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Posted on 02/04/2016 8:06:14 AM PST by HonorInPa
I’ll start off by saying, according to my profile, I’ve been a member of FR since September 2000, long enough to see the site evolve. I think the last three months have been a low point for FR with new lows being set every day.
FR used to be a place for interesting, sometimes contentious, but always considerate debate about issues important to the Conservative movement. Yes, during election cycles there was some push and shove concerning favorite candidates, but mostly involving their true conservative credentials.
Lately it is has become a reflection of the overall decline in civility in America. Gone are the reasoned arguments, peppered with humor, that were meant to persuade. Now many of the posts are nasty, ad hominem attacks – if you can’t use reason as a tool attack the person.
We’ve become, much like society, repeaters of the vulgar; he who speaks loudest or brashest must have the right opinion. We now live in a world where fame can start with leaked sex tapes, conspicuous consumption, and bad behavior (e.g. any Kardashian, Housewives of pick a city, etc.). No longer is much of the discussion here reflective of conservative principles – respect for the individual, reasoned consideration of all sides of an argument, and – dare I suggest – some level of morality.
Today, instead of working through solutions to the big problems facing America, our potential leaders toss out 140 character tweets meant to inflame their supporters or ridicule rivals. You can look at my post history and figure out who I’m supporting in this cycle (just as you can for previous elections) but I’m pointing my finger at all candidates. Put down the smartphones and talk to me like the intelligent adult I am. I know few of today’s issues are 100% black or white but I want to hear how you arrived at your solutions, your thought process, your ideals, your foundation. We’ve had enough of leaders who speak in platitudes or take a poll to decide what to have for lunch.
As a group we’re supposed to better than this. Over the years we’ve made fun of the idiocy over at DU but sadly of late, idiocy has found a new home here. We can raise the quality of the debate at this site. We can use this as a forum to demand that our candidates do the same. I will try my best to not get sucked into the morass and join in any undisciplined discussion.
I ask that each of us – myself included – take an extra second before pressing “post†to think about what we’ve typed. Does it insult needlessly? Does it raise the level of the debate? Is it a good reflection of our Conservative principles? Does it add fuel to the perceptions of others that the Right is made up of heartless, mean luddites?
Rather than sinking to the lowest common denominator, let’s all try to lead by example. Ok, flame away!
>> Now many of the posts are nasty, ad hominem attacks if you can’t use reason as a tool attack the person.
Enough with the generalization! Name names! And they’d better NOT be me or fellow supporters of MY guy!
Just kidding. What you say is spot on. Thanks for the thoughtful post.
See my post #10.
Free Republic has had far lower moments.
It seems that the personal insults that have nothing to do with the argument have toned down. Beyond that, I'm not sure how tame it can get with the way the campaigns are going. If conservatives don't thrash things out here, who will get past the BS and sort things out?
I'm wondering if FR life would be better if anyone working for a campaign had to divulge that information with their postings.
Haha me too kinda.
It’s always like this at primary season. Things will adjust in the general even though it doesn’t seem like it now.
Thank you. That was helpful.
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Just as another commenter said, he likely wrote it in Word and copied it here. It's easier to do it that way. The weird characters, in place of punctuation, have been showing up on Free Republic lately. It's some kind of glitch that didn't used to happen.
HonorInPa, good post and spot-on.
At least there aren’t mass bannings, like the Bushies here were doing to anyone bold enough to bring up illegal immigration.
Agree and been saying the same thing.
>> Free Republic has had far lower moments.
I tend to agree. As bad as it is right now, in past cycles it has been far worse.
Still, we’d be better off if we could improve the level of discourse, you butthead.
:-)
Obviously his post didn't sink in with you.
It's not about vigor, it's about tone.
Agreed.
I think he meant for FReepers to be civil to each other. Not when it comes to the progressives. If you didn't get that then you didn't bother to read the whole thing.
I like it!
“Collect ‘em all! Trade ‘em with your friends!”
Great post!!!
Good article...and Jim wrote another one yesterday...
I’ve never seen it this bad, but there is a lot on this election that we didn’t see before, maybe if this type of election took place with obuma, our Nation wouldn’t be in the condition that it’s in today...
But whatever obuma has done, will now have to be followed because the courts made their ruling with him...
Agreed as I suspect after these last 3 months we have paid staffers to fan the flames, as we also have establishment paid troll to fan the flames between Trump and Cruz voters to get their open border liberal Establishment guy Rubio in.
I’d have to say hear, hear. Pretty much encapsulates my feelings too. There are no perfect candidates, so trying to browbeat others into picking one or another isn’t going to work. Right now we are a circular firing squad.
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