The irony is that there is little of substance that we disagree with.

[Bonobo]

Should women and men be paid equally for equal work? Of course.

Should women have full power over reproductive rights? Of course.

Should women be able to live without fear of rape? Of course.

Should sex without full consent be considered rape? Of course.

Is there a problem of domestic abuse in this country? Of course.

So...take away the nasty, inflammatory rhetoric DESIGNED TO GET A RISE and there is little to disagree with.

Why, on a site full of Democrats, do some treat DU'ers as their enemies and act as if they are in a hostile environment when there is near universal agreement on THE ACTUAL ISSUES?

I ask this partly as a rhetorical question, but I think ultimately the answer is that on a Discussion Board, too much agreement leads to threads dropping and a sort of "ho hum".

The people I am referring to are, in a sense, the product of a kind of Darwinian process in which only the loudest and most obnoxious receive the precious virtual-life sustaining attention that keeps them alive and allows their threads to propagate.

To summarize: It is NOT the actual issues that create the heat and light. It is the obnoxious behavior and manners. This has become clear in so many ways that I think it should be obvious to all. Without a "debate" to keep themselves alive, they have resorted to whipping up emotions to create the appearance of an enemy where none truly exists.

The History of Meta is more like it.

[Betsy Ross]

1. Why not post in Gerneral Discussion? n/t

[Bonobo]

2. Why should I?

It would just become another massive meta flamefest.

Now my question: Do YOU have any response?

[Betsy Ross]

4. I thought the post applicable to others whom may not read this group.

I agree with much of what you say. I tend to skip pointless argumentative threads.

[Bonobo]

5. Yes, I agree.

But I am not looking to create another Mega Bullshit thread in GD. It would be like giving a vampire the keys to a blood donor clinic.

It is an endless circle jerk there and the vampires feed off the psychic energy. I will not provide them with the rich, juicy plasma that they use to keep themselves "relevant".

[Major Nikon]

7. I've mentioned essentially the same thing numerous times

Politically I doubt there's much of anything that separates me from any self-described feminist on this site and I don't think I'd be that far away from them ideologically as well.

Most of the arguments are over silly points of fact.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

9. It's becoming like urban warfare

Step one: Someone posts something quasi-sexism/gender related

Step two: Flame fest ensues

Step three: Poster who felt they were "outgunned" in initial thread reframes the argument and awaits "backup".

Step four: Repeat endlessly.

[Warren DeMontague]

3. I laid a lot of it out when I took this gig.

So if people wonder where I stand on a lot of stuff, rather than me having to repeat myself, they can go here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1114866

I've been nothing but consistent on things like consent, adults, etc. In fact, some people apparently think I'm an asshole for being TOO consistent, or being too literal about consent being a bright line; see, I'm not willing to play along nice when someone comes in and floats a bunch of hooey about "extremely nuanced definitions of consent". I don't see what the point is, in muddying the lines around something like that, unless you've got a totally separate agenda that has more to do with making some grand statement about the horrible nature of sex "Under Teh Patriarchy*" than it actually has to do with sending out unambiguous messages like "no means no, yes means yes".

I mean, duh.

I've said I call myself a "Feminist", because to me that word means things like equal rights. Reproductive freedom. CHOICE. Some people here go absolutely bugfuck over my labeling myself that, mostly because I don't agree that any picture of a naked woman's breasts becomes an implement of TEH WORST ACT OF OPPRESSION IN THE HISTORY OF EVER, the minute a man gets aroused by it.

[font size=1]* Translation: On Planet Earth[/font]

[Gore1FL]

8. That sums it up nicely from my perspective as well.

It is my observation that some people find things to be offended about as a coping mechanism. If they can justify the hate, they don't have to process it.

This way to behave isn't a gender-related or gender specific. That should be obvious, but I want to be clear to preclude any misunderstandings.

[theKed]

6. Exactly.

[Bonobo]

11. "It is a tale told by an idiot..."

Full of sound and fury. Signifying nothing."