Democratic Underground is 25 years old today

[CC27]

EarlG (23,427 posts)

Democratic Underground is 25 years old today

Many of you already know the story of how this site got started: following the (s)election of George W. Bush in 2000, two twenty-something liberal web designers, angry at the outcome, and aghast that there didn't seem to be any competition to right-wing web communities like Free Republic at the time, threw together a site and promoted it by waving a hand-painted DEMOCRATICUNDERGROUND.COM banner at Bush's inauguration in DC on January 20th, 2001. The rest is now quite literally history.

Unfortunately I don't have a copy of what the site looked like on launch day, but this is pretty close -- below is a screenshot of the DU homepage from February 19, 2001, just under a month after we launched. If you want to know how times have changed, note that at the bottom of the page, we offered people the option to contact us by fax



At launch DU was intended to be more of an article-driven site than a web community. This was before the age of blogs, so one draw of the site was that we would publish articles by regular people who couldn't get published by mainstream media. It's hard to believe now, but at the time this was somewhat revolutionary.

The discussion forum was initially an afterthought. We tacked it on at the last minute, having never operated or even given much thought to running such a thing, and it quickly became apparent that it was going to take up more of our time than we realized -- mainly because the forum was immediately flooded with freepers and trolls, and at launch the forum software didn't even have the ability to ban people.

Over the years, as blogs and then social media became widespread, the need to provide a space for liberal authors to get published waned, and DU's discussion forum community essentially overtook the entire site.

I'm not sure how many websites there are out there that have been in continuous existence for 25 years, but I suspect the number is not enormous. I believe that DU is still here because after all this time, there still isn't anything exactly like it on the Internet. We wanted to create a place where people from the center to the left can have civil discussions, free from right-wing trolls and disruptors. And we still strive for that goal every day, thanks to the efforts of DUers serving on Juries and as Hosts, taking part in MIRT, and -- most importantly -- simply posting in a civil manner, with the intent of having a good conversation.

And really, that is why DU is still going strong after a quarter century -- because of all of you, and the community that you have created here. We built it, and you came -- and you keep coming back, after all these years.

DU would not exist without all of you. So thank you for being here, no matter how long you've been here.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220952486

Look at what a cesspool it turned out to be Earl. All because Bush 43 was elected and put all the loons in one place.

[enslaved1]

I was going to say that means their hive brain has reached maturity and is able to think logically, but apparently that brain age has been moved up to 32.  So seven more years I guess. 

https://www.discovermagazine.com/your-brain-has-five-ages-and-they-shape-how-you-think-for-life-48323

[FunkyZero]

Look at what a cesspool it turned out to be Earl. All because Bush 43 was elected and put all the loons in one place.

Sounds like Earl is proud of building a website that is basically a mirror image of the old storm front site... a daily overdose of hate a bile from unhinged lunatics

[CC27]

Sounds like Earl is proud of building a website that is basically a mirror image of the old storm front site... a daily overdose of hate a bile from unhinged lunatics

I miss the old days of the DUmp. Bouncy Ball, pam poop pants, and Will Pitt and all the other whack jobs that no longer post.

[CollectivismMustDie]

I miss the old days of the DUmp. Bouncy Ball, pam poop pants, and Will Pitt and all the other whack jobs that no longer post.

The good rig, and peanut butter between the toes.

 

[Muddling 2]

I miss the old days of the DUmp. Bouncy Ball, pam poop pants, and Will Pitt and all the other whack jobs that no longer post.

I miss the lively experience that was the "Gungeon".  There were more than a few Donks that were very pro RKBA and made excellent arguments.  Sadly, groupthink has taken over and no one can put forward a pro-RKBA arguement without risking the 'granite pizza'.

[67 Rover]

I miss the old days of the DUmp. Bouncy Ball, pam poop pants, and Will Pitt and all the other whack jobs that no longer post.

Will Pitt and Diseased American are on their knees taking turns servicing Satan.

I do miss the DUmmie historian and creator of Reporting San Diego though. 

[ADsOutburst]

25 years, aaaaaannnnnd...






...Donald Trump is now the President. Success!!

[CC27]

The good rig, and peanut butter between the toes.

 

HAHAHA

[CC27]

I recall a DUmmie passing away in front of their computer.

[SVPete]

Sounds like Earl is proud of building a website that is basically a mirror image of the old storm front site... a daily overdose of hate a bile from unhinged lunatics

 

Stormfront is no more? Good riddance. Can we hope for the same fate for DU's futility and hatefulness?

[67 Rover]

I recall a DUmmie passing away in front of their computer.

Kephra (sp?)  the body was still warm when the mother stepped over Mountain Dew bottles filled with urine and mildewed pizza boxes to post on DU that the DUmmie is dead.