whitnebrat Loc: In the wilds of Oregon

I've been around for almost eighty years, much of it in the corporate world. I was brought up to say 'Yes, sir' and 'Yes, maam' to my elders and give other people respect, even when I disagreed with them. That was then, this is now.

The lack of civility and respect that much of the society now enjoys is an anathema to me. I understand that what I have to say and what I believe is of no consequence to most of this forum. They could care less, unless it conformed to their way of thinking and worldview. But to have it attacked not with logic and facts, but with gutter talk and fabrications that cannot be proven is, to me, totally wrong.

There is economic stratification in the society. There is cultural stratification as well. But the increasing lack of civility and respect for other viewpoints than your own is alarming to say the least.

When I look at the crowd behind the Donald at Trump rallies, what I see are the ringside faces at a WWE wrestling match, complete with booing the villain and cheering the hero. They seem to be there for the entertainment, not the purpose. And the Donald doesn't disappoint.
That crowd wants to hear that immigrants are bad, the media is all 'f**e news', and the only one that you can believe is the Donald himself. In other words, they want red meat and they want it now.
To them, facts don't matter … what the Donald says does. If what he says doesn't fit reality, he (and they) just change reality to match the verbiage.
I won't go into the vast number of lies, mist***hs, factual warps and just plain fiction that comprises a large part of the rally speeches that he gives … you can find it for yourself on Fox News, Breitbart's website or InfoWars.
Most of it is ugly, vicious, and hurtful. But to watch the crowd behind him, this is the greatest information since Moses brought down the Ten Commandments.
What it is isn't reality television, nor is it reality politics. It's the same as what the carnival barker tells the tip to get them to come inside, or the snake oil salesman rattles off to sell nostrums to the unwitting populace. And the continue to fall for it after all these years.
The Roma of Europe (gypsies to you uninformed beings) have perfected this art over many centuries, and as a result have to stay on the move across many countries until the populations forget the s**ms.
All this rhetoric is nothing new. What is new is that the violent sectors of the society now find it more acceptable to act on their prejudices with the end result being this week's shootings and bombings.
What changed?
The atmospherics changed when the Donald descended that escalator and called border crossers 'rapists, murderers' and worse. He popped the top of that bottle of seltzer water and it proceeded to foam and bubble.
All the restraints that have been in place since the late nineteenth century as to what comprises acceptable conduct have been ripped up and thrown in the trashbin of the 'elites and mainstream' codes of ethics and conduct.
Here in OPP, the lack of civility and the disparagement of opposing views is rampant. It has devolved into the rabble of the pit at Shakespeare's Avon theater that threw rotten vegetables at actors that they didn't like. Here, we've replaced the veggies with words designed to destroy the credibility of your opponent and/or their entire personality.

If you truly believe in your political views or religious affiliation, you should have no problem in listening to other viewpoints and politely discussing them.
That old legal adage fits quite well here:
"If the facts aren't on your side, argue the law.
If the law isn't on your side, argue the facts.
If neither the law or the facts are on your side, bang on the table and howl loudly at the jury."
What I'm hearing is a lot of howling with not much (if anything) to back up what is presented.
If you're so hidebound that you can't accept any idea that conflicts with your worldview, then I feel truly sorry for you. A lot of you need to take a look at yourselves in the mirror and ask yourselves the question … 'do I truly like what I am?' and 'would I like to be treated like what I see in the invective of the present day?' If you answered 'yes' to either or both of those questions, then you're right up there ringside at WWE. If you answered 'no' to either of them, then a serious reevaluation of who you are and what you believe is in order.

To quote Lincoln … "The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here." I don't expect that this piece of my mind will change any of yours, nor do I expect that my way of thinking is going to be accepted. The call of the pit and the ringside seat are waaaaaaaaaaaaay too appealing to a lot of folks.

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

Sorry...when Hillary Klinton says s**t like "no civility until Democrats are back in power" it makes me want to crack l*****t skulls in my big, meaty hands and it's only my 158 IQ that keeps me from doing so. I advise you to avoid the hinterlands.

Blade_Runner Loc: DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

So you call for tolerance and civility and respect for those with opposing points of view, yet you are intolerant of those who don't see thing as you do, you condemn those who follow a different path, who respect a leader you despise. Is that not a bit hypocritical?

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

See above...red meat and all that. These people have no idea what they're awakening.

Seth

I must have missed the paragraph in your post wherein you mention how the folks on the left side of the equation shout down anyone offering a conservative opinion, deny Christians the right to refuse to perform services that are contrary to their religious beliefs, how the Democrats' own politicians encourage not only incivility but hounding Republicans/Conservatives with crowds in restaurants and anyplace else they find them, and let them know that they're "not welcome anywhere."

To me, it sounds like similar complaints I've heard from "progressives" who, like the rest of today's uncivilized and disrespectful Democrats, turn a blind eye to such activities as the brutality of A****a and various other assaults on right thinkers. I won't even get into the vandalizing if Republican politicians' offices or various other examples of malevolent deeds done by Democrats that Republican/Conservatives don't seem to be engaging in.

Please spare us the phony outrage.

old marine Loc: America home of the brave

What a total crock of horse manure. You go on about how you were taught to respect people with "yes sir" and "yes maam" and give people respect even when you disagree with them.

Then you turn around and disrespect the President of the United States by constantly referring to him as "the Donald".

Where is that respect even when you disagree with them?

That is being a "Two Faced" or as the Indians would call it "Speaks with forked toung."

old marine Loc: America home of the brave

Like the Japanese Admiral who led the Attack on Pearl Harbor when they missed our three aircraft carrier's. While the others thought it was a great accomplishment. He said he was afraid that they had "Awaken a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve."

The Socialist have awakened a terrible group of loyal American Patriots with a terrible resolve.

bilordinary Loc: SW Washington

A charging Bull Elephant!

Gatsby

Where was the civility of the left during the Kavanaugh hearings?

Treat others as you would be treated!

Idaho

BigMike - a slight correction - what they have AWAKENED. No future tense needed. There is no putting the Deplorables back to sleep now, and no putting the genie back in the bottle. The Elites/ progressives overplayed their hand and the real war is coming to the surface.

It is not evident in JUST the MidTerm e******ns (false f**gs and caravan and all), it’s evident in Brexit and the accellerating loss of control by Brussels, other EU countries taking a stand against immigration. Merkle’s engineering for the destruction of the German culture has lost significant power for her party. Other signs. The battle is not won yet, but at least the progressive’s soothing language is falling flat and being seen through by the populace.

old marine Loc: America home of the brave

Amen brother amen.

L8erToots

I know they have in me. BUT...don't you think it's time to call a spade a spade? We aren't seeing the face of Socialism being revealed, we're seeing the horrible face of c*******m hiding behind the mask of Socialism and THAT'S what is waking up American Patriots and filling them with a terrible resolve.

old marine Loc: America home of the brave

Excellent advice.

Too bad the brain washed Socialist are to stupid to heed good advice.

They are still trying to understand why the loyal American Patriots from the old Democrat party are leaving and joining the Republican party.

old marine Loc: America home of the brave

The meek shall inherit the world? Sounds good but it doesn't work.out very well in a fight for your life.
MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN

V**E REPUBLICAN.

old marine Loc: America home of the brave

You hit the nail on the head.
🤔😏🤗😁😎