK, I could be way off base and I remember that at the last meeting Sandra jokingly asked if I was going to sing Kum Ba Ya at the end of the meeting, but let's figure this out together. How can we help to tone down the madness?

Who's first?

[NanceGreggs]

1. Well said!

K & R!!!

:kick:

[Stuckinthebush]

4. Thanks, Nance!

:hi:

[Yael]

2. I have found that the ignore list works wonders

I am in my happy place again.

:hi:

[Stuckinthebush]

3. Yes, good point

When the madness gets intense it is important to put that ignore button to work.

But is there any way to say something to a poster who seems to have gone off the deep end to bring them back to equilibrium?

By the way, how's the happy place? Is it still two for one drinks on Tuesdays there?

:)

[Yael]

11. As a matter of fact, happy hour just started

what can I getcha?

:toast:

[Stuckinthebush]

17. Hmmmm....

How about a nice cold beer!

:D

[murielm99]

5. I think it is hopeless.

I have some people on ignore, a feature I use only during primary season. They represent several candidates, too.

I'm sure you know that things were just as bad last time. Then, when Kerry got the nomination, the trolls stuck around. They yelled about flip-flops and botox. When that silly rumor surfaced that he had had an affair with a staffer, every second post was about the alleged affair.

Just put people on ignore. Don't expect the mods to handle all of it, because that would take a consensus, and there are just too many fires to put out. At least this is a moderated forum. Try going someplace that is not moderated, or that has been hijacked by dittoheads.

If Clinton does get the nomination, I might come here less. I can't help but feel that some of the haters will not quit after the primaries. I come here to learn, not to listen to infighting.

Good luck, if your post was serious.

[Stuckinthebush]

6. It was

and is...

Yes, sometimes I feel it is hopeless. The 2004 nomination aftermath was wild, I remember that as well.

But honestly, doesn't it feel like it's fight club in here? In all of the fighting, shouting, name calling, and bitterness I wonder if we are losing our way.

[murielm99]

8. DU has changed.

I think it changed very quickly, earlier this year, and in a matter of weeks. It changed even before all the Democrats had announced for the Presidency.

There were some nasty comments about homosexuality, which seem to persist. Don't people realize how many of our DUers are gay? The anti-religious comments became virulent. I realize that atheists and agnostics have few places to vent, but things have gotten really nasty. We have religious people here who are afraid to defend themselves. And people are making fun of each other for expressing the smallest criticisms. It has even affected the lounge.

I realize that any political message board members have to have a thick skin. But the same group that supported Andy, Kephra's family, and OMC needs to take a look at how it disagrees with each other. Because if some of these people are trolls, they have certainly slipped through the cracks. Some of them have high post counts.

I am going to continue using the ignore function, and spend less time here.

[Stuckinthebush]

9. I wonder if it is just human nature

When you have a smaller group then there seems to be much more of an effort to try to work things out and be civil. The larger a group gets, then the tendency is to segregate and eventually fight.

[emilyg]

7. Good post.

[Stuckinthebush]

10. Thank you, Emily!

:hi:

[LanternWaste]

12. Very nice! Very nice!

Very nice! Very nice! (I've got a look of approval and pride on my face...)

The longer the primaries go on, I feel myself getting more and more objective about the candidates-- looking at them from a policy position only. In doing so, the attack and defend posts become more, well... pitiably entertaining.

But just so you know, (insert favorite candidate here) SUCKS!!! And (insert most vilified candidate here) is an authoritarian fascist who breast feeds at Olive Garden and shows receipts on the way out!!! So there!

[Stuckinthebush]

15. LOL

Imagining some of the candidates breast feeding at Olive Garden now!

:D

[Javaman]

13. You forgot the frothy baseball fantasy camp Gore supporters. nt

[lapfog_1]

14. I agree that they are all better than any Repuke.

But I have to say that I'm disappointed in the top three (Obama, Edwards, Clinton)... and, while I like things said by Biden and Kucinich, I just don't see any of the so-called second tier getting the nomination. I wish it was different and the media (and major donors) didn't have so much influence, but there it is.

Sigh.

So, for now, I'll just sit on the sidelines and, when primary time comes, vote for one of them. I wish there was a candidate I could be passionate for right now... but I'm just not.

I could be passionate for Gore if he ran, but I think he has decided to not run... however should no candidate have a "lock" on the convention, and if it would appear unlikely to be brokered between the announced candidates... Gore would likely accept the nomination. The chances of this happening are very very slim.

[Stuckinthebush]

16. Perhaps a lot of undecideds are in the same boat

Not totally excited about anyone. I wonder if the flame wars are part of the problem when it comes to getting excited?

[shireen]

18. anonymity brings out the worst in people ...

Because no one knows who they are, they see no reason to measure their words more thoughtfully. They don't feel accountable, especially to themselves.

If people were forced to use their own names, I suspect there would be more civility on DU.

I'm not saying anonymity is a bad thing. Just that people who choose to be anonymous should be more conscious of the effect their words have on others; they need to speak as if they are signing their real names to their statements.

Most of the time, I simply don't read the sniping. It's a waste of time. Let the candidate cult members wear themselves out, they'll eventually fizzle out and disappear.

[Redstone]

19. Well-said.

Redstone

[Stuckinthebush]

20. Thanks, Redstone

:)

[Californian Dreamer]

21. I wish it were that simple

But to be honest, what Hillary might do in office scares me. I don't waste energy attacking her though, I just hope for the best (Gore/Edwards/Kucinich) and try to plan for the worst (any republican president/martial law/global warming meltdown/WWIII)