I'm done with GD.

[Pab Sungenis]

No point trying to discuss anti-gay genocide there, and another 0-6 alert on a homophobe underlines the fact that those who don't toe the sit-down-and-shut-up line are not welcome there.

I'm going to stick to hanging out in here for a while.

[DonCoquixote]

1. Sorry to hear that

Heaven knows that many people, of many types, can take a look at what GD has become and need to take a break.

For what it is worth, I do think that voices like yours are badly needed, and that when people drive people like you off (to clarify "people like you"= people who have their own perspective), then the mob wins. However, I do hope that after your wings heal, I see you back in there.

[DonCoquixote]

2. out fo curiousity

what was said example that broke the camel's back?

[QC]

3. Do you mind sharing the alert results with us? n/t

[William769]

4. Some people are so pissed that this is even brought up.

Two Days ago someone tried to get a article shut sown in LBN over Russia.

This is the article http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014561365 and yes the person who tried to get it shutdown to no avail also is posting in your thread. It's easy to connect the dots around here, some people just refuse to do it.

[Pab Sungenis]

5. This kind of sealed the deal

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3444544

That and cali.

[William769]

6. Both people mentioned are on my ignore list.

[theHandpuppet]

9. Did anyone alert on this post?

How could this have possibly been allowed to stand?

[Vanje]

13. ```

JURY RESULTS

A randomly-selected Jury of DU members completed their review of this alert at Sun Aug 11, 2013, 12:11 PM, and voted 1-5 to LEAVE IT ALONE.

Juror #1 voted to HIDE IT and said: The post is OTT, even with the 'sarcasm' emote.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: Clearly labeled as sarcasm, twice. Stupid, time-wasting alert.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No, it doesn't.
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: Guess the alerter missed the sarcasm tag...
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: I'd say the sarcasm in the post emphasizes the problem that genocide is taken too lightly in some places.

[Vanje]

14. My brand new signature line

immunizes me from alerts and hidden posts.
Now I can say awful things, too.
I'm covered.

[Pab Sungenis]

16. Here's another one worth alerting on:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023442537#post50

I love how MY rights are a "revolting little political game" and I obviously don't give a damn about LGBT rights because I'm speaking out against Russia when there are other nations (which I HAVE spoken out against) that are worse.

The difference is this time we have a chance to bring pressure to bear and STOP this genocide. Uganda, for example, isn't a major US trading partner and isn't hosting the Olympics.

[DonCoquixote]

17. what some do not get

is that sometimes apples are apples. Yes, there may be countries that do bad things to LGBT people, but that does not excuse Russia's behavior, especially since THEY bragged about what they would do at the Olympics. To put things in perspective, we all know Salt Lake City had more than a few people who were unhappy with LGBTs. Yes, i know there are leftist in Salt Lake, but we know who the power brokers are. Yet, did Mitt Romney say he would arrest Gay people? No, because the Mormons knew that if they did that, they might as well put a Neon sign that says "we want to embarrass ourselves on the world stage!"

So if even Mitt Romney knew better than to turn the Olympics into an LGBT bash, what the HELL is wrong with Comrade Putin?

[Vanje]

19. Yes. There are AWFUL countries in which to be gay.

But the alarming thing about Russia, is how rapidly the state sanctioned persecution of gays is escalating.

Very recently, 52% of the Russian populace was for equal rights for gays. Now that its illegal there to speak in favor of gay rights, it should be no surprise that people voicing approval of gay rights are a very small group.




....and, Jesus Christ on a bicycle!, can we talk about gay rights in Russia without it turning into a Snowden thread?

[Pab Sungenis]

26. Has anyone got the results of the alert on this one?

[dbackjon]

30. No - I alerted, just said 3-3 to leave it with no details

[Creideiki]

7. I try to avoid GD...

unless, of course, I want to see what the conservatives think.

Is there even a subforum/group for progressives here? Aside from here?

[we can do it]

8. Questioning the bigotry is apparently not allowed here.

I just had a thread locked "off topic' questioning the toxic anti-gay atmosphere, apparently those who disagree with hatred must keep our mouths closed.

[theHandpuppet]

10. Y'know, I took a long hiatus from posting some years ago

I even avoided visiting DU at all for some time because it had gotten so hateful for GLBTs (a couple of the threads that pushed me over the edge are tucked away in my journal).
I've only recently started participating again but you know, when I went back and read some of my journal threads from 4-5 years ago, I was actually surprised that the homophobic vitriol in some of those threads doesn't even compare to what I see on DU now. It's not gotten better -- it's actually much WORSE and even posts that are tantamount to hate speech aren't getting censored.
I posted the following to DU following the McClurkin fiasco and though the target of my frustration then was the Democratic Party, it could also apply to DU.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/theHandpuppet/96
It looks as if my decision to take a break from DU wasn't nearly long enough. The situation here for GLBTs has not, IMHO, improved at all.

[Pab Sungenis]

15. That looks familiar.

I think I made a similar post around that time. I know mine got locked.

You prompted me to look back through my old Journal at DU2 and that reminded me of something I'd forgotten. There was a glitch in the old software that allowed posts in "protected" forums to be put out in the open. Even locked or "deleted" posts stayed in your journal back then. I documented a lot of the anti-gay crap that went on by adding my posts to the old Ask the Administrators forum to my journal. Of course, not wanting to tip off the bug that made the documentation possible, I didn't share that information until recently when it had become moot.

It was a fascinating read. There were some in the moderator pool who were protecting known sock puppets for posters who had been banned for one reason or another, including homophobic posts. Rampant double standards. The years from 2009 until 2011 were not pretty ones for LGBT at DU.

Ah, yes, here it is. Mine was a year later than yours, and probably inspired by it. And a notoriously anti-gay moderator locked it. http://journals.democraticunderground.com/pabsungenis/177

[theHandpuppet]

18. You've got to be kidding

What ridiculous grounds were given for locking that thread?

[Pab Sungenis]

20. "Out of respect" for victims of abuse.

I wanted to puke. Any excuse to silence voices you don't like.

[pinto]

22. Pab, couldn't you let this old grudge go? Would be better all around. Please.

Yeah, we all had a rocky time back then.

Yeah, mods locked a lot of your threads back then. None of it had to do with your sexuality, iirc. I was there at the time, would have spoken up if bigotry played a part in mod actions.

It was in the DU2 moderator format. Skinner has noted how we were tied up by the rules to essentially discount some context. Someone says "fuck you" to Pab which doesn't get alerted. Pab says "fuck you" which gets alerted. Pab's post gets deleted.

This is bullshit, imo. Why dredge it all up again? I thought we moved beyond it. Suggest you let it go and add your voice to the growing progress to equality for all.

I'll meet you there.

[Pab Sungenis]

24. Actually, no, I can't.

The situation may be better now for LGBT posters (we at least stand an occasional chance with a jury) but we still have a major pocket of homophobia on this site. They just aren't in charge.

Ever since "Mending Fences" (where one of your ex-colleagues admitted to the existence of the anti-gay cabal in the moderator pool) I have accepted that the Admins are not the problem, and they've done a great job trying to clean up when one of the anti-gay posters goes ballistic, but I can't forget the people who were once the problem, and continue to be the problem, although not as openly as before.

It's like the Great Gay Purge of 2009. We can't forget that it happened, because if we aren't vigilant we'll be inviting something similar.

[dbackjon]

25. Things haven't changed

Still the same clique running and ruining DU.

Abetted and supported by the Admin

[William769]

29. I have it on very good authority that what you say is untrue.

2nd time in two days you have said something to this effect.

Whatever your reasons are, you need to stop it.

[pinto]

44. I won't post about this again (after this post, duh). Meant no harm, realize I need to step out.

[MNBrewer]

11. I'm staying in LGBT for now, not venturing into GD.

I'm so fkking addicted to DU though. Is there a "nuke" button for DU?

[theHandpuppet]

12. Maybe we need a 12 step program

Or a bottle of gin sounds even better.

[madrchsod]

27. i`d rather smoke some hash..

[RKP5637]

21. DU to me is getting pretty snarky. The trail of comments on some postings are

ridiculous and often consist of one trying to outdo the other's hatefulness and rudeness, and endless dribble with no meaningful content. The level of aggression and bullying on DU seems to be ever increasing IMO.

[bunnies]

28. You said it perfectly.

Occasional meaningful discussion can still be had. But those are increasingly fewer and farther between. The ganging-up and bullying is out of control. And I guess its become acceptable now. Its sad.

[Zorra]

23. That thread is a sign of some seriously fucked up disease. nt

[LostOne4Ever]

31. Now there are people calling homosexuality a "lifestyle"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023451232#post11

I even called him out on it, and he did it again in his next post.

To quote my signature....I don't know how to deal with this.

[Behind the Aegis]

32. Sadly....

At Mon Aug 12, 2013, 04:51 PM an alert was sent on the following post:

I disagree
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3451549

REASON FOR ALERT:

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate. (See <a href="http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=aboutus#communitystandards" target="_blank">Community Standards</a>.)

ALERTER'S COMMENTS:

Refers to sexual orientation as a "lifestyle." Belittling.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Mon Aug 12, 2013, 04:56 PM, and the Jury voted 2-4 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to HIDE IT and said: At some point, you will realize your continued use of "lifestyle" is anti-gay because that is how it is used. Homophobia is a serious thing and can lead to death. We will not be silent!
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to HIDE IT and said: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[LostOne4Ever]

33. Not surprised

But thank you for alerting it.

[Behind the Aegis]

34. I didn't alert...I was juror #2!

[LostOne4Ever]

35. Sorry

Need to pay more attention.

[Behind the Aegis]

36. Nothing to be sorry for! I just wanted credit as a juror!

LOL!

[hrmjustin]

37. I am sorry to see how things have gotten in GD.

[theHandpuppet]

38. It's open season on GLBTs, Pab

Best to stay away. Another disgustingly homophobic thread was alerted on GD but allowed to stand. We don't have a chance over there.

[MNBrewer]

39. So true

[hrmjustin]

40. Another WTF moment in GD.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023453360

[Pab Sungenis]

41. My god, reading that thread

I so badly wanted to scream "well, isn't that the pot calling the kettle lesbian?"

[hrmjustin]

42. That poster just up and ran because he/she could not handle the heat.

[theHandpuppet]

43. I have to admit...

I'm more than a bit confused about that one. Sometimes I feel as if we're getting the "Gaslight" treatment, if ya know what I mean.

[Zorra]

46. It is a totally juvenile and ignorant OP, like something straight out of freeperville. nt

[nomorenomore08]

45. I'm sorry you feel so unwelcome. I don't like to see anyone treated that way.

Again, if a person truly doesn't care about a certain issue, then why comment in the first place? Do they see LGBT people as such an embarrassment and inconvenience that they feel the need to lash out?

[hrmjustin]

47. Did I read this right?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023457053#post33

[theHandpuppet]

48. Hmmm....

I'm not sure what to make of that, unless the sig line might indicate an attempt at sarcasm?

[hrmjustin]

49. I think he meant it.