Trolls

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_%28Internet%29
--In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or --off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, --chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking other users into a --desired emotional response[1] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic --discussion.
--A concern troll is a false flag pseudonym created by a user whose actual point of --view is opposed to the one that the user claims to hold. The concern troll posts --in web forums devoted to its declared point of view and attempts to sway the --group's actions or opinions while claiming to share their goals, but with --professed "concerns". The goal is to sow fear, uncertainty and doubt within the --group.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=troll
--1b. Noun
--A person who, on a message forum of some type, attacks and flames other members --of the forum for any of a number of reasons such as rank, previous disagreements, --sex, status, ect.
--A troll usually flames threads without staying on topic, unlike a "Flamer" who --flames a thread because he/she disagrees with the content of the thread.

Other troll activities are frequent erasing of posts, "offence" trolling (claiming offence for others or topics for no reason other than causing disruption), and claiming to be the aggrieved party when in fact they were the very cause of their own being considered a troll.
Offence trolls often make their grand displays of being offended on behalf of other people or groups, generally ignoring any behaviour exhibited by those people or groups that is as bad or worse than those whom they take offence to. Quite often, they then turn around and claim to be misunderstood or "only" trying to rectify some wrong.
Very often, a user will set up a troll acct in order to have someone to be offended on behalf of. This person makes off-topic, rude, demeaning, and nonsense posts as a form of catharsis or simply to "let their hair down." This generally leads to the troll acct being insulted or people calling for others to not feed the troll which allows the other acct to step in and protest the terrible actions of others. I tend to agree with some that the troll acct shows signs of mental illness, but whether or not it has one is not something that is able to be diagnosed and people shouldn't have to post on eggshells "just in case."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twat
--Although sometimes used as a reference to the female genitalia, the word twat is --more often used in various other ways:
-- * As a derogatory insult, a pejorative meaning a fool, synonymous with the word --twit - 'You are a real twat and a half' (often used in the UK)

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=twat
--1) A derogatory term for a person whose behaviour is considered to be extremely --or intolerably ignorant, obnoxious, offensive or moronic.
--1.A vagina
--2.A cretinous person
--3.To strike someone(this definition is almost certainly of Northern English --origin)

I like the word twat when dealing with misogynists. It works well because it not only means "fool" or "moron," but comparing a misogynist to any aspect of a woman is generally a good way to make them shut up and/or provide further evidence of their bigotry.
Just because YOU only use a word for it's most negative aspect, does not mean that everyone else does. Getting your own mind out of the gutter is a good place to start learning how to use language effectively and to recognise that your own base word usage is quite likely not what others intended.


I say this all because it is germane elsewhere at the moment. Two days ago I called someone a troll and a twat for some very demeaning and misogynistic statements, statements in a VERY long line of them I might add. This called another troll onto me and I've been undergoing constant trolling at the website since.
The frustrating part really comes about when others come in late to an argument or instance of trolling, after 20+ of the troll posts have been deleted by the troll, and then suggest that I have no right to defend myself or even blame me. This particular troll has done this for months.
Not long ago this trolls trick was swearing at someone, deleting the post, and then quoting the post as if I were the one that did the swearing. Everyone remembers seeing the notification and the words, but since it was deleted everyone simply assumes that the lying troll wasn't lying about who said it.
Then there was the ploy where he would post, delete the post, and then scream that I had deleted his posts.
Then there was the time that he was so vulgar and out of line that the site moderators felt the need to send him a warning message. The blame is still put on to others of course, even to the point of claiming that I had also been warned when I hadn't.

The best advice against trolls is ALWAYS to ignore them, but at times that means every post or reply you make will be followed by the troll and it is just easier to quit altogether. For this I suggest taking a break from the site in question. Sadly, most will take this as a sign that the troll was correct, but in the long run it won't matter.

It is always VERY nice to see that at least one person recognises what is going on AND says so.