CHUM 1 “ch um” informal, noun: a poster that seeks out controversial diaries or comments in order to make inflammatory statements and then troll rate anyone who stands up to them. Often seen impersonating a Progressive, they can be found in packs, usualy kissing each other’s rectums and convincing themselves that they are not acting like a NeoCon. CHUMS are well known for being given a tiny amount of power only to abuse it on a consistent basis.

Well, the abusive CHUMs at DKos have managed to troll me right out of there. At least it appears that way. I can’t edit my own diaries or post comments. BooHooHoo. I’m curious to know from the users here if many have had the same experience when they’ve stood up to the small group that seems to feel they can do as they please because they have the power (virtual though it may be) to troll rate. I don’t care about not being there, I was rarely there as it was and so lost my Trusted User Status. But I have noticed a pattern from my first days. Someone posts a comment or a diary that people don’t like. Not one that could be considered trollish as defined by Dkos, and then the CHUMs show up. These are those on DKos that are the true trolls. They troll around and seem to gravitate toward the diaries that are getting the most hits, most often than not because of a flame war created by these same sycophants.
They then make childish remarks and sometimes call you a name. They more often than not ALWAYS throw the first punch. When you stand up to them, they circle like a pack of wolves and move in. The sad part is that most of them can’t even hold a decent argument nor do they write well enough to contribute to an elementary school newspaper much less a nationally recognized political blog. I’ve noticed certain traits among them.

One is that they almost never provide the person they’re trolling with a substantive argument and then, when that person has grown tired of their banal arguments and boils it down to a very truthful “You’re an asshole” they go nuts, and accuse you of behaving exactly as they have been behaving all along.

Second is that they are very narcissistic. They will never attempt at a reconciliation because to them, it is war. If you attack in kind, you are always wrong. If you post about what a hypocritical ass they are, you get hit with lame recipes and more name calling. usually a lot of comments about you whining which, of course, is exactly what they’ve been doing all along themselves.

Third is that the almost always abuse the user definitions of what a troll rating is and then ignore ones rebuttal completely. It’s the hall mark of a sociopath to, when caught in a lie, go right one with what ever they’re doing and not blink an eye. No remorse, never wrong. I’m not saying they are sociopaths, but there are similarities.

The most striking thing is that they act EXACTLY like the NeoCons; to the letter. If you say that, then look out because how dare you call them on it. It must be hard to run around in the guise of a Progressive yet act like a NeoCon. Attack with out substance and then blame who ever they’ve attacked for the attack, and then punish those who speak truth to (perceived) power.

They are a real piece of work and a blister on the landscape of progressive thought. How can one call oneself a progressive only to then stifle others from their opinions and, in the process, consistently abuse what little power you have been given in trust to keep the community open to ideas and discourse, even if you don’t like what is being said?

As long as there is a substantive argument, how can it be bad? That’s a lot different than someone simply responding “you suck” which, if that were the comment in and of itself, not one brought on by being pushed in that direction by a CHUM or having been troll rated inappropriately, then a troll rating is what would be deserved.