Climate Of Hate - Paul Krugman

[ruckman101]

He is a political cartoonist. He has to ramp up reality. That's the nature of cartooning.


neal

[Amskeptic]

I wouldn't agree it is simply the political rhetoric we engage in and that the bulk of that comes from one side. There's always heated rhetoric, and it comes from all sides. That is basically what I've been saying. I find it petty and repulsive in the aftermath of what happened for either side to try to claim "higher ground" and to make that an issue in a senseless event which only caused pain and suffering. As far as the societal roots of the act, that's something to consider, but here in this thread obviously the blame has been made

Turk, it is too late in the history of the world for you to try to claim that both sides are equally guilty of inflammatory rhetoric. It is one side, and it is the side that includes Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Sharron Angle, Michele Bachman, and those loopy insane Republicans from Texas like Joe Barton.
No Democratic cheerleader has ever ever engaged in the divisive Our Job Is To See The President Fail or "Give Us Our Country Back" crap while holding assault rifles at rallies decrying the very government that they so desperately want to regain their majority in!!!!!! Stephen Broden of Texas for example, among other things, he says that America is just like Nazi Germany today -- not because of things like torture and an unrestrained executive, but because of things like health care reform. He says that violent revolution is an option "on the table."
Don't tell me this is "both sides".

As for what alienated angry loners are want to do, the above words do trigger nutcases. So does Rush and Glenn and all the other right-wing liars who are fucking up our political dialogue with idiocy. Notice the easy concordance between our weak gun laws and our astonishing homocide rate. See? Cause and effect exists!

And people like you, actually YOU specifically, then muddy the discussion with claims that I want to ban words! So then I have to waste my time correcting you and you are just laughing because I think you do not believe the half of your words, you do not speak from your heart. And that is what pisses me off, it reduces me. My experience on this forum has been trashed, it has turned me into a "ranter" just to try to respond to your deep cynicism and jerking people's chains. And all you can see is what you claim is a like-minded circle-jerk.

Well, it ends here. I do not want this year on this forum to be all about turk's poking people in the eye for fun, putting words in their mouths, telling people what they are "really saying".

You are hereby banned from this forum unless you agree to the following:
You must accept this assignment to be moderator of Free Speech.
You must enforce the rules of Free Speech. I may employ secret violators to see how observant you are. I will not be available as co-moderator.

Step up to the challenge, turk.
Colin

[turk]

I accept with some reservations and some bargaining conditions. This thing you just posted is not what I have contributed to the threads here. It is extremely biased. Whatever I posted in the various threads is also biased, to my opinions on the topics. I didn't go outta my way to poke at people or get personal. I just have an opinion that is different from the status quo here. That invariably caused discord and verbal tumults, that I for the most part tried to stay on topic with, in spite of. I am not going to start getting into it again. It's petty. This idea of yours now is not without irony. An unpopular opinion is not easy to have. This has been the cause of the many misunderstandings which arose, not the least of which you were a part of. There was a lot of hot, emotionally charged posts, coming from you after I stated an opinion you disagreed with, some of which (of your responses) you had to edit or delete. Now, you wanna give me the authority to moderate? That seems ironic, and frankly suspicious. I don't know how good of a moderator I could be considering my strong opinions, but I would bet I would do better than you have. In light of the fact my strong opinions are most often in opposition to the majority here, I suggest you conduct a poll to see what the percentage is who would like to see me moderate. If it isn't too heavily slanted against, I will consider it. Otherwise it seems an odd proposition with the added ultimatum of banning me.

[turk]

But I actually know I would be a fair moderator, keeping the discussions open to all contributions, and even contributing myself, but with the added responsibility of keeping my own opinions strictly topical and toning down any sharp rebuttals that might offend. In other words, not simply tearing down another's perspective with innuendo meant to deride them or their perspective. I would also strictly enforce staying on the topic and not digressing unnecessarily into unrelated matters. I would also suggest another forum, namely Science and Tech, but that isn't really necessary.

[Amskeptic]

This is not open to a vote.
Nor is it a game.
You on?
Colin

[turk]

Okay. I will do it. My biggest concern as moderator is keeping the forum open to free speech while making sure no one is flamed. I define that as belittling another by name-calling (idiot, stupid, etc., etc., etc.), but also posts which can't refute someone's point or state their own case without inserting innuendo. The debate should be intelligent and stick to the topic. No one should have to think about responding to personal insinuations. It will go this way: if I see it, or someone alerts me (and I agree), they get a warning. The second time a deletion and temporary ban. If it goes on with several more incidents, then a permanent ban. But, this is interpreted per incident and circumstances. Debate can be heated and there will be lots of incidents, but hopefully few that require this. I think we are better than that.

[ruckman101]

Quite the turn.


neal

[turk]

I will "delete" posts that have no relevance to the original topic. There are lots of those. I will snip the text but leave the field open for the poster to re-post something if they so choose. An example of this would be here:



turk
Post subject: Re: "Obamacare" repeal- can ya justify it?Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 9:16 am

IAC Addict!


Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:00 pm
Posts: 1434
No Einstein, it's now going to be debated for real, what this bill should have, rather than crammed down the nation's collective throat in a jiffy for political reasons. Remember how it was a crisis and had to be done that year, before the holiday recess, because the economy was gonna tank if not, and blah, blah, blah Now hopefully, this will be seriously debated over the next year or two and a sensible long-term plan for reform passed.




hambone
Post subject: Re: "Obamacare" repeal- can ya justify it?Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:25 am

Post-Industrial Non-Secular Mennonite


Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2006 12:28 pm
Posts: 11365
Location: Portland, Ore.
Knock it off, Richard. You should run for office: "A bowl of puke in every IAC thread".


I appreciate humor but I would discourage oblique references that don't have a point related to the topic. It could muddy up the discussion.

[RussellK]

Golly. It's almost more crazy kind of fun than a family reunion around here. How do I take any of this seriously.

[turk]

Really no you shouldn't. I'll be taking care of the serious shit now, but with an impeccable sense o' humor. Hehehe.

[Velokid1]

You'll be pressed to really change the way you interact here, turk. People are going to be calling you out left and right for the same behavior you are describing above. I wish you luck.

Other people, myself included, admittedly, are guilty of those behaviors but what you will be forced to admit eventually is that they are mirroring you.

Can we rename this forum "Twilight Zone"?

[Sylvester]

Wow Turk is in charge, my first thought was:

"Hello Hens in the Henhouse."
"Why hello Mr. Fox, what are you doing here?"



I's a joke son, I say a joke. Boy's about as sharp as a bowling ball.

(Sylvesterwhocan'ttaketheheatinthekitchen)

[turk]

Nah. I hold back on the non-sense for the most part. I admit I sometimes reply in a way that can make some people feel stupid, and I'll try to be gentler. That's just the nature of internet forum debate. People counter with their strongest arguments and it becomes a battle. I understand that, and I will allow it to the limit of what I outlined above already. That's it. Everything else goes. The only exception will be myself. I will make myself be gentler than the other members in the heat of battle, while staying true to my arguments nonetheless. It will be good practice in civility. So, I disagree with your assessment mostly and your prediction totally.

[deschutestrout]

Nah. I admit I sometimes reply in a way that can make some people feel stupid, and I'll try to be gentler.

No, you often reply in a way that makes you look stupid. And a shit-stirrer sitting in front of your computer seeing whose feathers you can ruffle today. And yes, this is my opinion based on the multitude of arguments I've read on this forum. Half the time I can't figure out what the heck your actual position is on issues being discussed. Again, this is my opinion based on observation.

I generally shy away from posting in this forum...but read threads frequently...and exit because of all the BS (from various posters) that goes on here. I read and try to digest both sides of the arguments, especially those with which I am unfamiliar. I've learned some things, had issues clarified so I can make more informed assessments, and other times simply left the forum saying WTF, grow up folks!

You'd never succeed in posting something that would make me feel stupid. Just sayin'.

[turk]

Nah. I admit I sometimes reply in a way that can make some people feel stupid, and I'll try to be gentler.

No, you often reply in a way that makes you look stupid. And a shit-stirrer sitting in front of your computer seeing whose feathers you can ruffle today. And yes, this is my opinion based on the multitude of arguments I've read on this forum. Half the time I can't figure out what the heck your actual position is on issues being discussed. Again, this is my opinion based on observation.

I generally shy away from posting in this forum...but read threads frequently...and exit because of all the BS (from various posters) that goes on here. I read and try to digest both sides of the arguments, especially those with which I am unfamiliar. I've learned some things, had issues clarified so I can make more informed assessments, and other times simply left the forum saying WTF, grow up folks!

You'd never succeed in posting something that would make me feel stupid. Just sayin'.

You seem inordinately hostile. I think I made my actual position exceedingly clear on every single discussion I participated in. There's no question ever. That is what ruffles feathers, if, and when it does. You just havn't observed well. But if you disagree, why don't you present just one example to support your case. Just one is all I ask. Then I can consider your observation of just sitting in front of my computer looking to stir shit and riffle feathers and having no actual position past that. I'm calling you out on your
claim of an observation, because I know it's bull.