Question: is anyone really looking for civil discourse?

Maybe it would make this little pea world a better place by letting hurting peas know that another pea cares.SaveSave

Well. So.

Disclaimer: this post is the perspective of Liberal Me responding to what a couple-few conservatives are saying here.

You ain't gonna' convince me that you are being unfairly lumped into a stereotype of an Evil Undiscerning Hive of Conservative Intolerance by - who? - an Evil Undiscerning Hive of Liberal Nastiness.

That there is a logical fallacy. I don't know the fancy Latin name, but c'mon.

In this thread, one poster basically claimed that she can count NiceLiberalPeas on her thumbs. Another reports she has seen no flattering interactions from liberals on this board. (None?) A third used a lone post by a self-described provocateur to justify her claim that civil discourse is impossible, ignoring scores of reasonable posts.

My continued political thread malaise has many reasons, including deep unhappiness with some members from both "sides" and just a general world weariness. But if I'm expected to jump through hive responsibility-assuming hoops and hive policing hoops in order to establish my civil discourse street cred, I will fail. Guaranteed.

(I prefer to be judged on my own merits...such as they are. And FWIW, posting style is driven by personality, not ideology. You can't convince me otherwise.)

Thankfully, when I am in the mood - albeit, decreasingly - I can usually find civil, reasonable people with whom to interact here, although fewer conservatives in the general pool, which clearly is a detriment to our community.

But among those I find reasonable, I do not count people - on either side - who perpetuate this all!always!everybody!typical! monolith hive groupthink collective worldview (well, Refupeaview).

Also.
'Cause it's really perplexing to me.

A post from one of our most incendiary members - a Goodbye, Moronic Liberal World rant - was held up as an example of a post that was both unfairly received and contained grist for good, productive discussion.

So, is the thinking that the same forgiving (and selective) metric should be applied to all posts? If so, it makes no sense in the context of the grievances being aired here.

who says I am turning a blind eye or supporting Trump? You assume that because I am not here on a daily basis, participating in the countless threads that I have turned a blind eye and am supporting Trump? I find it no less Nazi-like for there to be some requirements and grading of posts and participation. 5% on the phone now 😕

@gajenny

I would like to see more conservatives call out Trump here, because I'd then assume they were calling him out at other places,and then empowering other people who were afraid to speak out, to also call him out and then to start call their representatives and try to stop some of this absolutely reprehensible behavior going on. He continues with this reprehensible behavior because his supporters don't speak out. If more of them did, there would at least be a chance that he'd want to keep his "fan base" and curtail some of it. If I heard more people speaking out against him, it would make me feel like this divide behind the two sides wasn't quite so wide.

i didn't think it was pointed at me

i was just clarifying

gina

President Obama actually deported more people than any of the presidents who came before him. He was not, contrary to popular belief, soft on immigration. 

Yup. Similarly, and contrary to our current president's belief, Mr. Obama did not throw open the gates to this county.

This whole "immigration is now too easy" trope is goofy.

[br

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

From the closing of that same Edmund Burke letter:

"No man, who is not inflamed by vain-glory into enthusiasm, can flatter himself that his single, unsupported, desultory, unsystematic endeavours, are of power to defeat the subtle designs and united cabals of ambitious citizens. When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle."

As I said, Elaine, I missed the earlier post. There were so many and I was typing like crazy to try to answer everyone. When I saw it, I waited until I had some time because I wanted to not rush a response to you--a person I have loved and considered a friend for many years. And with that said--if I have to spell out that I am not a Nazi and do not support Nazism in any form to a person who has known me for so many, many years, then clearly there is a disconnect somewhere. I apologize for taking so long to respond to you, but truly my intentions were good. With that, I think I'll bow out. What you have said to me has been unfair and unwarranted, and you know that. At least the person I have held in such high regard for so long would have know that!

No, I am in no way G-d. Nor do I think I am he.  If you think I am wicked, so be it.  I can live with your assessment, whoever you are, without a moment's hesitation. 

I'm glad to see you've all taken the time to rally at the other board.  

The one Elise referred to earlier. 

You are 100% correct, it doesn't matter to me.  I was simply answering YOU and the questions YOU were asking me.  But, okay, damn me for doing that too.  You all go on with your bad selves. If you don't want me to answer you, don't ask me questions, and all will be good.