Who exactly are these people commenting on Amash's Facebook?

[Jeremy]

Justin said this today:

This Memorial Day, I remember and honor the men and women of our Armed Forces who gave their lives to secure our right not to be indefinitely detained by our own government, but rather to be charged and to receive a fair trial when our government accuses us of wrongdoing.

Now people are talking about how they don't support the troops, and disagreeing with Amash, etc.

 

[Zach Vega]

We call these people "trolls" and "flamers".

 

[LibertyEagle]

I call them fools and idiots. They are not helping anything. In fact, they are going to drive people away.

 

[MelissaWV]

Justin said this today:

Now people are talking about how they don't support the troops, and disagreeing with Amash, etc.

The man cannot win. He even went through what appear to be rather extensive linguistic gymnastics to avoid implying that all the troops are heroes, or fighting for our freedoms, or any similar cliches.

 

[Drex]

The village lost its idiot again....

 

[specsaregood]

I call them fools and idiots. They are not helping anything. In fact, they are going to drive people away.

im pretty sure that is their intention.

 

[kuckfeynes]

I think the extreme social media thing is a mistake on his part. I understand the need to meet demands for transparency, but at the same time you can't just be giving a soapbox with your name on it to every anon on the internet.

 

[trey4sports]

so what if some random idiot comments? If it's not something Justin said then it shouldn't matter.

 

[Adrock]

Are these real people? Incredibly misguided, counterproductive, and kind of disgusting.

 

[JoshLowry]

Are these real people? Incredibly misguided, counterproductive, and kind of disgusting.

Not always...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/17/us-spy-operation-social-networks

http://content.usatoday.com/communi...l-networks-to-gather-information-on-suspects/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15869683

 

[Jeremy]

From personal experience with some other libertarians on Facebook, here on RPF, at liberty events, elections, conferences, etc, I'd say there's a good chance these people are real.

 

[jj-]

Paid Romneybots.

 

[Feeding the Abscess]

Or they're Ron Paul-approved Laurence Vance readers.

http://lewrockwell.com/vance/vance264.html

http://lewrockwell.com/vance/vance250.html

 

[MelissaWV]

Paid Romneybots.

I'm sorry, but using that as a constant excuse only paints the person doing it as ignorant.

Go to events, interact with Ron Paul supporters in the flesh, and you will see that some of the really vocal ones are genuine freedom lovers ... but often lack the tact and ability to convey their opinions in a mature manner. People will boo, throw snowballs, interrupt speeches (Ron's and others'), arrive at formal events in tees and ripped jeans, curse, and provide many a dirty gesture. Is that the majority? I don't think so, but then again we're only talking about a few internet trolls here. I am more inclined to think they are genuine than employed Romneybots. Why would Romney waste the money when there are so many willing attackers within our own movement?

 

[jj-]

Why would Romney waste the money when there are so many willing attackers within our own movement?

Plans could've been made before the campaign started and nobody revised them.

 

[MelissaWV]

Plans could've been made before the campaign started and nobody revised them.

They would have had to have been made before 2007, when the Movement started demonstrating quite loudly that it was full of fair-weather supporters and ideological navel-gazers who would rather tear down people almost on their side than fight those absolutely against them.

 

[jj-]

They would have had to have been made before 2007, when the Movement started demonstrating quite loudly that it was full of fair-weather supporters and ideological navel-gazers who would rather tear down people almost on their side than fight those absolutely against them.

I root for the Paul team. As long as there exists one paid person, one can no longer freely accuse anonymous Ron Paul supporters of being rude. So when somebody wants to give me shit about how supporters are rude, pointing this out forces them to find something else to complain about.

Campaigns employ people to post online comments. There are documented cases of commenters pretending to be Ron Paul supporters. You have no basis for saying it is likely that these guys are RP supporters. End of story.

 

[brandon]

What's wrong with not supporting the troops? I don't support them. Ron Paul railed against the universal soldiers before, which is what most of them are.

 

[jj-]

What's wrong with not supporting the troops?

Nothing. It shows you don't like blowing up innocent people.

 

[MelissaWV]

I root for the Paul team. As long as there exists one paid person, one can no longer freely accuse anonymous Ron Paul supporters of being rude. So when somebody wants to give me shit about how supporters are rude, pointing this out forces them to find something else to complain about.

Campaigns employ people to post in online comments. There are documented cases of commenters pretending to be Ron Paul supporters. You have no basis for saying it is likely that these guys are RP supporters. End of story.

Please reread our exchange. I was not the one who made an assertion. You stated they were "paid Romneybots," to which I responded that using this excuse every time makes folks look absolutely naive and stupid. You've now turned this around to make it seem like I was stating 100% that these were absolutely not possibly in any way, shape, or form hired trolls. It's possible, but given what I've run into over the past five years, it doesn't seem necessary or likely.