Deleted thread about the Labour Party telephone canvasser

[Crossfitmyarse]

Yes, this is a TAAT, so do your worst.

'We don't usually delete whole threads but we do so when it is to protect a poster's privacy.'

Aah, poor wee poster got flamed bang to rights on an AIBU so you delete the whole thread? BASED ON WHAT?

Seriously MNHQ? SERIOUSLY? Which one of you is she related to? I can't physically roll my eyes back in my head far enough to express my cynicism and weariness over this.

What is going on around here these days? Who/what are you scared of, exactly?

Bloody love that book. Am rereading as I do in the run up to every election.
That was me in the 80s with my little badges, thinking I could change the world (and hopefully sleep with some of the university Labour Club along the way )

You can still get in if you have the right - ahem! - 'contacts' Limited.

Yes, I've read it, and it's very accurate.

It's not anonymous Eggo.

DrankSangriaInThePark His misery on the building site is my favourite bit.

But also the idea that major political change is happening in your country but if you want to engage from a left-wing POV as a Southerner, everyone despises you.

I don't know where you come from.

I went to a post election party in 1987 thrown by my Tory-Boy then boyfriend. The theme was election colours. I went in losers' red thinking it would be fun and I'd get a bit of good natured ribbing. Mistake. Big mistake. The abuse was vile and they meant it.

I ended up driving home early in my white Golf GTi convertible. I've always been deep cover

I don't have an 'ID number'! I introduce myself with my name. That's not being anonymous - in fact it's the opposite.

Luckily I was in Salford, we marched with miners and Silentnight bed workers and everything.....never got that shag though.
JOF makes me chuckle as I think he mentions how much easier his life would have been in Salford on about the second page.
By the time Princess Tony was elected I was abroad.

Being phoned and hassled by anonymous strangers representing the parties is another matter.

EggoSuperstar We have a different interpretation of the word 'hassled'.

In my world it is being stopped in the street or phoned by people who might startle me while I'm watching The Chase or EastEnders and being asked: 'Good morning/afternoon/evening Madam. Would you mind if I asked you some questions about your voting intentions? It will take approximately X minutes.'

I take about 10 seconds to process that question. I answer 'yes', 'no' or 'I'd love to, but you're filming it and my roots are showing'.

It's never occurred to me to rear up in horror at the mere idea of them asking or to tell them to fuck off.

Maybe you've had different experiences of political canvassers. Do tell.

I introduce myself with my name. That's not being anonymous - in fact it's the opposite.

Like the cold caller called "Steve", who told me in his strong SE Asian accent that he had noticed unusual activity on my computer?

How does anyone know that's your real name?

You don't. But it is. What's the point again?

Lots of SE Asians adopt English names to make it easier for notoriously non polyglot English speakers to cope with.

Why are posters listing famous pensioners?

That was me talking about Mick Jagger. But I also mentioned my mum aged 90, who was perfectly capable of any kind of debate and my dad, who would have been up for it, if Alzheimer's hadn't robbed him of the ability to engage aged about 70.

I don't understand why you couldn't understand that but I hope that's explained it.

My point, and that of at least one other poster is that it's misleading and patronising to mention people's age as a reason for asking opinions.

I also worry that people without experience of extremely elderly people or who do know them but don't talk to them as rational human beings might they all think, or don't think, as one.

My mother at 90 was a lot more rational than people I know of 30, 40, 50 etc.

The point again is that you claim the call is not anonymous because you give your name.

But the name you give is meaningless to the person you call, so it doesn't alter the fact that they are being called and spoken to by someone they don't know and whose identity they cannot verify without, presumably, contacting the organisation you say you work for. So while it may no longer be "anonymous" in the dictionary sense of the word, the person you've called still does not know you. You are a stranger to them.

dont forget to register all your phones and mobile phones with the TPS. REGISTER HERE

So put the phone down. Press one for silent; press two for I'm sorry but I'm busy; press three for fuck off and die.

After that, just screen.

@EggoSuperstar

I don't do twitter. There wasn't a link, it was just a post which no one even noticed at the time.

IMVHO the thread was deleted because it didn't look good for the Labour Party. Some call centre numpty came on, wanting to censure what people say on the phone to cold callers, and posters told her what they thought. This is nothing new under the sun, on MN and especially in AIBU. If it hadn't been a political party in the throes of an election campaign the thread would probably still be up over the bank holiday.

Not so. Someone had posted the OP's Twitter name and she was subsequently getting harassed on Twitter because of it, so clearly a fair few people had noticed it.

When there's a MN/real life crossover like this which is causing someone a lot of trouble, we think it's fair to intervene. We therefore deleted the thread to protect the OP's privacy.

As we said before, we'd also received a number of reports from people staggered by the hostility shown to the OP - and we just felt that this isn't what MN is about.

Hope that clears things up. And just to reiterate, we'd have done the same whatever political party the OP was canvassing for.

Okay, as you were.

A stranger's just a friend you haven't met yet, Rhonda!

Oh, and on "the organisation you work for" - these are all volunteers, who do it because they give a fuck. And will continue to do so.

All of you posting "can't be a problem can't be a problem can't be a problem" and gliding over the posts explaining perfectly clearly why it is, in fact, a problem - you realise you're the reason people say fuck off, don't you?

You're demonstrating right here that rational discussion and nice requests make no impact on you. Being rude is the only thing that appears to get through.

Maybe the thread went right downhill after I posted. Linking to the OPs twitter a/c was uncalled for, I do agree.

But:
Vile? Meangirlz? Hyenas?

Sheesh.
I said, I hate being cold called, find them a total pita, haven't been rude yet but will be one day and will then feel bad about myself for being rude to someone just trying to earn a living. It's not just the call itself and the five seconds it takes, it's the rushing out of the bath/downstairs/away from laptop when working which is really annoying, because it might an urgent call that actually matters. Rather than some annoying time waster who doesn't even understand they're being annoying.

See me, vile mean hyena girl. Not.

Cold calling is FUCKING annoying. Please understand, all you people who don't think it's a problem, that I am polite through gritted teeth.

A stranger's just a friend you haven't met yet, Rhonda!

Oh, Jesus, pass the sick-bag.