I'm relatively new here and don't even know if I'm allowed to discuss this.

[surfered]

But I volunteered for jury service for this forum. Lately, there have been a lot of cases before me for inflammatory, personally insulting. and bigoted remarks.

I understand that we are all passionate in our beliefs, but we should promote and defend them in a factual and respectful manner.

Just like dealing with a Trump supporter, disparaging remarks are not going to advance your side of the argument.

Interact with your fellow DUer the way you would wish to be treated.

Peace

[Ranting Randy]

1. thumbs up

[Aussie105]

2. I've gone over the top once (or twice)

with my comments, and got those comments deleted.

And I appreciate it!

The jury service asking for judgement by peers works well on this forum.

(Other forums, with 'moderators', not so much.)

[ArkansasDemocrat1]

33. Ain't that the truth

Cliques can gang up on someone who disagrees with one of them and flag them into BOJO status. It only took a few if you were new with no post mojo.

[wnylib]

58. BOJO?

[OAITW r.2.0]

3. Am I more basic and cruder, politically speaking, than I was 25 years ago?

Most definitely.

[Deuxcents]

4. As am I. There wasn't an evil person trying to overthrow our government 25 years ago

[AKwannabe]

51. Most definitely love ya for that!!

I walk the line too!

[Torchlight]

5. I'd thought the same, and reconsidered on a particular point: it's a really effective way to separate chaff and wheat,

The occasional invective or pejorative is an easy pass.

When the peevishness goes beydod that though, and becomes the identity of the speaker however, propping itself up as part and parcel of the argument at the expense of any real argument is when I make the decision that I'm engaging with a bad-faith actor, and I begin to ignore them on a passive level, just kinda skipping past the name from then on.

[Lunabell]

6. You may be dealing with trolls, too.

They are notorious for making up fake accounts and even becoming star members just to troll.

[marble falls]

36. But mostly for not too long. They all get caught up between admin, MIRT and alerting.

[Clouds Passing]

7. Thank you 😊

[sab390]

8. I one time started my post with

This should be taken down, and it was. As all have said the system works well. You can post and expect the verdict of the jury, as it should be.

[AKwannabe]

52. Yup

[Picaro]

9. K&R

I’ve cancelled out of a lot juries lately or simply refused.

The situation in the Middle East has created a lot of acrimony that I won’t involve myself with.

So, I’ve remained silent as the atrocities stack one on top of the other.

[Lochloosa]

13. Right there with you Picaro.

[Tree Lady]

24. I have actually cancelled out also

for the same reason the middle east. I see why both sides are upset and agree in part with both but I am a peaceful person and its too much.

We just got home from 3 wonderful weeks in a forested area in rural Canada. It was so refreshing not to see the political stuff for awhile nor hear about it. I had wifi at cabin and went on DU so I was up on everything but all around was totally peaceful.

[surfered]

29. I agree. We are of like minds to be visiting this community in the first place, but

It seems there is no middle ground on the issue of the Middle East. So, you may be shocked to learn that the majority of cases I’ve seen are not on that subject.

[NNadir]

61. I try to make a ruling on these ME arguments, even though I'm at a total loss to understand the issue.

The problem to my mind is everyone feels justified whereas, in war, no real justification exists for anyone at any time. War is the continuing scar of history, some of that to which appeals are made involves events that stretch over thousands of years, in other cases, over decades and then a few months, weeks or days. There is no "they started it," involving anyone not dead for a long time in my opinion. I call it "atrocity ratcheting."

I recall, in pain, that the Bosnian war seemed to involve some issue resulting from events Medieval times. This war originates in Biblical times. (I have no use for the Bible, Koran or Talmud, or any other claimed "sacred book" by the way; but I understand that others do.)

I am not known personally, for civility, but I can recognize a lack of it in myself and in others, but since I don't have any positive feelings for any of the participants in these arguments - everybody is wrong and no one is right in my view - I try to judge the point in these exchanges based on an interpretation of the DU rules. Someone has to do it. I'm not sure I do a good job at it; but I value the DU jury system, even as I've sometimes - many times actually - had juries come down on me.

[TBF]

10. We used to have mods on DU back in the old days,

then went to a jury system. I think it's kind of cool, it promotes more ownership of the place. There is still a MIR team (kind of like short-term mods that watch for obvious trolls, spam, etc.), and that helps keep the conversations cleaner as well.

I think it always gets worse as elections get closer, as emotions are high. Thanks for participating in juries!

[marble falls]

35. I think the jury system works well 95% of the time, which is remarkable. And one can appeal to Admin ...

... who do reverse a hide, they have for me, twice.

[LiberalFighter]

47. I had a hide reversed too.

Posted my statement and immediately changed it. It was alerted sometime while I was correcting myself.

[marble falls]

50. One was I posted an op on a TFG campaign event in 2016 that was done in an AZ bar out in the middle of no where ...

Last edited Tue Oct 1, 2024, 08:57 AM - Edit history (1)

... that was such a joke it went over the alerter's head and and at least four jurors' heads, too. I think it took about an hour or less to get unlocked. The second was a troll I was pushing at around the same time: he alerted me and someone alerted him at the same time. We both got hidden and that was when Skinner said "three comments and get out". I just had to push him through five or six exchanges forgetting I was interfering with the original post.

He fixed me, I don't insist on the last word anymore.

[duhneece]

11. I'm grateful to you and for your service

You help make our family remain healthy and productive.
Thank you.

[Skittles]

22. not everyone has a family

count yourself lucky

[Skittles]

25. I'm not your BRO

over and OUT

[John Shaft]

26. Right on

BRO

[Hekate]

43. Show some respect in a community

Altho — you may be on your way shortly. I keep trying to reply, only to find your posts removed.

[Xavier Breath]

48. They're bring removed just about as quick as they can write them.

[Hekate]

54. Good to see that

Saying we’re all a bunch of semi-right wingers and outright rightwingers made me kind of I wrote a reply asking if perhaps he'd entered the wrong door, but by the time I tried to send my reply his post was gone. Perhaps he’s tired of our company and has decided being civil is a lost cause for him.
::

[marble falls]

34. Well he was a piece of work.

[dobleremolque]

12. First obligation is to read the specific DU Rule of Conduct. The jury format

cites the Rule that alleges to have been violated. Like for "personal insults." (FKA "flaming" back in the 14.4 baud days.)

Is the post up for adjudication one which attacks the content of the comment, or does it attack the commenter?

It's almost like really and truly jury service down at the court house, except the DU juror gets to interpret the law (DU Rule) rather than relying on jury instructions from the judge.

[marble falls]

38. Funny how that works: I take jury duty seriously and read the whole thing several times to be sure I "get" it.

We get charged just like a courtroom jury is by the judge - the rule being used to alert is taken word for word from the ToS and posted right below the "evidence".

we are remarkably like a court room.

[Tetrachloride]

14. ty for your service. Welcome

[Klarkashton]

16. I was the target of a very long time and now deceased

DU person. He used to get away with this shit routinely. I blocked his arrogant ass.

[Farmer-Rick]

27. Yeah, there are a few old timers

Who are pretty nasty and like to play games. They walk a fine line between breaking the rules and following them.

You have to block them or they will drive you nuts. Once they get you to respond, they follow you from post to post antagonizing you.

I think the blocking feature is great. Idiots can't break through that.

[Klarkashton]

41. It was shocking that an old time highly respected

DUer would make such stupid childish insults.
Now I chalk that one it up to senility. However even after being reported nothing happened.

[Farmer-Rick]

44. Yeah, I don't know how they get away with it

They must know a trick or something. Oh well, thank god for being able to ignore their stupidity.

[JoseBalow]

55. The "Ignore" feature doesn't block, it does nothing to prevent being stalked

It just prevents you from seeing the comments an "ignored" stalker leaves in your wake. They can still see your posts, follow you around, and they can still comment at will. You just don't know it, so their comments stand without reply. It should work both-ways, like on other sites, but for some reason the Admin has decided not to do it that way.

[Farmer-Rick]

60. Yeah that's true

But if I can't see it I don't care.

But you're right they still influence others and get to create cliques and gather a following.

[JoseBalow]

56. And you've only been here a few weeks

[TomSlick]

18. Service on a court jury is a cost of citizenship.

DU jury duty is the cost we pay to have a usable site.

Thank you for your jury service.

[LoisB]

20. Agree.

[Skittles]

21. nah

seeing the attitude of so many DUers, I can see why people go off sometimes .....I've tempered myself a bit but the wish to bite back is always there

some forums I just ditch entirely - like I/P - all just too disgusting for me - so best to avoid completely

[True Dough]

28. You're no "biter"

You're a kicker... of asses!

[Skittles]

46. I've tamed it a bit but....

yeah, it's a daily thing where I just REALLY want to go off on SOMETHING

and I tell you, I know seeing Trump's face every freaking day for YEARS now has contributed heavily to it! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[Think. Again.]

30. I agree that it's difficult not to bite back sometimes...

...in my own personal opinion, it seems there are people here who are always looking to bait certain people into posting something that could be alerted on.

I try to keep that in mind when I get provocative responses that really aren't following a standard line of discussion on the given topic.

[marble falls]

40. The only way to get to a troll who walks the line is to push them off the line. Some MIRTers are expert at it ...

... you should look into joining MIRT. the next new team will form up just after the election.

[patphil]

31. Being selected for jury duty is a good thing. It helps you understand the underlying philosophy of this site.

It's easy to go over the edge when emotions run high.
I usually preview each of my posts, and think about them before I hit the post button.
I can't say how many times I decided to just back out and not post something that I wrote with a bit too much passion, and a bit too little thought.
It's helped me a lot to do it that way.

[Renew Deal]

32. Nice post, Hitler

You are correct! There is no need for insults most of the time.

[flvegan]

45. Underrated post.

Haven't seen that in a while. Well timed. Even the Russian judge is giving this a 9.7

[Renew Deal]

49. lol

Thanks

[Abolishinist]

37. Not that I disagree with your conclusion, but I am curious

about one thing. You've been a Du'er for over 4 years, and yet you consider that being "relatively new" here?

[surfered]

59. Relative to the 20 year members

[Joinfortmill]

39. HI, I agree, but your post may get deleted. One of mine did in the past. Peace.

[Silent Type]

42. Agree. But there are also some Alerts that are uncalled for. I don't see a lot of insults here except

certain topics, which I won’t name.

Insults, etc., are off limits. Honest/heated debate is OK with me.

[wendyb-NC]

53. Absolutely, I'm with you 100%

Thanks for posting about the said topic, surfered. It is definitely worth bringing up.

[Warpy]

57. Don't be a hanging judge

because I've noticed an uptick in uncivil behavior from some posters I've read and replied to for years. I thinkelection season jitters are affecting a lot of people more than they'd like to admit. We know what's at stake.

Be as kind as you can be unless someone is obviously going out of his or her way to be an asshole.