Politics ... remember what I said?

by Simon 43 Replies latest forum announcements

  • Band on the Run
    Band on the Run

    I am breaking my enforced silence to comment on the uber stupid remark that Americans are uber-stupid. First, I am an American, acnowledge our manifold shortcomings but am very proud to be an American. I am not uber stupid. No one who has posted on any political thread here is uber stupid. I am a Democratic activist. No one ever posted uber stupid comments. I will grant that there is a lack of politcal savvy, sophistication, and lack of objective facts. Americans are passionate. We should be. After WWII, we assumed the status that Great Britain had before the war. Our politics matters to the entire world.

    What drive me bonkers on many political threads is the lack of content from the member. After posting here for about two years, I truly would be interested in why someone hates Obama; what their political world view is; their real experiences that shaped their political philosophy. This is a private site. Myriads of political sites exist for debate. The copy and pastes from dubious site son both sides are silly, IMO. I don't give a damn what some crony GOP or DEm site says. I care what members think or believe. People tend not to even write an introductotry sentence or two describing why they are posting the very partisan copy and paste. What I would enjoy is an alternative to the two parties. Most of the political content here is trash. The WT is merely replaced by the GOP or DEM screeds.

    When I heard monetization policies discussed, the prof. remarked how Great :Britain controlled so much and now is a bit player. America is posed to become Great Britain in decline.

    This is not a professional politcal web site, such as Politico. No uber credentials are needed. A marketplace of ideas is always messy.

    Passion is not being uber stupid. We don't have any standards as to Bible content, JW information. It is possible to be very sophisticated and informed on both policy and personalities yet retain passion. I am very jaded compared to my 15 year old enthusiasms but passion remains.

    No one I have ever responded to who post racist and silly remarks is uber stupid. If intelligence is the new hallmark, it should be applied to all posts. Also, what is the process for determining who is cool enough and brilliant enough to post.

    If it were my forum ( and clearly, it is not), I would endorse political neutrality here. The minimum requirement would be original content from the member. It is insulting to imply that everyone here is incapable of putting "inflammatory p olitical statements" in Google and finding the garbage themselves.

    Americans are not cool globally. We are so not European and I would love a European America. Stupid, let alone uber stupid ,we are not.

    Perhaps the most irresponsible and uber stupid are those with no opinoins, no votes, no caring.

    This is not a public forum. Free speech does not exist here. Anyone who believes they have political "truth" is as ill informed as a Witness concerning "the truth" in my opinion.

    Americans may not be well loved outside the United States. Unlike most other countries, though, we matter. Personally I am both an Anglophile and Francophile. After September 11th, I no longer believe NY is a European outpost. There but for the grace of God go I. I am an American, to quote the propaganda commercials that ran after the attacks. I saw the rubble. My fire house was wiped out. Walking past thousands of flyers for the missing (DEAD) at Bellevue Hospital, I am an American. Perhaps those who call us uber stupid are envious of our power.

  • Night Owl
    Night Owl

    Just stay out of my Costco.

    NightOwl

  • Violia
    Violia

    I totally agree with Chis Christie-- if I have to choose between being loved or respected , I'll take respect. Making the hard decisions does not always make you popular or loved but it will gain respect-even if it is begrudging. I'm tired of Obama's apology tour. America does the heavy lifting and always has.

  • sizemik
    sizemik
    I think you can learn much about the principles of logic/rhetoric by examining others in action, if only as an exercise of IDing common fallacious arguments and faulty reasoning. I know JWs who have a hard time IDing fallacious reasoning, but only find it harder to learn the principles when analyzing material they are emotionally-invested in; instead, they'd learn the principles of logic by looking at some topic for which they are detached. . . . KS

    A very worthwhile exercise . . .

  • Simon
    Simon

    I'm sure there are some people capable of conducting proper political discussion.

    The problem is that the loud-mouth dogmatisms on both sides drown out any serious debate through the inevitable barrage of copy-and-pasted propagandist tripe.

    I'm sure of course that this is their intent ... the same way that fundamentalist religious types "win" arguments by just repeating the same crap until everyone else just gets bored of hearing it.

    Well, it's not going to happen here.

    Serious discussion and sharing opinions and reasoning? Great ...

    Barrage of copy-and-paste propagenda? Goodbye ...

  • NewChapter
    NewChapter

    http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/sep/22/mitt-romney/mitt-romney-repeats-claim-obama-went-around-world-/

    Violia, Obama did not go on an apology tour. I know it has been very effective rhetoric, but if you are interested, the link above looks into what actually happened. Unfortunately, the truth doesn't always fit on a bumper sticker, is generally complex, and does not evoke near as much emotion. Read for yourself and decide if he was being diplomatic or apologizing. Presidents do have to be diplomatic, but that doesn't equal apologies.

  • mouthy
    mouthy

    Now Children remember what SIMON SAID!!!!!

  • King Solomon
    King Solomon

    Simon says:

    I'm sure of course that this is their intent ... the same way that fundamentalist religious types "win" arguments by just repeating the same crap until everyone else just gets bored of hearing it.

    Yeah, that's a frustrating element of online "debates": instead of approaching an issue to get towards "truths" by proving elements in a step-wise fashion, people "shot-gun" arguments, and it quickly becomes a mud-slinging brow-beating contest.

    It's a shame, as in the internet world, "moderators" don't resemble anything close to the definition of the word which exists in a debate setting (i.e. moderators are the impartial individuals who guide discussions by using questioning, maintaining control of the direction of the "debate", even calling fouls, as needed). Instead on-line forum moderators are more like bar-bouncers who kick participants off after they commit too many violations.

    But it is what it is, I suppose. That critique doesn't exist just here, but virtually ALL internet forums where you have a wide cross-section of participants with different backgrounds...

  • Night Owl
    Night Owl

    In order to not hear conservatives, it has come down to this.

    NightOwl

  • still thinking
    still thinking

    Are there political threads on JWN? I hadn't noticed...LOL

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