Like someone to blame
The Fly
sulawesigirl4 said:
umm, now honestly. Do you really truly think this attack on one "group" was called for? Quite frankly, I have seen my share of both conservative and liberal posters stooping to low levels, and singling out the opposite "side" (as you are doing in this case) simply shows your inability to rise above partisanship.
I really don't consider this an "attack" Sula. I really don't. From my perspective I'm simply calling it as I see it. With very few exceptions, those conservatives who frequently comment in this forum are truly arrogant and pretentious. I sincerely believe this. Granted, we are probably only talking about 7-10 members (and I suspect it may be fewer than this if multiple user names are considered) but the facts speak for themselves. More often than not, the moderate-liberal members of this forum are polite and remain above the fray. I believe this can be verified. If time permitted, I could run out countless examples of some prominent conservative forum members acting like spoiled little brats...the "I'm taking my ball home" mentality. I would be hard pressed to find many liberal forum members who resort to such actions.
I'm not suggessting this sort of "punch/counterpunch" doesn't occur on both sides...it is just far more rampant in the conservative ranks of this forum and it truly does mirror the majority of the Republicans in Congress...those "compasssionate" conservatives who are always touting the virtures of Christianity yet routinely forget the teachings of the very Savior whose name they routinely invoke. Extremely hypocritical.
As far as my "inability to rise above partisianship" goes...I've never been interested in rising above it. I hold strong convictions on the progressive left of the political spectrum (you know this)and make no apologies about this to any one. It's unlikely any rightwinger will change my mind...and vice versa. In fact, with exceptions, the majority of forum members who routinely comment in this forum are unabashedly partisian...and I have no problem with this. Partisianship really isn't the issue here...personal conduct is...and I feel that this clearly is a problem more prevalent with the rightwingers here than the left.
Maybe this is just all a case of a few bad apples leaving a blemish on the majority who know how to actually debate an issue and discuss ideas in an adult, civil manner. (Sula-you are gifted at this and I commend you for it!) But frankly, it sickens me that there are some here who cannot seem to resist the urge to take the focus off the discussion of ideas and issues and lead us down a path littered with sarcastic, preposterous remarks whose only intent is self-gratification. Reread a couple of comments before this one to see what I'm getting at. Is this what "Free Your Mind" is really all about? I think not.
I believe that some members here are less interested in talking about the subject matter and more interested in how many "points' they can score with their conservative bretheran, i.e. who can come up with the best one-liner of the night. Any respect I had for them is out the window...doesn't matter if the comment was directed at me or another forum member. Just gives me a little inkling into the type of individual they are.
Back to Salome's original question about "Free Your Mind". It is by and large a great forum to visit...with the exception of a few bad apples who lack the appropriate social skills necessary for a lively, engaging, and yes...."civil" debate...null and void of those sarcastic comments that only serve to pump up their "manly egos".