Name calling - Just say no!

The BBQ Pit
1

Not a rant, not a plea…just a statement.

This doesn’t apply to the vast majority of Dopers. To those few it does, I doubt it’ll matter, but…what the hell, it’s worth a try.

I’m sick and tired of political sniping and name-calling. Really. I don’t care who started it or why you feel it necessary, but please. Shut the fuck up.

I’m not saying to stifle debate.
I’m not saying “Don’t fight and strive and argue for causes you believe in”
I’m not saying “Can’t we all just get along.”

I am saying:

#1) It is not healthy to believe that anyone who disagrees with you on one/some/all issues is stupid/evil/racist. Most debated issues are things over which it is possible to disagree civilly. Attempts to demonize your opponent, especially on a board this small usually don’t work anyway. We are a small community (what, two thousand active posters?). I know many of you through your posts. I doubt that I could think of many people here who are actually “evil”. Irritating, misguided, loud-mouthed? Yes. “Evil”? “Racists”? Not many, if any. And frankly, if you actually are, you won’t be around long.

#2) If we divide up most issues into “I think you’re very wrong but rational people can disagree on this point” and “You’re Fucking Insane” (yes, I’ve committed the Logical Fallacy of “False Dilemma”. Just bear with me) and if we’re all really, really honest, most issues to one degree or the other end up in “Rational people can disagree”.

Look, as a personal example, I believe strongly in the right to keep and bear arms. I often discuss this with people. When I do, I do my best to remember that my opponents are at worst misguided. They’re not monsters, they’re not evil, they’re not “worse than Tim McVeigh”:rolleyes: They’re people who, if I treat civilly, I might be able to convince, and even if I don’t or can’t, are worthy of respect or at least civility

#3) And while I’m lecturing, please, those of you who think name-calling is witty… you’re not helping your cause. “Dumbocrats”, “Clintonistas”, “DUMB-ya”, “RePUGnicans”. Very amusing. Now go play, the rest of the grown-ups are trying to talk. It’s rarely cute, it’s mostly dull, and it always makes your arguments look weaker. If you can win the arguments, you can do so without fourth-grade name calling. I can’t be the only person here, who, when he sees that sort of sophomoric behavior just skips over the post and/or dismisses whatever else the poster had to say.

Like I said, I doubt this’ll do any good. The vast majority of the Teeming Millions know this, and the few who don’t, well…this ain’t gonna convince 'em.

But what the hell, it lowered my blood pressure a bit.

Fenris

2

Monkeyface! Monkeyface! Monkeyface! Monkeyface! Monkeyface! Monkeyface! Monkeyface! Monkeyface! Monkeyface! Monkeyface! Monkeyface! Monkeyface! Monkeyface! Monkeyface! Monkeyface! Monkeyface!

Zette

3

Discussions (or arguments) that end up with name calling usually prompt me to say…
“Oh, gooOOood comeback!”
Followed by a rolling of the eyes.

That being said, they’re all poopheads!
LOL!
But I must applaud you on a well written treatise

4

Okay. Sounds good to me.

Kisses,
Byz

5

DUMB-ya? RePUGnicans?

Please tell me nobody actually uses these terms. If that’s the best people can come up with… well, it’s pretty sad.

6

Fenris, you ignorant slut.

7

i see Clintonistas abound in this thread.

gdrlh

8

and I’ll still say we were switched at birth even if some one erred on your gun control programming (but you’re in Colorado, they execute folks for not having guns there, right? :smiley: smiley face indicates a joke, any resemblance to a serious thought are unintentional )

Seriously. I get sooooo tired of that sort of cheap shot. I’ve maintained for quite some time that if you have confidence in your words and position, name calling etc shouldn’t be necessary. I did see some one do a ‘well your post is poop’ in GD. I hope that it was done in jest, but don’t think so. sigh.

9

Thanks, wring. I don’t know why this is annoying me so much all of a sudden but it is.

<sigh> Maybe I’ll stay out of GD (I mostly lurk there anyway) for awhile.

BTW: We don’t execute people for not owning guns, just for not liking them. :wink:

Fenris

10

GrizzRich: Thanks!

Byz: Ditto and Kisses right back atcha

AndYrAStar: It may have been “Duhhh-bya” or similar. But yup. Both of those were used by people in GD. One guy made a career of “RePUGnicans”.

Fenris

11

I remember watching Rush Limbaugh’s TV show, when he had one, and one of the reasons why I quit watching it was because of the way I didn’t like how he would get creative with the names of Democrats and members of Clinton’s cabinet.

I remember in particular how he handled Richard (Robert?) Reich’s name. He would go “Reicccchhhhhhhhhhhhh”.

Made him look childish, really. And it’s not the kind of thing I look for in a debate about politics.

And Fenris, I’m with you on the OP. Resorting to name-calling in the midst of an argument over politics always makes me think that the offender has run out of intelligent things to say. If someone can’t make their point without resorting to name-calling, then they don’t know how to really debate.

That being said, I’m perfectly cool with referring to individuals like Dr. Laura and Jack Chick as complete nutjobs. :smiley:

12

Okay, my postion on name calling. (I knew you wanted to know!)

If you are using a word as an adjective that does indeed fit the person in question, its okay. There was what is commonly known as a Munchkin in my game last night. A power gamer, a putz. I think of him, fondly, because he’s not all that bad a guy, as Munchie. Or, if my sister is rolling her eyes and using teen logic to whine about things, she’s a whiny little snot. It describes and communicates my opinion of her behavior. Name calling, under a strict definiton sure, but not always unacceptable. (I try to keep it downright honest and descriptive, actually.)

When it comes to making fun of names or trying to press political hot buttons (Rasism, sexism, Nazi) its across the line. You aren’t being descriptive anymore. Its not an addition to the topic at hand. (Unless they actually are racist, sexist, etc…then you fall under the descriptive rule. But you had better have some good hard facts under your belt. Otherwise you are simply weakening the punishment for the real snakes out there.)

[sub](See? I called Nazis “snakes”. Ohhhh I so baaaad!)[/s]

13

My position on name calling as well:

Public figures: have at it.
Fellow dopers: shame on you.

stoid

14

So when I refer to Leonardo DiCaprio as Leonardo Di-CRAP-io it’s not funny?

Aw, man…

15

Well, it’s funny to me, but I don’t carry a lot of weight around here :smiley:
I would suggest that the same might also apply for over-the-top swearing. If you want to get your message across, and you apparently do, because you’re taking the time to type and post your message, excessive swearing turns a lot of people off who might otherwise have been very interested in your points; sort of a verbal static, if you will. If your message, however, is how many ways you can use the word “fuck” in two paragraphs, have at 'er.

16

Name calling individuals for their individual actions seems ok with me. As was said before, Dr. Laura and Jack Chick are just asking for it.

But going after an entire group of people is just childish and simple minded. Not ALL Republicans think alike - the Senator who dumped the GOP to become an independant for example. Not all of any group think alike, so to lump them all together in such a childish way just weakens one’s argument in a debate, IMO anyway.

featherlou:

Change your name to leadlou?

d&r

17

Hah! You got it! I wasn’t sure if it was a little too obscure; I should have known I can count on Dopers to not let one slip by them.

18

Well, terms like those are generally used only by communist demoncrats and other supporters of King Klinton.

19

I feel the need to expound on my very tiny post. I do agree with Fenris… I think sometimes we are so caught up in our own color, race, name, religion… or WHATEVER it is that we USE to separate OURSELVES.

Oh, just blow me hard… we use color, race, nationality and Goddess knows what else to separate ourselves… and it is SHAMEFUL… we are all human. Get a clue… we are human. We all have drives and desires… and that is life… not color… not race… that is HUMAN!!!

I so disdane race, color or other issues that are used to seperate us… that is what is used to distance us… fuck it all… I am here… I am: white/Indian/Irish/Scotish/Canadinan/French… and a bunch of other shit that other realitives WON’T fess up to… go figgure… if your background is even HALF as funky as mine… we have room to chat… there is no one “pure” anything anymore. Just suck it up and deal. NO ONE is pure anything… we ARE. We just ARE.

Just suck and deal that we ARE. We are human. We are. That’s just the damn focus. Just get off your high-horse… you ARE… just like me and EVERYONE ELSE… deal with it, pink boy, you are just a mutt like me and everyone else…

THAT is what makes us real.

Suck it up and deal, damn it!

20

Byzantine: Right on! Not right on topic mind you, but I support the sentiment.