Today I got banned from two sites -- Free Republic and Daily Kos -- with only five words.
The amazing thing is that I didn't have to write anything at all on Kos to get banned. All I had to do was compliment another writer with a "Recommend" and BAM! I had lost my beloved online home by simply clicking a button.
I was guilty by association. I didn't agree with everything the writer said, but I thought it was intriguing enough for further discussion. Well, think again, Hippy. I ended up groveling before Markos and asking for my privileges back, just so I could defend myself. (And seriously, thank you Markos for letting me back in.) But I don't appreciate being labeled a "conspiracy theorist" with no way to respond.
So I figured if I could get banned here, I might as well go double or nothing. I went to Free Republic, made a snarky Ann Coulter comment ("Adam wants his Apple back!") and got banned within 10 minutes.
So which was the greater crime? Running through Free Republic with my pants down, or recommending a diary on Kos? Because the punishment was the same.
The ironic part is that my wife and I were intending to buy a membership to Daily Kos as soon as our budget allows. As much time as we spend here, and as important as this site is to the causes we believe in, we feel like we should support Markos. That's easily worth $100 to me, even though we really can't afford it. (But as a former membership director for a non-profit, I'll say you should NEVER sell lifetime memberships.)
But what if I had paid $100 yesterday for a lifetime membership, then wrongfully clicked a Recommend button today? Do I still get banned? What about my hard-earned $100? Or do paid members get special consideration? Sort of like ... you know ... campaign contributors.
Will I join now? I don't know. I'm sure Markos won't miss my $100. But I don't feel as welcome, and that's a sad thing for a place I've considered my online home for at least two years.
I hope we can all progress through these growing pains. I think this website is the most important communications tool we Democrats have, and I hope we can use it to our best advantage. All of us.
Peace.