Quote:
Originally Posted by Bilbo1967
I know that this will make me about as popular as a turd at an apple-bobbing contest, but can people please take the time to actually look at the comments happy_terd made before turning him into some kind of prodigal son / wronged hero.
I was one of the ones who criticised his advocating genocide for entire countries which made an enemy of America. I stand by that criticism and am actually quite happy to see the back of him.
|
Let me try to demonstrate what it is that I am talking about here. I appreciate your thoughtful response that tells us what you are thinking and feeling without delving into insult or rancor. You feel strongly about HT's views as expressed.
I disagree with your sentiment that we are better seeing the backside of HT or KK. Not that I agree with what they said, but rather, I do not wish to be in a community where everyone agrees with me.
Ralph and I hold some polar opposite views on a few topics, but I would consider him a friend here and would think that we would be friends IRL. Quite considerably due to the fact that we both have strong views and have thoughtfully gone through the facts as we see them and have reached our conclusions. I'd love to sit for an evening and discuss the state of the world with him, mostly because I would be eager to hear from someone on the opposition who has spent time thinking. Much more than an evening with someone who agrees with me, just because, "Of course! You have to think that way!"
My late father was fond of saying, "Don't hold an opinion until you know what the Hell you're talking about. And then be open to the idea that you don't." We had a lot f disagreements over the years, but we also had a lot of respect for one another.
As has been, and will be pointed out, having such a discussion in print without editing leads to saying things that we ought not to say. Everyone, including myself, has been guilty of such things. If I were talking in person with HT and the topic of nuclear strikes came up and he voiced that opinion, I would look at him askance and say, "Really?" and he would probably say that he was being hyperbolic and not really advocating mass destruction. I could at that point tell if he was serious by body language, etc.
My main point, and I do have one, is that we don't have the luxury of social interplay when posting. We just have the stark words as printed. Let's keep it civil.
I disagree with Donnageddon about banning all politics. Mostly because I don't trust myself enough to make the call. Partly because I enjoy discussing all sorts of things. But I agree with him to the point that I would like to see less of the discussions, for the selfish reason that I don't care to work that hard when I'm having fun.