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.

[AQGeiger]

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.

Frolack? I take it you mean to use the word "frolic." I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt, but a quick search on Merriam-Webster reveals no such word as "frolack." For someone pontificating about intellectual superiority, you are not exactly revealing your own such superiority, my friend.

[Post Toasties]

Anyone can see that "Demorat" or "'Rat" is clearly wittier than the LW equivalent of 'Repuglican' or 'Repug', and, given that, its moderate use has the virtues of discouraging the DU Crew from slanging Republicans as well as providing a means of venting well earned frustration with Left Wing Hate, Hypocrisy, Lies and Crookedness.

[Cooltouch]

OK, this is probably a really stale response, but Ah Cain't Hep It. 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.

I believe Neville Chamberlain had similar sentiments toward ol' Adolf.

[TigersEye]

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.

Vince Foster. Waco. Abortion on demand. "Fng Jew Bastard." Kissing Suha Arafat. "Vast right wing conspiracy." Pardoning terrorists. Missile tech. for Chinese money. Letting Web Hubbel rot and die in prison. Dead cats.

I think she would.

[fire_eye]

This thread is so long I don't have time to read it to see if anyone's already posted this, but...

David Horowitz said that his goal in life is to teach the Republican Party bad manners.

WFB responded that in the process he's also giving it guts, and a heart.

I'm here to help with the "Bad Manners" effort - particularly if there are any DU trolls around to offend...

[liberallarry]

Give it up! Politics is a contact sport.

[NewLand]

[nicmarlo]

personally, I call them all democRats! : )

[NewLand]

Mrs NewLand, a.k.a. "little rebel" wants to know how come your butt hasn't been zotted outta here yet?

[fortheDeclaration]

Excellent post.
I think you made a far better case then CH did.
You stayed with the civility issue.
CH got sidetracked defending McCain ( a conservative Republican-who can't wait to bad mouth fellow conservatives-a useful idiot for the Media) and Hillary (she really isn't a Nazi-very debatable-how about Bloody Mary?)

[fortheDeclaration]

Hey connectthedots how are you doing?
You are right about that Religion forum-they do not believe in taking any prisoners!
LOL!

[SirLurkedalot]

You keep that up and I'll learn to breath underwater ( or undercoffee)

[Slings and Arrows]

I'm getting payoffs from Keyboard & Monitor Manufacturers' Council.

[jamaly]

You are a seriesly hugh party pooper. You have completely stuned my beeber by your seriesness. Lighten up! Haven't you ever heard of gallows humor? Sometimes if we didn't laugh about the DemonRATS we would cry. Go take a shower and check back later.

[ArcLight]

Actually, I agree with the basic point here. We gain nothing by using a lot of ugly, hateful rhetoric, just because the other side does it. Who cares what our opponents do? After all, we already know they're wrong, yes? Why emulate them?

[mrsmel]

I personally don't feel compelled to be viscious and really mean. I don't see anything wrong with a little snarking and sarcasm though:) I feel that it's more detrimental to me as a person and my mental health than to the "opposition" to get really ugly. A little ribbing-hey, if they can't even take that-c'est la guerre.

[SunkenCiv]

I thought this would be about the way people (well, some people) disagree with others here (ad hominem, self-righteous anger, regurgitated biases), so I don't agree with you. In addition to finding out about various news stories and Freepin' alerts, we're having fun here.

I will continue to use "Hitlery", and the phrases "Demagogic Party", "the Dims", and "so-called Democratic Party", among other things. Sorry to disappoint you, but that's one of those goose-gander things. :')

George W. Bush will be reelected by a margin of at least ten per cent

[SunkenCiv]

Eating our own...Time to make a new start in Free Republic
896 posted on 07/31/2004 11:51:26 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

[SunkenCiv]

Rats started the most personal,vicious,and spiteful political attacks when this era began,and here's why-because the Republicans had quite a few years in the wilderness,not holding power in the Congress and in the statehouses.We had plenty of time to learn to live with being the opposition party and work from that position. The Reagan Revolution and then the Contract With America changed all that,and the Demo-rats stil haven't had time to accept it and acknowledge that they have no divine entitlement to be the majority party in this country.

well said.

George W. Bush will be reelected by a margin of at least ten per cent

[BushisTheMan]

"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.

Sorry, but I will continue to use this phrase whether you like it or not.