Posted on 08/22/2010 4:38:43 AM PDT by markomalley
In the ‘old days’ of the Bush administration, life in a online liberal discussion forum was great. Everybody was having a great time bashing the president and marveling at each other’s brilliance. But in the age of Obama, these once fertile fields of partisan rancor have been tainted by ideological dissent.
The latest news from Democratic Underground (DU) is a perfect example of what’s happening to the left online.
Earlier this year, the moderators of DU angered users of the forum after they issued a lengthy “censored list” of online behavior that would be banned and deleted from the site.
Now, matters are worse, as their latest fund drive has come up short.
In the face of dissent and division, website administrator Skinner took to the web to issue a angst filled lament over the loss of the ‘old DU’
You don’t like what DU has become. Maybe you have very specific complaints, or maybe you don’t really know exactly what it is that you don’t like. But what you do know is that you wish it was more like the old DU. A community. A place that was special. Where we had big disagreements, but at least you felt like we all had something in common.
Yeah, I miss that DU, too.
I miss it so much that it makes my heart ache. I lie awake at night agonizing over it. I can barely bring myself to read my email anymore. I’m burned out and tired.
. . .
Here’s the problem in a nutshell: Back when Bush was President, he represented the center of gravity in politics — the focal point that determined “Which side are you on?” — and everyone on DU actually was on the same side. Now that Barack Obama is President, he has become the center of gravity. I think it’s clear that we still broadly agree on the issues, but we disagree on how best to get there, how long it should take, and how much compromise we are willing to accept. Those are the disagreements that matter now. To be blunt, we are not all on the same side anymore.
Imagine if during the Bush Administration, Democratic Underground had welcomed people who thought the president was doing a bad job, *and* people who thought the president was doing a good job. DU would have sucked. Sure, it might have been worth the effort to stop by every once in a while to argue with conservative idiots, but nobody would have felt like DU was their home, their safe-haven, their community.
So what is a lefty web haven to do when change causes division? Skinner proposes the following: “I am starting to think that much more radical change is necessary.”
” The Busybodies and the Individualists.”
Very interesting. Thanks for posting this.
Yup. Limbo.
Our town, and even our State, New Hampshire, have been overrun with Busybodies.
NH was once among the most home-school friendly states. Now it is among the most hostile.
The Busybodies want to intervene and impose themselves in every facet of our lives. And they want to use armed Law Enforcement resources to do so.
They won’t just buzz off and mind their own business.
What a miserable bunch.
Nothing of substance.
I was booted for engaging in a fairness doctrine debate where I suggested the net should be cast over all broadcast and cable media and ACADEMIA.
Since that fell outside the bounds of the lefts groupthink paradime I was told I belonged on FreeRepublic.
Which was one of the few pieces of truth posted on DU.
basically what happened from what i understand watching what they were up to is that the Obamabots and Obama’s campaign workers basically overtook DU and ran rough shot over anyone pro hillary and did not worship obama, it became an extension of Obama’s campaign and his mouthpiece.
As such everyone else left disgusted as dissent against Obama became forbidden.
Now they are down to a nutjob core of Obamabots as everyone else left.
it will close soon, i’m guessing and they deserve it.
Yesterday I already started doing a DUFU on Skinner’s lament. I should have it up this afternoon.
Now, matters are worse, as their latest fund drive has come up short.
Ha ha ha
Still a Mitt supporter are you? ;-)
Fixed.
I have come hate and detest busybodies more and more over the past few years. Take away the ability to tell people what to do and it negates their whole purpose of living.
Took them a while but they finally reached the $300 goal.
Why would you possibly insult me like that? :) Sorry, no Mittens for me.
}:-)4
They also start out by being a bunch of small minded thought police.
Ping to post
Just to generically show that FR has its limits too.
They don't want discussion nor disagreement, they want hate rants against conservatives packaged in different colors and bows and braids.
Bush's fault, re-scripted in a thousand variations.
Whenever I deal with liberals, without fail, three themes run through their speech:
1)People shouldn’t be allowed to do that! (or conversely, they should be forced to do that!)
2)People are so ignorant.
3)I’m entitled.
Next time you listen to a liberal- Listen. That’s their entire argument.
I’ve come to the conclusion that what makes a liberal is basic insecurity - they have to have the world formed into what they need it to be, or not only can’t the function, the world is denying them their birthright of being whatever they feel entitled to be.
We have had battles while Bush was President over Dubai Ports,Harriet Miers etc. JimRob allowed the disagreements. What he didn't allow was crossing the line. Yeah there were "flame wars" but those that crossed the line had posts removed.
On DU there are no holds barred. They are allowed anything. There can be no debate on DU as their forum would self-immolate. By allowing obscenities and insults as normal behavior, heated debate would be death to their forum.
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