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originally posted by: Irishhaf
a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin
By the way, even though we are starkly different politically I would cheerfully sit down with you over a pint and discuss my dislike for Manchester united ownership.
originally posted by: DanteGaland
a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan
You DO realize that simply using the term "virtue signaling" is virtue signaling in and of itself...NO?
originally posted by: DanteGaland
a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan
You DO realize that simply using the term "virtue signaling" is virtue signaling in and of itself...NO?
originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
originally posted by: Nikola014
a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin
You're guilty of all those charges, mate. Talk about projection
Cheers.
So why do you also practice them?
originally posted by: Hazardous1408
a reply to: LesMisanthrope
I’ve never thought of any cult’s membership as less than human.
They’re still cult members though.
And personally, I require nothing, I knowingly choose to use the term out of sheer enjoyment.
Thoughts are provided every single time.
And if they didn’t “suffice”, they would be easily rebutted.
But I understand it’s hard for people to actually rebut uncomfortable facts they’re fully aware of, but prefer not to highlight.
originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
So in every thread about Trump now we see the same behaviours from the Trump supporters. These behaviours make actually having a proper debate on the issues at hand difficult. As such I thought it would be interesting to try to hold up a mirror to these individuals to explain why these behaviours are counterproductive to not just civil debate but also making their own political points.
NOTE:: Before I go any further with this thread I want to make it very clear that I understand that these same behaviours could also be applicable to other political groups and that there are many Trump supporters who do encourage and engage in meaningful debate.
So with that little disclaimer out of the way lets start with my list of “The Trump supporters Handbook”. I could probably go on with this all day but I figured I would write 5 to start with, and feel free to add your own.
01: When in doubt Deflect.
Probably not really a surprise to many that I think this is number one, when in doubt deflect. We see this in pretty much every thread now on Trump in this forum, rather than address the topics raised by a OP just deflect, make it about Hilary, Obama or something else. Basically say anything to avoid actually have to directly address the points being raised by the author of a thread.
This has the effect of turning any Trump thread into an off-topic trollfest. A thread might start off about how Trump has a history of sexual abuse by the end of page one all the Trump supporter wants to do is talk about Clintons history of sexual abuse and refuses to engage in anything about Trump. Doing this is just classic deflection and while it might raise some valid points it at no point is actually addresses the topic at hand relating to Trump so in doing this nobody is actually defending Trump or challenging the criticism, its just deflection.
And it’s very obvious to everyone what is going on, please stop it.
02: Take everything personally.
This is a good opportunity I think to make something very clear. Just because I and others take issue with Trumps politics and the politics of his supporters that is never intended as a personal jibe at anyone personally. Yet, when someone calls Trump a bigot, the Trump supporter then seem to forget this and instead start on some obscure rant about how “OMG you did not just call us all bigots”…. No I am calling Trump a bigot.
I recognise that many of you have valid reasons for supporting Trump.
I really do think that political debate on ATS would run much smoother if Trump supporters (and everyone for that matter) would learn to understand that a difference of political opinion is just that, a difference of opinion. It does not make either side right or wrong, I am against Executive Order 13769 (the so-called Muslim ban), others might think it’s the best EO every signed, that does not make either of us right or wrong just that we have different views on it.
When I say I am against EO 13769, because I think it’s a piece of crap that will achieve nothing is just my opinion on it. It is just as valid as your opinion on it. And yes, I know opinions can be debated using facts and that’s fine, just don’t get pissed off when you don’t like the facts and start taking it all personally as if I just shot your puppy. (note EO 13679 is not the topic of this thread)
03: Lets Play a Word Game!
You know when I see something like this:
My first thought is usually “who the hell has to look up stuff like that in a dictionary?...”
Yet is see it all the time usually by someone who is totally oblivious to how it looks and if it’s not that it’s the other word game of playing semantics or my personal favourite totally missing the point of an author’s thread by focusing in on one single line or phrase and in doing so completely missing the point.
There is also this annoying thing of needing to have to have some kind of disclaimer on threads (see the start of this thread) because without it the replies can be pretty predictable.
Ohh and that’s not even getting into how some of you seem to forget about how language is fluid and ever changing with different areas and individuals having different colloquialisms.
At the end of the day if you know what I mean then just go with it, without your silly word games. If it’s not clear what the meaning may be then just ask for clarification. These silly word games are counterproductive.