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that college republicans who are desparate to be "clever" have been doing for decades. I got to view its birth up close and personal in the early 80's with the rise of the Dartmouth Review (which has given us such enlighted thinkers as Laura Ingraham and Dinesh D'Souza among others).
They do this to grab headlines. If we ignore them, they become irrelevant. At best, it becomes a stunt that gets them a job on capital hill after graduation.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Albert Einstein
by Citizen Earth on Tue Sep 12, 2006 at 03:47:15 PM PDT
Not so sure ignoring these kinds of stunts is appropriate in every case, including this one. Though concievably a few notches up on the racist spectrum, would "Catch a runaway slave" be better off ignored?
Maybe there are better ways to insure GOP irrelevancy than turning our backs on insidious attempts to cloak bigotry in the guise of acceptable speech.
by raindrew on Tue Sep 12, 2006 at 03:51:59 PM PDT
[ Parent ]
Here's a public service announcment based on your advice:
Racism--Just ignore it!
by raindrew on Tue Sep 12, 2006 at 06:42:30 PM PDT
head on.
However, these college idiots are not interested in a serious discussion about immigration or overt/subvert racism. Based upon my direct experience with these types of kids, they are just a few media-hungry clowns trying to grab headlines through some juvenile stunts, which is different. They can be ignored because they are so absurd, and they will go away without that exposure.
And for whatever it is worth, if you and I were conducting this discussion face-to-face and you replied to me with that same in-your-face rude "bullshit" you typed, I'd have just turned and walked away - but not before seriously restraining myself from beating the crap out of you. There's no need to be anything less than civil and polite in virtually any circumstance. So endeth the lesson.
by Citizen Earth on Wed Sep 13, 2006 at 10:22:14 AM PDT
Grow up.This ain't tea-and-crumpets around here, if you haven't noticed. Getting slammed for stupidly accomodating GOP race-baiting tactics is one of the hazards of this realm, so get used to it. I can assure you I won't be the last one to call you on your--yes, you heard me right, bullshit--should you attempt to foist it here again.
As for needing to restrain yourself from kicking my ass in a hypothetical face-to-face? You've clearly revealed two things about yourself there: one, you're far too thin-skinned to take your lumps in this often rough-and-tumble arena of debate; and two, your need to supress violent reactions when your half-assed assumptions are challenged indicates a distinct lack of civility under your supposedly civil surface.
You're trying, inexcusably, to minimize the impact of wholly indefensible GOP race-baiting on college campuses--a grotesque RNC base-boosting tactic which, if you'd read the diary update, you'd see has just earned the righteous wrath of Howard Dean, DNC chairman--wrath which in turn forced the RNC to immediately distance itself from the repugnant stunts it just got caught perpetrating. Howard Dean has eyes AND balls: which is more than I can say for those who advocate "ignoring" the plans of College Republicans to stage de facto manhunts of illegal immigrants at American universities.
THAT's how racism is fought: not by the cowardly accomodating of it people like you urge, but by confronting it head-on and exposing it for the filth it is; filth which in this case has already been perpetrated for months on campuses across the nation, in the public eye, and under the scope of the media.
Racism doesn't just go away, and it isn't "a few media-hungry clowns" pushing it: its an entire array of College Republican groups nation-wide, backed by the GOP itself.
If you're so certain of your position, why don't you "advise" the Democratic leadership to just back off on race-baiting?
Your views on this issue belong in the dustbin with the rest of the GOP's cancerous, warped ideology.
There IS a reason to be less than civil and polite in response to your indefensible and blinkered denial of these malignant GOP-supported kiddie Rethuglican stunts.
Here endeth your lesson, Mr. Earth.
by raindrew on Wed Sep 13, 2006 at 02:30:09 PM PDT
Difference of opinion is just that. That we disagree shouldn't be cause to insult and hurl invectives. Why should one have to have a thick skin when civil discussion and exchange will effect a better result?
I'm glad you and Howard Dean agree on how to deal with these clowns. What you've said still does nothing to convince me that it is more effective than ignoring them. As I mentioned in my original post, my feelings are based on my personal experience.
Judging by your enthusiastic swagger, I'm guessing you're still pretty young. At least I hope so, because then you can chalk up your demeanor to youth. If not, you're just rude.
A problem I find with blogs and the cyber world in general is that the anonymity and lack of physical presence inherent in a virtual environment give many like you the cover and confidence you need to behave poorly. Would you really talk and act this way if we were standing next to each other at a friend's house? I doubt it.
If you disagree with someone, come at them with ideas, not invectives. Passionate, sure. Insulting, why?
No need to reply.
by Citizen Earth on Wed Sep 13, 2006 at 04:32:00 PM PDT
Would you really talk and act this way if we were standing next to each other at a friend's house? I doubt it.
Yes! I would behave the same way if you were openly pooh-poohing race-baiting by College Republicans in front of me in the year 2006. Though its unlikely I'd do that at a friend's house, as I suspect that you and I probably wouldn't have mutual friends.
A problem I find with blogs and the cyber world in general is that the anonymity and lack of physical presence inherent in a virtual environment give many like you the cover and confidence you need to behave poorly.
If you read the comments I've made on earlier threads from my own diaries, you'll find ample instances of civil discourse. Those moments when I don't engage in civility are when I encounter disengenuous, accomodationist attitudes toward social evils like racism from their subtle apologists like you; evils which in my book don't deserve to be legitimized by what you regard as "civil discourse".
If you disagree with someone, come at them with ideas, not invectives.
Ok, how about this?
Yes and no. (2+ / 0-) Not so sure ignoring these kinds of stunts is appropriate in every case, including this one. Though concievably a few notches up on the racist spectrum, would "Catch a runaway slave" be better off ignored? Maybe there are better ways to insure GOP irrelevancy than turning our backs on insidious attempts to cloak bigotry in the guise of acceptable speech. by raindrew on Tue Sep 12, 2006 at 03:51:59 PM PDT
Yes and no. (2+ / 0-)
Where was your "civil response" to that reply, CE? The last time I checked, most of enlightened society had rejected insidious forms of racist thought and speech for inclusion among topics of legitimate debate.
The fact that you obviously fail to understand the heinously destructive nature of the tactics under discussion hints at attitudes more akin to 19th century, as opposed to modern, thought and discourse.
And that's what I'm calling you out on. Sorry, but there is no polite way to expose your thinly disguised acquiescence to the inarguably repugnant racism of those referenced in this diary.
by raindrew on Wed Sep 13, 2006 at 06:10:06 PM PDT
wide narrow
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