Our trolls. Harmless?

[Krupski]

I don't care if you like Glenn Beck or not. The point is this article makes sense and is worth reading:

Could Some Internet ‘Trolls’ Actually Be Government Operatives? Beck Warns Americans to Be Wary
Glenn Beck warned his audience Wednesday to be skeptical of the negative comments posted by unidentified individuals on the Internet — including on websites like TheBlaze.
Yes, he said, some people just “get their kicks” by dragging others down, but some may have a more nefarious goal in mind. It is not out of the realm of possibility, he added, that some may be government operatives.

The rest is here: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014...ns-to-be-wary/

With the current criminal state of our government, who knows?

[LAGC]

I don't know about Kadmos, but I get my check bi-weekly from my handler at DHS.

Nah, seriously, I don't think GunsNet is big enough for the Feds to worry about yet.

But it really wouldn't surprise me if they infiltrated some of the bigger forums out there, especially the political activist ones. More than a few astute observers on DU have noticed how every time people start to seriously try to organize some sort of meaningful protest (like with the Occupy movement), various naysayers pop up and start spreading disinformation to lower morale, or just mudslinging in general, pushing contentious wedge issues that inevitably get people all riled up and at each other's throats instead of working together toward common goals. It wouldn't surprise me if they did it with the Tea Party groups as well.

The KGB/FSB have nothing on our burgeoning "intelligence" agencies. Not with all the surveillance tools available to them today.

[Kadmos]

I don't know about Kadmos, but I get my check bi-weekly from my handler at DHS.

Not me, it's an annual deposit, in gold, in a Swiss account, from the International Zionist Conspiratorial Endowment Fund...

[Oswald Bastable]

Cases in point, one and two...

Just advancing the cause...nothing to see here...move along.

[TEN-32]

Cases in point, one and two...

Yep. I saw the thread title and two names came to mind, clicked on it, and the first two to respond...lo and behold.

[shorthair]

They don't have to be trolls. Law enforcement types can turn on a dime. No reflection on anyone here.

[Schuetzenman]

Our Trolls or Are Trolls harmless?

I have to laugh that OUR trolls did show up on cue as first responders to this thread. Like moths to a flame they came.

ARE trolls harmless, no I don't think they are. I would push the ban button a lot sooner than policy here if it was my call alone.

[Richard Simmons]

Unless you are trying to get someone to reveal something or say something incriminating there really isn't any "trolling" required. Just join and hang out, don't even have to post.

[rktman]

Certainly not harmless.
Look at how dysfunctional our country has become. Trolls like the 2 above derail any relevant debate and prevent any real solutions/conversations from taking place.
They invoke emotions in the name of their own twisted logic. They become the squeaky wheel so much that everyone just drops the discussion out of boredom.

[btcave]

[Helen Keller]

IMHO. let them say what they want.


Folks here get their panties bungled up too fast over dumb shit and take things way too seriously on every single topic.



Take a chill pill or kill yourself.

[L1A1Rocker]

Our Trolls or Are Trolls harmless?

I have to laugh that OUR trolls did show up on cue as first responders to this thread. Like moths to a flame they came.

ARE trolls harmless, no I don't think they are. I would push the ban button a lot sooner than policy here if it was my call alone.

Certainly not harmless.
Look at how dysfunctional our country has become. Trolls like the 2 above derail any relevant debate and prevent any real solutions/conversations from taking place.
They invoke emotions in the name of their own twisted logic. They become the squeaky wheel so much that everyone just drops the discussion out of boredom.

These two posters sum it all up perfectly. We have trolls that are allowed to disrupt discussions at will. One of which just got re-instated for crying out loud. They are harmful to the threads and are a reason for some people not participating as they would like to - it's just not worth the BS.

[jet3534]

LAGC, you should look into this. You would make a great professional troll.

[Pat Garrett]

Sadly, there are enough Americans living today that do not believe in allowing other folks to express their beliefs, that I honestly believe that if the First Amentment was put on the ballot today, the people would vote it down.

Hate speech laws are a perfect example. Even here, calling anyone who disagrees with your viewpoint a "troll" and wanting to ban them is another example.

There is no question in my mind that liberal organizations like "Democratic Undergeround" has members on gun forums. There is also no question that extreme right Neo-NAZI groups like the Birch society, and the Alex Jones followerss have folks here trying to marginalize and denigrate conservatives.

The libertarians try to marginalize everyone who isn't a liobertarian on every forum that I've participated in.

"I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Voltaire

Voltaire's view was the primary basis of our First amendment. I can't speak for other veterans here, but that was one of the things I fought for.

Trolls??? how about if you disagree with another member, get off of your intellectual ass and do some research to shoot down his argument instead of trying to shoot him down! That's the way that I was always taught. I believe that is the American way.

I think some people are afraid that if they do research, and learn more about a topic, they just may find out that their long held, cherished belief on a subject is wrong. (That has happened to me from time to time.)

[ready]

Ignore is your friend.

[Pat Garrett]

IMHO. let them say what they want.


Folks here get their panties bungled up too fast over dumb shit and take things way too seriously on every single topi
Take a chill pill or kill yourself.

A rather unique way to express it, but your point is well taken.

[L1A1Rocker]

Ignore is your friend.

Not when the quote key is an option. Plus, that doesn't stop thread from being pulled off topic by trolls.

Edit to note. This is not a free speech place. This is a privately owned web site. We are here at the suffrage of the owner.

[Pat Garrett]

Not when the quote key is an option. Plus, that doesn't stop thread from being pulled off topic by trolls.

Edit to note. This is not a free speech place. This is a privately owned web site. We are here at the suffrage of the owner.

That is absolutely correct. And if the owner believes in free speech, then we have it, even if it pisses off a handful of anti-free speech folks.

[Kadmos]

Yep. I saw the thread title and two names came to mind, clicked on it, and the first two to respond...lo and behold.

I got mentioned specifically, so I posted.

[Phil125]

I wonder what the pay is like for that job.

I'd love to get paid to troll Huff Post and DU all day.