Agreed. And, you can usually tell by their “I’m a staunch conservative, BUT...”, or “I’m a Republican, BUT...” lead-ins, before they disparage the candidate, policy, etc... etc...
Like one poster I ran across yesterday - went to check out their page. Covered with “elephants”, and images, but they make the remark — What? Was it something I said? HA HA I LOVE FreeRepublic, don’t YOU???” I mean c’mon... A TRUE FReeper would NEVER say things like that! A TRUE Conservative would not say things like that, either. It’s like when Pelosi couched her pro-murder statements with “Now, I’m an ardent, practicing Catholic”. If she was really she would find no reason to use those two words — she would simply say “I am Catholic”.
I too offer my apologies to all who are here in the spirit of “bi-partisanship”, or “Country FIRST”, etc... etc... I could care less if someone has been a registered DEMOCRAT their WHOLE lives! As long as that person is respectful, asks questions in an effort to understand, debates in a respectful way, etc...
After all, I was a Libertarian when I first signed up here 8 years ago, and through peoples’ patience I learned, and matured even more to understand why some of the beliefs I held were not really in keeping with what was good for our country (like “open borders”). One thing I didn’t do was misrepresent myself and my beliefs. Honesty goes a LONG, LONG way.
Sorry for the mini-rant here — it just really frustrates me. These operatives that think we are all that naive and stupid ARE desperate. They may think they’re getting on “over” on us, but in reality they are only making fools of themselves. They may think since they’ve been able to “fool” us for weeks or months that we are stupid. However, they fail to see that - unlike DU - we encourage competition of ideas and Free Speech (until we are 99.9% sure that they are ONLY here to cause trouble). I feel sorry for them actually, they are the ones who’ve gotten the wool pulled over their eyes, and someday, somehow, it’ll come back to haunt them. As new agers love to say, “Karma is a bitch”.
I’m actually amazed at the level of desperation they show - like you said, honest debate is one thing - bring it on. The Socratic mthodology for debate - intelligence, candor, and good will. Logic, rationale discourse, and reason have done more to change peoples’ hearts and minds the world over. I welcome it.
I do NOT welcome stealth, guile, and disguised motives in a debate, as they are the tactics of low-lifes and scoundrels. Shine a light on them, call them out for what they are, and boot their asses off the board.
But - hey, they consider themselves “revolutionaries” I guess. They want a bloodless revolution this time around, using the law, the legal system, and ultimately the coercive power of the State against us. They truly believe, in their demented way, that their time is ascendent...Yeat’s “Second Coming” comes to mind immediately...”...and what rough beast, it’s hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”
Ballots as opposed to bullets this time...they seem to believe that half the country will just roll over and take it.
It’s a dangerous game the other side is playing. This isn’t a third world country with an unarmed, dispirited, morally crushed peasent-class. Eventually, people push back.