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Marginalize Marginal Player
I have a proposal: no more responses to, or recognition of Marginal Player. Many of you have seen his inane posts, you know, he's that dude with the ice-cream head. Here is an excerpt his most recent:
"While Senator Empty Suit of eloquent rhetoric can sell this to the Kool-Aid drinkers, black supremacists, and guilty liberal white latte/brie types, Obama will have his racist supporting butt handed to him by the GOP. The Rev. Wright tape that will give on and on. God Bless Reverend Rev. Jeremiah Wright, keep those tapes a coming."
It is apparent that Marginal Player has nothing productive to add to the dialogue on this site...he only seeks to inflame. So lets not give him this satisfaction. Any who agree, please hit recommend so we can get more folks to ignore the troll.
Comments (48)
I read a good post over on a candidate's website that has a similar parasite problem, they recommended responding to trolls with recipes.
That might be a good way of dealing with those posts that offer no substantive discussion.
We need to be careful to be clear that there's trolls on both sides of the Democratic divide, and very likely a few GOPers here to stir up trouble.
The one that you singled out, however, hasn't presented a single worthwhile post yet. Since he (judging by avatar) has bashed Obama and Clinton and speaks highly of O'Reilly and Fox (as though their opinions and views are anything more than sewage) one must assume that he's a troll of the highest order.
Recipes anyone?
March 19, 2008 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
The recipe idea isn't such a good one. By posting the recipe you acknowledge that you read what he wrote and don't approve.
I prefer Jed's idea of just ignoring him.
As you point out, Marginal Player is an obvious troll. The problem is that there is almost a continuous spectrum from obvious troll to thoughtful commentator (who you might still disagree with), and some are much harder to call. (And I agree, this is true for both Obama and Clinton supporters.)
There are at least a couple posters who I'd be almost certain were Republican trolls if they didn't have such a long record of posting material here in their pre-troll days.
March 19, 2008 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
How would you like it if someone did this to you? You may not like his responses, but this isn't a high school cafeteria table where you gang up on people because he isn't one of you.
March 19, 2008 11:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
BevD, please understand, this isn't about ganging up on anyone because they support a different candidate than do I. You and others bring valuable perspectives to the table that I may or may not agree with. That is why we are here afterall, intelligent dialogue. Now, the dialogue may sometimes divolve into bickering, because passions can run high, but at least most posters are talking about facts and issues that we can debate.
Marginal Player has no interest in dialogue. He only seeks to inflame by making patently rediculous and offensive assertions. Please, if there are Obamaniacs or whatever out there who are simply mocking Clinton and her supporters, without adding any substance to the debate, point them out for the good of all.
I called out Marginal Player because he stands out as a consistent poster whose only interested in breeding animosity.
March 19, 2008 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
To back that up, I doubt anyone can find one comment he makes (especially with a factual basis outside FOX), supporting Hillary Clinton.
March 19, 2008 12:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is ganging up on someone. It's wrong. If you wouldn't like it if someone did it to you, then don't do it to someone else - it really is that simple.
March 19, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
BevD, if he posted something that wasn't pure vitriol I would have no problem engaging him in dialogue. If I only posted to anger and inflame others, I too should be ignored. I can live with the universalization of my maxim.
March 19, 2008 1:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Have you given any thought to marginalizing Obama supporting posters like Hoost or any others of his ilk? Near as I can tell, their main contribution to the debates of the last week have been to label Hillary's supports here as racists and ignorant. Not to mention all those sweet, innocent Obama supporters have regularly show up here to call Hillary evil, bitch, liar, monster and other clever terms of endearment. Or doesn't that rise to your defintion of "pure vitriol."
March 20, 2008 10:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am not opposed to ignoring the comments of anyone who is spouting vitriol without substance. Personally, I simply got frustrated with Marginal Player and made this post. My concern is generally with our ability to engage in meaningful dialogue, which is undermined by rhetoric which only aspires to inflame. Apparently a good number of people here agree with that sentiment. I think a flagging feature would help.
March 20, 2008 11:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
How is ignoring a post "ganging up"?
Identifying the individual in question in a blog title might be ganging up, I guess, but ignoring a post seems to be an effective way of "responding". Thorndike's law of effect, and all.
March 19, 2008 1:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
If you were being (physically) attacked, wouldn't you want us to gang up on the attacker, even though you wouldn't want to be ganged up on yourself? I suppose I really don't understand your argument there.
Jed is providing a sound reason for this "ganging up". He's not just doing it out of spite or anything. If Marginal Player starts posting meaningful content (even if we disagree with it), then it makes sense to treat him like a meaningful person. Otherwise, it doesn't.
March 19, 2008 2:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
If they were doing this to you, Ben, or anyone else who posts here, I would be just as quick to defend you from a mob ganging up on you. I despise that bullying, pitchfork mentality of egging others on to hurt or marginalize someone because you don't like what he has to say. Rosenberg quoted some college student who said "there are some Jewish women who are for Clinton but they keep their heads down." I was stunned to read that - women afraid to express a political opinion in this country. My God.
March 20, 2008 9:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
There is also a "tpmblogger1" that has posted very offensive stuff (against Hillary.) If the search function here worked, you could see what I mean.
I wish there was a "flagging" system for such posts, but to no avail. I have emailed TPM about it, but the abusive comments from that poster are still there...
It has been a while now that I don't bother to read anything posted by Marginal Player, the one with the ice-cream hat avatar.
March 19, 2008 12:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I only see one post that he wrote, but it's definitely offensive. If you go to his profile, anyone can read it for himself or herself. The profile thing seems to be mostly working now. (Clicking on the name after "Posted by" will take you to someone's profile.)
March 19, 2008 2:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ben,
Thanks for the reply. I know you can get to someone's profile from one of their comments. But how did you get to this person's profile? S/he hasn't posted in a few days.
I mean, can you find someone's profile without having one of their comments handy? Thanks again.
The poster in question has posted other very offensive posts, at least a couple posterior to the one you mention, along the lines of burning people in oil, excrement and other niceties.
I am not sure why they are not showing in his profile now; maybe he is being banned!
March 19, 2008 3:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I edited the URL for my profile and replaced "benhocking" with "tpmblogger1". Unfortunately, this doesn't necessarily work if you're referring to their online name and not their user id (e.g., replacing "benhocking" with "Ben Hocking" will yield an error).
March 19, 2008 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
A google trick that you can use to search TPM is to use the "site" option. Example below:
"Posted by LookingIn" site:talkingpointsmemo.com
Put that in to a google search, and you will see all posts by (in this example) LookingIn.
Note that there is no space between "site:" and "talkingpointsmemo.com".
This trick works for winnowing searches to a particular domain anywhere in the web.
Cheers,
Ott
March 19, 2008 4:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Chris and Ben,
Thank you for all the tricks! :-)
March 19, 2008 6:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
We're working on just such a flagging feature.
March 20, 2008 12:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Josh,
Thank you.
March 20, 2008 10:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why?
March 20, 2008 10:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Marginal player is an example of why I wish one could not post anonymously on any board. If one had to be linked to ones posts people would be less likely to post simply to irritate.
March 19, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you mean, as in personally identifiable? As in real life ID? I certainly wouldn't be posting anymore, since there are an awful lot of narrow minded people in my neck of the woods. Also - for some it could result in discrimination on the job, a number of other things.
March 19, 2008 7:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree, although it might cut down on annoying posts it would also cut down on the large majority of people who post exactly what they think without any pretense to what the repercussions might be. That, in my opnion, can lead to more truthful and effective debate. There will be annoying posters and hateful comments, but it looks like JMarshall said they are working on a flagging feature for that purpose. That's good enough for me.
PS TPM staff, if you're reading this still...how about an edit function on posts? Would be very appreciative of such a feature.
March 20, 2008 9:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hmm, I just assumed "Marginal Player" was actually "Jake" in disguise.
March 19, 2008 2:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think that's funny.
March 19, 2008 11:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
There was also someone clearly posing as an Obama supporter--like Obama4eva or something, saying the most outrageous things against Hillary possible. Vile, vile stuff. Everyone ignored him and he seems to have gone away, though
March 19, 2008 3:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Unfortunately, Marginal Player is likely to simply change his handle and sow more mischief.
March 19, 2008 3:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Using my new-found skills, I found Marginal Player's profile and noticed that this is his/her favorite quote:
"If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit."
We have been paying attention to his/her "baffling bullshit" for too long. We should have started the ignoring a while back.
If this poster reappears under another name, may we notice sooner!
March 19, 2008 7:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think we should have a series of posts over the next week, mobilizing people in the most visible manner we can to oppose Marginal Player. If he persists in posting, we can always take up a collection to see how much he'll take to agree to leave. If that doesn't work, maybe we can send Hare Krishnas to speak with him, or send him copies of L. Ron Hubbard's Dianetics.
Or maybe we just need Hillary to say, "Shame on you, Marginal Player."
March 19, 2008 8:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm going to bring some recipes from home. How about brined chicken with cloves, crystallized ginger and cinnamon sticks? Surprisingly good, so long as you don't try to make a broth with a carcass.
March 19, 2008 8:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I noticed Politico has the story on this video. 527s will be playing this type of material from now until the election. Should tapes of Obama in church nodding in agreement to Reverend Wright appear, those will show up late October. Obama must be able to take a hit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72B3tUAqpo4
Also Fox (with three times MSNBC ratings) has a piece on Barack Obama’s campaign has removed an endorsement by the New Black Panther Party from its Web site. Also, the Imus recommended dismissal. These actions go to the character and judgment of Senator Obama.
This is softball season for Obama, should he win the nomination as I expect, expect the GOP 527s to make Revered Wright a kind of 2008 Willie Horton.
Senator Obama is running for POTUS, is he real or an empty suit? Hillary Clinton is far from perfect, she's high in negatives but Obama is catching up quickly.
Obama could be a great president, but he has to do more than provide speeches, a press conference to discuss the matter would go a long way.
March 19, 2008 8:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, thanks for stopping by.
March 19, 2008 9:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
(DF, you were supposed to ignore him!)
March 19, 2008 11:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, I just really appreciate the valuable service he provides in continuing to paste Fox News talking points.
March 20, 2008 4:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Do you think he even knew what this post was about?
March 20, 2008 9:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Marginal Player is just another sad example of the monstrous state of our health care crisis!
many of these people have needed treatment so long it may be too late in some cases ...
and he probly doesn't have any reliable care provider making sure he takes his meds or keeps his blood sugar level safe etc ...
in all likelihood he's simply trying to medicate himself! the best way he can! anything to make him feel alive again ... get those juices flowing so that he can feel something he enjoys ...
poor fellow.
help him out -- way out: just leave him out, and hope he goes quickly and peacefully ... without undue suffering and continued torment such as those bile-choking routines he's been prone to exhibit so often ...
and don't give him any more pretzels!
March 19, 2008 11:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
For the record, the TPM main page House That Hate Built now notes the video I link above, hours late.
I also accept responsibility of being the first to point out the Reverend Wright matter from GMA, noted the abc.com link, again before ever addressed at TPM, I even thought Reverend Wright's anti-American, racially charged speech would be a problem but I'm sure it hasn't been.
March 20, 2008 12:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Fuck BevD, Fuck MargPlayer, Fuck Matthew Weaver, and Fuck You if you recoil in horror at my use of the "f" "u" "c" and "k" keys on the fucking internet in the fucking interest of moving the fucking dialogue forward on this fucking election from the fucking talking points that fucking fuckers permitted to green fucking light the Iraq fucking war that has resulted in four fucking thousand American fatalities in the name of big fucking business. Fuck you, you fucking enables for giving more of a fucking shit for online fucking decorum than real-world fucking policies. My fucking brother-in-law of a fucking Marine is fucking dead because of this fucking bullshit, so boo-fucking-yah, you fucking enabling fucks. Do you fucking read me?
If you can't deal with the fucking fact that our fucking nominee is Barack fucking Obama, then Fuck You, too.
Fuckingly Yours,
Joe Fucking Lisboa
March 20, 2008 2:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
My son is in Iraq right now so I empathize and sympathize with you and I am very sorry for your loss.
March 20, 2008 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Odd, I didn't know who he was until you posted this.
March 20, 2008 8:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
He needs attention & has no home-base - and even if he had a place of solace he'd reject it b/c he'd prefer the attention given and the self-mind-idea of a lone-gadfly/ranger - in a no-need-sea.
He's intellectually homeless - as no one is interested in his rants except himself.
I say the entertainment value is invaluable - so let him hang 'round. If he's nonsensical we won't engage -- and if he's remarkably approaching rationality we'll throw him a bone.
Because we're not afraid of irrelevance - let MP bring it on.
March 20, 2008 8:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
well, I think President Obama will be another eight years of incompetence. Really, the guy has no single notable accomplishment to his name and doesn't seem to have overcome any substantial obstacles in life either. Sure, he's better spoken than W, duh, that's not much of a hurdle.
And I will laugh my ass off, just as the last eight years have been non-stop hilarity. I was in law skool on 9-11, and I recall even the parlor leftists talking about W as a great President, and I'm thinking, are you all crazy? And even with their sons coming back in body bags, the hicks in AR and WV vote for W again. And now we have The Great Healer. Man, oh, man. what a pack of fools you are : )
March 20, 2008 8:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Being a Republican doesn't preclude anyone from posting here.
Good grief. You people really do just want an echo chamber.
Yuck.
March 20, 2008 9:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Again, workerbee, it isn't about one's political perspective, it's about the nature of the dialogue. Name-calling doesn't advance the discussion, and that's what Marginal Player has been doing consistently.
March 20, 2008 10:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Marginalizing hate is good.
March 20, 2008 9:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Kefa and Marginal Player can post all the hate they want to.
Does anyone really think such rhetoric advances their cause?
I will, however, continue to call them out as racist trolls.
March 20, 2008 9:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
You just elevated MP to hero status among Trolls, and gave them all plenty of ammunition. How about just ignore him. Or reply with cutting snarkiness...
March 20, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
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