Me neither. Even when someone tells me to "go back to Africa."

i just chalk it up to ignorance....and then proceed to clown them.

Seriously, there are just some people on GC whose posts I read just because it reminds me of how low I could stoop in this world.

i think a lot of people here take this site a little too seriously. some seem to hate it when their views are challenged and automatically deviate from the subject because they can't hang in an intellectual debate. that's where the going back and forth battles begin.

Partially. I think some people are also guilty of trying to argue to win and not arguing to come to a point of understanding.

A point of understanding does not mean that you agree on something, it just means that you understand eachother.

Re: Gc=pc
 

I agree with all three... In the three years I've been reading this site, I have never seen such a large population of attention whores and whiners. Really though. Everything is an "attack", "hurtful" or "threatening". Sometimes I seriously wonder how half of you manage to leave your house everyday.

At the same time, people are lightning- quick to verbally ravage someone who has an opinion. I've learned quite a few interesting insults b/c they've been hurled at people who probably didn't even realize what they said. So we're all extra-offended, super-hostile, and kinda sucky to be around.

From my experience shit like this comes and goes on GC in waves...which is why I usually don't participate in threads like this b/c I know it won't last forever.

really, the only thing that bothers me on here is how some ppl just talk to ppl like they are idiots. and i find it really offensive when i see someone my age (or close enough to it) make a snide nasty comment to a poster twice their age. i guess it was just how i was raised.....but it's rude to me. very disrespectful. ppl can say whatever they want about me, but i won't tolerate being talked to like i am stupid. so i try my hardest to not do that to someone else.....i'm sure there are times where i have slipped up, but for the most part, i do respect other ppl's views. i just want to understand other ppl just as much as i want them to understand me. i may not change your mind, but i want it to be clear on how i feel on subjects. i just wish everyone would play nice. it's a message board for pete's sake.

As far as the thread about posting stuff and "making our letters look bad" it wasn't started as an affirmation, it was started as a discussion. If we all jumped on and said "yes! correct! we should never mention anything but philanthropy in our posts!" that would be too PC. I didn't see that though. (thank God)

As to the Reagan article, I agree that whether the poster agreed or disagreed with it, it was poor taste to post it. I'm starting to think Nixon almost got off easier when he died, but I digress. My main point is that on the several MBs I visit online, NONE of them are capable of having a flame-free political discussion. If you decide to wade into those waters with people you don't really know and without benefit of face to face contact - all I can say is be sure you are wearing your hip boots. :)

I think there's a difference b/w disrespect and common courtesy. It's common courtesy to listen to and try to understand a person's viewpoint; it's common courtesy to let them know you do not agree w/ that viewpoint and then explain why; however, it's disrepectful to call a person ignorant or insult them b/c you don't agree w/ that viewpoint.

I agree w/ AXJules -- sometimes posters may not have even realized they've said anything offensive (or even that what they said was clearly written to be understood). If they have, then the respectful thing to do would be to politely explain to the poster that what he/she wrote is offensive to you or that it could be offensive to some. Life is one big learning experience!