Zot! What is a Troll?

Thoughts From a Patriot | 02/19/04 | Omnix

[omnix]

What is a Troll???? I was taught as a young child that a troll is a hideous creature that live under a bridge that wants to harm children.

Apparently, there are a few subscribers to Free Republic that consider themselves the Troll Patrol.

Some authors of Posts to the Free Republic website are accused of being "Trolls". These people, whom call themselves the Troll Patrol, are trying to intimidate Americans who are wanting to express their thoughts and concerns to keep their thoughts to themsleves. This is an attempt to enforce censorship or pressure someone not to express themselves.

I would like to say to the Troll Patrol that this in not the old USSR or Nazi Germany in the 40's. This is the United States of America and we do have freedom of speech in this country.

If you want to find trolls, I suggest that you visit Sherwood Forrest there are probaly a few lurking around.

God Bless the United States and Protect Us From the Troll Patrol.

[cyborg]

Trolls are rumored to be educable retarded so I believe you.

[cinFLA]

This is an attempt to enforce censorship or pressure someone not to express themselves.

No. It is an attempt to identify the sleaze imposters and spammers so others will not be drawn to their propaganda. For example: someone that posts a case about the 'poor guy' that was arrested for possessing his medical marijuana when in reality the poster is pro-legalizing all drugs and in probably paid to spam his propaganda here.

[Stewart_B]

What is a Troll???? I was taught as a young child that a troll is a hideous creature that live under a bridge that wants to harm children....

Yep......that about sums it up

[Beck_isright]

So do I nuke the b*tch or what?

[rintense]

HAHAHAHA! I don't know what was funnier, the bridge remark or the troll! Of course, I'm assuming you look nothing like Helen Thomas.

PS: I'll be heading to fire my first gun within the next month or so!

[gov_bean_ counter]

Yes, new trolls are more likely to be zotted than old trolls, but that doesn't indicate the numerical prevalence of one or the other.

Hey, you know what they say...

There's no troll like an old troll.

[Sabertooth]

sleeper troll cells

After George Soros pays me to deny the very possibility, Moby and I are gonna have a few beers and post at DU under our real names.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

2 : to fish by trailing a lure or baited hook from a moving boat

And the above is of course the etymology behind the internet board or forum troll.

Although I am sure that it is also accurate to state that DUer's really do lurk below bridges and eat children. Although they use the term fetus for some reason.

[international american]

"I would like to say to the Troll Patrol that this in not the old USSR or Nazi Germany in the 40's. "

You set yourself up with the Nazi analogy. Drop that crap or I will not defend you, I will summon the viking kit-tays:)

[cyborg]

*LOL*

[shaggy eel]

,,, yep, a troll is a hideous creature. Damn right!

[null and void]

I'm not up on troll language - what does "varity" mean?!

I think it's vey series, and could be hugh!

[omegatoo]

Trolls have carbs???

Oh, man.....

;-}

O2

[Howlin]

It means the quality or state of being "vary." As in, "Your mileage may varity."

[CIB-173RDABN]

On the chance that you are serious, someone else has already gone to a dictionary and posted several meanings to the word "troll".

The correct meaning on forums like this is:

"...to fish by trailing a lure or baited hook from a moving boat."

The point is, trolls will visit a forum like this, and make some wild statement, just to see if he (or she) can get the members to take the "bait". Their purpose is not to enter into any discussion, but to see how disruptive they can be.

Word of advice, if you are a troll, don't feed the animals, they eat trolls for snacks.

[hope]

A troll is someone who signs on and the first day of joining decides to post ridiculous vanities with all kinds of accusations then up and leaves without responding to other's who were brought into their little vanity thread....Kind of a silly way to satisfy ones jollies, don't ya think?

[Howlin]

I'm not up on troll language

But I thought...

[international american]

ROTFLMAO! Soros is an American terrorist:)

[js1138]

As someone who was once banned for a week for making the most innocuous comment you can imagine, I totally agree with him, and I'm not a troll.

In the last week I've seen a thread that had a typical political headline, a typical political first paragraph, then launched into an extend quotation from an explicit pornographic novel.

Another thread posed as a science story, but when you clicked on the source link, it led to a private commercial website unrelated to the story.

Other threads posed as news stories but were fiction, like the Onion, but not clearly identifiable as fiction. The best that can be said about them is that they fed the wishful thinking of FReepers and would have led to many foolish supportive comments.

The management of this site has other criteria for defining trolls, such as returning under a different name after being banned, posting inflammatory articles, posting articles that bring discredit to the reputation of the site, posting articles designed to divide Republicans into waring camps.

Some of these I agree with; others I accept because I'm a guest here.

[ASA Vet]

"Warrior Princess Cute Troll"

Cool, what did you get? I know it's been at least a year
since we talked about your pending firearm purchase.