primavera: Do we have trolls lurking here?

[RobJohnson]

primavera  (1000+ posts)        Sat May-16-09 12:16 PM
Original message
Do we have trolls lurking here?
 I had an interesting experience this week that I wanted to share with you all. I ran across a pretty scary website called AR15.com, the posts at which are hardcore freeper stuff, how Obama is a communist devoted to taking away people's guns and destroying the American way of life, liberals are evil Satan worshippers who are taking over the world, you know, the usual, paranoid, demented ramblings of the extreme right-wing. What I found interesting was that a number of posts there made references to posts here in this very forum. For instance, one thread referenced a gun poll listed here and instructed members to come here and freep the poll.

The whole thing kind of got me wondering, as groups like AR15.com are very militant and activist - many of their threads urge members to - both overtly and covertly - go out and tilt polls, disrupt discussion, and engage in other such obnoxious, obstructionist behaviors. One of their favorite targets, not surprisingly, is the Brady Campaign and their members constantly show up to call Brady Campaign supporters traitors, assholes, idiots, etc., etc.. In other words, not a real pleasant group of people. And apparently, a number of them hang out here.

So my question for you all is: what do gun-supporting DUers think of that? Does it trouble you that some real psychos may be hanging out here with you here, contributing undoubtedly highly partial and subjective material to your threads, and in turn utilizing the information you post to support essentially cyberterrorist activities?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x222768



 

mike_c  (1000+ posts)        Sat May-16-09 12:19 PM
Response to Original message
1. there are right wing trolls all over DU-- the gungeon is no exception...
 ...I'm sure. Some of those folks must consider trolling DU their holy grail, if the amount of time they spend talking about it is any indication. 

 

primavera  (1000+ posts)        Sat May-16-09 12:42 PM
Response to Reply #1
11. I guess you're right
 I mean, in fairness, I've posted at freerepublic.com myself, but I think it makes a difference that, when I've done so, I've always been 100% forthright and immediately identified myself as a DUer, explained that I meant no disrespect by posting there, that I was genuinely curious to know what freepers thought on a particular topic, if they'd care to share their views with me, great, I'd be glad to listen respectfully, if not, I understood that too. But I can't imagine going there and pretending to be one of them in order to carry out the internet equivalent of guerilla warfare against them. But I guess that marks one of the key differences between liberals and the right-wing: the right-wing respects no rules of behavior.

 

primavera  (1000+ posts)        Sat May-16-09 01:01 PM
Response to Reply #15
17. Kind of makes you wonder where these guys get all of this energy
 I mean, they must know that their views are not going to find a receptive audience here, so what are they hoping to accomplish other than to be insulting and abusive? Do they really have so much hatred within them that they're willing to waste their time on such a pointless exercise? How incredibly naive must I be to wonder about that?

Still, it really is kind of scary if you stop to reflect upon the fact that there are so many people out there who possess that level of mindless hatred

A DUmmie bites back....

Israfel4 (18 posts)      Sat May-16-09 10:06 PM
Response to Reply #17
44. IMO, its NOT mindless "hatred"
 they are fighting for OUR 2nd Amendment Right. And if you are going to FIGHT for something isn't it reasonable to think that they would fight that way???? How much of a fight would YOU put up for your 1st Amendment Right or any of the other amendments?
 

 

Then of course....

Unrepentant Fenian (287 posts)      Sat May-16-09 11:03 PM
Response to Reply #44

51. Idiots like them don't help any cause. nt

 

Tim01 (887 posts)      Sat May-16-09 12:37 PM
Response to Original message
10. And I have seen threads on DU urging the same thing on other boards.
 I find the whole practice of encouraging wars between boards to be really tacky.

The gun boards I frequent forbid that type of behavior. Not forbidden at AR15 and not forbidden here.




Bear in mind also, that what ever board you go to most of the vocal people are the extremists who want to start shit with you. It is true at all boards I have seen including this one.

It's a good one and worth reading!

[TheSarge]

mike_c  (1000+ posts)        Sat May-16-09 12:19 PM
Response to Original message
1. there are right wing trolls all over DU-- the gungeon is no exception...
 ...I'm sure. Some of those folks must consider trolling DU their holy grail, if the amount of time they spend talking about it is any indication. 

This coming from the moron who spammed the entire chain of command at Ft. Belvoir over a soldier who isn't assigned to any unit there.

 

[AprilRazz]

Anyone want to start a collection to send some mirrors over to the island?

[Lord Undies]

That primavodka is a piece of work.  Apparently it never reads DU, except for its own posts.  I was jawdropped at the complaint about profanity and vulgarities on "other sites".  I guess primavodka doesn't realize the profanity and vulgarities on DemocratUnderground.com is the reason it is blocked by many companies, organizations, etc. 

Another laugh:  Primavodka is appalled by the low-class use of such terms as demonrats in reference to democrats.  Primavodka must me a Helen Keller type with a special gift for keyboard use.

[thundley4]

primavera:
The whole thing kind of got me wondering, as groups like AR15.com are very militant and activist - many of their threads urge members to - both overtly and covertly - go out and tilt polls, disrupt discussion, and engage in other such obnoxious, obstructionist behaviors.

And how many times have we seen you asshats post a link to a poll and ask members to DU the poll? Internet polls have no validity whatsoever.

[USA4ME]

primavera

I ran across a pretty scary website called AR15.com,..

The idea of freedom is often scary to you primitives.  Now go light another bonfire and dance.

.

[DumbAss Tanker]

That primavodka is a piece of work.  Apparently it never reads DU, except for its own posts.  I was jawdropped at the complaint about profanity and vulgarities on "other sites".  I guess primavodka doesn't realize the profanity and vulgarities on DemocratUnderground.com is the reason it is blocked by many companies, organizations, etc. 

Another laugh:  Primavodka is appalled by the low-class use of such terms as demonrats in reference to democrats.  Primavodka must me a Helen Keller type with a special gift for keyboard use.

In military parlance, we would say "Her/his radio is stuck on 'Transmit.'"

[RobJohnson]

Anyone want to start a collection to send some mirrors over to the island?

 

[RobJohnson]

primavera  (1000+ posts)        Sun May-17-09 02:41 AM
Response to Reply #66
69. Mercutio, I'm more than happy to leave them alone...
 ... to nurture whatever paranoid delusions their fevered imaginations can concoct - it's a free country. The only reason I went there in the first place was not to spy on them or to troll, but in an effort to ascertain whether or not they were in fact, as their posters voluntarily indicated, the source of a whole series of particularly violent assaults on the Brady Campaign. And, judging from all of the "Fire Mission" threads over there, and, as you can see from their discussion of this thread linked to in post 60, they're not looking to be left alone; rather, they're looking to attack and abuse others who don't share their views, and I'm sorry, but that's not excusable behavior, no matter how petrified they may be.

Thankfully, no one at DU has ever attacked anyone that didn't share their views.

 
 

[Freeper]

Name removed  (0 posts) Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Sat May-16-09 12:30 PM
Response to Original message
7. Deleted message
   
Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.
   
 
TheWraith Donating Member (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Sat May-16-09 12:45 PM
Response to Reply #7
14. Thanks for maintaining an open mind.
   
And actually listening to what people have to say. :eyes:

Is it just me or was that exchange ironic?
Accusing someone of not having an open mind then the post that was so close minded gets nuked. 

[VelvetElvis]

primavera  (1000+ posts)        Sat May-16-09 12:42 PM
Response to Reply #1
11. I guess you're right
 I mean, in fairness, I've posted at freerepublic.com myself, but I think it makes a difference that, when I've done so, I've always been 100% forthright and immediately identified myself as a DUer, explained that I meant no disrespect by posting there, that I was genuinely curious to know what freepers thought on a particular topic, if they'd care to share their views with me, great, I'd be glad to listen respectfully, if not, I understood that too. But I can't imagine going there and pretending to be one of them in order to carry out the internet equivalent of guerilla warfare against them. But I guess that marks one of the key differences between liberals and the right-wing: the right-wing respects no rules of behavior.

Yeah, that approach would work soooo well at the DUmp.   

<camera pans to blurred images of DUmmie hands feverishly pounding "Alert" buttons>

[GOBUCKS]

primavera  (1000+ posts)        Sat May-16-09 12:16 PM
Original message
Do we have trolls lurking here?

Lurking? Trolls and moles at the DUmp contribute hundreds of posts a day. The vast majority of the time, The DUmmies are simply too stupid to realized they are being played. Skillful moles help bring out the true nature of the DUmp.

[TheSarge]

Lurking? Trolls and moles at the DUmp contribute hundreds of posts a day. The vast majority of the time, The DUmmies are simply too stupid to realized they are being played. Skillful moles help bring out the true nature of the DUmp.

And lets not forget too that there have been trolls at DU that have made it all he way to Moderator status as well.

[Traveshamockery]

The whole thing kind of got me wondering, as groups like AR15.com ACORN are very militant and activist - many of their threads urge members to - both overtly and covertly - go out and tilt polls, disrupt discussion, and engage in other such obnoxious, obstructionist behaviors. One of their favorite targets, not surprisingly, is the Brady Campaign the civil rights movement and their members constantly show up to call Brady Campaign non-supporters traitors, assholes, idiots racists, etc., etc.. In other words, not a real pleasant group of people. And apparently, a number of them hang out here.

There - I fixed it for primavera.

[Gwitness]

heh-heh......yeah arfcommers troll DU ...pretty funny..although it ends up mostly as suicide runs.
No..Arfcom does NOT condone baiting into board wars....and those who do get a couple warnings..a lock if they persist...and if that does not get the message through da ban hammer.

[Crome]

Yeah...I made a suicide run some time ago using this handle. The Dumpstersluts banned me within 10 posts. I can say though that I have not been banned since.

[RobJohnson]

maquisard (36 posts)      Mon May-18-09 01:48 AM
Response to Reply #87
104. You're awful quick to call other people trolls
 Especially since you sound and act so much like a barfcomer yourself.

 

Israfel4 (18 posts)      Sun May-17-09 11:26 AM
Response to Original message
81. There's not much of a difference between
 that forum and this one. I wouldn't be surprised if most of the AR posters didn't know that there are DU'ers who are into firearms as much as they are. Their "General Discussion" is chok full of randomness, both good and bad, as well as funny and serious. From "Dinner Pics" to "My son was racially profiled". I thought this was a pretty good post:


If any DUer is actually reading this... here's a bit of what true conservatives think about our government:

What makes this country unique and great is the fact that our founding fathers believed so strongly in individualism that they placed the rights of the individual above the rights of the collective society, or the "common good." It was founded on the precepts of individual freedom and individual responsibility. It is not the role of government to protect you from yourself, your bad choices, poor judgment, ignorance or bad luck. It's not the role of government to provide you with food, shelter, medical care, vacations or employment or anything else. Nor does the government have the right to take away what is yours to provide these things for others. The only legitimate role of the government is to protect your rights from the infringement of others. That means law enforcement, criminal justice and a strong military. If you want to give your money to someone who is having a hard time that is fine, matter of fact the people of this country give more by far than any other nation on earth. But the government should not be able to take your money and give it to others to provide these things.



Basically, we want to be left alone to succeed or fail on our own without the government helping or hindering us. It's the standard everyone should live under. When we say that the government's role is not to bail people out, that doesn't mean we want anyone to fail. We believe everyone has the same chances to succeed, but they need to EARN it.

 

friendly_iconoclast  (818 posts)      Sun May-17-09 04:00 PM
Response to Reply #95
97. "False flag" = "Not what (or who) they purport to be"
 'Astroturfing' is a variant, i.e. pretending to be 'grassroots' while actually run top down to
make something appear more popular than it is

Sometimes, it's being the most helpful 'volunteer' in order to collect information, like one woman did
to various gun control groups recently.

Sometimes, it's creating an operation that is:

1)actually working against what they state as their goals.

I would say GunGuys.com fits this definition. IMO, also qualifies as astroturf as they don't have
anyone you can actually contact

2)or aren't who they say they are in order to 'play' the opposition.

American Hunters and Shooters Association are the 'astroturf' variety.


Sometimes, it's acting or posting like an asshole to make the opposition look bad, aka provocateurs

I suspect some of the more Stalinoid gun control posts might be of this nature

Cops sometimes do this at demos, dressing up like "black bloc"

Occasionally, they get caught:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St1-WTc1kow