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A few words about the discussion of the London bombing on DU…I'm not a big fan of the term "conspiracy theory," because I don't think it accurately describes what it is supposed to refer to. I guess I'm just not comfortable with the term "theory," which has a specific scientific meaning, being used to describe points of view that are more accurately described as "speculation," or sometimes "totally baseless speculation." Nonetheless, "conspiracy theory" is the generally accepted term, and that is the one I will use here.

Translation: "You freakin' barking moonbat nutbars are ruining my site! How in the world do you expect me to make time with that dishy Evan Bayh when he hears I'm from the web's premier insane asylum?"

We are required to balance the conflicting interests of (on one hand) openness and the free exchange of ideas, versus (on the other hand) the desire of members to be part of a community that holds itself to some minimal standard of acceptable discourse.

Unfortunately, DU's Acceptable Discourse Compliance Specialist has been on sabbatical since the year 2000.

For example, allow me to use an extreme hypothetical: I think it is safe to say that few of us would like Democratic Underground to become widely known as that place where people believe space aliens cause tsunamis.

Phew! Instead you're only known as that place where people believe that secret nuclear tests and/or evangelical Christians having more than one kid cause tsunamis.

We have also made it clear, over many years, that bigoted conspiracy theories have no place on Democratic Underground.

Other than all the MIHOP, LIHOP, BFEE and PNAC stuff, of course.

Furthermore, I believe we should permit members to share personal "gut feelings" about what happened in London, as long as you aren't using it as an excuse to link to conspiracy websites or to pass off baseless speculation as fact.

Average DUer's gut feeling: We should surrnder immediately.

You believe it is "wild speculation" that we no longer have fair and free elections?

Bing! Somebody at DU might be starting to grow some extra cells onto the top of that brain stem!