All About McCain

[innerSpaceman]

scaeagles, with all due respect, i think you should have stopped when you laid out your case for 3894 not being qualified to pass judgment. She was attempting to do the same with you as to qualifications for tenure, and she laid out hers.

You countered that she has no such rigorous qualifications for many of the other areas in which she offers an opinion, and neither do many of us.

It should have stopped there. Calling her "the most arrogant and condescending poster here" crosses the border into name-calling and personal insult.

I'm not a mod here anymore, but this would have tripped my radar. I know things got a little heated, and an errant insult that slips into the political debates is to be expected from time to time. Fortunately for the good graces of the LoT, it RARELY does.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

It should have stopped there. Calling her "the most arrogant and condescending poster here" crosses the border into name-calling and personal insult.

Yeah, you're right, and for what it's worth, I offer my apologies to 3894 and to all here. Sincerely. I did indeed cross a line.

I do, however, take great offense at being told that my opinion is uninformed because of a lack of experience or education directly related to the topic at hand. I suppose I made that fairly obvious and indeed should not have written what you quoted above.

You are also right in saying that for the most part, no one here typically has the qualifications to offer "informed" opinions.

Again, I apologize.

And I'd been trying so hard to tone it down.

[3894]

1.

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I offer my apologies to 3894 and to all here.

Well, shoot. You've taken away my badge of honor.

2. Sarah Palin is scheduled to give her first interview Thursday to ABC's Charles Gibson. Politico.com is asking politicos What single question would you be sure to ask if you were him?

I'd ask: Talk about a mistake in office you have learned from. Palin seems far too black/white, unwilling to learn. I'd like her to prove me wrong. What would you ask?

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

And I'd been trying so hard to tone it down.

And you've been mostly succeeding. I'm sure the apology is appreciated.

I've been ranting up a storm in the political threads this morning, so believe me I understand how this stuff gets hot under the collar.

[Moonliner]

Thanks Scaegales for being the bigger party on this one. Despite suffering a totally uncalled for personal attack you were able to make amends, something the original offending party seems unwilling to do.

[3894]

Originally Posted by Moonliner

Thanks Scaegales for being the bigger party on this one. Despite suffering a totally uncalled for personal attack you were able to make amends, something the original offending party seems unwilling to do.

Wait, I'm supposed to apologize to scaeagles? For what?

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by 3894

Wait, I'm supposed to apologize to scaeagles? For what?

You don't owe me one, per se - You owe an apology to everyone here who has ever offered an opinion without vast expertise or university sanctioned knowledge of the subject in question. Even to yourself.

If you stand by what you said, I have no problem with that. Of course, it then means what you have to offer on pretty much any subject becomes moot because of the standard you have chosen to hold opinions to.

[wendybeth]

I've been avoiding this thread because it was getting too personal and downright nasty in tone. We all have strong opinions about this subject and it's inevitable that things will get heated, but personal attacks are never cool- an ad hominem attack is usually the last refuge of someone who lacks any real substance in their argument yet wants to continue on. That is not debate, discourse or anything remotely productive, and I'd like to think we were better than that.

I also agree with GD with regards to others throwing gas on this fire.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by 3894

Wait, I'm supposed to apologize to scaeagles? For what?

Personally I found your use of the term "you have no informed opinion" patently offensive. It's tantamount to calling someone an ignorant fool. A personal attack. He apologized for responding in kind. You did not.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Moonliner

Thanks Scaegales for being the bigger party on this one. Despite suffering a totally uncalled for personal attack you were able to make amends, something the original offending party seems unwilling to do.

Was that really necessary?

"Hey look, a nasty exchange that I'm not really a part of seems to be coming to a level headed reasonable end. Lemme throw a sucker punch at one of the parties!"