# 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:** 3
**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, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/41 "2004-11-04T18:18:53Z")
> [@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. Hey **Rick** can I go HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! if your family goes up in smoke? Real classy you fucking piece of scum. ---
**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, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/42 "2004-11-04T18:22:15Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Hey **Rick** can I go HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! if your family goes up in smoke? > > Real classy you fucking piece of scum. Less likely to happen with Bush in office. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! (huh, I actually DO feel better doing that. Go figure) ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/43 "2004-11-04T18:31:43Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > 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? That first one, of course. Is this a trick question? Thugs ruled my high school, but I didn’t want to _be_ one of them. ---
**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, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/44 "2004-11-04T18:31:48Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > Less likely to happen with Bush in office. > > HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! > (huh, I actually DO feel better doing that. Go figure) Excellent. Another classy poster. ---
**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, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/45 "2004-11-04T18:32:12Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > Less likely to happen with Bush in office. This is totally pulled out of your ass, I’m surprised you would even try this. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/46 "2004-11-04T18:32:59Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > 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? What the hell, I know you weren’t talking to me, but: You stupid fuck, the answer is the former. _I’d_ rather be the only “progressive, sensitive, New Age, enlightened” individual in a world of you pricks than ride to power on the back of unabashed bigotry and ignorance. You think winning is a justification of the mindset that created that victory? Fuck that shit. 52% bigots or 1% bigots, they’re still fucking idiots. You want to gloat about a victory on those terms, enjoy yourself. Really, savor it. When the majority is wrong, wrong is right. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/47 "2004-11-04T18:33:11Z")
Well, I think it’s official…this place is no longer about fighting ignorance. Thanks, **Bricker**. Thanks, **Diogenes**. Thanks, **duffer**. Thanks, too, anyone else I’ve missed here. Any claims this place ever made to being “the greatest bulletin board on the 'net” have long, long since jumped the shark. ---
**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, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/48 "2004-11-04T18:39:57Z")
Pray tell, **Duke**. Enlighten us with the one true universal truth. Save us all from ourselves. Civilization is depending on you and you alone. If you have the time, could you also tell us how that incredible ego of yours keeps you from just taking us all out? (Just a personal request, not really thread related I guess) 😉 ---
**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, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/49 "2004-11-04T18:41:48Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > That first one, of course. Is this a trick question? > > Thugs ruled my high school, but I didn’t want to _be_ one of them. I have a novel idea: how about being the progressive, sensitive, New Age, enlightened party that appeals to voters and _wins elections_? That’s the goal, right? Some folks, like **World Eater** are so wedded to their anger that they have lost soght of that. Well, I haven’t and I plan on working with Virginia Democrats to take back the House by keping our values byut presenting in a way that is positive, upbeat, and sucessful. To quote one of my favorite movies, "Your “best”! Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen. " ---
**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, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/50 "2004-11-04T18:44:33Z")
> [@Binarydrone](#): > > 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. Oh please. Anyone who claims that the Democrats on this board wouldn’t be rubbing it in the faces of the Republicans if Kerry had won is a fucking moron. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/51 "2004-11-04T18:44:57Z")
Great Headline !! ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/52 "2004-11-04T18:50:53Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > I have a novel idea: how about being the progressive, sensitive, New Age, enlightened party that appeals to voters and _wins elections_? That’s the goal, right? Some folks, like **World Eater** are so wedded to their anger that they have lost soght of that. Well, I haven’t and I plan on working with Virginia Democrats to take back the House by keping our values byut presenting in a way that is positive, upbeat, and sucessful. > > To quote one of my favorite movies, "Your “best”! Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen. " But sometimes your best just isn’t good enough. I don’t agree with the saying: “You didn’t win because you just didn’t try hard enough.” Sometimes you don’t win, no matter how hard you tried. That’s reality. ---
**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, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/53 "2004-11-04T18:54:26Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > But sometimes your best just isn’t good enough. I don’t agree with the saying: “You didn’t win because you just didn’t try hard enough.” Sometimes you don’t win, no matter how hard you tried. That’s reality. And then you try again. “Just keep on tryin’ and tryin and tryin’, and then, in your own way, you’ll be a lion.” Perseverance, that’s the key. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/54 "2004-11-04T18:54:34Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > Well, I think it’s official…this place is no longer about fighting ignorance. > > Thanks, **Bricker**. Thanks, **Diogenes**. Thanks, **duffer**. Thanks, too, anyone else I’ve missed here. > > Any claims this place ever made to being “the greatest bulletin board on the 'net” have long, long since jumped the shark. Duke, stop hanging out in the BBQ Pit if it bugs you that much. That’s like going to a friends house, heading down to the basement, and saying, “Gee, I thought your house was supposed to be _nice_.” ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/55 "2004-11-04T18:55:55Z")
> [@Binarydrone](#): > > Let me take a run at this. See, the thing is that this administration is actively hostile to the values that many of us hold. To be blunt, a lot of us feel that we are under attack and living in a hostile environment. We are scared and don’t know what to do. We pretty much just want to live out our lives in peace, and don’t understand why it is that steps are being taken to prevent that. > > To be honest, I am getting pretty fucking tired of this being dismissed and “whineing”. **Frankly, being so insensitive to the very real concerns and beliefs of close to half of your countrymen is unseemly and rude.** Bolding Mine And not a bad run at that. And while you and I may have cast a vote for the same party I don’t share your sense of “drama” that half of the country is siding with a faction that is “out to get you”. I don’t think they are out to get “me”. I think this administration has made some serious wrong turns but hasen’t done anything to this country that can’t be fixed. I really don’t know if your values are under attack because I don’t know what your values are but, in any case, the solution is found by either changing the rules via process or moving out. If your values are so threatened and your peace is threatened and you can’t get the majority to agree with you then I see that your only choice may be to leave. On the other hand, if you or **Dio** or anybody else uses the tired old tactic of “you disagree with me so you must be stupid”, I’m still gonna call that a whine. I like your quote though. I’d like to borrow it. **Frankly, being so insensitive to the very real concerns and beliefs of close to half of your countrymen** and calling them stupid because they didn’t vote your way is \*\* unseemly and rude.\*\* ---
**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, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/56 "2004-11-04T19:01:35Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > I have a novel idea: how about being the progressive, sensitive, New Age, enlightened party that appeals to voters and _wins elections_? That’s the goal, right? Some folks, like **World Eater** are so wedded to their anger that they have lost soght of that. Well, I haven’t and I plan on working with Virginia Democrats to take back the House by keping our values byut presenting in a way that is positive, upbeat, and sucessful. Well I commend you on this. Am I pissed? You fucking bet, I am, what’s wrong with that? I’m pissed because this will have a lasting effect on the country. If that clown was out and done in 4 years, I wouldn’t really care. This is far from the case. > [@](#): > > To quote one of my favorite movies, "Your “best”! Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen. " Get to go home and _rape_ the prom queen. :rolleyes: ---
**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:** [November 4, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/57 "2004-11-04T19:01:42Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Leave it to the Brits to come up with the [perfect headline](http://www.mirror.co.uk/frontpages/). The link doesn’t work for me. Can someone tell me what this headline is? Inquiring minds want to know! ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/58 "2004-11-04T19:02:33Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > Duke, stop hanging out in the BBQ Pit if it bugs you that much. That’s like going to a friends house, heading down to the basement, and saying, “Gee, I thought your house was supposed to be _nice_.” Problem is, Great Debates ain’t any better. And there’s a huge difference between “being nice” and “fighting ignorance.” Go ahead and attack each other, but childish namecalling won’t advance your cause, and does little more than make you look, well, childish. Besides, did we really need a 282,529th post to snark at each other over election results? I don’t think so. ---
**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, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/59 "2004-11-04T19:09:17Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > The link doesn’t work for me. Can someone tell me what this headline is? Inquiring minds want to know! The thread title is the headline. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995/60 "2004-11-04T19:13:13Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > 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? Thank you **gobear**. Your post is insightful, and personally, is appreciated. Over the last few months, every time I took exception to the left, insult, condescension, and hatred was the primary response. Not everyone who voted for Bush is a confederate flag waving throwback. There was no initiative or proposition/referendum in my state to abridge/restrict or in any way limit the rights of GLBT persons. Had there been, I’d have voted against it. It’s beyond sad that so many others can’t/won’t mind their business when it comes to what someone else wishes to do in the privacy of their home. For further answers as to what happened on election day, you may want to read [What’s the Matter with Kansas by Thomas Frank.](http://www.henryholt.com/holt/whatsthematter.htm) I heard him being interviewed by Marty Moss-Coane on WHYY-FM in Philadelphia, yesterday. The subtitle of his text is “How Conservatives Won the Heart of America.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-59-054-087-people-be-so-dumb/272995.md?page=4)