It's truly scary out there

[jumptheshadow]

I've been engaging in Internet debates with Freepers this week. Don't ask me why. I usually avoid confrontation. I guess I've been channeling some frustration. Anyway, some of the stuff that these people believe is downright scary.

Someone wrote into a non-political website just gushing about how great Bush is, how her pet peeve is people who diss Bush, and how she's going to vote Republican. You know, I just couldn't help myself. I posted two of the better Bush photos -- the one of him dropping Barney and the picture of AWOL and the turkey.

I also wrote this:

>>He's going to have his sorry butt kicked back to Crawford next year.

* He lied to get us into the quagmire that is Iraq.
* His administration awarded huge no-bid contracts to friends for Iraqi reconstruction while working class Americans were dying there.
* This country has hemorrhaged millions of jobs while he was in office. In February, Bush promised that his tax cuts for the wealthy would generate 5.5 million jobs in 2003 and 2004. He lied. The U.S. has lost 3.2 million jobs during Bush's term. At this point in his presidency, 7.5 million new jobs had been added under Clinton -- even though Clinton inherited Bush I's mismanaged economy.
* He arrogantly alienated most of the world from the U.S., then had to go crawling to the U.N. for help in Iraq. He gave an off-the-wall speech at the organization and came back with nothing.
* He is hellbent on destroying our environment.<<

One guy responded: 30 or 40 years ago,some of the things I've read in this thread ...you would go to jail over.

Another one said: Yeah tell me about it.... My dad tells me all the time how people could say one lousy thing about the President and go to jail for it about 40 years ago.

Im sure what some people are saying on this thread about the President would definitely meet the qualifications of going to jail over.

Then the one who started it all writes: Yeah? And who died and made you God? Under Cinton, he took so much funding out of the military, It's amazing we can still protect our country! And if you'll take a moment to notice, Bush is loyal to his wife, doesn't go around having affairs with any woman he can! (hinty hint-like Monica) What kind of American are you when you basically say we shouldn't have gone into Iraq? Have you forgotten 9-11??!! Do you remember how it felt when those Towers fell? There were people still inside going through a living hell ( to quote one ofthe best songs ever written, 'Have you Forgotten' by Darryll Worely) As far the environment, get lost tree-huggers! One one these days, I just might buy a wooded plot and cut it all down just to see you seethe! The environment was not put here by God for us to worship, it's here for our benefit! So get your sorry butt to Mexico b/c You are obviously NOT a true American!

If America rejects God, then God will not bless America.



For once, I am speechless.

[ronnykmarshall]

1. Holy shit!

That last statement is beyond stupid.

[roguevalley]

2. people that radical are disturbed

From my experience if you are that radical, you don't prosper. She is probably living in a card board box.

[zonmoy]

13. I dont know about that

tell that to all the christian reconstruction and other christian theocratic preachers out there including james dobson, pat robertson, and jerry falwell.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. The country is as polarized

as it has ever been.. the last time it was this polarized
was 1858... yep two years before the Civil War started.

[L.A.dweller]

6. Unfortunately, we have a very powerful corporate media

that just fuels this hatred against others that disagree with their point of view.

[chadm]

10. Maybe, maybe not

It could just be that the Internet gives morons a voice they've never had before.

But I tend to agree with you that the country is polarized. There is a clear battle between Fascists and Democracy-lovers.

[jumptheshadow]

16. Yes, indeed, it is

How did we get that way? And what do we do about it?

I am at a loss here. In my work life I keep my feelings to myself and try to work with diverse groups of people. But our nation is headed in a treacherous direction. How to deal with it? By being a diplomat or confronting people head on?

[Wetzelbill]

4. You can cure ignorance but not stupidity

I get blown away by how awful, frightening and stupid large parts of our society is. This post just.....hell I can't even find the words.

[Duncan Grant]

12. I'm with you Wetzelbill...

I had a friend who used to say, "You can't make people wrong when they already are".

Not a grammatical benchmark but profound all the same. In other words, why waste time on these folks? I can assure you...they aren't interested in a mature exchange of ideas. Pity isn't it?

[DrWeird]

5. Just remind them:

Bush has killed more civilians than Osama bin Laden.

[Spider Jerusalem]

7. These people are obviously subhumanoid cretins.

Suffering from a serious lack of tissue in the frontal lobes, it would seem. These good patriotic fuckwads are probably going to sic the Secret Service on you for having the unmitigated gall to exercise your right of free speech. Although I'm sure they said worse things about Clinton when he was President.

These people are the enemy. They should get the fuck out of this country and move to China, if the idea of free speech and free thought bothers them so much. They'd fit right in under a repressive regime that brooks no criticism and imprisons and tortures dissenters.

[punpirate]

8. The part I find curious...

... is about dissing the president and "My dad tells me all the time how people could say one lousy thing about the President and go to jail for it about 40 years ago."

That was hardly the case (in fact, the threats against the president law came into effect after the potshots taken at Ford), and the press--and individuals--were generally much more critical of the president than now.

The effect of this is to suggest that we are, in fact, much freer now than under previous presidents, which is exactly the opposite of reality today.

Very weird.

[VOX]

9. It's a jungle, but its denizens are toothless...

Freepers are so indoctrinated by Faux and talk radio, they have their little sound bites all in a row, as dispensed by Rush, Hannity, O'Reilley, et al, ad nauseum.

40 years ago? You might remind them that Jack Kennedy, a liberal Democrat, was president, and there was no need to criticize him -- most everyone loved him -- except right wingers, who probably had him executed.

30 years ago? Remind tham that Dick Nixon, a conservative Republican, was president, and the country was torn apart. People cursed Nixon, daily, in the press and in the streets, into television cameras -- things were said that were far worse than our current-day criticisms of *. That, at least, didn't get you thrown into jail. So that is a lie.

With Arnold now in the picture, Freepers can no longer claim the moral high ground. They've lost that card for all time.

Anyway, good for you for mixing it up with freepers. Don't lose heart, keep up the good fight. Based upon your post, I'd say you're doing great!

:toast:

[mkregel]

11. This is why I don't debate with Freepers

The last time I got into a bar argument was during Bush I and the 1st Gulf war. I was 21 and can honestly say now I have been in a "bar brawl." He ended up with a broken nose and broken teeth. I ended up with a swollen jaw and a limp for a few days. Who won? Hard to say, but As a result I don't do that sort of thing anymore ;)

[Kusala]

14. it's in the bible

that the earth is too be used(abused?) by mankind.

That has always explained for me, alot of the RW views on environmentalism.

[patdem]

20. It's in the bible...well the bible was written by jewish men for jewish

men...the bible is like faux news reporting all that is wrong with the bush* administration...it is not a valid document....sorry!

I might also add..the koran was written by arab men...for arab men...when you can flesh out something written of, for and by the people...oh wait...the constitution...that I will follow!

[damnraddem]

15. Just note that Dubya took the military that Clinton had built up ...

and used them to win two military battles. Now, he's destroying it, Sovietizing the officer corps, running the troops ragged, demoralizing active troops and reserves both (so that they will not re-up, and others won't join), destroying benefit packages for troops and veterans alike. When Dubya's sorry ass is kicked out, someone (a Democrat) will have to rebuild the U.S. military, try to heal the Dubya damage.

[jumptheshadow]

18. Troops are thinking about desertion

Yes, and add to that the damage that Dubya and company have done to our intellience infrastructure. And to our diplomatic infrastructure. He's hog-tying us.

There is a good thread in Late Breaking News about how troop information lines are getting a lot of calls from soldiers who are asking about the penalties for desertion.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=153790

[geniph]

17. Say whut?!

"What kind of American are you when you basically say we shouldn't have gone into Iraq? Have you forgotten 9-11??!! Do you remember how it felt when those Towers fell? There were people still inside going through a living hell"

Eh? WTF does going into Iraq have to do with 9/11? The Iraqis had fuck-all to do with bombing the WTC.

Jaysus.

By the way, they're quite wrong about people going to jail over criticizing the President or his actions 40 years ago. Threatening the President is another matter, and that has not changed - anything threatening will get you a visit from the Secret Service, then or now, but one of the virtues of the Bill of Rights that Herr Aschkrofft is trying so desperately to abrogate is the right of the citizens to freely express their opinions. Anyone who claims otherwise needs to cite a specific example. Just to give one contrary example, the press and the Republicans were downright VICIOUS about FDR - the repugs still are.

[NaMeaHou]

19. For most of my life, I could talk with people that I disagreed with

politically, but no more. If someone starts spouting any of the dittohead bullshit, I just walk away. I decided the anger and frustration was not worth it - save it for when I might truly need it. These people are lost. Sure, some will come over, but that's another thing I never understood. How can such a large percentage of the populace proclaim themselves to be undecided right up the election days? If they are undecided, then they are not knowledgeable and subject to manipulation and propaganda. That is not the sort I want to argue with either.

I swear, the last few years have aged me decades.

[smallprint]

21. Americans have joined a cult

It's an apocalyptic, messianic religious cult, with Chimpy as the Messiah.

You are either with the Cult, or you are an Evildoer. That is all that matters.