"Foreign Policy" events really bring out the trolls around here,

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

don't they? Whether it's any significant development related to Iraq (prison torture photos, Fallujah etc.) or Spain's repudiation of it's government...

Why do these type of stories and events attract the trolls more than just about any other? Are these the hottest buttons for the freepers? Do they feel the most "confident" arguing or posting troll threads or hijacking threads on these topics?

Can any insight be gained with respect to this? What gives?

[mike_c]

1. examples?

Frankly, I thought they were strangely silent.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

3. It would be against the rules to call out someone not participating

therefore, the poster is prohibited from providing the examples for which you ask.

[mike_c]

13. oh, good point....

I hadn't thought of that.

[yardwork]

2. Some of the posts I've seen reflect a mindset

that seems preoccupied with sadomasochism or other sexual issues.

We used to call these "geeks" - people who get a thrill out of viewing scenes of torture and violence. I guess they get excited and gravitate to political boards. They're like flashers - best to ignore them.

[Must_B_Free]

4. Do you mean the Kamakazis only who come out and get deleted?

Or does that include when we accuse ourselves of being Freepers?

Two different phenomenon.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

5. I meant the Kamikazes. Some of whom start the flamefest threads,

some of whom hijack other threads. Sometimes one starts the flamefest and others hijack all at once. It seems like it's much more often about war or foreign policy issues than other things (economic, abortion etc.) to me, just speaking to a general pattern I've observed.

[bigtree]

7. Flatterers Should Be Avoided

". . . men are so self-complacent in their own affairs, and in a way so deceived in them, that they are preserved with difficulty from this pest (flatterers), and if they wish to defend themselves they run the danger of falling into contempt."

"Therefore a wise prince ought to hold a third course by choosing the wise men in his state, and giving to them only the liberty of speaking the truth to him, and then only of those things of which he inquires, and of none others; but he ought to question them upon everything, and listen to their opinions, and afterwards form his own conclusions."

The Prince, by Nicolo Machiavelli

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

9. Are you making the point that we should value the presence

and posts of the agitators like the honest "wise men", because otherwise we are only surrounded by "flatterers" who reflect our own viewpoint? What point exactly are you trying to make? Not clear to me.

[bigtree]

11. Just some silly wordplay with the namesake of your moniker

I think that we would all at times like to control the content and subject of posts to conform to our sphere of thought and opinion. I would argue for more tolerance of different views (tolerance from myself also!) as much of the reasoning here is not fully fleshed out and can benefit from a valid opposing argument.

Agitators are a pain, but there is often a fine line between agitating and dissent, which bears debate.

[AP]

6. I think the more seemingly complicated an issue is the more

the freepers want to engage in it.

When you have a black and white issue, like Bush's idiotic press conference, no intererpretion or spin could change the way something so apparently an obiviously bad is interpreted by people.

However, foreign events are more complicated, and our own media does such a horrible job of presenting the facts required to interpret these events.

Therefore, these are the issues which freepers feel most comfortable spinning interpretations which serve their RW goals.

[mouse7]

12. Nothing complex about torture photos. Freeps still flooding DU

Torture... BAD.

Not a real complex issue.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. Fear.

Fear is the fuel that Repugs run on. Fear of anything different. Fear of being found out as amoral. Fear of having their stuff taken away. Fear of real compassion. Etcetera.

FP fear holds a special place because it has global consequences. Because then the whole world knows they're idiots, not just the country.

[diamond14]

10. it's the total stealth attack against Kerry....the reTHUGlicans are

really afraid that if Kerry is President, they will LOSE their war-profiteering, energy empire almost immediately....then, Kerry will withdraw OUR troops from Iraq, and LOTS of reTHUGlicans will go to prison (Kerry was a public prosecutor and he WILL send kenny-boy, bush* and the entire cabal to jail)....

with $$$ MILLIONS to attack, reTHUGlicans have full-time web people mingling on all Democratic boards to sow the seeds of discontent, thereby re-selecting bush*.....their reTHUGlican tactics have been advertised and written about, so it really shouldn't surprise anyone here....the only surprise is that so many DUers are so gullible as to fall for it....

[bemildred]

14. DU, and sites like it, are important.

Even Free Republic and the "right wing" sites.
They ARE political participation, so of course there are
efforts at "management".