There's a diary on the rec list right now that attempts to address the tone of posting here on DailyKos. While reducing the acrimony and personal attacks is definitely an idea I can get behind (see here for my Cassandra-like, poorly written insight into this very problem) the diary's tone seems to me to be counterproductive to it's stated goal.
Many of us here are frustrated, whatever side we take on any given issue, with having to wade through comments that have very little substance and lots of funny-maybe-once-but-very-fraking-annoying-after-the-zillionth-use personal insults. IF I HEAR PONY OR SOMTHINGBOT ONE MORE TIME IN ANY CONTEXT, SO HELP ME I WILL NEUTER YOUR GOLDFISH!
Ahem, ummm where was I?
Right.
Even though a good many of us want to make a u-turn and head to the land of Civil Debate, we have to leave aside ANY blame in order for it to work. So forget about factions. Faction Obama-is-a-republican-in-disguise and faction Obama-is-a-master-chess-player-ninja-liberal BOTH have people who have issues with sticking to substantive discussion and instead favor name calling. And that's the real issue, NOT who started what.
So with this in mind- I mentally (and now on paper for your enjoyment too for only 5 easy payments of $19.95!*) removed the following suggestions of blame from buhdy's diary.
WE contend that one faction consistently uses these tactics, as well as the tactics of distraction and derailment, to gain political advantage, and to attack their political opponents.
WE freely admit that, in a years-long battle against these unfair and despicable Rovian tactics, at least some of us have reciprocated in kind. And in so doing, made ourselves part of the success of those tactics. Because, as we all know from watching eight years of Bush/Rove, these tactics work.
They are VERY difficult to counter while maintaining one's own integrity and not descending to the same level. And when even one person in a discussion cannot counter such attacks without responding in kind, the downward spiral that has led us to the current environment at Daily Kos is continued. The lowering of all thought and debate to the lowest common denominator, mere insult, IS the goal of the tactics. We insist on higher standards, for ourselves and for others.
Shorter blockquote: You started it and we got dragged into it against our better natures.
Who started it is completely irrelevant to the stated goal of decreasing personal attacks here on Daily Kos. There is no reason for this to be in the statement, other than to make it clear the authors think it's not their fault the tone has degenerated. I mentally removed this while reading using my awesome Jedi mind powers.
At one point buhdy says:
We have NO intention of, and no interest whatsoever in, censoring, suppressing, or even limiting legitimate political speech.
Which is great! But then:
That is the goal of the faction using these tactics.
This faction's only intent is to suppress all legitimate criticism of the current Democratic Party and the current President of the United States. They are willing to use any tactics, even the tactics of Karl Rove, to achieve that goal.
In fact, since their goal is only to shut down criticism, not to foster debate or mount a true defence against that criticism, their goal inevitably leads them to exactly those tactics. These Rovian tactics are designed to shut down debate, and have no other purpose. And so they have been adopted by those who have that as their goal, as the only effective means of achieving that goal.
Which is not so great... that blame thing again.
It's bad whether you're using personal attacks to
A- "suppress all legitimate criticism of the current Democratic Party and the current President of the United States"
OR
B- to criticize people who defend the Democratic Party and the president
...but only ONE side is mentioned here. It's not constructive to single out one group, conveniently the one you're not a part of, and liken their tactics to that of Karl Rove in a statement aimed at reducing personal attacks. If my brain were a computer, this would've given me the blue screen of death. Another mental delete.
WE believe that when character assassination and the Politics of Personal Destruction are eliminated -- when content, fact, logic and reason are the standards of political discourse -- we win the debate. We are so confident of that fact, we are willing to submit ourselves to a rule that disciplines and if necessary bans posters for the offense of attacking the character of fellow Kossacks.
I'm glad you're confident in the strength of your arguments, but wouldn't it have been a bit less inflammatory to keep out that little challenge to everyone not-on-YOUR-side and maybe write about how we can all benefit from a more substantive debate here?
So those are my thoughts. Without these sections, it's an idea I can really get behind.
HEY!
I heard that! Civil and CLEAN thoughts people. At least right now :)
*$8.95 shipping and handling