# Am I not welcome here? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 29, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149 "2015-05-29T21:50:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/21 "2015-05-29T22:40:14Z")
Post something anti-vaccine or pro Duggar and really find out! šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![protoboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/22 "2015-05-29T22:43:14Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > Post something anti-vaccine or pro Duggar and really find out! > > šŸ˜ƒ I honestly wonder if sometimes it really is the lack of Christian charity that makes the Straight Dope, and the West Coast, both snarky and elitist/pro-bully places. Iā€™m an atheist myself, but a part of me feels like Americaā€™s sense of Christian forgiveness (regardless of the flaws like being so anti-gay) is the only thing that prevents us from becoming a full-on warzone. I understand you guys being annoyed by me. I admit, I can be a bit of a bitch. Isnā€™t everyone sometimes? What I donā€™t understand is why itā€™s considered more acceptable and forgivable to be downright **mean** on these forums. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/23 "2015-05-29T22:44:00Z")
Iā€™ve been here a little over a year/year and a half, maybe two, and I feel like I donā€™t know anyone and that most people dislike me. I didnā€™t really remember you either but when I checked your name to see the threads you had started I liked most of the threads. ---
**Author:** ![protoboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/24 "2015-05-29T22:44:49Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > Iā€™ve been here a little over a year/year and a half, maybe two, and I feel like I donā€™t know anyone and that most people dislike me. I didnā€™t really remember you either but when I checked your name to see the threads you had started I liked most of the threads. Robert, youā€™re one of the few people on here that doesnā€™t make a point of bashing me every turn they get. I like you šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/25 "2015-05-29T22:44:50Z")
Iā€™ve heard that vaccinations lead to sister-fondling. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![HeXen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@HeXen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeXen)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/26 "2015-05-29T22:46:04Z")
You care about what people from online think? lol. I think youā€™re crying for attention with this thread and perhaps some mom issues of some sort but you shouldnā€™t care about that. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/27 "2015-05-29T22:51:29Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > It seems like everyone here hates my guts, just saying. Should I quit the forum? Donā€™t let it get to you. If your expecting positive attention here, itā€™s going to be a rough ride. Most people here love to argue and criticize others, like most forums on the web. This place is no different. Despite what the banner says none of us had to provide proof of credentials to post here. If someone says something that upsets you, put it in this context: Would they say that if they were sitting across the table from you ? Most of them would not. ---
**Author:** ![protoboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/28 "2015-05-29T22:55:05Z")
> [@Ibanez](#): > > Donā€™t let it get to you. If your expecting positive attention here, itā€™s going to be a rough ride. Most people here love to argue and criticize others, like most forums on the web. This place is no different. Despite what the banner says none of us had to provide proof of credentials to post here. If someone says something that upsets you, put it in this context: Would they say that if they were sitting across the table from you ? Most of them would not. People can get oddly territorial of their message boards too, I find. They will be snarky in order to irritate people enough to drive them away and if that doesnā€™t work, they tend to whine to the mods and beg for the person that annoys them to get the ban hammer. Iā€™ve experienced it on so many forums. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/29 "2015-05-29T23:02:19Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > I honestly wonder if sometimes it really is the lack of Christian charity that makes the Straight Dope, and the West Coast, both snarky and elitist/pro-bully places. Nah. Iā€™m ostensibly Christian and a firm believer in what you are calling Christian charity. I also live in Fly-Over Country. Yet I am snarky and about as elitist as they come. I guess you need to rethink your prejudices. How old are you? Iā€™m also old and have no tolerance for whiny kids, so you might have that against you, too. > [@Robert163](#): > > Iā€™ve been here a little over a year/year and a half, maybe two, and I feel like I donā€™t know anyone and that most people dislike me. Thatā€™s easy, **Bob** ā€“we DONā€™T like you! \<ā€“Thatā€™s a joke, son. ---
**Author:** ![protoboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/30 "2015-05-29T23:06:11Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Nah. Iā€™m ostensibly Christian and a firm believer in what you are calling Christian charity. I also live in Fly-Over Country. Yet I am snarky and about as elitist as they come. I guess you need to rethink your prejudices. > > How old are you? Iā€™m also old and have no tolerance for whiny kids, so you might have that against you, too. > > Thatā€™s easy, **Bob** ā€“we DONā€™T like you! \<ā€“Thatā€™s a joke, son. Do you think itā€™s better to be a bully than to be a whiner? BTW, you can find my age if you read my posts, but Iā€™m not as young as you might think. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/31 "2015-05-29T23:11:59Z")
Looking at the threads youā€™ve started, itā€™s clear that the moderators grew tired of repeatedly moving your threads from GQ to IMHO, or where ever else they should have been started in the first place. So you might start by carefully considering whether your proposed GQ thread really is factual. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/32 "2015-05-29T23:13:53Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > How exactly am I being a jerk? I never said you were. You have said other people are jerks or at least unfriendly (in [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=723894) after [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=754880) after [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=758054)). You can be the common factor in this without being a jerk yourself. Maybe you arenā€™t as friendly as you think you are. Maybe others get tired of hanging out with someone who is constantly complaining. Maybe you have clinical depression. This first time you bitch about something, people in general will give you a sympathetic ear both here and IRL. When you return to the same complaints over and over with no effort to make a change or no effort on a little introspection, it gets old. It soon became apparent in your rants that all your complaints werenā€™t going to be solved by meeting different people in some new city. That has been proven true with your recent move where here you are again bitching about the same shit in a new city. No one is trying to drive you away from the board. But donā€™t be surprised if your next rant about how everyone is mean except you is met with some skepticism. ---
**Author:** ![protoboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/33 "2015-05-29T23:14:09Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Looking at the threads youā€™ve started, itā€™s clear that the moderators grew tired of repeatedly moving your threads from GQ to IMHO, or where ever else they should have been started in the first place. So you might start by carefully considering whether your proposed GQ thread really is factual. Honestly, sometimes I was confused as to where certain threads belonged. I really donā€™t think itā€™s a big deal and itā€™s not a good reason to be hostile and cruel to me, IMO. Donā€™t you agree? I will try to find the right boards better from now on. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/34 "2015-05-29T23:15:29Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > No but Iā€™ve met little but hostility on this forum, for my ā€œrantā€ topics. Especially the one about Portland, people there sure canā€™t stand it if you donā€™t think their precious city is the bees knees in absolutely every single way. > > Of course, considering the sacrifices in comfort you have to make to live there you BETTER think itā€™s the bees knees if you wanna justify living there. šŸ˜ƒ Remember thisā€¦ ā€¦readyā€¦ ā€¦The internet is full of jackasses, unless youā€™re a jackass whisperer, you canā€™t win them overā€¦ ā€¦Have a nice day. ---
**Author:** ![protoboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/35 "2015-05-29T23:15:50Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I never said you were. You have said other people are jerks or at least unfriendly (in [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=723894) after [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=754880) after [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=758054)). You can be the common factor in this without being a jerk yourself. Maybe you arenā€™t as friendly as you think you are. Maybe others get tired of hanging out with someone who is constantly complaining. Maybe you have clinical depression. > > This first time you bitch about something, people in general will give you a sympathetic ear both here and IRL. When you return to the same complaints over and over with no effort to make a change or no effort on a little introspection, it gets old. It soon became apparent in your rants that all your complaints werenā€™t going to be solved by meeting different people in some new city. That has been proven true with your recent move where here you are again bitching about the same shit in a new city. > > No one is trying to drive you away from the board. But donā€™t be surprised if your next rant about how everyone is mean except you is met with some skepticism. Actually no, even the first time people were telling me to shut up and that my observations were all in my head. I never got my wish to move back East anyway, I had to compromise for another city in Oregon. Which IS an improvement, but Iā€™m still sort of bitter about my experience on the West Coast and the way people have treated me in general my whole life. It seems like people actually respect you MORE and treat you more kindly if youā€™re a dick to others, which is something I will never understand. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/36 "2015-05-29T23:21:24Z")
> [@](#): > > Especially the one about Portland, people there sure canā€™t stand it if you donā€™t think their precious city is the bees knees in absolutely every single way. Yeah, as a Portlander I read one of your ā€œPortland sucks!ā€ posts and was prepared to give you some helpful hints about food, etcā€¦then I read about 30 more of them and shrugged and decided there was no reason to. The above post confirms that thereā€™s nothing really to say to you about it, if thatā€™s what you believe actually happened in those threads. > [@protoboard](#): > > How exactly am I being a jerk? If you donā€™t think posts like [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18205544&postcount=83) juuuust might rub people the wrong way, then I donā€™t know what to tell you: > [@](#): > > I find it weird that pretty much everyone here disagrees with me and kisses California ass ā€¦ I guess this board is overwhelmingly Democratic Party, and they worship the West Coast in the same way Jews worship Israel, even though the West Coast is more of a dystopian right-wing nightmare than the deep South in actuality. ---
**Author:** ![protoboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/37 "2015-05-29T23:26:07Z")
Okay that statement about Jews was pretty uncalled for. I must have been drunk or something. I donā€™t have an anti-Semitic bone in my body. I totally relate to how they feel for being treated like shit for absolutely no reason for all of historyā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/38 "2015-05-29T23:29:59Z")
How about your statement that Multnomah Falls sucks because there are too many _Chinese_ tourists. Maybe youā€™re not fully in tune with all the bones in your body. ---
**Author:** ![protoboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/39 "2015-05-29T23:35:17Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > How about your statement that Multnomah Falls sucks because there are too many _Chinese_ tourists. Maybe youā€™re not fully in tune with all the bones in your body. I didnā€™t really intend that to be racist, it was just something I noticed there. It literally did feel like being in a national park in China! If they were White American, Uzbekistani or Moldavian tourists I would have been equally annoyed. BTW thatā€™s another thing I dislike about the PNW. People here are generally privately bigoted as hell, but if you say one offensive thing they will treat you like you are a murderer forever. There is absolutely no concept of forgiveness here. I notice it with friendships too - one fight and itā€™s over. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2015, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149/40 "2015-05-29T23:44:50Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > I honestly wonder if sometimes it really is the lack of Christian charity that makes the Straight Dope, and the West Coast, both snarky and elitist/pro-bully places. Iā€™m an atheist myself, but a part of me feels like Americaā€™s sense of Christian forgiveness (regardless of the flaws like being so anti-gay) is the only thing that prevents us from becoming a full-on warzone. > > I understand you guys being annoyed by me. I admit, I can be a bit of a bitch. Isnā€™t everyone sometimes? What I donā€™t understand is why itā€™s considered more acceptable and forgivable to be downright **mean** on these forums. Mean is telling a Jew she lacks Christian charity. Jeez, youā€™re an idiot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-not-welcome-here/721149.md?page=3)