# Godwin this, and Godwin that. Stick Godwin up your ass. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 29, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399 "2008-01-29T01:59:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/41 "2008-01-29T11:39:21Z")
I agree with the OP. Even worse are the muppets who think that whenever their debate opponent mentions Hitler, they’ve somehow “won” the debate, via “Godwin’s Law”, as if it’s some kind of rule to referee debates with. Comparisons with Hitler and the Nazis are sometimes not only apt but the most relevant comparison! ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/42 "2008-01-29T11:40:31Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] For God’s sake, it was a joke, a mere exercise in memetics [/QUOTE] Sometimes its like having someone shouting “Newtoned!” every time an apple drops. Neither law has to be called out for us to realise it’s been applied. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/43 "2008-01-29T13:31:28Z")
[QUOTE=Polycarp] During disputations in medieval England, the over-the-top comparison of any minor issue to the wholesale land-title and social-class shifts attendant on the Norman Conquest and the harsh rule of William the Conqueror, was nknown as violating Godwinson’s Law. 😛 [/QUOTE] Traditionally, it Harolded the end of the discussion. Sailboat ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/44 "2008-01-29T14:18:24Z")
What color shirt does Godwin wear? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/45 "2008-01-29T14:25:39Z")
I prefer Gaudere you Hitlurluvers. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/46 "2008-01-29T14:29:41Z")
You think it’s bad now? Imagine how bad it got during strategy briefings in [WWII](http://xkcd.com/261/) ---
**Author:** ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/47 "2008-01-29T15:14:38Z")
It’s not just Godwin’s idea, it’s the law. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/48 "2008-01-29T15:22:52Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] [This](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=453331) was the final straw for me. I hereby propose Dave’s Law: The first person who invokes Godwin’s Law anywhere, under any circumstances, is a pinhead. For God’s sake, it was a joke, a mere exercise in memetics. Stop being retarded about it and just say Hitler or Nazis if that’s what you mean. Oooh, I said it, I must be the loser! :rolleyes: Morons. All of you “Godwinizers”, to a person, are too stupid for words. [/QUOTE] Preach it Adolf! If you buy me another pint, I might just see where you’re coming from. ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/49 "2008-01-29T15:45:54Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] For God’s sake, it was a joke, a mere exercise in memetics. [/QUOTE] If you propose that it is memetics (a mutating self replicator in cultural _evolution_), then nature will have its way and we are powerless to stop this. Unless you really meant that it was Godwin’s _creation_… ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/50 "2008-01-29T15:53:51Z")
What Godwin was proposing is just a theory, not a fact. I think we should teach the controversy. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/51 "2008-01-29T16:33:38Z")
[QUOTE=athelas] You think it’s bad now? Imagine how bad it got during strategy briefings in [WWII](http://xkcd.com/261/) [/QUOTE] You bum - _ **I** _ wanted to be the one to link to that!! ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/52 "2008-01-29T16:55:58Z")
[QUOTE=Anomalous Reading] And sometimes **nazi’s** or Hitler or whatever IS a legitimate parallel. [/QUOTE] (bolding mine) No apostrophe is necessary. [/grammar Godwin] 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/53 "2008-01-29T18:50:35Z")
A red brick. ---
**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:** [January 29, 2008, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/54 "2008-01-29T21:15:55Z")
[QUOTE=Measure for Measure] Anyway, Godwin’s Law can easily be sidestepped by invoking Stalin, Pol Pot or any number of governing sociopaths. [/QUOTE] But that would require knowing a little bit about world history. It’s so much easier just to invoke Hitler or Nazis when Bush does something repellent, or you get a ticket for overdue parking. Besides, you hardly ever see a picture of Suharto with a little toothbrush mustache. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/55 "2008-01-29T22:03:30Z")
[QUOTE=Jackmannii] Besides, you hardly ever see a picture of Suharto with a little toothbrush mustache. [/QUOTE] You hardly ever used to see a picture of a smiley-face with a toothbrush moustache, before [somebody decided to take pity on Jonah Goldberg](http://www.amazon.com/Liberal-Fascism-American-Mussolini-Politics/dp/0385511841). ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/56 "2008-01-29T22:08:50Z")
. You know, the Nazis had pieces of flair . . . Just as I’m feeling smug about being the first one in the thread with a tired _Office Space_ reference, lots of people like to feel smug that they know what Godwin’s Law is and that they get to use it in a convo. We do it all the time, with all sorts of stuff. We love to feel hip and in the know and all that. Here, we’ve always loved to torture to death our little inside jokes: bring pie, Og, Gaudere’s Law, Manny’s Missing Money, etc. _ad nauseum_. It’s funny for a while, and as long as we’re still on the uphill slope of the gag, we’re in like Flynn. We made a hip reference in hopes of appearing kewl to total strangers. (Catch that? I just did it there. I made a **Phaedrus** reference to prove that I am a hardcore Doper. Respect me, for I am chock-full of the l33t.) Meh. Nod, smile, let it go. If it’s a useful reference to the Nazis or Hitler, it’s useful whether or not someone takes the opportunity to prove they know about Godwin’s Law. They’re special, they feel better about themselves, ignore it and move on. . ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/57 "2008-01-29T22:10:20Z")
. Mind you, Jonah Goldberg is a complete and utter tool. . ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/58 "2008-01-29T22:11:22Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] Stop being retarded about it … [/QUOTE] [You know who else didn’t like those with special needs](http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/euthanasia.htm) … ---
**Author:** ![wendigo1974](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@wendigo1974](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wendigo1974)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/59 "2008-01-29T22:15:00Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] (bolding mine) No apostrophe is necessary. [/grammar Godwin] 😛 [/QUOTE] Is slang subject to grammar? Are the Uk Conservatives - Tories, Torys or Tory’s Likewise are our Nazi chums uppercase proper nouns or nazi lowercase descriptives. Would “NSDAP’s or Hitler’s” have been the proper way for the previous poster to have stated his comment. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/60 "2008-01-29T22:52:35Z")
[QUOTE=andros] . Mind you, Jonah Goldberg is a complete and utter tool. . [/QUOTE] No question! That’s why publishing his book constitutes taking pity on him. And **elmwood** promptly (and satirically) demonstrates Goldberg’s main line of reasoning… 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399.md?page=4)