Has anyone here noticed any odd trends?
- Thread starter MeekAndMild
- Start date
Hand_Rifle_Guy
New member
Methinks the civility here outweighs the un-civility by a vast ratio. Enough so that I've never bothered with the Ignore list. This place set the standard I judge any 'Net forum by, which was continued over at THR during the shutdown and still prevails at both sites. I never bother to so much as try to go anyplace else, and I think that size of the memberships of both reflect that. Politenes is appreciated by the polite, and most folks are.
As for the argument-testing idea, I actually see that concept as a good thing. If the anti's want to come here and sharpen their arguments on the likes of US, so much the better.
Sharpening a knife by using the steel of another leaves BOTH edges sharper. For what it's worth, I tend to think that OUR knife is made of better steel, and is wielded with better technique, thereby assuring our eventual success. This helps me stave off the unremitting depression that accompanies living in this gawd-awful leftist pesthole, something I find neccessary to my continued survival.
Yes, it IS that bad here, beautiful living conditions notwithstanding. The folks living in the rural-er parts of the state must be tearing their hair out.
As for the argument-testing idea, I actually see that concept as a good thing. If the anti's want to come here and sharpen their arguments on the likes of US, so much the better.
Sharpening a knife by using the steel of another leaves BOTH edges sharper. For what it's worth, I tend to think that OUR knife is made of better steel, and is wielded with better technique, thereby assuring our eventual success. This helps me stave off the unremitting depression that accompanies living in this gawd-awful leftist pesthole, something I find neccessary to my continued survival.
Yes, it IS that bad here, beautiful living conditions notwithstanding. The folks living in the rural-er parts of the state must be tearing their hair out.
Kamicosmos
New member
Not so much here, but I have noticed THR seems to once again be getting alot of attention from new people that are rather aggressive and argumentative and anti and/or lefty. So, I hang out here for a few days and wait it out.
I joined up here 2002 a few months before The Closing. Joined THR first day, and have been a regular there ever since. Even though I know that most of the members here are there, I just kinda like THR better...I dunno why. (I will say I miss roundtable, and while I joined APS first day, I don't think I have ever posted there, and haven't visited since the first week.)
But, it does seem to be more prone to ....how to be nice? Argumentative lefties?
TFL seems to be much more Right Leaning most of the time.
I joined up here 2002 a few months before The Closing. Joined THR first day, and have been a regular there ever since. Even though I know that most of the members here are there, I just kinda like THR better...I dunno why. (I will say I miss roundtable, and while I joined APS first day, I don't think I have ever posted there, and haven't visited since the first week.)
But, it does seem to be more prone to ....how to be nice? Argumentative lefties?
TFL seems to be much more Right Leaning most of the time.
Rich Lucibella
Staff
Chorlton-
REAL good question.
Those who own firearms for self defense tend to emphasize Individual Responsibility over State Control. They are also far more likely to support the **entire** Bill of Rights than those who argue the Second is no longer relevant.
But these are not hard and fast rules. Many left wing Democrats are hunters, I'm certain. And, as you've seen here, many 2nd Amendment hard liners believe the 1st, 4th or the 5th are somehow "subject to interpretation and change" when "we've been attacked".
Go figure.
Rich
REAL good question.
Those who own firearms for self defense tend to emphasize Individual Responsibility over State Control. They are also far more likely to support the **entire** Bill of Rights than those who argue the Second is no longer relevant.
But these are not hard and fast rules. Many left wing Democrats are hunters, I'm certain. And, as you've seen here, many 2nd Amendment hard liners believe the 1st, 4th or the 5th are somehow "subject to interpretation and change" when "we've been attacked".
Go figure.
Rich
MeekAndMild
New member
I think that it has to do with the way the coalitions have evolved over the course of the 20th century. You can see clusters of interest and political alliance which play out in odd ways through the years.
For instance the most fascinating subset of antiRKBA sentiment is the demand for Black disarmament which is shared by the NAACP and the Klan. The Klan is easily understandable on the basis of their bigotry, but why the NAACP?
The reasons are shrouded in history, going all the way back to the educational opportunity debates between Booker T. Washington, who was more conservative and egalatarian versus W.E.B DuBoise, one of the leaders of the NAACP, who believed that the top 10% of Blacks should be given whatever resources they needed to advance at the expense of the bottom 90%. The former believed that progress came from empowering the common man and the latter believed that progress came from empowering strong leaders at the expense of the common folk.
(If you become really interested in this I'd suggest reading their original writings rather than commentaries, which are often slanted one way or another.)
Rich Lucibella
Staff
Only if you attempt to fit all shaped pegs into square or round holes. As I said, "conservatives" tend to be more individualistic; that means they tend to be more diverse and less likely to fall into a cookie-cutter molds.
As to the extremes of Right and Left, label them as you will. They happen to be identical in terms of their practical effect, differing only in the vision of the world they think they're creating. Both justify the means by the end; both use the same means.
Rich
Really, I don't understand it, either. While both pay lip service to certain concepts, neither party seems to be the "Constitutional Party" or the "States Rights" party.
Very recently, the conservative party became synonymous with "Christian" issues, whatever those might be. Since the Christians don't even seem to know, it becomes whatever issue is in the news.
The liberals tend to champion minority rights/inclusion issues - which ends up putting them into sticky stuff regarding employment, urban violence and that kind of thing. It is very difficult to want equality for all citizens (an excellent goal) and not get dragged into those sidelined citizens personal problems as well. Hence, the babysitter reputation liberals get.
I've always felt that the two points of view are like this:
Conservative: I believe that my little section of America is the legitimate one. All effort should be expended on my status quo.
Liberal: I believe that America could be this shiny, wonderful place for everyone. Let's legislate my utopia.
Very recently, the conservative party became synonymous with "Christian" issues, whatever those might be. Since the Christians don't even seem to know, it becomes whatever issue is in the news.
The liberals tend to champion minority rights/inclusion issues - which ends up putting them into sticky stuff regarding employment, urban violence and that kind of thing. It is very difficult to want equality for all citizens (an excellent goal) and not get dragged into those sidelined citizens personal problems as well. Hence, the babysitter reputation liberals get.
I've always felt that the two points of view are like this:
Conservative: I believe that my little section of America is the legitimate one. All effort should be expended on my status quo.
Liberal: I believe that America could be this shiny, wonderful place for everyone. Let's legislate my utopia.
XavierBreath
New member
Excellent (and surprising!) thread.
I believe every so often individuals and groups such as us need to self-examine and address deficiencies. To me, the Language post is most certainly appropriate. We must remember that despite our fears that this forum may be used as a testing ground against us, it is a far more important tool in educating new shooters and those who are developing an interest in these issues. Posts filled with filth and slurs turn off new members and lurkers who could be a real asset to our common cause. Once you lose that new member to language they find distasteful, they associate the langauge and attitude with your cause, and they are ripe pickings for your opposition.
I remember when TFL went away. I was a new member with maybe 20 posts. I never did find a similar forum. There isn't one. I remember my joy when I got that email saying TFL was coming back. I remember my anticipation of it's return. You never miss the water until the well runs dry. We are this forum. For the sake of our common goals and interests we must debate diplomatically, and maintain a forum that will attract new members who will do the same.
BTW M&M, I'm not on ignore am I?
I believe every so often individuals and groups such as us need to self-examine and address deficiencies. To me, the Language post is most certainly appropriate. We must remember that despite our fears that this forum may be used as a testing ground against us, it is a far more important tool in educating new shooters and those who are developing an interest in these issues. Posts filled with filth and slurs turn off new members and lurkers who could be a real asset to our common cause. Once you lose that new member to language they find distasteful, they associate the langauge and attitude with your cause, and they are ripe pickings for your opposition.
I remember when TFL went away. I was a new member with maybe 20 posts. I never did find a similar forum. There isn't one. I remember my joy when I got that email saying TFL was coming back. I remember my anticipation of it's return. You never miss the water until the well runs dry. We are this forum. For the sake of our common goals and interests we must debate diplomatically, and maintain a forum that will attract new members who will do the same.
BTW M&M, I'm not on ignore am I?
MeekAndMild
New member
We use the terms right and left incorrectly. They have to do, or so I've read, with the two groups of revolutionaries who sat on the two sides of the parliment in revolutionary Paris...all revolutionaries but differing in their style.
Then it got applied to the National Socialists who were fighting aginst the Communist for control of the riffraff during the early 1930's in Germany and Italy. Both sides were radical socialists. The conservatives in those countries were neither right nor left.
The majority of what Jesse Jackson and Hillary call 'right wingers' are actually the small businessmen, small farmers, nonunion millworkers and others who are actually solidly in the center of traditional American thought. So, like Handy, I believe if a party ever comes along which champions the interests of the American conservative center it will win out over both brands of socialists.
Of course not.
Then it got applied to the National Socialists who were fighting aginst the Communist for control of the riffraff during the early 1930's in Germany and Italy. Both sides were radical socialists. The conservatives in those countries were neither right nor left.
The majority of what Jesse Jackson and Hillary call 'right wingers' are actually the small businessmen, small farmers, nonunion millworkers and others who are actually solidly in the center of traditional American thought. So, like Handy, I believe if a party ever comes along which champions the interests of the American conservative center it will win out over both brands of socialists.
No you're on "Maybe if we pretend we don't see him he'll go away."
Of course not.