Imagine no teabaggers

[The Facts]

This is a thought experiment. Imagine a virus, like ebola, started getting passed among the teabag parties. It was 100% fatal to everyone over the age of 18, but was not contagious, so they did not spread it to other people. So in the period of a couple weeks, all the teabaggers were gone. Wouldn't America be better off?

Some say it would be a bad thing, since there are going to be some doctors and useful people like that among them, but I say this wouldn't be a problem because there would also be less patients, so less need for doctors. The people who are disproportionaly represented in the teabaggers are all useless elements to society: religious idiots, racists, and morons. (I know, I'm repeating myself) If there was some magic way to eliminate the dross from society, that would be a great thing -- wouldn't it?

[XT]

Imagine if the same thing happened to all the Liberals, or all of the Greens, etc etc. Would America be better off? I suppose it depends on one's perspective and political bent.

Personally, I think America is all about difference, and that our system is healthy because it's open even to the nutballs on either the right or left. Even the Liberals are ok...I suppose...



-XT

[The Hamster King]

"... it's easy if you try ... ."

Seriously, wishing death on a large swath of the populace because you disagree with their political views is a stinky thing to do. I don't want the tea partiers dead ... I want them beaten so soundly at the ballot box that they slink away in shame.

[cosmosdan]

Originally Posted by The Hamster King

"... it's easy if you try ... ."

Seriously, wishing death on a large swath of the populace because you disagree with their political views is a stinky thing to do. I don't want the tea partiers dead ... I want them beaten so soundly at the ballot box that they slink away in shame.

I want them to wake up and see the bullshit Fox is dishing out. Remaining conservative is fine. Just be a conservative who is not so easily swayed with dishonest bullshit.

[Stoneburg]

Why death? Why not just imagine they voluntarily moved to an isolated island that was exactly the kind of society they wanted to live in.

[XT]

Why either? Why not imagine them simply as having a different point of view and seeing if reasoned debate is possible...and compromise? Why does everyone have to think the same or be the same or have the same view point or perspective? Why would that be a good thing?

-XT

[BrainGlutton]

Originally Posted by The Hamster King

Seriously, wishing death on a large swath of the populace because you disagree with their political views is a stinky thing to do.

And, like many sins, so terribly, terribly tempting . . . *sigh* . . .

Well, I'm sure the Tea Partiers are not immune to said temptation either.

And, FTR, it is a kind of death-wish I have seen expressed openly on both Democratic Underground and Free Republic, but way more often on FR. There's just no comparison.

[DigitalC]

Originally Posted by xtisme

Why either? Why not imagine them simply as having a different point of view and seeing if reasoned debate is possible...and compromise?

Cause that would be just as ludicrous.

[kingbighair]

I think one of the funniest things in the past couple years is when the tea party called themselves teabaggers. Pure gold. I find myself using the term from time to time for a bit of comedic relief.

That said, continually calling them teabaggers does not lead to an honest debate, and comes off as pretty childish.

Or is that the point of this thread?

[pkbites]

Originally Posted by The Facts

This is a thought experiment. Imagine a virus, like ebola, started getting passed among the teabag parties. It was 100% fatal to everyone over the age of 18, but was not contagious, so they did not spread it to other people. So in the period of a couple weeks, all the teabaggers were gone. Wouldn't America be better off?

Some say it would be a bad thing, since there are going to be some doctors and useful people like that among them, but I say this wouldn't be a problem because there would also be less patients, so less need for doctors. The people who are disproportionaly represented in the teabaggers are all useless elements to society: religious idiots, racists, and morons. (I know, I'm repeating myself) If there was some magic way to eliminate the dross from society, that would be a great thing -- wouldn't it?

Imagine if somebody started a similar thread, but instead of teabaggers said blacks or Hispanics. And then went on how, yes a few police officers and useful people like that would be among them, but then there would be less crime and therefor less need for cops.

I wonder how long the Mods would allow such a hateful thread to stay open.

[Diogenes the Cynic]

It's pretty stupid to try to compare a political group (especially a racist one) to a racial minority.

[magellan01]

Originally Posted by The Facts

This is a thought experiment. Imagine a virus, like ebola, started getting passed among the teabag parties. It was 100% fatal to everyone over the age of 18, but was not contagious, so they did not spread it to other people. So in the period of a couple weeks, all the teabaggers were gone. Wouldn't America be better off?

Some say it would be a bad thing, since there are going to be some doctors and useful people like that among them, but I say this wouldn't be a problem because there would also be less patients, so less need for doctors. The people who are disproportionaly represented in the teabaggers are all useless elements to society: religious idiots, racists, and morons. (I know, I'm repeating myself) If there was some magic way to eliminate the dross from society, that would be a great thing -- wouldn't it?

Man, you must be really, really afraid of what's coming in November. Well, suck it up, pal, 'cause CHANGE is coming.

[Der Trihs]

Originally Posted by xtisme

Why either? Why not imagine them simply as having a different point of view and seeing if reasoned debate is possible...and compromise?

Because they are unreasonable, and because compromise with rightwingers doesn't work. The Democrats and now Obama have been making that mistake for years; trying to reason with lunatics and compromise with the uncompromising only leads to disaster.

[Diogenes the Cynic]

Originally Posted by xtisme

Why either? Why not imagine them simply as having a different point of view and seeing if reasoned debate is possible

Not all viewpoints deserve respect or debate. Teabaggers are basically the Klan. What is there to talk about?

By the way, my answer to the OP is that no, I don't think have the Angel of Death kill them all off in a Passover would make the country better. It's the ideology that has to be defeated, not the people. It's a rump movement that will go the way of 60's segregationists eventually.

[Rhythmdvl]

I think it would be great if they all got really, really bad gas. Not explosive diarrhea or anything harmful, just nasty, bloaty, stinky, gas. And not the fun kind of farts either, but the no-relief giving kind that makes you wonder if you need an emergency change of underwear.

The only cure would be to actually think about what you're saying, writing on a sign, or chanting. Bleating out engineered marketing slogans or echoing talking points would just make it worse, but taking a moment to reflect on the truthiness of a claim and distinguish between needless fearmongering or whatnot and actual policy discrepancies would offer relief.

Sure, some people would never catch on, and would always regurgitate Rush's or Beck's latest misdirection and tortured logic despite the intestinal disgruntlement. Racists, of course, would never make it out of the bathroom long enough to congregate.

But the throng of conservatives, those whose ideas and principles are sound and whose motivations stem from policy choices rather than vitriolic emotional rampage, would gradually become tamer and more rational in their discourse.

This means, of course, that though Fox news takes a major hit in viewership, the overall goals and aspirations of tea party members actually advance more quickly and more effectively than before--their message is heard, and ideas are actually articulated, not just their silly rhetoric. Since they take the time to listen and process ideas, more compromises are achieved and working together is possible in ways that were never before imaginable.

Sigh.

If only.

Oh, of course the only way for it to really work is if it was contagious and didn't discriminate between political bents.

[The Facts]

Originally Posted by xtisme

Why either? Why not imagine them simply as having a different point of view and seeing if reasoned debate is possible...and compromise? Why does everyone have to think the same or be the same or have the same view point or perspective? Why would that be a good thing?

So if the Nazis were marching, you'd celebrate their "different point of view?" If the Klan was marching down your street, burning crosses and screaming "kill the niggers", you'd try to have reasoned debate?

[Kimmy_Gibbler]

Originally Posted by Diogenes the Cynic

Not all viewpoints deserve respect or debate. Teabaggers are basically the Klan.

A masterful, if unwitting, object-lesson. "Even stopped clocks" and all that.

[Sam Stone]

Once again the 'progressives' show that they're anything but.

With all the expressions of intolerance and hatred here, you'd think this is Journolist or something. Someone call Ezra Klein - we've got some new candidates for him.

This thread belongs in the pit.

[Diogenes the Cynic]

Opinions are not persecuted minorities. Where did conservatives ever get the idea that they are?

[tomndebb]

Wishing death on groups, particularly when the only point of wishing them dead is to avoid hearing their viewpoints, is dumb.

Calling an entire movement racist when there is little evidence that the movement, as opposed to a few notable members, even cares about race, is dumb.

These are not the only dumb comments, but they are salient.

Since this thread started in the pits and has moved right along, I am going to give it a more appropriate home.

[ /Modding ]

[BrainGlutton]

Originally Posted by xtisme

Imagine if the same thing happened to all the Liberals, or all of the Greens, etc etc. Would America be better off? I suppose it depends on one's perspective and political bent.

Well, I think it likely that losing the Teabaggers would be less damaging to America's gene-pool, by objective, quantifiable, nonpartisan measures. Completely non-provable WAG, of course. (And really there are no perfectly "nonpartisan" value-free measures of what hereditary characteristics are eugenic or dysgenic, that always implies a value judgment of some kind, but that's another debate . . .)

[panache45]

Originally Posted by The Facts

The people who are disproportionaly represented in the teabaggers are all useless elements to society: religious idiots, racists, and morons . . .

Uh . . . do you actually have some kind of rational reason to make this statement? I mean, is it actually based on anything factual?

[XT]

Originally Posted by The Facts

So if the Nazis were marching, you'd celebrate their "different point of view?" If the Klan was marching down your street, burning crosses and screaming "kill the niggers", you'd try to have reasoned debate?

I don't equate 'teabaggers' with Nazis, though obviously you do. To answer your silly question, I'd probably have no more to do with them if they were Nazis than I would if they were Commies. As they are neither, and as they seem to be at least a marginal political force in the US, I'd say that at least trying to reason with them would get you further than simply and childishly wishing they were dead. If nothing else, then having them alive to say stupid shit and to discredit them should have some appeal.

Originally Posted by Der Trihs

Because they are unreasonable, and because compromise with rightwingers doesn't work. The Democrats and now Obama have been making that mistake for years; trying to reason with lunatics and compromise with the uncompromising only leads to disaster.

Originally Posted by Diogenes the Cynic

Not all viewpoints deserve respect or debate. Teabaggers are basically the Klan. What is there to talk about?

It's ironic that they say similar things about Liberals, no? And in similar over the top ways too. Well...it's ironic to ME, anyway.

-XT

[Yookeroo]

Originally Posted by pkbites

Imagine if somebody started a similar thread, but instead of teabaggers said blacks or Hispanics. And then went on how, yes a few police officers and useful people like that would be among them, but then there would be less crime and therefor less need for cops.

I wonder how long the Mods would allow such a hateful thread to stay open.

This thread is kind of dumb, but...

Originally Posted by Diogenes the Cynic

It's pretty stupid to try to compare a political group (especially a racist one) to a racial minority.

This. Pretty big false equivalency there.

But I love the teabaggers. Their long term effect on the GOP is gonna be a good one....for us liberals. Maybe even short term too. Keep them alive.

[magellan01]

Originally Posted by panache45

Uh . . . do you actually have some kind of rational reason to make this statement? I mean, is it actually based on anything factual?

It came from "The Facts". What more do you need?

[Der Trihs]

Originally Posted by xtisme

It's ironic that they say similar things about Liberals, no? And in similar over the top ways too. Well...it's ironic to ME, anyway.

Classic right wing garbage. "Oh, they say the same thing about you too" doesn't make them correct. But that's what defenders of the Right always do when someone calls them on their stupidity and evil; they claim a false equality with them and their opponents.

[magellan01]

Originally Posted by Yookeroo

This thread is kind of dumb, but...

"Kind of"?!

[Diogenes the Cynic]

Originally Posted by xtisme

It's ironic that they say similar things about Liberals, no?

No. So does the Klan.

[XT]

Originally Posted by Der Trihs

Classic right wing garbage.

Well, you know how us right wingers are, ehe?

But that's what defenders of the Right always do when someone calls them on their stupidity and evil; they claim a false equality with them and their opponents.

I know what you mean. They also start threads concerning their deep fantasies about death to their political opponents, and then other chime in for the circle jerk to demonize their opponents and toss around Godwin-esque statements and...

...Oh...wait!

-XT

[Der Trihs]

Originally Posted by xtisme

Well, you know how us right wingers are, ehe?

You are defending the Right regardless of your own position.

Originally Posted by xtisme

I know what you mean. They also start threads concerning their deep fantasies about death to their political opponents, and then other chime in for the circle jerk to demonize their opponents and toss around Godwin-esque statements and...

...Oh...wait!

No, they actually brandish guns or outright try to kill their opponents.

[XT]

Originally Posted by Diogenes the Cynic

No. So does the Klan.

Not sure what a Kave Bear Kult has to do with anything but...no? What was the 'no' referring to there? That it's not ironic at all that liberals and conservatives love to bash each other in ridiculous ways? Well, irony is in the eyes of the beholder, I suppose. Or was the 'no' saying that conservatives don't do those sorts of things? Or did the 'no' mean something else? Just curious.

-XT

[XT]

Originally Posted by Der Trihs

You are defending the Right regardless of your own position.

Well, I'm certainly not going to be on YOUR side in this sort of discussion!

No, they actually brandish guns or outright try to kill their opponents.

Seriously? I didn't know left wingers would even touch guns...

-XT

[Diogenes the Cynic]

Originally Posted by xtisme

Not sure what a Kave Bear Kult has to do with anything but...no? What was the 'no' referring to there? That it's not ironic at all that liberals and conservatives love to bash each other in ridiculous ways? Well, irony is in the eyes of the beholder, I suppose. Or was the 'no' saying that conservatives don't do those sorts of things? Or did the 'no' mean something else? Just curious.

-XT

I didn'ty say conservatives were racist, I said teabaggers are. They are an extremist hysterical subset of conservatives. I would cite a liberal equivalent, but there isn't one at the moment.

[magellan01]

Originally Posted by Diogenes the Cynic

I didn'ty say conservatives were racist, I said teabaggers are.

Even the non-white ones?

[Diogenes the Cynic]

Yes. All four of them.

[Der Trihs]

Originally Posted by xtisme

Seriously? I didn't know left wingers would even touch guns...

You know quite well I was talking about the teabag scum and their violent propensities.

[XT]

Originally Posted by Der Trihs

You know quite well I was talking about the teabag scum and their violent propensities.

Certainly I do...it was you posting, after all. I was just riffing off of the literal reading of your post, since it seemed amusing, to me at least. That said, however, I haven't seen much more ACTUAL violence out of 'teabaggers' than I saw out of leftwing loony types during the Bush administration...just similar verbal attacks and venom. To me it's all about oxing gores, and I find it infinitely amusing that the lefties get their panties in a bunch when the right wing comes out with what seems to me to be a mirror image of what they put Bush through (granted, with more reason) during his presidency. Whether the 'teabaggers' will be able to expand their fire and brimstone to appeal to a larger audience is questionable (since, to my biased mind at least, they have a lot less reason to actually be pissed at Obama than the left wingers did against Bush), but time will tell I guess.

In the mean time I have to admit that I'm enjoying the show!

-XT

[Diogenes the Cynic]

You didn't see war protesters saying Bush wasn't really American, carrying ominously threatening signs, bringing guns to his appearances, threatening to kill his children or openly screaming racist and homophobic profanity at US Congressmen.

[XT]

Originally Posted by Diogenes the Cynic

You didn't see war protesters saying Bush wasn't really American, carrying ominously threatening signs, bringing guns to his appearances, threatening to kill his children or openly screaming racist and homophobic profanity at US Congressmen

No, I saw them calling him a Nazi, as well as all the other LEFT wing push buttons. Different strokes for different folks, but it all equates to the same thing.

-XT

[kidneyfailure]

Originally Posted by Diogenes the Cynic

You didn't see war protesters saying Bush wasn't really American, carrying ominously threatening signs, bringing guns to his appearances, threatening to kill his children or openly screaming racist and homophobic profanity at US Congressmen.

Oh, come on...

Now, look, I'm about as left-leaning as is possible without turning into an extremist, but let's be honest here: There were PLENTY of signs with pictures of Bush with bullet holes in his head, Bush with nooses around his neck, and all that type of thing in the recent past. Hell, there was even a movie about him getting assassinated!

The Tea Partiers and right-wing fringe groups are stupid pieces of shit...but so are the left-wing fringe. Let's be honest and admit that, huh?

[The Understander]

Originally Posted by magellan01

Man, you must be really, really afraid of what's coming in November. Well, suck it up, pal, 'cause CHANGE is coming.

Change? What change?

Either the Republicans will seize the House and Senate, in which case we will get epic gridlocks and endless, pointless, baseless investigations, in which case we basically get status quo... or they won't, but gain some seats, in which case we get status quo.

Looks like same ol', same ol' to me. But enjoy your 2010 midterm. The new Know-Nothings never like to talk about what happens after, say, in 2012. I wonder why? Maybe they're afraid of the end of the Long Count! Which, given the Tea Party's intellectual bankruptcy, would not surprise me in the least.

[The Understander]

Originally Posted by tomndebb

Wishing death on groups, particularly when the only point of wishing them dead is to avoid hearing their viewpoints, is dumb.

Calling an entire movement racist when there is little evidence that the movement, as opposed to a few notable members, even cares about race, is dumb.

These are not the only dumb comments, but they are salient.

Since this thread started in the pits and has moved right along, I am going to give it a more appropriate home.

[ /Modding ]

Good move to put this in the Pit, where it belongs.

Horrible, horrible statement bolded above. Little evidence that the movement cares about race? When two of their major mouthpieces, whom Teabaggers (Don't like that term being used? I cried two tears in a bucket.) Glennandrush, more or less live on race-baiting? Bone in the nose picture? Spitting on black congressmen? (Oh, no video evidence, therefore the Teabaggers are telling the truth? Bite me, bitch.)

Please. Tell that story walking.

[BrainGlutton]

Originally Posted by xtisme

Seriously? I didn't know left wingers would even touch guns...

-XT

Oh, some of us might . . . Not that you should be sleeping with the lights on or anything, no, no, not at all, that's just silly . . .

[BrainGlutton]

Originally Posted by kidneyfailure

Oh, come on...

Now, look, I'm about as left-leaning as is possible without turning into an extremist, but let's be honest here: There were PLENTY of signs with pictures of Bush with bullet holes in his head, Bush with nooses around his neck, and all that type of thing in the recent past. Hell, there was even a movie about him getting assassinated!

The Tea Partiers and right-wing fringe groups are stupid pieces of shit...but so are the left-wing fringe. Let's be honest and admit that, huh?

No. The left-wing fringe are intelligent pieces of shit. That's just the difference.

[pkbites]

Originally Posted by Diogenes the Cynic

It's pretty stupid to try to compare a political group (especially a racist one) to a racial minority.

The mind set is whats important.
The OP wants a segment of the populace to die and go away because he doesn't like them, and then goes on how nice it would be if they were gone. This mind set is no different than that of a klansman or nazi.

[Diogenes the Cynic]

Originally Posted by xtisme

No, I saw them calling him a Nazi

No, that's teabaggers again.

[Diogenes the Cynic]

Originally Posted by kidneyfailure

Oh, come on...

Now, look, I'm about as left-leaning as is possible without turning into an extremist, but let's be honest here: There were PLENTY of signs with pictures of Bush with bullet holes in his head, Bush with nooses around his neck, and all that type of thing in the recent past. Hell, there was even a movie about him getting assassinated!

I'll take your word for it, but I nevers aw any signs like that.

The movie did not advocate the assasination of Bush or portray it as justified. It just used it as a premise.

[kidneyfailure]

Originally Posted by Diogenes the Cynic

I'll take your word for it, but I nevers aw any signs like that

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sh...reatening-bush

Enjoy!

[Diogenes the Cynic]

Newsbusters isn't much of a cite.

[YogSosoth]

There really is no way for things NOT to get better if all the tea baggers would die off. Fuck them and their hateful shit