Can USMB Be A Model Of BiPartisan Unity?

[Avatar4321]

It would take honesty, civility, an acceptence of personal responsibility in every individual concerning their rhetoric, tone, and charity. It would require mutual forgiveness and alot of hard work.

Of course, it also depends what we are uniting behind.

I dream of the day we have unity. I've been working for it for years. It would be nice to be able to discuss matters of the day with intelligence, charity, and civility.

See, I believe we shouldn't be focusing so much on that aspect. That tends to lead to divisiveness. It sets up the "your on that side" and "I'm on this side" way of thinking and both sides shut out the other.

I believe the focus should be on attempting to listen and try to understand the other point.

It's either we're both demons or none of us are demons. Which one you prefer?

That's a false dichotemy. And i think what we are uniting for is vitally important. Even if it's just the sake of civil discussion. That's a good thing to unite about.

 

[MarcATL]

Actually, probably not, since I'm going off your opening threads, or your reply to whomever posts in your threads first. But, hey.. I'm not going to stick around to see how this one plays out, either. Good luck.

Seems like you've already made up your mind for whatever reason. I guess that's to be expected, and that's fine. However, I will have you know that things don't happen in a vacuum nor do we live in a bubble. We all respond to the stimuli around us. Myself included. So please keep that in mind.

Do have a good day ma'am.

 

[California Girl]

Will you accept my olive branch....?

Sure.

Praise God for that.

It's a two-way street from here on out. I won't be rude, disrespectful nor demeaning to you, and I don't expect you to be that way to me.

I will listen without defending, and I will speak without offending.

Deal?

OK. As long as you understand that, if you lie, I will tell you that you are lying. That is not rude to me, it is honest. I value honesty above civility.

 

[MarcATL]

OK. As long as you understand that, if you lie, I will tell you that you are lying. That is not rude to me, it is honest. I value honesty above civility.

And if you are fast and loose with the definition of "lie" I will be sure to inform you as well and appeal to you to reconsider.

Let's all just vow to be more responsible.

I already immediately activated that.

 

[loosecannon]

I understand your position, really I do. But we are in crisis mode. It's another "9/11" right now, and now is a time for unity.

So, I'm willing to try.

OK, so humans can overcome their instincts for the purpose of survival....

But what is the crisis? How is this another 9/11?

Not to rub salt in your theory but 9/11 and Pearl Harbor expressly support my point.

 

[geauxtohell]

Can the RW and the LW on THIS board show the rest of the country how its done?

If so, what would be necessary to accomplish this?

Note: Let's try not to start off with insults, rhetoric, false expectations, et al.

Of course not. We all come here for entertainment. Part of that entertainment (whether we admit it or not) is in beating each other over the head and neck (rhetorically speaking).

If people really want civil debate, they should join a formal debate society with rules and judges.

I am still trying to "win" an internet debate.

• 
  Not really.

 

[MarcATL]

I understand your position, really I do. But we are in crisis mode. It's another "9/11" right now, and now is a time for unity.

So, I'm willing to try.

I'm not in crisis mode. Why exactly would I be? I pray and feel for the victims of the recent shootings but it doesnt put me in crisis mode. Why on earth should I fear and worry about anything?

Did you say this during/right after 9/11/2001?

Would you?

It's really not about you Avatar...that's the problem.

It's about ALL of America.

I hope you come to understand that.

 

[MarcATL]

I understand your position, really I do. But we are in crisis mode. It's another "9/11" right now, and now is a time for unity.

So, I'm willing to try.

OK, so humans can overcome their instincts for the purpose of survival....

But what is the crisis? How is this another 9/11?

Not to rub salt in your theory but 9/11 and Pearl Harbor expressly support my point.

When I made that statement, I wasn't just referring to the horrific events of this weekend. I'm talking in general.

Everything that led up to this. Including what occurred during Bush's term.

America is in crisis...we need to start being more cognizant of that and act accordingly.

United we stand...divided we fall.

 

[Mini 14]

I will follow your lead.

Fair enough?

 

[loosecannon]

Sure.

Praise God for that.

It's a two-way street from here on out. I won't be rude, disrespectful nor demeaning to you, and I don't expect you to be that way to me.

I will listen without defending, and I will speak without offending.

Deal?

OK. As long as you understand that, if you lie, I will tell you that you are lying. That is not rude to me, it is honest. I value honesty above civility.

You lie all the time and you don't even know it.

IF you want to forge some forum of civility then you have to accept that your opinion is just an opinion, and you have no right to express umbrage at others for doing exactly what you do routinely.

That's the whole point, humans almost always recognize the deficits of others much more readily than they do their own. You keep your own lies concealed from yourself while you are very keen to see other's.

Unless you can temper your own bias you can't be a judge of honesty. Yours or anybody else's.

 

[loosecannon]

America is in crisis...we need to start being more cognizant of that and act accordingly.

United we stand...divided we fall.

OK, I agree. What next?

 

[xotoxi]

Can the RW and the LW on THIS board show the rest of the country how its done?

If so, what would be necessary to accomplish this?

Yes. It can be done.

It is called The Flame Zone.

 

[loosecannon]

Can the RW and the LW on THIS board show the rest of the country how its done?

If so, what would be necessary to accomplish this?

Note: Let's try not to start off with insults, rhetoric, false expectations, et al.

Of course not. We all come here for entertainment. Part of that entertainment (whether we admit it or not) is in beating each other over the head and neck (rhetorically speaking).

If people really want civil debate, they should join a formal debate society with rules and judges.

I am still trying to "win" an internet debate.

• 
  Not really.

I come here because I assume this is the real America. I assume that within reason the opinions here express the state of our nation at large.

Good bad or ugly I want to know more than the purty speak they sell on TV.

 

[rdean]

Sorry,
The difference between the right and the left is too great. Republicans are 90% white and based in the Confederate south. Obama's black may be only skin deep, their hatred is to the bone.

And right wing ideology overwhelms their sensibility. The support for the disastrous Iraqi war, the support for the apology to BP, the support for a leadership that calls unemployed members of their own base "hobos and druggies", the fact that the right wing shoots up Democratic campaign offices because a health care bill was passed that gives insurance to millions of children.

Simply the fact that the Republican base supports a party that worked vigorously to move millions of their jobs overseas to China is a perfect example. Would they show such support for a party whose leadership says publicly the president "pals around with terrorists" and "wasn't born here" if Obama wasn't black. It's only because Obama is black these charges even come up. It's crazy to think otherwise.

 

[geauxtohell]

I come here because I assume this is the real America. I assume that within reason the opinions here express the state of our nation at large.

Good bad or ugly I want to know more than the purty speak they sell on TV.

"Real America" doesn't have broadband and would rather watch the game than geek out on an internet chat room.

Face it, we are a dorky subset of "real America".

Kind of like those fucking hipsters.

Only without those God-awful Ray-Ban sunglasses those bastards are always wearing.

 

[Mini 14]

Sorry,
The difference between the right and the left is too great. Republicans are 90% white and based in the Confederate south. Obama's black may be only skin deep, their hatred is to the bone.

And right wing ideology overwhelms their sensibility. The support for the disastrous Iraqi war, the support for the apology to BP, the support for a leadership that calls unemployed members of their own base "hobos and druggies", the fact that the right wing shoots up Democratic campaign offices because a health care bill was passed that gives insurance to millions of children.

Simply the fact that the Republican base supports a party that worked vigorously to move millions of their jobs overseas to China is a perfect example. Would they show such support for a party whose leadership says publicly the president "pals around with terrorists" and "wasn't born here" if Obama wasn't black. It's only because Obama is black these charges even come up. It's crazy to think otherwise.

Ok rdean,
Here's your chance to step back and do what the President was talking about tonight:

Republicans' are all white Southerners?

This is an ACTUAL MAP of the ACTUAL RESULTS by county in the 2008 election:

You want to keep with the stereotype?

Or join us in the real world?

 

[rdean]

Sorry,
The difference between the right and the left is too great. Republicans are 90% white and based in the Confederate south. Obama's black may be only skin deep, their hatred is to the bone.

And right wing ideology overwhelms their sensibility. The support for the disastrous Iraqi war, the support for the apology to BP, the support for a leadership that calls unemployed members of their own base "hobos and druggies", the fact that the right wing shoots up Democratic campaign offices because a health care bill was passed that gives insurance to millions of children.

Simply the fact that the Republican base supports a party that worked vigorously to move millions of their jobs overseas to China is a perfect example. Would they show such support for a party whose leadership says publicly the president "pals around with terrorists" and "wasn't born here" if Obama wasn't black. It's only because Obama is black these charges even come up. It's crazy to think otherwise.

Ok rdean,
Here's your chance to step back and do what the President was talking about tonight:

Republicans' are all white Southerners?

This is an ACTUAL MAP of the ACTUAL RESULTS by county in the 2008 election:

You want to keep with the stereotype?

Or join us in the real world?

There is a huge difference between "Republicans are ALL white southeners and the Confederate Republican party is BASED in the deep south.

Check out the concentration of population for Republicans west of the Mississippi compared to the concentration of population for Republicans east of the Mississippi.

You can't "make something up" and then bitch about me saying it, when you "made it up". Doesn't make any sense. You really have to do better.

 

[loosecannon]

I come here because I assume this is the real America. I assume that within reason the opinions here express the state of our nation at large.

Good bad or ugly I want to know more than the purty speak they sell on TV.

"Real America" doesn't have broadband and would rather watch the game than geek out on an internet chat room.

Face it, we are a dorky subset of "real America".

Kind of like those fucking hipsters.

Only without those God-awful Ray-Ban sunglasses those bastards are always wearing.

yeah well, I hope you are right. On the other hand, I fear that we may be a whole lot more representative of the nation than the teevee is. Or the rest of the media.

I hear that Rush Limbaugh is fairly popular, ever hear that name?

 

[loosecannon]

Sorry,
The difference between the right and the left is too great. Republicans are 90% white and based in the Confederate south. Obama's black may be only skin deep, their hatred is to the bone.

And right wing ideology overwhelms their sensibility. The support for the disastrous Iraqi war, the support for the apology to BP, the support for a leadership that calls unemployed members of their own base "hobos and druggies", the fact that the right wing shoots up Democratic campaign offices because a health care bill was passed that gives insurance to millions of children.

Simply the fact that the Republican base supports a party that worked vigorously to move millions of their jobs overseas to China is a perfect example. Would they show such support for a party whose leadership says publicly the president "pals around with terrorists" and "wasn't born here" if Obama wasn't black. It's only because Obama is black these charges even come up. It's crazy to think otherwise.

Ok rdean,
Here's your chance to step back and do what the President was talking about tonight:

Republicans' are all white Southerners?

This is an ACTUAL MAP of the ACTUAL RESULTS by county in the 2008 election:

You want to keep with the stereotype?

Or join us in the real world?

fwiw that map demonstrates that the more densely populated a region is the more likely it is to vote democrat, and vice versa.

IOW the most social people tend to have the most social values while the most antisocial people the most antisocial values.

Do you concur?

 

[Mini 14]

Sorry,
The difference between the right and the left is too great. Republicans are 90% white and based in the Confederate south. Obama's black may be only skin deep, their hatred is to the bone.

And right wing ideology overwhelms their sensibility. The support for the disastrous Iraqi war, the support for the apology to BP, the support for a leadership that calls unemployed members of their own base "hobos and druggies", the fact that the right wing shoots up Democratic campaign offices because a health care bill was passed that gives insurance to millions of children.

Simply the fact that the Republican base supports a party that worked vigorously to move millions of their jobs overseas to China is a perfect example. Would they show such support for a party whose leadership says publicly the president "pals around with terrorists" and "wasn't born here" if Obama wasn't black. It's only because Obama is black these charges even come up. It's crazy to think otherwise.

Ok rdean,
Here's your chance to step back and do what the President was talking about tonight:

Republicans' are all white Southerners?

This is an ACTUAL MAP of the ACTUAL RESULTS by county in the 2008 election:

You want to keep with the stereotype?

Or join us in the real world?

There is a huge difference between "Republicans are ALL white southeners and the Confederate Republican party is BASED in the deep south.

Check out the concentration of population for Republicans west of the Mississippi compared to the concentration of population for Republicans east of the Mississippi.

You can't "make something up" and then bitch about me saying it, when you "made it up". Doesn't make any sense. You really have to do better.

You couldn't be any more wrong:

Election maps

Its ok. We need people like you for the President to point to as the problem, just like he did tonight.