Democratic Underground Administrator Posts Absurdly Detailed Rules to Micromanage Dissent

NewsBusters ^ | June 21, 2010 | P.J. Gladnick

[PJ-Comix]

The leftwing blogosphere has a big problem: dissent. Last week we saw Keith Olbermann leaving the Daily Kos because he was attacked there for mildly criticizing Barack Obama. And this week, the administrator of the Democratic Underground, David Allen aka Skinner, was forced to deal with a recent wave of purges (tombstoning). One reason was due to simple liberal crackup temper tantrums among the DUers as happened when their most prominent member, William Rivers Pitt of Karl Rove indictment hoax fame, was tombstoned last month for threatening physical violence upon a fellow DUer who turned out to be a homeless woman. More serious is the current wave of dissent from DUers who are expressing dissatification with Obama's poor performance as president.

In order to stifle more dissent, Allen has set forth an absurdly detailed and lengthy set of rules for posting at the Democratic Underground. The result is pure comedy gold. So enjoy this small sampling from the buffet table of Allen's obsessive micromanagement down to the smallest laughable detail:

{ } Inappropriate attacks against Democrats
- Insults against prominent Democrats, such as "F--- Obama."
- Name-calling against prominent Democrats. Calling Barack Obama "Barry" or some other name.
- Repeating Republican partisan attacks against Democrats.
- Broadly suggesting that there is no difference between Barack Obama and George W. Bush, or that there is no difference between Democrats and Republicans. (Arguing that specific policies are the same would be permitted.)
- Suggesting that President Obama has perpetrated a "con job" or "fraud," or similarly over-the-top assertions of bad faith.
- Advocating voting against Democrats, or in favor of third-party or GOP candidates.
- Broad-brush smears against Democrats generally.

[Miztiki]

correction:

posts now and THEN...

[slouch-no-more]

Turd burglar? LMAO!

[Bob]

"We you aspire for perfection with fluid secular morality as your guidepost this is where it always leads, ALWAYS."

Fascinating post until the last sentence. Could you clarify that?

It makes a lot more sense if you substitute "When" for "We" as the first word. :=)

[BP2]

> Are they at each others throats over the new rules?

Somewhat. The Mods delete individual posts and entire threads that are negative of Obami.

When those who are legitimately frustrated with Obama on the Left have nowhere to vent,
they either go FAR Left (no one listens to crazy people) or they “unplug”.

Both are good for the Right ... I thus support the fanaticism of the DU Mods ;)

[Carling]

That's not completely true, though. Many longtime posters, much more tenured than you and me, were banned permanently in late 2007 and early 2008 for speaking positively about Rudy Giuliani. Romney was the preferred candidate here by the powers that be, along with Fred Thompson.

It was called The Purge. There was a squad of brownshirts here trying to get people banned, and a thread was even created as flypaper to attrack Rooty Tooty supporters.

[Miztiki]

I didn’t read any argument about FR as a whole, just certain FReepers.

Did part of their post disappear? I only see one sentence. FR has been hinky recently so maybe it’s just me.

[rlmorel]

Well, I did put that caveat in there that there have been purges.

But there is a complete and material distance between these two camps, though.

[jocon307]

“Calling Barack Obama “Barry” or some other name.”

That’s pretty ridiculous. I think the people who actually are his friends call him Barry, or did at one point in his life.

This is no worse than calling Bush “W” or “43” or whatever.

I can see saying: Don’t call him Obozo or something, but Barry?

If this is the worst name they are calling him, I really don’t see a problem.

I mean, people here call the pols on our OWN side worse names than that ALL THE TIME! Not that it’s nice, but nobody’s getting the vapors over it. (OK, maybe the people who use those names don’t feel the pols ARE on their side, and I guess maybe these Dems feel the same way about the big O.-That’s what I like to call our prez.)

Liberalism really is a mental disorder. I never believed that, having grown up in NYC pretty much surrounded by liberals, but todays liberals are all pretty much fit for Bellevue.

[jocon307]

‘A large amount of threads are being locked if they disagree with Obama’s policies...”

Oh my Lord, what if they start coming over here to complain?

[Outlaw Woman]

That place is a cesspool.

That place is what drove me to FR. During the campaign and shortly before the election, I was 'surfing' for information and came across that site and was absolutely appalled at what the human sewage over there was stating. Felt like I had to shower, fumigate and wash eyeballs after being there. Within minutes I found myself over here at FR.

Home sweet Home :)

[TruthHound]

In other words, no poster should point out the fact...
1) that the people we support are corrupt fools
2) that the policies we support are inherently un-American
3) that all liberals/Democrats are dumb as a bag of hammers

I wouldn’t last 10 seconds there. I couldn’t pretend to be as ignorant as it takes to successfully post there.

[GSP.FAN]

:>)

[VeniVidiVici]

LEAVE PITT ALONE!!

[oprahstheantichrist]

"...substitute "When" for "We"

Got it, THX!

[Vaquero]

i believe he went by Jerry Rivers early in his work career, but not in grades 1-12.

I know his mother was Jewish and father was puerto rican christian....

[Riley]

OK, fess up, who has been orchestrating DOS attacks on the DUmp?

Uh- nobody? I WANT their site to stay up. When your opponent is making a fool of himself- get out of the way and let him!

[pburgh01]

"We you aspire for perfection with fluid secular morality as your guidepost this is where it always leads, ALWAYS."

I meant "Well" instead of "We".

[pburgh01]

Tried what twice? Getting a login there?

[grey_whiskers]

I was on and off of that thread, and don't remember that it was called "The Purge". Mostly it was called the Bug-Zapper thread.

Cheers!