A call for civility on Free Republic

Vanity | 08/31/04 | ChicagoHebrew

[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.

[Arpege92]

"If you think that Hillary Clinton would start murdering millions of people if she had the chance, or try to conquer the world, you are either a maniac or an idiot."

Well well well....not even out of the starting gates and you reduced yourself to calling another FReeper a "MANIAC" or an "IDIOT".

[FreeRadical]

You are kinda silly and soft. If this were the green room for one of the lamestream press shows and we were gonna have to enforce a little self inflicted dumbing down in order to even get on the air, then you would, arguably, have a point. But, alas, this is FreeRepublic.com. That .com is important. It means, tell it like it is. And this is what is:

Hitlery is evil. She is not good. She is for things that would make Hitler blush, or at least proud. There is no room in civility to be kind to her. It is moral duty to hate her and hate people that support her. Deal with this.

There are perhaps one, maybe two, good Democrats on the planet. The rest are demonRats or DemoRats are whatever the hell vulgarity a good person might choose to call them. There is no room in our country for socialists/progressive/marxist/demorats. Again, deal with this.

Finally, many many republicans are nothing more than socialists that still believe in God. They may not beat their wives. They may keep a good yard. But, they are openly hostile to the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Bush is a good man and a decent president for our times and certainly the man to support in november. But, if one believes in the Constitution and Bill of Rights and wishes to compare Bush's politics to the actual law of the land, then Bush is so freaking wrong it's scary.

The thing you need to remember is where I started. This forum is for truth, not for kindness cuz it makes you feel all or warm and fuzzy. Not for dumbing down cuz it scares you less. Truth can set you free and truth can really really be a pain in your ass.

[FreeReign]

Demorat" -- This is just stupid.

However, do not resort to petty name-calling -- especially not name calling that implies he lacks mental faculties, and/or is evil.

I see a contradiction in your above two statements. Yes, I know there is a logical difference between calling someone "stupid" and calling something that someone says, "stupid". But the difference is small which makes your above two statements, said together, stooopid.

[FreeReign]

"So I have written. I hope that a silent majority of Freepers agree with me here." Now you know! Rabid party groupies are the same regardless of the party.

"Rabid party groupies"? Looks like you've descended into horrible and immature name-calling.

Priceless!

[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

What about Scumbag (X42)?

Look friend, name calling of fellow members should not be tolerated, but name calling the RATs is a MUST! The DemonRATs are enemies. We are at war with the DemonRAT Party.

It is not politics, it is war. Thus, the names you mentioned are mild. They should be called worse.

[Memother]

Wrapped a little tight, are we?????

[staytrue]

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.

Hillary in her heart thinks she should be ruler of the world. She has no respect for democracy and would do away with it if she could. It is this aspect of Hillary that is indeed very much like Hitler.

If you want to see real body slamming language, go to the archives and check out some the Schwartzenegger/McClintock threads.

[eskimo]

"Rabid party groupies"? Looks like you've descended into horrible and immature name-calling.

Ridiculous! I was speaking in general terms. I would have thought anyone with a modicum of intellect would have realized that.

[A Jovial Cad]

I read both your post and then scrolled down through the entire thread.
I disagree with your post (at least #1 & #2; agree with you on #3): we simply cannot afford to be "civil" with the Left, especially here at FR, plain and simple. Our opponents on the "liberal" side are the most uncivil band of filth to stalk the globe since the Philistine hordes ravaged civilization in ancient Biblical times, to put it plainly. "Civility" towards them of *ANY KIND* is simply interpreted as weakness, and they swarm like buzzards over such "nice" talk accordingly. They simply don't deserve the "civility" you're calling for--and I have no intention of extending it to them in ANY forum, especially this one.
That said, I must say I started to feel some sympathy for your position as I read some of the replies to it here. A fair chunk of them where made by some of the nastiest folks current at FR; folks who spew bilge about "newbies" and embarrass this site in general with their idiotic online demeanor. And some of them where the thinly-veiled anti-semites who've managed to stay *JUST BARELY* on the tiptoe side of that ugly line without getting banned. And their combined rancid presence in this thread, posting the typical smarmy garbage, is simply repulsive.

[meandog]

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.

Typical DU terms used:
Republican=Repukes, Repugs, Nazis, Facists, etc.
President Bush=Chimpy, Hitler, etc.
V. Secretary Powell=Uncle Tom, yard ornament, ect.
Condi Rice=Aunt Jamima, crack whore, etc.
Men/women in uniform=Baby killers, SS guards, etc.
God=Santa Claus, Easter Bunny

...but on the other hand:
Hillary Clinton=Joan of Ark
Jesse Jackson=Moses
and best of all: Bill Clinton=best president in history...sorry, no golden rule for DUers

[Publius6961]

For a newbie, you're looking great!

[George Smiley]

You don't KNOW uncivil.

This is the church potluck dinner compared to some places.

You want to see uncivil?

Go over to the Democratic Underground website and make the same request.

: ^ )

[Mamzelle]

I read your essay a couple days ago when you posted it and sort of snickered at your pompous-a$$ Amy Vanderbilt tone. But then I came back to see that you had gotten quite a response. One of those disconnects (figured you'd continue to be ignored as I had first intended to ignore you) that gives one pause.

I found, and still find, your criticisms ultimately condescending and self-congratulatory. (Oh, look at me, look at me! I bringeth down to you civility!) You presume to lecture to the unwashed suburbans and rurals. You exhibit a total lack of "nuance" in the knowledge of what an internet forum is for. So, in the interest of condescension, I'll tell you.

A politically-oriented Internet forum is not a graduate-student seminar at some niddly-noddly overfunded and underreputable public university. A politically-oriented internet forum is not a courtroom. A politially-oriented internet forum is not a session of legislature, with all its phony trappings of collegiality and ersatz comity.

A political discussion forum on the Internet is a mode of expression for many who lack the means to vent, organize, celebrate or commiserate in the face of events that threaten, insult, and inspire.

It is totally democratic and non-elitist, which is what I suspect is at the heart of your true objections.

[GregB]

How about The Anti-christ??????????????

[devolve]

You have too much time on your hands and are an immature PC ninny

Go burn your books and attempt idiotic thought control at DU

Scroll on down or get a brain transplant before playing philospher-king

P.S. - You forgot your PC hyphen......

[FreeReign]

"Rabid party groupies"? Looks like you've descended into horrible and immature name-calling.

Ridiculous! I was speaking in general terms. I would have thought anyone with a modicum of intellect would have realized that.

Calling a group of people "rabid party groupies" is logically no different than call a group of people "DemoRATS", which is what this thread was all about.

Name-calling is naming-calling whether you are calling an individual such a name or whether you are calling a group of people such a name. Your response was double-talk mixed in with more, low and behold, name-calling.

Good names for you would be hypocritcal and -- stoopid.

[MeekOneGOP]

Did you say "Hitlery?" How about "Goebbelsry?" .....

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John McCain Exposed! Photographed in his Natural Habitat!

http://www.greysquirrel.net/john.html

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Squirrel of the Month

John McCain

After being asked, repeatedly, to make Senator John McCain our squirrel of the month; We, here at the Global Squirrel Network have looked into the matter and decided:

1) He does seem to have the ability to draw people to him . . . as do squirrels.

2) He also possesses the unique ability to make bitter enemies of neighbors . . . Just like squirrels!

3) He has suffered inhumane treatment at the hands of humans, giving him a most personal insight into the lives of everyday squirrels.

4) And finally, he does look like us. For example, the photo, at left, is certainly the face of a squirrel, fiercely protecting his nuts.

© 1997 graysquirrel@worldnet.att.net

This Website © Grey Squirrel's Page of Silliness 1998 All Rights Reserved

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[devolve]

Go Meek go!

FR has as effeminate version of Lanny Davis here!

[weegee]

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.

They brought this little insult upon themselves when they tried to make the argument that a campaign ad lingered on the word "rats" too long in the word "bureaucrats". It is also present in "democrats" but they didn't want the association.

They let us know what button to push to get them hot under the collar. Meanwhile Republicans are call repugs and repukes on many blogs and forums (including entertainment sites like AintItCoolNews.com).

The Democrat Party bear little resemblance to the Democrats of old; might as well christen them with a new, abreviated name.

[SmithPatterson]

Free Republic people conduct themselves for the most part in a class fashion. Freepers have opinions..some can express them better than others. But Freepers are frustrated, we want our country back! If the opinions of Freepers bother you, then you should go elsewhere..