I don't even know if this is possible, but could DU provide a forum that was invitation only? After a certain number of posts, a DU member could petition the moderators to enter the Forum.

We are providing planning information to lurking freepers. If we want a strategic response to this fascism , shouldn't we attempt to keep it for belivers eyes only? Comments, please.

But the Administrator doesn't like the idea.

infiltrate for information, they aren't going to give themselves away. Go ahead if it makes you feel better, but I don't really see any advantage to be gained.

For instance, there is one for the moderators that posters cannot see unless they are admitted by the admins as a moderator. I used this software on my own forum and know its capabilities. Of course, if Admin doesn't want to use that option you could always have a board outside of DU that you maintain by invitation only that you can hide from the public and allow only registered members to see.

By the way, I can understand DU's Admins hesitating to have private forums because my experience with them is that they led to jealousy among posters who were not admitted to them and all kinds of speculation as to what was going on in them.

is that suspicion might possibly shut out people who have lots to offer.

I mainly lurk (which is why I linger in low post count hell) but I also participate by writing letters to Reps and Senators, letters to the editor and I have a group of people I email regularly with updates that I receive, mainly, from DU. I think there are probably lots at DU like me, active lurkers. How would you vet those who are invited to your private forum? By post count? Length of time participating at DU? If done that way I think you'd end up losing a large silent(on DU anyway)valuable army of participants.

You sure couldn't go by post numbers,
if you wanted to boot the freeps.
I've seen many questionable new members
with posts above 1000 with just a couple of weeks
of band-width wastage.

My advise for having DU look the way you want
is to use the ignore button often.

Try it, you'll love it.

Organize in Real life! It's the safest way to eliminate being infiltrated.
Also,how long do you think this internet will be up,if THEY think we're a threat?
(NO tinfoil,just thinking ahead)

don't follow the forum rules) -- it is still important they are open, in my opinion. I know that if I hadn't been able to respond immediately after I found DU I would have gone elsewhere -- I needed to be a part of the discussion, I needed to think out loud, I needed to be in a community that was like-minded about this election stuff particularly, but other aspects, too.

While we have arranged things like rallies, etc. -- I just don't see what "strategy" would be given away. Allowing people who may or may not believe that we are beginning on the path to fascism *need* to be able to see what is going on, what is being said, and start to think for themselves if they believe that or not. A private, invitation only, forum may lead to stale ideas after awhile. It is the diversity of posts and of thought that keeps people forming and reforming their message.

from the eyes of freepers after reading what has and continues to be presented here. I say... let the good times troll. The number who have been "converted" into thinking individuals may severely outweigh those who have come only to do damage.

Free flowing information is the bane of fascism. A well-learned, well-informed populace is more resistant to enslavement. Troll. Read. Learn. Whatever...

There is a lot of noise here. I personally don't care if freepers or little green men post as long as they are lucid and make points rather than attacking the messengers or starting drive-by controversial threads.

I would support a signal only no noise forum where invitation is by pledge and there are penalties for posting noise. All should be able to read these forums.

-Hoot

If someone is a dedicated mole(or some kind of paid operative if indeed such a creature exists) they could have been here since the sites inception.

IMO a "safe zone" where people don't even give a second thought to saying whatever they want, might prove to be even more problematic.

JMO

My message board has a private forum. The regulars love it and some of the new people don't. It's for regular posters by invitation from one of the administrators. When a board has a private forum they have to be prepared to take the heat for it, something that I am willing to do. Having been stalked by repukes many of us just don't care whether they think it is elitist or not. The protection of and comfort of our regulars comes first. New people either deal or don't deal, it's up to them.

However, DU is 100 times the size of my board and that makes getting to know new posters well enough to invite them into a private forum very difficult. I'm not sure how well it would work on such a large board.

be more equal than others?

But seeing how we were attacked over the last few weeks, I am beginning to see some wisdom in setting up a restricted area.

I like what I saw in some of above posts. It can be open to all to read, but in order to post one must have some kind of pledge to keep playing well with others, and stay on message.

Then again, a totally closed forum would help to keep strategies from most prying eyes. Sure, we could do it off DU, or by email. But I'd prefer to DU it here.

it's good practice for life on the streets

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

Go to Free Republic where you belong, and see how long the "open discussion" lasts when someone posts a dissenting opinion.

:eyes:

edit: Your so-called "silent majority" is actually a strident minority. Get real.

I entered this forum as a way to communicate information from CASEOHio and other progressive groups that needed to get out to progressive democrats. You may disagree with my idea, but then the level of information that will be out on DU will be somewhat limited. No one respects the freedom of speech more than me. I am closing my business of 17 years to devote my time to working on re-establishing democracy in this country. I was introduced to posting at DU by members from Colorado who suggested it was a great way of drawing attention to rallies, in my case the Dec 12 Rally in Columbus. Since non of the ACTIVISTS I work with ever had time, because of our activism, I volunteered to use DU not only to get information out, but also to keep our group informed of ideas and information that was presented on this forum.

top right hand corner.
response was to reply #17

I've done that, too. :hi:

people come here to talk with like minded people. We don't come here to talk to the likes of you. Unless you fit the profile, go home!

I came here to chat up, argue, and sometimes agree with like-minded individuals. Having assholes come in and fuck it up is not what I pay my money to have in front of me.

What part of that don't you "free market capitalists" understand?

Just more confirmation that Bush-lovers are neither true conservatives nor true capitalists. They are nothing more than fanatic followers of a fascist ideology.

like mind on this, though I might not have put it so strongly - I tend to be too nice.

Now I challenge YOU to post something that no one will want to delete.

My pleasure

:nuke:

If a group of researchers or investigators are working towards a common goal, on a particular subject, and gathering data to solve a problem, why should or would they allow distractors in to derail and distract and waste their time?

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

...to keep our time from being wasted.

BTW... That's what PMs are for. ;)

I appreciate the thought tho... However, secrecy never serves democracy.

:)

protection, especially in light of the UN AMERICAN patriot act .

Yes, desperate times, desperate measures and all...

I can see +s and -s to what you suggest.

Hmm, maybe I need to redefine my secrecy in the context of
privacy?

Something to ponder... Thanks for bringing it up mod mom. :)

could probably get in anyhow. So if there was some really sensitive planning going on, I think it would be dangerous.

closed forums, there are times when information needs to get out to those interested in promoting democracy, and NOT to those who impede it's existence.

I come here to get away from freepers. They are ruining many of our good discussions. We all can practice arguing with them on sites all over the internetS. I want DU to be a refuge, freeper-free!

:yourock:

would result in condemation. I was looking for constructive criticism.

at least not by me. Post #17 is proof that your idea is a good one.

And I just have to add, what intelligent person would register and post hate speech here under a screen name beginning with "Sgt" and expect to be taken seriously??? Man, they must really think we are stooopid. :)

Start a listserv at Yahoo! Groups. And PM me...

NGU.

anyone else notice? Of course some have dug in (we know
who you are). They'll get booted eventually.

is mistaken for "freeping." Sometimes, people who disagree have a legitimate point to make. I hope we're not going to just eliminate the freedom of discourse.

exists would remain open as is, but that there would be available a forum in which du members would either have to be nominated by other included members or could petition moderators after enough postings, that would show their postings would be constructive in nature to the democracy we we are attempting to protect. Legitimate points could continue on existing forums.

There are times when information needs to be provided to individuals outside our own networks and closed groups, but would rather not be shared with distruptive freepers. Remember, we have some difficult work ahead of us.

It was just a suggestion.

or a whole new little board - i own like 5 of them now. on ezboard's service, you can have private forums, as well as full private membership (membership by approval). i'm also pretty good at designing them and setting them up too. just a thought.

oh, and i usually know a freeper when i see them so it wont' be hard to kick them out if they slip in :hi:

I've picked up on some of that from you. Thanks! :hi:

cool :hi:

I believe in keeping everything out in the open. That is the only way we can prevail.

In a previous post I was accused of misinforming others and wasting time when posting an analyses. It was not easy to take hours of compiling information, posting it, and then have someone make accusations at me. There are many freepers on DU that want to discredit anyone doing real work.

We should establish a "points" system where we can rate each other's comments. Take a look at Slashdot.com to see what I mean. This way, points can be given or taken away depending on the merits of the post.

on yahoo.

Please post questions regarding formations of new forums in the Ask the Adminstrator's forum.
Thank you.

Moderator