Posted on 08/30/2004 10:05:23 PM PDT by ChicagoHebrew
I enjoy this forum, but lately I've noticed a troubling tendency for posters here to descend into horrible and immature name-calling. Such name-calling, and extremism without reason does nothing but harm our cause. It turns off casual lurkers and readers of this forum. It provides fodder for this forum to be demonized and non-respected elsewhere. Below I provide a few examples. I call on Freepers to stop using such terms voluntarily. If that doesn't work, I call on the moderators to warn, if not censor, posters who use such terms. I realize that Democratic Underground uses even more ridiculous terms sometimes. However, your opponents' choice to frolack in waste does not provide an excuse to do likewise. Rather, it provides an opportunity to rise above, and show one's intellectual and moral superiority. Without more, I present a few examples of the type of garbage I'm talking about. I call on fellow posters to add their own.
1) "Hitlery" -- I dislike Hillary Clinton's politics, and what I know of her personality. However, nothing she has said or done (including her love-fest with Suha Arafat) justifies comparing her to one of the worst monsters in all history. Doing so not only demeans the Holocaust, and all the war dead of WWII, it makes a mockery of this forum to allow it to be posted.
2) "Demorat" -- This is just stupid. Calling your opponent a rodent does nothing to promote conservatism or libertarianism. It does everything to make posters and this forum look like intellectual infants, prone to tantrums and incapable of rational debate. We disagree with Democrats. We should not dehumanize them, or think them so below us that we need not engage them in debate and triumph.
3) "McInsane" & etc. -- John McCain is a conservative, loyal Republican. Indeed, in some areas -- such as controlling spending -- he's far more conservative then Bush. However, he is also a mavarick who doesn't tow the party line -- and, in my opinion, sometimes perhaps puts his principles below his desire to win applauds from the media. That being said, his ACU rating is strong, and he has put legitimate personal disagreements with Bush behind him to support what's best for his party -- and, more importantly -- his country. Feel free to critique McCain. Feel free to disagree with him when he criticizes fellow Republicans or takes an odd liberal stand. However, do not resort to petty name-calling -- especially not name calling that implies he lacks mental faculties, and/or is evil. It's just not right.
So I have written. I hope that a silent majority of Freepers agree with me here.
hey! Let's all be PC-whipped for our slavering enemies who would never think to be such pansies!
(gag)
(insert rush's picture of hillary's testical lock box here)
Where have you been? This has been going on for years. Guess what? It happens on most forums. Grow a thicker skin.
I can't remember who first called me a "genius" on FR, but I printed it out, framed it, and have it posted on my refrigerator door. Please don't tell me it was sarcasm.
And "damnocrats."
If using the term 'Hitlery' really does personally offend you, I will not use it. I mean that. However, there are other things of FR where people express sarcasm, whitticisms,etc. such as caption this threads.
I think among posters like us, this stuff is legitimate because it's just used for humor. Obviously it's not proper for a public forum or anything, because Hillary is not comparable to Hitler, just as Bush is not.
As for the assertion that McCain is conservative... sorry, but no. I like the guy, but he's a moderate (somewhat liberal) Republican.
They are also both homosexual.
Ooooh I hope that wasn't me *lol*
In that case, I would like to offer this rebuttal to your proposal:
Neener neener neener.
[Thank you.]
vegetarian..old indian word for bad hunter
Doogle
The Cubs still suck.
Tsk, tsk. I wouldn't go to DU b/c I'd be outed as a right-wing troll in ten seconds. I'm a Bush supporter. Are you really saying that if you don't equate Hillary to Hitler you must be a leftist? Get real.
These also aren't my "biggest issues." However, just because they aren't my "biggest issues" doesn't mean I shouldn't mention or discuss them at all. Bowling ain't my favorite activity, but I still enjoy hitting the lanes 2-3 times a year.
ROTFL!!!!!!!
Thank you for one of the most amusing threads I have ever read, this beats the max cleland thread, I am laughing too hard.
I like calling them the Demoncrap Party. Its fits them so well. I also call them Democrat Socialists or DAZI's but usually not online.
You're being ironic, right?
"So I have written. I hope that a silent majority of Freepers agree with me here."
Actually I use the term, "demoCommiecRAT"!!!!
:-)
D2
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