Should Hot Air have another Green Room just for lefty trolls?
posted at 6:30 pm on April 13, 2009 by Allahpundit
A few people floated this idea half-jokingly in the Green Room thread this morning and I’ve been mulling it ever since, mainly because it’d be such a radical departure from the blogospheric paradigm. There are centrist sites that cater, or claim to cater, to both lefties and righties — Donklephant, The Moderate Voice, etc. — but no site that I know of with a clear ideological bent carves out space for people from the other side of the aisle. Imagine a separate page devoted to a galaxy of all your favorite HA trolls, baiting you into flame war after flame war with only the choicest liberal boilerplate: Death to Media Hacks, capitulus, Proud RINO, getalife, ernesto, SnarkVader, benny shakar, The Wall, and of course PopTech for all your frenetic Palin-bashing needs. I’m fascinated by the thought of how a feature like that would do. Would readers ignore it completely? Would it pick up a following among lefty-blog readers? Or would it triple our traffic as legion after legion of faithful HA readers enter the threads to do ideological battle for hours on end? Dude, this could be a gold mine. Gold mine, I tell you.
Suggested names for the new feature: The Blue Room, The Trash Can, Troll Call, and … the Troll Hole. I’m picturing black trim on the page, a skull-and-crossbones on top, and the slogan “Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here” as its motto. Sound off!
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You could put us RON PAULERS in there and we could have all sorts of fun together :)
Nelsen on April 13, 2009 at 8:25 PM
And you guys could watch the spectacle.
Nelsen on April 13, 2009 at 8:26 PM
D.O.R.
HornetSting on April 13, 2009 at 8:27 PM
Winner!!!!!!!
Knucklehead on April 13, 2009 at 8:27 PM
We get it. You like Ron Paul !!!!. Got anything else to contribute or is that it?
BadgerHawk on April 13, 2009 at 8:27 PM
The Noodle Incident.
Calvin was framed by all the trolls.
MadisonConservative on April 13, 2009 at 8:29 PM
What if we called it Obama’s Economic Team?
I think Poptech would be miffed to be in there…
Upstater85 on April 13, 2009 at 8:29 PM
If anybody wants an example of why this might/might not be a good thing, they should go to the Glenn Beck Thread.
kingsjester on April 13, 2009 at 8:30 PM
We could call it Conservativies vs Idiots/Loons vs Ron Paul and Friends
Nelsen on April 13, 2009 at 8:30 PM
ACORNholes
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on April 13, 2009 at 8:31 PM
I can’t believe I did not qualify on the troll list!
mycowardice on April 13, 2009 at 8:31 PM
Hey, that’s a brlliant name. I agree.
Nelsen on April 13, 2009 at 8:32 PM
The Obowa Report?
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on April 13, 2009 at 8:32 PM
What exactly is your definition of conservatism? What exactly do you like about Ron Paul? Do they have anything in common?
Upstater85 on April 13, 2009 at 8:32 PM
AP, just name it “Change”.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on April 13, 2009 at 8:34 PM
Call it the Red, White and Blue room for those who support our President.
getalife on April 13, 2009 at 8:34 PM
The Troll Booth
The Daily Douche
Ooooh That Smell
My Bleeding Eyes
Moonbat Musings
hillbillyjim on April 13, 2009 at 8:35 PM
i didn’t bother reading all 4+ pages of comments, and i hardly doubt my comment is unique in any respect except for the fact that i say it isn’t unique, but…
i do not care what the lefty trolls say, and will not be visiting said troll room. that wasn’t an option in the voting, so i went w/ ‘horrible idea’.
toenail on April 13, 2009 at 8:35 PM
Yes!
Even better!
Feedie on April 13, 2009 at 8:35 PM
Loose Change…
Upstater85 on April 13, 2009 at 8:35 PM
Allah, please consider LevStrauss as a troll contender because he has horse’s potoot down pat.
Cindy Munford on April 13, 2009 at 8:36 PM
Ron Paul is not a conservative, he’s a populist…. I liken him to Huey Long. But I digress, yes, make the room for left wing trolls… I love to head butt them.
MNDavenotPC on April 13, 2009 at 8:36 PM
Electronic Toilet Paper
hillbillyjim on April 13, 2009 at 8:36 PM
Stewart already has a copyright on that one…
Upstater85 on April 13, 2009 at 8:36 PM
Has nice343 been banned yet?
Just hoping….
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on April 13, 2009 at 8:36 PM
Have you been posting much lately?
Cindy Munford on April 13, 2009 at 8:37 PM
looney bin
EZnSF on April 13, 2009 at 8:37 PM
Children of the ACORN.
Feedie on April 13, 2009 at 8:37 PM
Conservatism is wanting government to get out of your life and wanting the US to follow the laws set forth by the constitution. And also to protect the homeland but not to go interfere with others if they are screwing there on country up.
I think we all want that. And we also agree in that we hate liberal loonies.
Nelsen on April 13, 2009 at 8:38 PM
*their own
Nelsen on April 13, 2009 at 8:38 PM
Don’t think so, saw it the other day, I do believe. Should of been though.
Knucklehead on April 13, 2009 at 8:39 PM
Unfortunately, you can be compared to both of them in this regard: all three of you advocate policies that are in opposition to the Church’s teachings. That they take it a step further in their loathsome support of abortion doesn’t detract from the fact that all three of you are in the same bed when it comes to same sex marriage.
Well, if I’ve misunderstood your position, then I apologize. So let’s be clear: you do not advocate the Catholic Church supporting/performing/legitimizing same sex marriage?
Kensington on April 13, 2009 at 8:40 PM
Red Star
White Flag
Blue Haze
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on April 13, 2009 at 8:40 PM
Since you didn’t mention anything about Paul, I would assume then that you agree he isn’t disjoint from conservatives… So it seems a little ironic that you’d have him vs. the conservatives…
Upstater85 on April 13, 2009 at 8:40 PM
Here’s an idea. You know how you have to come out and give warnings to certain posters for crossing the line at times? No more warnings. If someone should disrespect the Terms of Use as written:
We will, however, usually do so if you post something that is, in our good-faith opinion, (a) off-topic; (b) libelous, defamatory, abusive, harassing, threatening, profane, pornographic, offensive, false, misleading, or which otherwise violates or encourages others to violate these terms of use or any law, including intellectual property laws; or (c) “spam,” i.e., an attempt to advertise, solicit, or otherwise promote goods and services.
Then instead of banning them, you throw them in The Penalty Box.
They must live out the rest of their days in the Penalty Box. However, if they dis-respect the Terms of Use once more, they are banned from Hot Air forever.
carbon_footprint on April 13, 2009 at 8:40 PM
The Loony Bin is good.
Ron Paul vs. Loony Liberals is better though.
Nelsen on April 13, 2009 at 8:41 PM
Can I be a lefty troll? I’m just about the only long-time commenter left who wasn’t included on upinak’s list of nominees over on the Green Room thread. *sniff* I can channel Kathleen Parker or something.
aero on April 13, 2009 at 8:41 PM
Real American.
Country first.
Nalin Palin.
getalife on April 13, 2009 at 8:41 PM
I swear, I really missed you guys and gals the past month.
HotAir has the best, brightest, and funniest commenters of any site I know. Friend and foe alike. Even the trolls are good for a chuckle.
JetBoy on April 13, 2009 at 8:41 PM
Not really. Anyways, I am not a troll…
mycowardice on April 13, 2009 at 8:41 PM
Please, getalife would be eaten alive by her “fellow comrades…”
She’d be sent to the camps for sexual deviancy (pertaining to her Obama Poster)
Upstater85 on April 13, 2009 at 8:42 PM
Keep dreamin’, Shirley.
MadisonConservative on April 13, 2009 at 8:43 PM
Cindy Munford on April 13, 2009 at 8:36 PM
I was actually going to suggest they name it the Lev Strauss Lounge, but it seems they are interested in lefty trolls and I hate the word troll, never liked when I first heard it taking on libs when Huffingtonpost first started, it seems to mean anyone that disagrees with “me”. And it always seemed to me like troll, at first, was just a term libs used for conservatives on their blog and it just spilled over but I could be wrong. Besides my most contentious issue on here I am damn near agreement with Allah, minus the tone and the nuances.
LevStrauss on April 13, 2009 at 8:44 PM
Hahahahahahahaha and Ha
I’m glad you’re finally proud of your country…
Upstater85 on April 13, 2009 at 8:44 PM
I knew that I recognized your name and I didn’t recoil in horror but it seems like a long time since I have read anything from you. Hope you are around more often.
Cindy Munford on April 13, 2009 at 8:45 PM
FIFY, AP.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on April 13, 2009 at 8:45 PM
Meh.
You dont have the nads AllahP.
;)
strangelet on April 13, 2009 at 8:46 PM
And you’re lacking 5 points…
Upstater85 on April 13, 2009 at 8:46 PM
Would “The Dark Side” be considered raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacist?
/sarc
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on April 13, 2009 at 8:46 PM
I’ve used the Penalty Box on the big forum I once owned and I’ve seen it over at my son’s pilots message board. It’s fun and it really works.
If you break a TOS you get put in the Penalty box for 3 days, can’t post for those 3 days, and everyone else gets to make ugly remarks to you while you’re in there without responding.
It’s great fun!!!!
Knucklehead on April 13, 2009 at 8:47 PM
We could let Phil Spector troll from jail?
Upstater85 on April 13, 2009 at 8:47 PM
I have allowed myself to get caught up in this thread. Not good because I have never called anyone a troll before or asked anyone to be banned. I haven’t voted on this poll because I have always liked that HotAir had different opinions. That said, I believe the the quality of the loyal opposition has dissuaded many from posting. Although there are folks who love mixing it up with them and they are really funny. I must revert back to my better self.
Cindy Munford on April 13, 2009 at 8:50 PM
Awesome! Perhaps Allah could just initiate The Penalty Box regardless of the proposed Troll place.
carbon_footprint on April 13, 2009 at 8:51 PM
Eh, on second thought, nevermind. It’s off-topic, so another time, then.
Kensington on April 13, 2009 at 8:52 PM
This is in response to the thread question, not any of the previous comments. I think this is a great Idea! If this works, you will garner readers from all sides. You will practice what you accuse the NYT and MSM of not doing. I think that having specialized threads as part of HA would be a great service and put HA over the top.
Old Country Boy on April 13, 2009 at 8:55 PM
Cindy Munford on April 13, 2009 at 8:50 PM
Don’t apologize, I rarely would. My issue is with the word “troll” itself, not your use of it. Kind of like how Drudge if you listened to his old radio show would complain about the word “blog” when it started gaining mainstream use and I used to agree with him on that.
LevStrauss on April 13, 2009 at 8:57 PM
If you want to lower the already sketchy level of dialogue on this site, then yeah, do it.
Dave Rywall on April 13, 2009 at 8:57 PM
Yeah! But make them pay big bucks every time they post. No reason this site shouldn’t get some of the money Axelrod’s paying them.
TeeDee on April 13, 2009 at 8:58 PM
Hahaha
Specialized threads? That’s giving the trolls a little bit too much credit – especially the copy-n-paste ones.
Also, HA has never claimed to be a newspaper, and I would have to say that even though HA is fairly quick to report SOME news, they would not be the first place I went searching for news… Perhaps this would be better somewhere else.
Upstater85 on April 13, 2009 at 8:59 PM
Ban them all to their special place but allow them to post only if they pay in advance for the bandwidth. Allow no one but lefty trolls access to read their rantings.
Blake on April 13, 2009 at 9:00 PM
I didn’t vote on the poll either. Don’t understand the call to ban trolls because I ignore them. When I’m questioned directly, I give a truthful explanation of my position. An insulting reply means one thing to me: I WIN.
After that, I don’t waste any more time on them. That’s my definition of a troll.
We can have differences of opinion and remain intellectually honest. I respect that.
Feedie on April 13, 2009 at 9:00 PM
What do you guys think about putting MegMac in the Troll Haven?
Upstater85 on April 13, 2009 at 9:05 PM
It would have to be called the Red Room.
unclesmrgol on April 13, 2009 at 9:08 PM
Yup.
unclesmrgol on April 13, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Redrum. REDRUM!!!
Feedie on April 13, 2009 at 9:11 PM
Memo to Alannis Morrisette: now this is ironic!
Kensington on April 13, 2009 at 9:12 PM
You are always your “better self”, Cindy.
I’ve seen nothing but that side of you, and when we first “debated”, I believe we totally disagreed.
JetBoy on April 13, 2009 at 9:12 PM
Will there be a lot of stairs? That could be a problem.
Kensington on April 13, 2009 at 9:13 PM
That’s usually what I do. If someone says something that seems like it would be interesting to expand on I will ask reasonable questions. The sad thing is that there are some really smart posters who can’t get past the juvenile remarks and I miss them.
Cindy Munford on April 13, 2009 at 9:15 PM
Some just need the LGF treatment without the warning.
tjexcite on April 13, 2009 at 9:15 PM
I am not sure that we do, or at least not completely but this isn’t the thread and I am sure the opportunity to discuss will come again soon. But even if we do disagree, that’s fine.
Cindy Munford on April 13, 2009 at 9:17 PM
Yeah, some posters indicated trolls discouraged them from posting and I thought I was the shy one. That’s a shame but I don’t think HA should change its policy.
You’re no troll, dude. I’m glad you’re here.
Feedie on April 13, 2009 at 9:21 PM
I was hoping it would turn out to be like that floating jail in Superman II and we’d never have to hear from them again.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_Zone
If I wanted to listen to the typical lefty’s opinion, I’d think back to myself in my college days.
venividivici on April 13, 2009 at 9:22 PM
ROFLMAO. They all seem to do that. Appropriate name.
HornetSting on April 13, 2009 at 9:24 PM
You guys really must be getting desperate for traffic.
crr6 on April 13, 2009 at 9:29 PM
I didn’t go to college so I must feel like something in my life is missing. My point is that I can ignore, but I don’t like that the trolls push people away.
Cindy Munford on April 13, 2009 at 9:33 PM
In case AP is still reading this, my thoughts on the merit. If the owners truly consider someone a troll (fairness of the label notwithstanding), then it is stupid to give them more power and influence here. This will hurt the label and it may actually drive some people away.
If on the other hand there is someone in mind who is clearly not a leftie but who holds unconventional views on a couple of subjects, then they should be treated with respect as someone with a unique and valuable perspective.
While I am on the subject, I hope the Authors for the Green Room will be chosen on the basis of their ability to offer fresh perslectives, and not merely on the basis of popularity amoung the loudest of commenters. And I am not saying the two are always mutually exclusive.
radiofreevillage on April 13, 2009 at 9:33 PM
How about “The Septic Tank”?
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on April 13, 2009 at 9:35 PM
We’re helping AP save up for his wedding.
Feedie on April 13, 2009 at 9:36 PM
AP, if it hasn’t been mentioned already, Wizbang! has such a separate blog called Wizbang! Blue. Kevin gave the lefty posters a little room of their own to rant, rave, and generally post whatever they like, freed from any logical or intellectual restraints.
And he even lets them reject comments when they disagree with the commenters, a la Kos.
Judging by the average comments left on the Blue blog, it gets a few readers now and then.
Can’t hurt, and occasionally it’ll drive a few more page hits on the overall site.
Just my $0.02
Wanderlust on April 13, 2009 at 9:38 PM
Welcome back, JetBoy. And LegendHasit, you need to make yourself less scarce. I’ve been here forever, too, Legend, and like anything else, it has its ups and downs. But still, its the best thing going, thanks in no small measure to the Beta One. It seems to be fashionable of late to join in the Allahbashing, but it is his wit, wisdom, and unmatched researching skills, plus uncanny political prescience to the point of spooky, that made HotAir. Here’s hoping we’ll be seeing more of you around here, LegendHasit. You are missed.
hillbillyjim on April 13, 2009 at 9:38 PM
Hooboy, AP, I think if you went with a room for the Lib/Prog Trolls, you’re asking for an extremely high maintenance venture to monitor and keep in line.
How many times have people posted about the outrages posted at DailyKos, HuffPost, DU, and more, over the past 8 years, wherein the Lib posters wrote horrendous things like how glad they were that this famous Conservative died from cancer (Charlton Heston), or that famous Conservative should actually die or be assassinated (GWB)? And the blogsite owners had to go scrub the posts and/or threads because of public outrage and/or media/blogosphere making a huge issue out of it?
How many times have media commentators received vicious hate mail from the commenters from those same sources and publicly wrote articles about how taken aback they were that the Libs were more vicous and vocal than the Conservatives were?
You, Ed and Michelle would spend half your time trying to enforce posting rules, or some TOS rules, deleting posts, banning or booting the most abusive people, and on and on.
Depends on what you want to achieve with giving the appearance of being ‘fair and balanced’ by offering such a service to the polar opposites who have a hard time remaining civil here as it is, and who frequently hijack threads to intentionally change the topic if it is not favorable to Lefties or Dems.
It’s your time, and your dime. Only you can decide if dealing with that much grief would be worth the effort.
KendraWilder on April 13, 2009 at 9:38 PM
Maybe HA should just have their own world wide web.
Saltysam on April 13, 2009 at 9:39 PM
You stopped in
PWND
Jamson64 on April 13, 2009 at 9:39 PM
A special forum for Ron Paul and friends too!!!! And maybe we can convert some of the loonie trollies!!!
Nelsen on April 13, 2009 at 9:39 PM
I hated the idea at first glance but you sold me on it Allah. I vote a hearty yes!
Kronos on April 13, 2009 at 9:40 PM
Call it the Red, White and Blue room for those who support our President.
getalife on April 13, 2009 at 8:34 PM
We’ll just give you a blog in there every castle needs a courtjester LOL
Kevin43 on April 13, 2009 at 9:40 PM
Yeah, I don’t understand why they aren’t banned on sight. The “signal to noise ratio” of their posts is near zero.
venividivici on April 13, 2009 at 9:42 PM
My knee-jerk reaction was that it wouldn’t do well at all. On second thought, it would be amusing to see them have to make a point and then defend it, rather than simply snark.
ddrintn on April 13, 2009 at 9:46 PM
I know what you mean but luckily it’s not my all. As a matter of fact there is one poster that I actually agree with most of the time but his is so incredibly hateful to those who don’t agree one hundred percent. I know he will ultimately cross the line but it is odd to see that kind of anger on an anonymous blog.
Cindy Munford on April 13, 2009 at 9:49 PM
April Fools’ was almost two weeks ago. An emphatic no from me. I think you’d lose much of your conservative readership.
CO2 Producer on April 13, 2009 at 9:49 PM
I agree with ‘patriette’s’ comments above. I may have had a hand in the genesis of the ‘Lefty Green Room’ idea when I posted in favor of ‘getalife’ being allowed to initiate his own threads earlier today. I based this on the belief that our ideas are superior and on the fact that the Huff-Po types would never extend us the same courtesy.
I still believe this, but the ‘ideological ghetto’ argument hits a little too close to home. Let the Left post among the general population and let the ‘marketplace of ideas’ decide who is right.
CaptFlood on April 13, 2009 at 9:51 PM
Fixed.
Dialog – an exchange of ideas or opinions on a particular issue, esp. a political or religious issue, with a view to reaching an amicable agreement or settlement.
I don’t see anywhere in the definition where it states, “Saying what you want to hear”. If you don’t like the dialog then by all means go somewhere else.
jdkchem on April 13, 2009 at 9:51 PM
Can’t we just call it the ‘toilet”?
Works for me…….Oops, how do you erase on this thing?????Help, I can’t unstrike Helpppppppppppclinker46 on April 13, 2009 at 9:52 PM
Wouldn’t it just be a dozen Sarah Palin threads each day?
Speedwagon82 on April 13, 2009 at 9:53 PM
Weird day today at Hotair. I like it.
Security Mom on April 13, 2009 at 9:59 PM
Hot Air Troll Road
I just don’t have a minute to spare and wade through all five pages (I’m certain there is much that are amusing) and I apologize if my suggestion has been already declared – if so the I 2nd or 3rd it.
ericdijon on April 13, 2009 at 10:00 PM
all= call
Cindy Munford on April 13, 2009 at 10:00 PM
So, The Trollway…good?
carbon_footprint on April 13, 2009 at 10:03 PM
How about…
Room full a blues
katy on April 13, 2009 at 10:10 PM
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