I actually wrote this post a week ago, but thought I would wait â??till after the election to see if things changed at all post Nov 2 â??? they didnâ??t, so here goes.
Three things really stand out big-time for me reading the various threads about things political.
One â?¦ these forums are great for allowing people to say whatâ??s really on their minds without having to PC filter their thoughts prior to publication â??? I really believe that the posts contained here are a true reflection of closely held beliefs.
And two â?¦ the general level of intolerance for an opposing view and the general level of disgust shown towards persons holding that view, is absolutely mind boggling.
I just canâ??t believe that in a country so proud of its heritage of freedom of expression, that this freedom would be so widely used (abused?) to express values so pervasively those of suspicion, hatred, intolerance, exclusion, hypocrisy, a disregard for the value of life, a disregard for the value of a law, a disregard for the value of moral and ethical concepts as a compass for daily living, or for governance.
The third thing I noticed, and this seems to be equally spread across all political spectrums, is the high level of xenophobia â?¦ it seems that this is the one thing that can actually bring Democrats and Republicans together â??? some foreigner or some foreign country that they hate more than they hate each other.
Personally, I canâ??t tell you how disappointed I was to read otherwise interesting and thought provoking posts that were laced with vile personal attacks and expressions of the most extreme intolerance. Posters were told to â??STFUâ? or â??if you donâ??t like it you can leaveâ? called â??moronsâ? and worse â??? I donâ??t get it. But itâ??s not just CEG.
One of the hardest things people are ever forced to do is to look at themselves in the mirror and be brutally honest about who they are and what values they hold, what they stand for â??? and that is particularly true for a whole nation.
You may not want to hear this and you may not believe it or you may not think itâ??s for me to say â?¦ but the way most of you seem to see yourselves as a nation is not the way the rest of the world sees you. And itâ??s not jealousy and itâ??s not because youâ??ve got what others want and canâ??t have and itâ??s not because of any mindless hatred, and itâ??s not because of cultural or religious differences.
Itâ??s not my place I know, but post Nov 2nd may I suggest that at least here at CEG you think about those things you have in common with those who hold an opposing view; think about what it is that binds you together and not what divides you; think about how to embrace an opposing view into your own solutions instead of mindless reactionary flaming.
Speaking of which â?¦ Iâ??m ready. Flame on.
Originally posted by BP:
Originally posted by Davo:
Originally posted by BP:
non-americans hate the US because of the pompous prick 'we're better than you and the world revolves around us' attitude a lot of american's have.
We are. It does.
Originally posted by BP:
sometimes we act like the rest of the world is 3rd world compared to us.
They are.
Originally posted by BP:
...humbleness and tact. something most americans don't know the meaning of.
j/k lol you made some valid points. let's see if they go in one ear and out the other. 
