# How Can 59,054,087 People Be So Dumb? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 4, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995 "2004-11-04T17:09:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/21 "2004-11-04T17:37:09Z")
> [@Chastain86](#): > > Could you not have posted this article in one of the other 158 election-bashing threads you’re subscribed to? Speaking of other threads, I’m still waiting for an answer to my question. When you misrepresented Diogenes’s Guantanamo cite, were you being deceptive or were you just trying to stir the pot? ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/22 "2004-11-04T17:43:19Z")
> [@El Cid Viscoso](#): > > Speaking of other threads, I’m still waiting for an answer to my question. > > When you misrepresented Diogenes’s Guantanamo cite, were you being deceptive or were you just trying to stir the pot? You’re actually jumping into someone else’s thread to settle a score? It’s normally good form to confine each thread to itself. Carry a grudge against someone in general and debate them in any thread you choose, but to stalk and hijack other threads? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/23 "2004-11-04T17:44:52Z")
PS to Diogenes: it’s all fine and well to harp on about the stupidity of our president. It’s his job, after all, to absorb these kinds of insults. But when you use Britain’s cheesecake answer to _The National Enquirer_ to insult a majority of America, you’ve gone too far. Step back from this for a second. Do you really think it’s right for you to attack and insult a vast number of your fellow countrymen? Is this action going to do any good at all? ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/24 "2004-11-04T17:45:45Z")
> [@El Cid Viscoso](#): > > Speaking of other threads, I’m still waiting for an answer to my question. > > When you misrepresented Diogenes’s Guantanamo cite, were you being deceptive or were you just trying to stir the pot? Misrepresented? Dio linked to an article that claimed, among other things, that America was building a killing facility for POWs. I asked if he truly believed in the story that he linked – that America wanted to try, then execute, foreign combatants. He never gave a straight answer to me, or to any other questions. So I think you should turn that “misrepresented” slightly to the left. If anything I asked for clarification of a bizarrely-linked story and whether or not he believed it. “Stir up the pot?” I’M not the one comparing Bush to Hitler, for Og’s sake. I’m also, it should be said, not afraid to reply plainly to a question (yours) asking for clarification. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/25 "2004-11-04T17:47:19Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Actually this is what I fear. The dems are going to morph into “them” to get a piece of their action. Get over yourself. It’s not morphing, but rethinking our approach. You might not have noticed, but we got our butts kicked this week. Did you enjoy it, because I didn’t. We have to talk with people, not at them. This “I’m smarter than you so you have to listen to me” approach has _failed_. If we claim to be the party of the people, don’t you think we ought to listen to them? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/26 "2004-11-04T17:54:01Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > You gotta knock that shit off, **Doggy Knees** because from here on out, we are the Party that loves God, Guns, and America more than the Pubs do. > > We love God so much that we want to keep the church safe from government (SOCAS). > > We love guns so much that we want to keep them safe for citines and not criminals (gun control) > > We love America so much that we will invest more in her and her people (spending on infrastructure). > > We are going to beat the Pubs at their own game. If this is the platform the Democratic nominee runs on in 2008, s/he’s got my vote. You can quote me on that. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/27 "2004-11-04T18:03:27Z")
> [@Chastain86](#): > > Misrepresented? Dio linked to an article that claimed, among other things, that America was building a killing facility for POWs. > > I asked if he truly believed in the story that he linked – that America wanted to try, then execute, foreign combatants. He never gave a straight answer to me, or to any other questions. > > So I think you should turn that “misrepresented” slightly to the left. If anything I asked for clarification of a bizarrely-linked story and whether or not he believed it. “Stir up the pot?” I’M not the one comparing Bush to Hitler, for Og’s sake. > > I’m also, it should be said, not afraid to reply plainly to a question (yours) asking for clarification. That isn’t really what you asked me. You asked me if I believed that Bush wanted to do this as a means to “wrongly kill Arabs,” at least, that’s what I _thought_ you were asking me (and I did ask for clarification in the thread). It was a loaded question and I said that I couldn’t speak to Bush’s motivations. If you wanted ask me simply whether I believe the accuracy of the story as written, then the answer is yes, I believe the story was accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/28 "2004-11-04T18:04:03Z")
Hey, **Dio** … HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I love it! Sure, he’s a dummy, and so are 59,054,087 Americans. All raving dupes, the lot of us. And yet… guess who’s appointing the next couple of SC justices? Ummm… would that be … Bush? Why, yes, it would! HAHAHAHAHA!!! Guess whose party picked up seats in the Senate, and deposed the Minority Leader? Um… let’s see… Bush’s? Why, yes! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh, and which party picked up seats in the House, as well? C’mon, you can guess. So… would you rather be the smart guys, the intelligentsia, the progressive, sensitive, New Age, enlightened party that has a steadily shrinking and one might even say largely irrelevant role in American politics in the next two years? Or would you rather be the dumb goofball idiot party that actually controls all three branches of American government? BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Keep posting how dumb we are, **Dio**. I enjoy laughing at each one of your desperate posts. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/29 "2004-11-04T18:06:17Z")
Pencil me in as a supporter of the Gobear coalition. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/30 "2004-11-04T18:07:56Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Pencil me in as a supporter of the Gobear coalition. Sorry **gobear**. I offered support elsewhere to you, but, well, sorry. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/31 "2004-11-04T18:08:05Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > We have to talk with people, not at them. This “I’m smarter than you so you have to listen to me” approach has _failed_. I’ve been bemused by the condescending attitute of a lot of people on the left. I don’t think insulting people is a great way to persuade them of the rectitude of your positions. I don’t want to hear “the left really _is_ smarter” because it isn’t. At least, no one whose ever said it to me has dazzled me with his superior intellect. The Democrats caused a lot of their own problems this time by pissing people off. **gobear** , on the other hand, is a candidate that I could get behind, depending on how closely the actual policies match the slogans. ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/32 "2004-11-04T18:09:16Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > That isn’t really what you asked me. You asked me if I believed that Bush wanted to do this as a means to “wrongly kill Arabs,” at least, that’s what I _thought_ you were asking me (and I did ask for clarification in the thread). It was a loaded question and I said that I couldn’t speak to Bush’s motivations. If you wanted ask me simply whether I believe the accuracy of the story as written, then the answer is yes, I believe the story was accurate. Hey, if I misrepresented myself, then I apologize. I wasn’t leading you anywhere you weren’t willing to go yourself, apparently. The question is, WHY do you believe that? There is a severe lack of facts in the article you linked. What makes you so sure? Do you have evidence you’re not sharing? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/33 "2004-11-04T18:09:25Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Hey, **Dio** … > HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! > > I love it! Sure, he’s a dummy, and so are 59,054,087 Americans. All raving dupes, the lot of us. > > And yet… guess who’s appointing the next couple of SC justices? Ummm… would that be … Bush? Why, yes, it would! > > HAHAHAHAHA!!! > > Guess whose party picked up seats in the Senate, and deposed the Minority Leader? Um… let’s see… Bush’s? Why, yes! > > HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! > > Oh, and which party picked up seats in the House, as well? > > C’mon, you can guess. > > So… would you rather be the smart guys, the intelligentsia, the progressive, sensitive, New Age, enlightened party that has a steadily shrinking and one might even say largely irrelevant role in American politics in the next two years? Or would you rather be the dumb goofball idiot party that actually controls all three branches of American government? > > BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Keep posting how dumb we are, **Dio**. I enjoy laughing at each one of your desperate posts. You were wrong on monday, you were wrong on wednesday and you will still be wrong on saturday. Just because there’s more of you doesn’t mean you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/34 "2004-11-04T18:10:04Z")
Bricker, Way to reach across the aisle and be inclusive. You are just a class act all the way. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/35 "2004-11-04T18:11:51Z")
Because I guess that it isn’t enough to have won. It isn’t enough to have your party pushing through an agenda that is hostile to close to half of us. Oh no. one must grind the defeat into our faces. Nice. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/36 "2004-11-04T18:14:40Z")
> [@Chastain86](#): > > Hey, if I misrepresented myself, then I apologize. I wasn’t leading you anywhere you weren’t willing to go yourself, apparently. > > The question is, WHY do you believe that? There is a severe lack of facts in the article you linked. What makes you so sure? Do you have evidence you’re not sharing? The Guardian is a reliable paper do you have a reason to question it? How about [url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-06-13-gitmo\_x.htm]USA Today[/ur]? This one has a quote from the Mission Commander at Guantanamo. Is he a liar? ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/37 "2004-11-04T18:14:52Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > Get over yourself. It’s not morphing, but rethinking our approach. What’s to think about? Want their vote? Turn into the people that got it 4 years ago, that’s how. Either _they_ change or _we_ change, it’s pretty simple. > [@](#): > > You might not have noticed, but we got our butts kicked this week. No we didn’t. 90% of the vote is an asskicking. > [@](#): > > . This “I’m smarter than you so you have to listen to me” approach has _failed_. If we claim to be the party of the people, don’t you think we ought to listen to them? I think we ought to form America Red and America Blue. That way America red can go do whatever they please. They can then face their own consequences and leave us out of it. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/38 "2004-11-04T18:16:02Z")
> [@](#): > > _by Chastain86_ (bolding mine) > > **I asked if he truly believed in the story that he linked – that America wanted to try, then execute, foreign combatants**. That’s not what you asked. This very explanation is, in itself, a misrepresentation. > [@](#): > > If anything I asked for clarification of a bizarrely-linked story and whether or not he believed it. No, [you did not](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5450393&postcount=72). Another misrepresentation. One last time: why, other than “leading Diogenes,” did you falsely cite what was represented in _The Guardian_ article? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/39 "2004-11-04T18:17:00Z")
[Fixed link](http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-06-13-gitmo_x.htm) ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/40 "2004-11-04T18:17:56Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > How about [url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-06-13-gitmo\_x.htm]USA Today[/ur]? This one has a quote from the Mission Commander at Guantanamo. Is he a liar? Well, according to some on these boards, being in charge of any military operation makes him, _de facto_, a liar. Though I’m not accusing you or anyone else specifically. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995.md?page=3)