OK...this time, I am going to TRY this a different way. This might make some people shy away, but so be it, this is just simply how I am going to have to do it.

Because of unpleasant experiences on past Boards...I need to make a few things sorta clear upfront. Because of a number of personal things which have occurred in my life, I have severe anger management issues. I won't share the personal details at this point, previous boards have shown me that too many people are pure rotten...and will use such information to be even more cruel than they were already, and I cannot stand deliberate cruelty. I react to it violently.

I also have a need to be sure that those who have hurt me, are, in turn, hurt themselves...so, if someone flames me, they get it back...unless Admin steps in, and deals with the flamer...AND LETS ME KNOW THE FLAMER WAS DEALT WITH. Only then can I muster the ability to back off and not respond.

A lifetime of being hurt, abused, crapped on, and treated very badly....has left me a very angry person, with low tolerance for cruelty, and no threshold of any sort, for taking being attacked or hurt more. If my life has taught me anything...it has taught me that you can't LET anyone be cruel to you or attack you or hurt you...without an equal response of hurting them back...otherwise, they get the idea that it is okay to hurt you...and they come back and do it again and again, and again.

I won't let anyone do it to me anymore.

YET...I want a place where I can discuss politics...preferably with fellow liberals...and a place where people can disagree without being assholes about it. a place where people say, "Ok...I can see where you are coming from, but I disagree because of A B and C"...NOT "You're an idiot, you're wrong, because of X, Y, and Z...and I am happy and joyous that you are hurt by C, D, and E."

SO...here is where I make my upfront request....if you are NOT the sort of person who can play this way, and treat me with kid gloves, then please do us both a favor, let me know now...upfront, and I can put you on ignore...so that I don't have problems later on down the road. I really don't care if I wind up with half the board on ignore...because that means I'll have the GOOD half...the half I WANT...left to talk to.

I don't LIKE being a nasty person, or lashing out and attacking, but I am truly not able to help myself...when I am attacked, I attack back. I simply am not able to absorb any more crap in my life and it is just that simple.

I might also mention, in case anyone is wondering, yes I am in therapy about this, yes I am on meds about this...in fact, I am even on partial disability out of this, because that is how bad my situation has become....I'm barely able to hold onto a job, because of the cruelty of people....and the anger that this has caused in my life.

My basic plea: DON'T ADD TO IT.

If you feel you must add to it, please...let me know now and I'll just place you on Ignore right upfront. Because I simply cannot abide being treated poorly, by anyone, anymore. i've had enough crap for an entire lifetime, and I am only 37.

As I said, I won't share here some of the things that have made me the way I am, because there are cruel people out there who would use it to hurt me even more. suffice to say, I have been thru more crap than most people four times my age, if they live that long....so PLEASE...do not add to my agony.

If you can't treat me nicely, and with kid gloves, please say so now, and save me a lot of pain...for once be decent, okay? I really AM a good person...to those who will treat me right.

Welcome to the board!

It is our request that people treat each other with respect on this board. This includes being respectful towards you. If you feel that anyone is mistreating you or putting you down in any way, feel free to contact one of the forum administrators about it and will take prompt action. For people who want to lash out and get it out of their system, we do have a "Gloves Off" area but there are still some basic rules of decency that apply to it. Either way, I am glad that you chose to be upfront about it and if I find something offensive or objectionable about any of your posts, I will IM you concerning it and if you wish to object or defend it, fine, we can discuss it in private.

Personally, I can to an extent empathize with having anger issues. I am not sure that my anger is that deep but I do have a serious problem with disrespect and bullying. I will not tolerate cruelty on this board and if I see someone who is attacked in a cruel fashion, that person will be rebuked, have the offending post removed or deleted, and the offender will be punished. Progressives like us believe that solidarity among human beings is a basic value and everyone is entitled to the dignity and respect that they deserve providing that they show it too.

Matthew

That seems fair and reasonable.

Like I said, I don't LIKE being nasty or lashing out, but, sometimes, I'm left feeling like I have no other choice, because someone did it to me first...and then no one will step in to do something to stop it...and let me know that they dealt with it.

I always respect those who respect me. But I spare no respect, no sypathy, and no compassion...for those who fail to show it to others.

Yeah, there is a "gloves off" section for barbs and such. Mike also does a good job controlling the rift raff and I'm sure Matthew would as well.

You bet! I don't recall an instance where a poster was ballsy enough to test an administrator's patience with the exception of one conservative who has long since been vanquished. But I'd like to think that I do a good job. I never really abuse power here except when I get really bored!

Matthew

Although Internet reality dictates that administrators and moderators cannot be online 24/7/365 (24/7/366 during a leap year), we do handle things as they are brought to our attention. I can't guarantee that you'll never face attack here, but we do our utmost to douse the flames as soon as we smell smoke. There is the Ignore feature, and lately, I find it helps to simply use that than engage in an endless back and forth with someone. The worst thing you can do to an Internet pest is ignore him or her, because it's the attention that encourages further attacks. Having said that, however, and as was pointed out, we do have the Gloves Off area for mud wrestling.

Welcome aboard!