Why the hatred? Especially on this blog? (free speech, rating, leader)

[tomocox]

I don't understand the inuendo and blatant hatred expressed here or anywhere.

This blog is for decent and intelligent conversation. Many times even I fail to properly write my feelings, but to insult someone, including the President, is not necessary here.

Information should be honest, accurate, and germaine to the topic. I often look to learn here, please don't insult my very limited intelligence with slanderous verbage.

[01Snake]

I hear ya but unfortunately its the way it is.

[marmac]

In America people get angry with people whio disagree with them and sometimes insult them.

In many other countries,they shoot people who disagree with them.

I like the "American way" better.

[tomocox]

Originally Posted by 01Snake

I hear ya but unfortunately its the way it is.

Then let's ignore them until they can be decent.

[KantLockeMeIn]

Originally Posted by tomocox

I don't understand the inuendo and blatant hatred expressed here or anywhere.

This blog is for decent and intelligent conversation. Many times even I fail to properly write my feelings, but to insult someone, including the President, is not necessary here.

Information should be honest, accurate, and germaine to the topic. I often look to learn here, please don't insult my very limited intelligence with slanderous verbage.

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.

"Without free speech no search for truth is possible; without free speech, no discovery of truth is useful. "
Charles Bradlaugh

[01Snake]

Originally Posted by tomocox

Then let's ignore them until they can be decent.

But then there would be nobody to converse with.

[Lillietta]

Originally Posted by tomocox

I don't understand the inuendo and blatant hatred expressed here or anywhere.

This blog is for decent and intelligent conversation. Many times even I fail to properly write my feelings, but to insult someone, including the President, is not necessary here.

Information should be honest, accurate, and germaine to the topic. I often look to learn here, please don't insult my very limited intelligence with slanderous verbage.

I would suggest you just pick and choose then. Use this place for your needs and discard the rest. They are "rules" here which you can read to know what is allowed and what isn't. There are many ways of expressing oneself. Maybe it's not your cup of tea.

[paperhouse]

Bush has used his own mouth to inform us of his liberal intentions. I wouldn't call that slander.

[NewToCA]

Tough topic, and I'm pretty sensitive to the problem.

When you discuss political issues, even the pros tend to get a bit "over the top" with their discussions. If you recall the shows like Crossfire, Capital Gang or McLaughlin Group, the discussions of topics weren't that much different in tone than what you see here. It is difficult to balance civility with inclusion. If you come down to hard on civil discussions and challenge junk referenced material too much, this becomes the Brookings or Hoover Institutes, and that wouldn't be very enjoyable to the posters. This isn't a university debating club, and we need to keep in mind that it is just an open discussion board.

We do try to moderate it in a way to relatively keep on topic, but with the interrelationships many posters get over time and in multiple threads, that isn't always easy to do. Trying to keep something interesting and engaging to folks with multiple levels of backgrounds isn't an easy tasking, but excluding all but "experts" from discussions would be very boring and counterproductive. Those with less extensive backgrounds or in depth understanding of issues often make some of the most valid points, and it makes for a better overall discussion. In this process, we end up with folks getting their noses bent a bit out of joint, folks feeling they are being spoken down to, and insults of the various political figures, but as long as it doesn't get too personal it appears to be the best way to have interesting and engaging discussions.

Quite a bit of baiting takes place too, with terms like liberal or neocon used simply to dismissively label folks. It is a bit grating, and doesn't serve to enhance discussions. Just something to keep in mind.

[tomocox]

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.