Godwin's Law
I saw someone prove Godwin's law the other day. We were talking about how undocumented residents are people, too. The poster then said it is irrelevant that illegals are "people" (yes, she used the scare quotes and the word "illegals") and that so is (sic) Charles Manson, Adolf Hitler, etc.
The post was ugly, made me sad and wasn't worth debating. So I said so. Apparently that indicated that I, too, can "relate to Hitler" and that I "support terrorism participators."
Is there any place one can go today for civil political discourse? I want someone on the right to argue with who's sharp, quick-witted, keeps me on my toes, and can still be civil and realize that it is possible for people of good conscience to disagree.
Instead, I'm surrounded by tea partiers ("Why do you think Obama is a fascist?" "Because he IS!"), rabid partisans, and those who think Sarah Palin might actually have something, there. They swallow misinformation hook, line, and sinker. These are people who believe we're about to have a "government takeover of health care." They will call the same person a fascist and a communist within a matter of seconds. Not the brightest bulbs on the holiday tree. ("Attack on Christmas! Why do you hate America?")
Where is today's William F. Buckley? Where is someone who will stand on reasoned conservative principle instead of toeing a party line? Where is someone who won't pretend to be against "government intrusion into our lives" and in the next breath espouse an anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage stance while defending the Patriot Act? Where is someone who won't claim that Obama "routinely violates the Constitution" and, when questioned, be unable to come up with a single example?
I used to have a friend I could argue politics with. I loved him. We used to stay up late and argue until two or three o'clock in the morning, and still want more. We respected each others' opinions and intelligence, and I know each of us made the other think.
He emailed me a couple of weeks ago and told me he now realizes I was right all along.
Damn.
I guess I should be happy for him, but now who will argue with me?
The post was ugly, made me sad and wasn't worth debating. So I said so. Apparently that indicated that I, too, can "relate to Hitler" and that I "support terrorism participators."
Is there any place one can go today for civil political discourse? I want someone on the right to argue with who's sharp, quick-witted, keeps me on my toes, and can still be civil and realize that it is possible for people of good conscience to disagree.
Instead, I'm surrounded by tea partiers ("Why do you think Obama is a fascist?" "Because he IS!"), rabid partisans, and those who think Sarah Palin might actually have something, there. They swallow misinformation hook, line, and sinker. These are people who believe we're about to have a "government takeover of health care." They will call the same person a fascist and a communist within a matter of seconds. Not the brightest bulbs on the holiday tree. ("Attack on Christmas! Why do you hate America?")
Where is today's William F. Buckley? Where is someone who will stand on reasoned conservative principle instead of toeing a party line? Where is someone who won't pretend to be against "government intrusion into our lives" and in the next breath espouse an anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage stance while defending the Patriot Act? Where is someone who won't claim that Obama "routinely violates the Constitution" and, when questioned, be unable to come up with a single example?
I used to have a friend I could argue politics with. I loved him. We used to stay up late and argue until two or three o'clock in the morning, and still want more. We respected each others' opinions and intelligence, and I know each of us made the other think.
He emailed me a couple of weeks ago and told me he now realizes I was right all along.
Damn.
I guess I should be happy for him, but now who will argue with me?
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