This totally sucks. But we're going to pull through it together.
Posted by Skinner
Added to homepage Wed Nov 03rd 2004, 01:58 PM ET
I honestly never expected that I would be posting this. Even when the campaign was going terribly, I was somehow able to remain optimistic that the American people would do the right thing. I couldn't let myself feel any other way; the alternative was just too depressing to imagine. But It looks like my faith in the wisdom of the American people was misplaced this time.
But I still have faith in the members of DU. This is an amazing group of people. You have been a great source of sanity and support during the last four years. This election loss heralds the beginning of a new era on DU. People are angry and depressed, and rightly so. I fear that things might get pretty ugly on this discussion forum for a while, but I remain confident that we will eventually pull through this, just like we always do.
This is a pretty diverse group of people, and it's clear that people are going to deal with this election defeat in different ways. Some members are going to come to DU looking for a shoulder to cry on. Others are going to come here looking for a fight. Still others may have completely different feelings entirely. We believe that it is understandible and healthy for people to feel angry or sad or whatever. We do not think it is possible for us to force people to deny their feelings right now, and we're not even going to try (except in the most extreme cases). However, it is clear that certain types of emotions do no mix well on a busy message board like this one. We have decided that the only feasible solution is to enforce a segregation between the people who want a shoulder to cry on, and the people who want an ass to kick.
With this in mind, the two General Discussion forums have been re-named. The "General Discussion: Help and Support" forum is for those people who are looking for help and support. If you feel sad, or if you are the type of person who thinks that we're all in this together, then that is the forum for you. But if you are feeling very angry about the election, or if you are feeling like pointing fingers and placing blame, you should post in the other GD forum, the "General Discussion: Fighting and Acrimony" forum.
We know that it is not possible to make everyone happy, but we hope that this rough split will provide people with a choice so you can decide what type of message board experience that you need right now. All you have to do is decide which forum to post your topic in. I think everyone here is capable of making that choice.
Please be aware that the moderators will still be enforcing the message board rules, including the rules against personal attacks and flame bait. We expect all of our members to continue to observe the message board rules. And we want to remind everyone that we are all still on the same side here. You may be angry, but remember that the people here are supposed to be your friends and allies.
And if you ever feel so angry that you want to disrupt or pick fights, or deliberately piss people off, I strongly advise that you turn off your computer and turn off the cable news and go do something else that will make you feel better. Nobody ever got banned from DU because they took a break.
This sucks, but we will get through it. I love this place, and I have great faith in the members here to pull through this.
Hang in there.
David Allen
Skinner
DU Admin
