You cannot elect or influence others to elect more and better democrats, or be a better democrat yourself if you are a dick. Remember the goal. Don't Be A Dick.
One Rule to Rule Them All: don't be a dick
If ....
...your comment or post includes deprecating racial, sexual, gender, religious, agest, content (bigotry), then you are being a dick. DBAD
...you are making a comment or a post directed against a person rather than the position they are maintaining (ad hominem), then you are being a dick. DBAD
...you write something, in a comment or post, that presents allegations for which you cannot provide at least 2 independent links with which to confirm it, then you are being a dick. DBAD
...you make a comment that is unrelated to the post and/or the comment to which you attached it, then you are being a dick. DBAD
...you accuse someone of being a troll for no other reason than because someone has presented a position that you do not agree with, then you are being a dick. DBAD
(if you think you've got a live troll, drop a note to the Help Desk with your supporting evidence and they'll be more quick to research and act on it than if you just leave comments)
...you HR (hide rate) someone solely because you do not agree with their position and are unwilling or unable to come up with a counter argument, then you are being a dick.
DBAD
...your comment gives the impression of refuting another commenter's argument, while actually refuting an argument which was not advanced by that commenter (straw man), then you are being a dick. DBAD
...your post/comment uses misleading edited video, photo shopped picture(s), and/or a quote taken out of context to purposely mislead, then you are being a dick. DBAD
...you attribute a quote or story to a more well-known person or source to boost the effect of the quote/story (gilding the lily) then you are being a dick. DBAD
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Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? (Wee Mama)
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Some of the best comments and posts are the ones that are never written.
Please, don't be a dick!
Thanks
zooecium