Today I voted

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by NirvanaMan

If you're referring to me, I still fail to see how you could possibly read through this entire thread, in ernest, and not see a pattern of political persuasions. I mean...you really really have to be looking the other way to not see it.

Hmmmm. I have over 7000 posts here and you have under 300. I wonder who has a better overall understanding of the leanings of this board.

[NirvanaMan]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

And citing a distorted version of something that happened months ago, hoping no one would be able to recall the reality is a fine technique for setting oneself up as an innocent vitim of some non-existent persecution.

Actually, I posted the link to the article myself (as did you I later realized). I think its all there in black and white and clearly stand by my original assertion. Of course your distorting of my actual words didn't help, but you did correct that after you likely realized someone would search for the original thread and post it.

I still fail to see what of my comments, however distorted the manner in which they were interpreted, necessitated name calling in what would have been a civilized debate.

[Gemini Cricket]

I plan to be just as hard on the Democrats as I am with the Republicans. My fury is color blind.

[NirvanaMan]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

Hmmmm. I have over 7000 posts here and you have under 300. I wonder who has a better overall understanding of the leanings of this board.

Often, when you are too close to something, you can't see that which is obvious. Can you honestly read this thread, and think that the views are basically evenly balanced?

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by NirvanaMan

Actually, I posted the link to the article myself (as did you I later realized). I think its all there in black and white and clearly stand by my original assertion. Of course your distorting of my actual words didn't help, but you did correct that after you likely realized someone would search for the original thread and post it.

I still fail to see what of my comments, however distorted the manner in which they were interpreted, necessitated name calling in what would have been a civilized debate.

First off, I immediately said I was paraphrasing, never claimed it was a direct quote. Secondly, you claimed you were "chastized" for saying the board leaned left when, in fact, you were "chastized" (if you can call responding to dry humor with dry humor "chastizing") for starting out a post with a dismissive statement. In that whole thread, I never once disagreed with the statement that this board leans liberal. I disagreed with the presumption that becuase we lean liberal we can't have a civilized debate.

As before, I don't really care, but I didn't feel like letting your revisionist history version of what happened sit out there without speaking up. And yes, how you said it sounded smarmy and jerky. I know you're not a jerk, so I ain't calling you one. But just because someone'e my friend doesn't mean I won't point out when they say something rude.

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by NirvanaMan

Often, when you are too close to something, you can't see that which is obvious. Can you honestly read this thread, and think that the views are basically evenly balanced?

More often, when you don't have full information, you can't make a valid observation. I find the political leaning of this board to be all over the spectrum. But, I have realized that most of the people here are not easily lumped into two broad and limiting categories.

[NirvanaMan]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

More often, when you don't have full information, you can't make a valid observation.

First off, of course you can. That is the entire basis of the science of statistical analysis. Yes, yes, I know lies, damn lies etc..etc...
If you can't make observations without 100% information then you are not very observant.

To refute that from a different angle, the entire context of what we are currently discussing is this thread. I have read the entire thread, so therefore I have full information regarding this thread. I therefore once again ask, can you read this thread, and think the views are balanced? That's really all I was ever saying. After reading this thread it felt like I just watched an episode of the Daily Show. Clearly, there are more on one side than the other in this thread. It made me laugh so I posted my comment. That's all. Glad it lit a fire under all y'all, for whatever reason that may have been.

You don't have to categorize if you don't want to, but it's already been done throught the cheers for Blue and down with Red...whaetver that mean.

[JWBear]

Originally Posted by NirvanaMan

Umm, I got news for you babe.

I mean you can try to redefine it if you like of course, but the generally accepted ideas are that Democrats are considered to be left while republicans are considered to be right.

If you want to try to reverse the two, it would be quite a battle...but one worth watching!

Actually… from the creation of the party until the 1930’s, the Republican Party was the progressive – liberal – party. The Democrats were the conservatives.

[NirvanaMan]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

First off, I immediately said I was paraphrasing, never claimed it was a direct quote...

Ok, I can't do much more of this as email, phone calls, meetings and the like are piling up. I don't know how all of you with 7,000 some-odd posts do it, but I bow before you. Your comment was that I was presenting revisionist history and something about setting myself up as some innocent victom of something blah blah.... I don't think anyone actually believes that that is what I was trying to do. Hell I don't think you actually believe that either. I was simply making an observation and a joke. Apologies again for always trying to bring a little light-heartedness to life on this board.

In terms of what I was chastized for earlier, while YOU specifically were admonishing me for some sort of perceived smarminess (I don't believe that is actually the correct use of that word, but I do agree with GC that it is a pretty awesome word for the day) which wasn't actually present, others were debating the idea that this board in any way leans left. And THAT was the basis of my comment in this thread.

Going back to the topic a few months back, it was that which surprised the hell out of me as I assumed that to be a given. When you read the political threads it is quite clear that there is more weight on one side than the other (I didn't start the whole Blue Red stuff, so don't blame me for breaking it down to a two party issue). Conservative comments seem to be attacked quite quickly while comments regarding the current presidential administration as evil or imperialistic aren't given a second thought. It's not rocket science.

Are people more complex than Red or Blue? Uhh, yeah, I think that was the point I was trying to make in my long post earlier in the thread that I'm sure interested no one. I am obviously conservative, but not a bush supporter nor a republican anymore. But just because I don't support him, doesn't mean that I think he is the antichrist.

In other words, I agree with KevyBaby's earlier comments.

[NirvanaMan]

Originally Posted by JWBear

Actually… from the creation of the party until the 1930’s, the Republican Party was the progressive – liberal – party. The Democrats were the conservatives.

Quite true. Touche.

However, I was speaking in more modern terms. No need to bring the Whiggs into this.