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I don't understand the inuendo and blatant hatred expressed here or anywhere.
I understand a lot of it. I think some of it is excessive or misplaced, though.
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This blog is for decent and intelligent conversation.
I don't think the intelligence part is required. The decency, to an extent, is because of the posting guidelines here, so I agree with that part.
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Many times even I fail to properly write my feelings, but to insult someone, including the President, is not necessary here.
Some of the actions of the current administration have caused myself and loved ones a lot of heartache. Insulting the administration, while not necessary in the same sense as paying my bills is, is justified in my case. Actually--anyone's case.
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Information should be honest, accurate, and germaine to the topic.
But this message board isn't a place for information. As far as that goes, at best, it's a place to find references to other places you might go to find information that is as accurate as possible. But the real value (other than a procrastination tool) is seeing other people's viewpoints described in detail. Sometimes you can determine (and maybe even sympathize with) how they arrived at those viewpoints. Sometimes you can come to understand even if you don't agree. I think that's how this forum can be of value. Beyond that, there's some entertainment to be had.
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I often look to learn here, please don't insult my very limited intelligence with slanderous verbage.
The key is to find a way not to take it personally. When I start getting upset about something someone on the internet says to me, a person they have not even met, I know it's time to go back to my readings or papers or whatever. Or time to find a new message board to read. It isn't worth having to feel insulted or hurt--enough of that goes on during actual in-person social interactions.
While I agree with the posters, it is not the blog that has me so concerned, but rather the whole attitude of the nation.
I'm not sure how much this group represents the entire nation.
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...that I know we can find a peaceful way of expressing our feelings and views without the fire of anger.
I'm just not opposed to people being angry. I'm very angry about a lot of things. But, I do think this "conservatives always do this" and "liberals always do that" stuff is completely worthless and inaccurate, yet it seems like so many people on this forum argue with phrases like that.
While I agree with the posters, it is not the blog that has me so concerned, but rather the whole attitude of the nation. Blogs are ok for expression of frustrations, etc, but we don't need to have a quiet civil war within our nation. I don't expect the decorum of an English Tea Room, but anger in and of itself is so counter-productive and there are such great minds blogging here that I know we can find a peaceful way of expressing our feelings and views without the fire of anger.
I agree, can't stand the 'rancor', but it reflects our times. Like it or not, the world is getting smaller, and the US is getting more "third world" with each passing year. No, Im not addressing immigration in particular, it's a fact of life. More and more, immigration or NOT, we are becoming part of that big world out there, and we're getting more like the "average" citizen of planet earth. Our middle class is shrinking.
One thing that characterized the "American Dream" is that ALL Americans had at least the illusion that they were the 'master of their destiny'. That's the middle-class mind-set, and even the American "poor" at least THOUGHT they had a fair chance to advance. The Middle-Class was the 'default' mind-set in America, and the American Middle class sees itself as "people who DO THINGS (to improve their lives)"....In other words, people for whom hard work pays off.
In MOST of the world, (Mexico and elsewhere) most people are poor. They don't "do things", but rather they're people to whom "things are DONE (by forces outside their control). They don't control their destiny---that's done by someone else.
More and more Americans see themselves "slipping" downward. We feel controlled by forces outside our reach, forces not in our best interests. Americans aren't used to this (though it's normal in most places), and for that reason, many Americans these days are a little 'cranky". They're not in a very optimistic mood.
That can come out on this forum as sounding 'hateful'---I think it's more like 'disgusted'.
Just try not to take it personally....we are total strangers...and it doesn't matter what we say to each other whether it's nicey nice or not.
Try to remember...all anger is not bad...without some people getting really angry we wouldn't have a United States at all. Things that have happened in this country and the world should make people angry.
Should we take it out on one another? Probably not but I'd rather have a person really angry with me than never get mad at all.
I think the plight of the Ron Paul crowd illustrates my point so well. While Dr. Paul has some very interesting views, his electonic throng has totally turned me away. The blame game they are playing ruins any desire on my part to hear what they have to say.
And how any one could think that Bill Clinton has any concern for them just logically doesn't play. When he doesn't care about his own family, how could he begin to care about ours?
I can play on with certain Republicans such as gay Lawrence, etc.
If this turned into purely an academic debate it would be incredibly boring...after awhile you are able to gauge the general level of knowledge/intelligence of other posters, some you can have interesting discussions with, others prefer to just throw mud. Me personally I can go either way, keeps the entertainment level up.
As far as the Pres goes, as somebody else mentioned respect is earned. He puts his boxers on one leg at a time just like the rest of us.
You will also find that most that are today "aghast" at insulting the position have no issues with making Clinton jokes...
You will also find that most that are today "aghast" at insulting the position have no issues with making Clinton jokes...
Well' you gotta admit ol' Bill had that sort of ingratiating, "hand-in-the-cookie jar" shoolboy grin....while "The Decider" has a much more 'wooden' and forbidding "Smirk" (sometimes falling just short of a 'sneer').......
I think the plight of the Ron Paul crowd illustrates my point so well. While Dr. Paul has some very interesting views, his electonic throng has totally turned me away. The blame game they are playing ruins any desire on my part to hear what they have to say.
And how any one could think that Bill Clinton has any concern for them just logically doesn't play. When he doesn't care about his own family, how could he begin to care about ours?
I can play on with certain Republicans such as gay Lawrence, etc.
I can see how the Ron Paul crowd can intimidate you... but I can't make any apologies. There are many people on all sides of the aisles that make incredible statements with little substance to back it up. When they are countered with fact, they change the subject or stick their head in the sand.
I'll also make no apologies for taking issue with anyone's partisan rhetoric. I see it from quite a few people on here that will defend a party's actions to no end, but switch that R to a D and the reaction would be the complete opposite. It's their right to subscribe to that rhetoric, but don't be upset when people call you on it every time.
There are plenty of people on here who I disagree with on almost every issue, but have utmost respect for because they articulate their view so well and back it up with fact, not emotion, and do a great job of swaying potential fence sitters in the process.
Slanderous? I haven't seen much defamation on here.
Information is rarely honest... people, myself included, will always cherry pick data to slant the discussion in their favor. Others providing counterpoints helps balance this slant where a third party can gather more data and make their own decision.
Questioning the actions of our leaders is the most precious form of speech that needs to be preserved.
Gosh, golly, gee whiz! I don't know if you and I always agree or seldom agree but I agree with you here!
These are political debates (a lot of times). People pick a position and debate it. It may not even be their own viewpoint. It could be the "party line" they are debating.
I never see anything slanderous posted here. Why not? Because "slander" is spoken word. We are writing here. Seriously, I rarely see anything libelous here. You can say almost anything about a public person because it falls under "Fair comment and criticism." If Larry Craig chooses to put his personal life out in the open, we are all allowed to comment on it.
Yeah, I think Macmeal is just about right, and that we can reasonably expect the level of national discourse to ratchet DOWN several notches instead of up over the next generation.
Civil political discourse comes from people who feel that, at the end of the day, they are really all playing for the same team. Illiberal, hostile dialogue comes from people who feel they are irreconcilably, fundamentally different and that they have few shared objectives in life. That their children are each other's natural enemies.
I myself feel that way when dealing with relatively affluent internet cultural marxists; I know they feel the same way towards my pregnant & barefoot working-class self. It isn't worth raising my blood pressure over... but it has taken a long, long time for me to see it for what it is-- a waste of my time.
That's the nature of balkanization, folks. Don't like it, then move to, er, Finland. It's all but a done deal in the US.
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Seriously, I rarely see anything libelous here. You can say almost anything about a public person because it falls under "Fair comment and criticism." If Larry Craig chooses to put his personal life out in the open, we are all allowed to comment on it. 
It's all but a done deal in the US.
