BooMan, in June, wrote a wonderful description of what this blog is about, and I’m reprinting his comments here. Everyone who’s found a home here really likes these simple statements, and how BooMan has created a warm, inviting, and decent-hearted atmosphere here.
He wrote, “BooTrib looks like Daily Kos, but it is a different site. Below are the two relevant rules … From the FAQ:”
Yes. You are. Everyone is welcome at the site regardless of political self-identification. I don’t care how you are registered to vote, who you have voted for in the past, or who you plan to vote for in the future.
The only restriction on non-Democrats is that they be respectful of the mission of this site, that they don’t post Bill O’Reilly-like talking points, and that they don’t engage in trollish behavior.
If you are pro-life or anti-gun control, no one should down-rate your posts or make you feel unwelcome at this site, or in the Democratic Party. This site is not for the enforcement of any orthodoxy on its members. Principled disagreement is always allowed. Just don’t act like Sean Hannity and be an idiot.
From the comments:
And I just want to disseminate a new rule based on my semi-collected thoughts:
Not everyone is as smart as you. Not everyone one is as well informed as you. Not everyone writes as well as you.
And I don’t care how dumb, ignorant, and illiterate you are, there is someone, somewhere who is more so.
So, when it comes to having disagreements and debates and discussions…this is the rule:
Don’t be a prick.
Don’t act in a way that would get you punched in the face or thrown out of a dinner party. Don’t treat other people with disrespect even if you think they are stupid and ill-informed.
Don’t mock someone because they have trouble expressing themselves.
Don’t be a prick.
That’s the rule.
Bennett’s horrible comment was trumped by another comment about how NOLA will be whiter after rebuilding. Racism is never far from the surface but mercy – now all the covers are being ripped off. On the one hand – at least there is some honesty instead of just hypocracy, but on the other – where are the good guys?
I didn’t include in my plame piece because it didn’t fit, but Wolfie asked Bob Bennett about his brother. Boy, did Bob Bennett get all fussy about that! “As a courtesy, you could have told me that you would be asking me about this … blah, blah …”
I’ll go see if I can find that transcript. Hope it’s up.
HERE WE GO — and NOTE that BOB BENNETT advocates killing all MALE BABIES! :):)
CNN Transcript
I really do despise this country at times, we have “make-nicey-nice” politicians and “make-nicey-nice” “newspeople” … since when did the NEWS need to tell people what they were going to ask about in advance?! This is such fucking bullshit — I want my newspeople sticking microphones and video cameras in people’s faces as they come out of skyscrapers and limos and asking whatever the FUCK they need to!
It’s all about access, everything in this damn country is, healthcare, politics, news, education and on and fucking on, if you don’t have the golden ticket ya ain’t gonna get any — and while we’re at it, we will make YOU feel like the inferior ones…..
I am at my wits fucking end.
The spectacle of the “collegiality”, (the hypocrisy of professional courtesy), these pundits and news people display is truly nauseating.
Sadly, therse flacks and hacks need to do this so that when they occassionally do get worked up about something, their mock-ferocity appears more genuine.
I can’t think of one major news program host who I think really cares about whether he/she provides the public with accurate and relevant information or not.
They’re all entertainers now, first and foremost.
who are supposed to be the opposition party in this country! Keep asking questions dammit!
I was about to do my “shunned by boo” schtick and then Susan had to throw the site manifesto in my face…
sigh
{seriously, yup, love it here!}
I like BooTrib Etiquette… it seems to work pretty well so far, as the general tone remains civil and the instances of diaries being hijacked by long threads of bickering between individuals is extremely rare.
And I hope it stays that way, since besides the emotional drain of those it’s such a terrific wasted of time wading through “crap” to get to the more worthwhile comments.
such a terrific waste of time wading through “crap” to get to the more worthwhile comments.
Isn’t that the truth.
Did you see Kos’s post about ND?
I was worried about Kos’s pronouncements about the Maria Cantwell race in Wash. state recently … and I could tell he doesn’t know the state … and is looking at numbers … how does this story shape up?
P.S. I’m in a minority position on my worries about Cantwell’s chances, but I know this state and its temperament…
I’m caught… with my pants… ah… well, another way to say it is I missed the local evening news. “Gov Hoeven not running against Sen Conrad” is great news.
(Unless it’s a set-up by Rove that we let down our guard and H changes his mind later. I wonder what possible excuses there could be for such? Hoeven’s word without rove influence would be good, but with Rove’s influence…? Hopefully the local chaps can crumple my tin-foil-hat concerns. I’ll call around town tomorrow to verify the confidence level.)
If indeed Hoeven stays out of the race, there is no viable competition that I know of to seriously challenge Sen Conrad. Both Sen Dorgan and Rep Pomeroy won by some 2/1 margins in ’04 when BushCo took the state by 2/1.
Sen Conrad has made no serious mistakes with regards to being re-elected. (Progressives here were obviously not happy with several votes… but we’re aware of the challenges for re-election here.) Therefore I expect the 1/3 Ds, and most of the 1/3 Is will vote for Sen Conrad again, and I would expect another 2/1 win.
I’ll drop in on an open thread sometime if I run across any interesting local news.
Obviously Susanhu sleeps with one eye open at all times…
What I would really like to see is Booman’s “don’t be a prick” rule applied to nations.
No wonder I look so disturbed by the vision at the other end of the mall of this big uh…ummm… symbol of prickishness.
Thanks to Brother Feldspar for the photo.
If the BooMan doctrine applied, the US would have been banned by now…
P.R.I.C.K.
Pathetic… Republicans… Incompetent… Corrupt… Killing
Thanks Susan. I still remember the day Boo posted that comment, and still get the same smile on my face. Its really great when the site owner gets it. He really understands the idea of community, and you both do a great job of fostering it.
This place keeps growing as more people learn about it, and its only natural that folks assume “same software, same rules”.
But those two ‘rules’ you posted are a huge part of why this place is different — they make this place great.
I love seeing opinions I agree with spoken far more eloquently than I could ever manage myself
And I love seeing opinions I don’t necessarily agree with debated in a civil manner.
We’re not always on the “right” side of an issue. We’re human, and allowed to change our minds. I love the fact that here at the Trib we can post what we feel, without fear of attack or future retribution. Maybe we’ll learn something new, and change our minds. Maybe we won’t. Among other things, this place is a safe place to explore politics.
Those two rules make all the difference. Everyone remembers the one called Rule #1 – don’t be a prick. But the other one, the one you listed first, is just as important.
I love seeing opinions I agree with spoken far more eloquently than I could ever manage myself
And I love seeing opinions I don’t necessarily agree with debated in a civil manner.
We’re not always on the “right” side of an issue.
Even the loudest arguments here seem to have a trace of dignity.
Here’s a good and very easy thing to do that my daughter sent me today:
Done.
Did I miss a slanging match?
Sigh
I never get invited to these things.
I’ve been ratted out for rabble-rousing in the cafe. But Spiderleaf started it..really!
Oh
What
Ever
😉
Are you Canadian or something?
I prefer “unique” thank you very much.
Thanks Susanbohu…a reminder every once in a while doesn’t hurt. Also thanks for your mindblowing diaries, although I don’t comment as much as I used to, I still come over here several times a day to read what You, Boo and some of the Amazing Diarist have posted. btw/ for those who don’t know me..I am a very liberal Democrat who is always up for fighting for all of our rights and never never give up fighting the good fight. I’m a good guy.
I can still be a prickette though, right?
That was funny – thanks.
Laughing, I slid into “frivolity” and wondered about “prickish” or “prickian” or “prickster.”
The live blogging event Prickette…Howz yer health doing? Hoping better. Perhaps I will join you when you live blog the next SCOTUS nominee, however if it is Owens or Brown or Pryor or the likes of them..I will be protesting in the streets during the hearings. This next Nominee is really going to be the biggest Test the Dems will face. My fingers are crossed they are one, with NO Losers straying from the pack. J’Adore Catnips live blogging.
You can’t live blog with your fingers crossed. I’ve tried.
My health – well I finally passed the big flipping boulder or whatever the hell it was that was in my kidney without event about 2 weeks ago. I cannot tell you how GOOD it is to be rid of that pain! OMG! I swore I wouldn’t whine about other, lesser aches and pains since then, but I’ve trangressed. I’m still scared every day that the kidney pain will come back because I had it for months. I’ll just have to drink tons and tons of water as a pre-emptive strike.
Have I mentioned how GLAD I am that that pain is now gone?? Geez that was hell.
</end_drama_queen>
When discussion and debate becomes angry argument people stop listening to each other. When discussion becomes an honest and open exchange of ideas and viewpoints, minds can be changed and friendships can form. Sometimes there are belly laughs. If I want to feel tense, I’ll try to balance my checkbook. 😉
Damn, i guess I’ll have to do a GBCW diary 🙂 Or else restrict that type of comment to dKos, where I made a few of them tonight.
I happen to like pricks (wink, nudge)