Thinking about leaving the DU?

[KentuckyWoman]

186. I'm on the other end of the spectrum

I've been around a few years - not many. Don't post much since my life is usually too full to have time to come by but also because there are so many threads I simply don't feel comfortable speaking my mind.

Impressions are subjective of course but what I've seen is that inflammatory posts that fat shame, belittle people (especially conservative women) for the way they look, are anti white people, anti church, anti business are mostly allowed to stand and if anyone replies with anything less than a high five it's like smacking a hornet's nest.

I've lost count of how many times I've started to leave a reply to a thread that is intended to be a reasoned thoughtful addition to the conversation and ended up not posting because it just didn't seem worth the inevitable flame war to follow. Sure enough, someone else hits the thread to say something close to what I was thinking and gets hosed for not high fiving.

Like I said, I'm relatively new but this is my impression of the current situation. I expect to get absolutely reamed for posting this. But I like the DU. A lot. If it times past people speaking the minority position were getting muffled that's just wrong. If my impression is correct and the pendulum has swung the opposite way then that's wrong too.

My sister, DUer SmileyRose loved this place. She learned a lot and it kept her sane during the last years of her life when she was in a lot of pain with one cancer after the next up until her death. When she didn't have the energy anymore she asked me to create a login and keep her posted on what I saw here. I was hooked.

Anyways, in the round about way I guess I'm saying I agree with you on the big picture. This can be a really good place to share info and support each other in common cause even if we quabble about the smaller things. Muffling speech is not helpful in that regard.