# Bricker fooled me for too long **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 12, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835 "2012-11-12T22:46:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/81 "2012-11-13T12:06:40Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > The difference between the two threads is in how people reacted to the OP once the OP’s claim was shown to be bullshit. As I pointed out to **Bricker** in my most recent post: > [@Kimstu](#): > > So you’re bitching that the liberal posters were _calmly_ skeptical about one of the two stories and _vituperatively_ skeptical about the other. > > This is not as impressive an indictment as you seem to believe. ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/82 "2012-11-13T13:12:20Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > It’s really no big deal to treat someone gently, and someone else like shit, as long as the guy chosen for the shit treatment is conservative? That seems like it might matter. In that case, it sounds like the complaint you should be making is “The liberals on this board have poor manners” rather than “The liberals on this board lack intellectual rigor.” ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/83 "2012-11-13T13:20:51Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > To restate: > > BG posts false information about a known racist saying some racist stuff. > He doesn’t demand it is true when we find out it isn’t, and doesn’t demonize conservatives in general. > > Bricker posts false information about union first responders harassing non-union first responders while people are dying, and takes a pot-shot at unions in general and holds onto his nonsense after we realize the story is false. > > Bricker says it is the same thing. > > Rand Rover runs to Bricker’s defense, since RR idolizes him so. Poster A posts believable but factually false story about right wing nutjob doing what right wing nutjob does. Poster B posts believable but factually false story about union doing what union does. Poster B, incidentally, posts more than one mea culpa in the thread. Not sure why poster B is the bad guy, apart from the fact that people already dislike him, because he can express his opinions better than they can. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/84 "2012-11-13T13:24:51Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Honestly, Bricker, I don’t even consider you a conservative anymore. The only true conservative thing you seem to hold onto is the anti-union thing (which is why your opinion on that is so frustrating, as, even as a conservative, I supported unions.) You’re not quite liberal, but you are a moderate. > > The only thing holding you to being conservative is that you identify so strongly with your “team,” the Republicans, that you still feel the need to snipe at liberals. That’s was the purpose of your thread, obvious by your insistence even after you were clearly wrong, and that’s why you got treated differently. I get blasted the same way when I snipe at people, and I am not conservative. > > I also do not see how anyone thinks **Rand Rover** is reasonable. **John Mace**? Sure. But **RR**? His basic schtick is talking about how liberalism is morally wrong while claiming that believing in morality is childish and incorrect. The only thing reasonable about **RR** is that he sometimes agrees with us liberals about certain things. But all libertarians do, as that’s what makes them libertarian. They’re financially conservative, socially liberal, small government isolationists. > > And, no, I don’t know what I was smoking when I previously said **adaher** was the replacement for **Bricker**. **John Mace** makes a lot more sense. Too bad there’s no other prize for that other than being respected. and speaking of wiping assessed and making sandwiches. . . BigTard, what you understand about my position could be written on one of your asa wipers of sandwich wraps. You keep insisting ghat I believe liberalism is morally wrong even though I keep trying to show you how that is a useless defunct concept in the first place. It is true that I simply don’t like liberalism and many liberals, but of course I never say that means it or they are morally wrong because I wouldn’t be adding anything by saying that. All "that is morally wrong " means is "I don’t like that ". ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/85 "2012-11-13T13:29:43Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > As I pointed out to **Bricker** in my most recent post: That is not as impressive a response as you seem to believe. The liberals here crow over and over about how they are unbiased seekers of truth in this godforsaken world, then those two threads come along and show them to be hacks. In Bricker s thread, they got on him ostensibly for not having due regard for the truth, but then they don’t say a word when one of their own does the exact same thing. That clearly shows their true feelings on the matter and completely kills any claims to being simple objective nonpartisan truth seekers. It’s not the manner in which they expressed skepticism, its the way they treated the op after the story was found to be bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/86 "2012-11-13T13:48:52Z")
> [@Enfant Terrible](#): > > ( **Bricker** ) just uses his skill for causes not worthy of intellect, fairness, and the advancement of the human condition. He’s the anti-Superman? > [@Kimstu](#): > > Well, (the Dope is left-leaning) by American standards, that is. By Taliban standards it’s a sinkhole of devil worship. And the Inuits don’t give a shit. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/87 "2012-11-13T13:49:19Z")
We don’t live in a perfect world where each story is brought to us under the perfect view of a fresh lens each time. **Bricker** , consider the following: In a class of children the teacher often hears stories from two: Whiny William and Tattling Tom. BOTH children run to the teacher to complain often and loudly. BOTH occasionally exaggerate, and BOTH are occasionally found in lies. However, when the _objective_ facts are checked up on with other students, William is found to be on the correct side of things far more often than Tom. In fact, while William certainly whines, complains, exaggerates and occasionally fibs; his stories tend to be more accurate than Tom’s. Tom is caught out more often in outright untruths, and has a penchant for being stubbourn even in the face of factual evidence that demonstrates his stories to be false. Is it then unreasonable for the teacher to consider the history of the children when considering a new problem brought to them? Is it unfair that she take William a bit more seriously then Tom, at least until the facts are in? This is why we often are more harsh in our treatment of conservatives on this board. It doesn’t matter that the left does things too. It isn’t okay when they do it either. It IS though, more rare that the left is caught in an outright lie, or extreme exaggeration than the right. The left, like Whiny William, has earned more trust, (particularly on issues of science and social liberties; things very important to the poster population of the SDMB) despite their whinging and spin. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/88 "2012-11-13T14:01:50Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > You claimed that in the thread you linked to thatWell no, they did say something. Starting with the _very first reply_ were variations of “I don’t think this could have happened” to “this didn’t happen”. Now you seem to be trying to claim that the responses weren’t sufficiently venomous. I said before, and maintain, that the reaction in that thread was a far cry from “exactly nothing”. Yes, let’s be clear. The “said nothing” should really be, “said nothing particularly vilifying or traducing.” The responses to BG definitely pointed out the factual inaccuracy, but the tone was dramatically different. It’s that difference that led me to ask for observers to compare and contrast the two. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/89 "2012-11-13T14:15:31Z")
> [@42fish](#): > > In that case, it sounds like the complaint you should be making is “The liberals on this board have poor manners” rather than “The liberals on this board lack intellectual rigor.” Touché. Except that when I asked posters to compare and contrast the two responses, there wasn’t much, if any, recognition of the lack of manners even when pointed out. The apparent inability to recognize that I was treated much more shabbily than BG was is a function of intellectual rigor, even if the treatment itself was simply bad manners. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/90 "2012-11-13T14:19:27Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > That is not as impressive a response as you seem to believe. The liberals here crow over and over about how they are unbiased seekers of truth in this godforsaken world, then those two threads come along and show them to be hacks. In Bricker s thread, they got on him ostensibly for not having due regard for the truth, but then they don’t say a word when one of their own does the exact same thing. That clearly shows their true feelings on the matter and completely kills any claims to being simple objective nonpartisan truth seekers. > > It’s not the manner in which they expressed skepticism, its the way they treated the op after the story was found to be bullshit. Well, I called Bricker out on his bullshit in his thread but didn’t in this other thread, because I didn’t see the second thread, because most of my time is taken up right now with being an Obama-voting member of the moocher class, i.e. working at my job. I am sorry that I am unable to go around the board telling everyone who posts obvious bullshit that they have posted obvious bullshit. It is a personal failing that I am working on. It would be a lot easier if people would simply stop posting obvious bullshit. (I would also like a pony.) ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/91 "2012-11-13T14:19:51Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > This is why we often are more harsh in our treatment of conservatives on this board. It doesn’t matter that the left does things too. It isn’t okay when they do it either. It IS though, more rare that the left is caught in an outright lie, or extreme exaggeration than the right. The left, like Whiny William, has earned more trust, (particularly on issues of science and social liberties; things very important to the poster population of the SDMB) despite their whinging and spin. As to science, I agree – but I’m not known for taking anti-science positions, am I? As to social liberties, these are not matters of science – that is, they are preferred positions rather than inarguably correct ones. Undoubtedly the liberal position on social issues is important to the vast majority of posters here, but if that population regards those positions as so correct as to be analogous to scientifically proven, and thus justify heaping scorn and abuse on anyone for daring to hold contrary social positions, then I guess I have the answer, which appears to be: yeah, we’re going to treat you like shit because you’re a conservative. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/92 "2012-11-13T14:24:00Z")
Blah blah blah. Stop posting obvious bullshit and you’ll be treated better. God. Why does everything have to be complicated? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/93 "2012-11-13T14:27:54Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Blah blah blah. Stop posting obvious bullshit and you’ll be treated better. > > God. Why does everything have to be complicated? My point is that others, more politically aligned with the majority here, also post obvious bullshit and are still treated fine. So I am suggesting that merely posting “obvious bullshit” is not the sin that’s causing the poor treatment. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/94 "2012-11-13T14:44:40Z")
Geez, for a guy with “brick” in his name, you’re a delicate sort, wot? ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/95 "2012-11-13T14:50:04Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > As to science, I agree – but I’m not known for taking anti-science positions, am I? > > As to social liberties, these are not matters of science – that is, they are preferred positions rather than inarguably correct ones. Undoubtedly the liberal position on social issues is important to the vast majority of posters here, but if that population regards those positions as so correct as to be analogous to scientifically proven, and thus justify heaping scorn and abuse on anyone for daring to hold contrary social positions, then I guess I have the answer, which appears to be: yeah, we’re going to treat you like shit because you’re a conservative. Nope you aren’t, and I hope you didn’t take it as an implication otherwise. I was simply trying to explain the dichotomy you noticed. As to social positions, some of them _are_ scientific; or at least are the direct logical result of the science behind the issue. Not that you take any of these positions, though. For example, we know know that homosexuality has an inarguable biological component, and is expressed in lots of other species as well. We know that the notion of “race” has no biological basis now. We know that there is a strong correlation between education and lack of religiosity. etc, etc.. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/96 "2012-11-13T14:58:12Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Undoubtedly the liberal position on social issues is important to the vast majority of posters here, but if that population regards those positions as so correct as to be analogous to scientifically proven, and thus justify heaping scorn and abuse on anyone for daring to hold contrary social positions… Oh, I don’t know. At this point, I am willing to say, with certainty, that there are no arguments against legalizing SSM that don’t boil down to “ewww, buttsecks”, or “God told me so.” It is, in effect, as close to being a scientific truth as one could reasonably hope to find (given certain other assumptions that are universally held, like marriage being a fundamental right, and so on). Having said that, _you_ don’t post anti-SSM screeds, having accepted (for yourself) the liberal position on the issue, so maybe this is of limited relevance. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/97 "2012-11-13T15:17:15Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Oh, I don’t know. At this point, I am willing to say, with certainty, that there are no arguments against legalizing SSM that don’t boil down to “ewww, buttsecks”, or “God told me so.” Don’t forget “the word ‘marriage’ is SACRED! You can’t just go around changing what words _mean_!” ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/98 "2012-11-13T15:17:42Z")
> [@Diamonds02](#): > > I am not crazy. But did your mother have you tested? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![al27052](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@al27052](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/al27052)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/99 "2012-11-13T15:18:11Z")
> [@bup](#): > > I’m a liberal, and I still think **Bricker** ’s one of the most intellectually honest posters here. Absolutely, to the exact degree that an intentional partisan CAN be intellectually honest. Which is always far less than an intentional non-partisan, an empiricist, etc. etc.., will be. It’s like saying a scientist is intellectually honest _except_ that he refuses to read scientific papers from people outside his own ethnicity, for example. Technically, you could call him “intellectually honest”. Realistically, anything he’s say would need to be taken with a grain of salt. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835/100 "2012-11-13T15:22:32Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **monstro** > Bricker fooled me long time. > [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > He sucky sucky. Funniest SDMB post of the week. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bricker-fooled-me-for-too-long/640835.md?page=6)