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!
[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.
[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
What color shirt does Godwin wear?
I prefer Gaudere you Hitlurluvers.
You think it’s bad now? Imagine how bad it got during strategy briefings in WWII
It’s not just Godwin’s idea, it’s the law.
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF]
This 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.
[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…
What Godwin was proposing is just a theory, not a fact. I think we should teach the controversy.
[QUOTE=athelas]
You think it’s bad now? Imagine how bad it got during strategy briefings in WWII
[/QUOTE]
You bum - I wanted to be the one to link to that!!
[QUOTE=Anomalous Reading]
And sometimes nazi’s or Hitler or whatever IS a legitimate parallel.
[/QUOTE]
(bolding mine)
No apostrophe is necessary. [/grammar Godwin]
A red brick.
[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.
[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.
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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.
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Mind you, Jonah Goldberg is a complete and utter tool.
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[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF]
Stop being retarded about it …
[/QUOTE]
[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.
[QUOTE=andros]
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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… 