I will start this off by saying I am a partial perpetrator of this. But I never struck first blood, as Rambo would say. Honestly, ATS is going to lose some quality posters during this election year. I have seen some educated, intelligent, quality posters downgrade themselves to attack those who are attacking others. The mudslinging is reaching all time highs. I understand it was bad back in 04. But its fair to say ATS is much bigger now, with bigger, comes problems.

I know this thread wont change people, but perhaps it will save that one poster who is on the brink of tearing apart the other side in ways that violate T & C. I know I have been very close.

Obama and McCain are AMERICANS. Obama doesn't want the country to be socialist. And McCain doesn't want us to be at war every year for the end of times. Deep down, after all the attacks, we know in our hearts, these are just two Americans putting themselves and their family out there in the public light to be trashed, because, as any great patriot, they want to make their country better.

Is it possible we can all try and remember that? The difference? They want and feel they have to go about it in two different ways. Ok, fair enough. Its not like democrats have been wrong every time in office. And its not like republicans have sunk the economy every term either. Both have been right and wrong, which means their supporters have been right and wrong.

That's you and me folks. We aren't right all the time and we aren't wrong all the time. Debate is great. Mudslinging is tomfoolery.

I just hope we can all take a breath, put things in perspective and make the Decision 2008 forum something to be proud of.

reply to post by bknapple32

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S&F

I applaud your thread and respect your intentions. I tried this several weeks ago and had almost nobody interested in committing to raising the level of debate.

Here's the link. Kind of sad, but not surprising, imo.

Pledge for a Respectful Debate

Well hopefully it will work this time around and will make the kind of impact we both want.

ok.

Hugs.

You know, a man-hug.

Like after a touchdown or something.

ok.... a handshake if the hug thing makes you feel uncomfortable.

Note to owners of ATS... can we get one of those buy you a beer icons in addition to the stars???

Or how about a way to cash in stars for weekly raffles of iTunes gift cards or iPods or subscriptions to Maxim or something?

Since this site is crawling with hate america angry leftys, you are really talking about like minded as yourself (author of desperate signs of GOP desperation) people leaving. This is nothing more than a desperate plea to keep the posse assembled when they want to go home.

This would be what I'm talking about. I started that thread IN RESPONSE to Jaime's thread about desperate liberals. And in my first post, I said I was just as guilty. Two things... re-read my post, and take a look in the mirror, we all need to.

reply to post by jamie83

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We can do an internet high 5? Its only 930 here, I'll put your beer in the fridge for later today.

Sure. An internet high 5 is cool. I didn't really mean anything by that hug thing... I just got carried away in the emotion of the moment... I didn't mean to invade your personal cyberspace or anything....

There are forums that have that beer thing. I think it even links to paypal or something where you can send $3 to somebody just to show appreciation for their posts.

reply to post by jamie83

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3 bucks for a good post huh? Not a bad idea. lol. Mods???? How bout it. lol.

No worries on the hug thing... hugs are man cool.

[edit on 6-9-2008 by bknapple32]

Hi! And this is a great idea for a thread...I totally empathise with your feeling that you've been on the brink of losing it with another poster...we've all been there I think. It's really hard when you're passionate about a subject, and maybe especially if you feel that you have been misunderstood or mis-read, to rant at your opponents in a discussion like you've lost all sense of decorum. It gets really sticky when the insults are flung in our own direction, and we feel tempted and justified to reply with all the ammunition we can summon up. It's fun! And feels good....till the Mods step in! Lol!

I completely support that you are trying to encourage proper debate, and discussion...that's what ATS is for. It doesn't really matter what we say, although there are some ideas that should never be given any kind of space, but how we say it is so important, and debating skills and good use of language should be encouraged amongst all members.

A star for you!

Cait

Dude, enoughs enough already.

The OP is sincerely trying to make this a better place for everybody. The only way it can happen is if we each individually make it a better place and remember we all have a lot more in common than we have different.

I agree politically with most of your points, but let's try to raise the level of discourse here. The OP is extending the symbolic olive branch, and you trying to slap it out of his hand isn't helping anybody.

Hey me and jaime have made up, anything can happen from here in on Cait!!!! lol

Starred and Flagged.


Its nice to see posts like this every now and then. Especially this time of year.

Yay!! Group hug, group hug....and I'm in the middle!!

Seriously though...maybe a thread about debating annd discussion skills is in order...it's great to have rules like they do here, and Mods who are so sharp, but suggestions about how to debate might be useful too....

Cait

reply to post by caitlinfae

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Well cait, you can be in the middle of EVERY hug... lol


we shouldnt have to give the decorum of debate. It should be simple. No more mudslinging. One would think if we can dump the insults ...like....

leftys who hate america

right wing hicks who arent educated


get rid of comments like those and the bar is already raised up high enough for ATS standards. but maybe you are right, who knows.

I think what people don't realise...or maybe it's just my coping mechanism...is that a decent debate almost has to be done "cold", even if it's a subject the one is intensely passionate about. If we allow ourselves to become heated and personal about it, that's when the problems start, and the name calling and insult flinging....


We don't have to be little robots churning out opposing points of view, but it helps maybe to be chilled and professional about it, and make your argument as powerful as you can without getting personal about the other side....so much energy is wasted in insults.


Ok.....'nother goup hug.....

Cait

reply to post by SectionEight

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reply to post by seagull

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Im a lefty, but I own a gun and love America... who'd a thunk it

reply to post by bknapple32

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The angry left exists, to deny it is to stay in ignorance. Alone they are powerless but with the backing of fananciers such as Soros and the left wing media machine lovingly refered to in these parts as the MSM, they are a power that cannot be ignored. They are tearing down opposition and the backlash is they destroy candidates the likes of Gore and Kerry, now Obama. They are refered to by a sitting president of the US in an important party speach. They do exist, decorum means denial if they cannot be mentioned.