I Have a Pledge to Make. Who Will Join Me?

[The Doctor.]

81. What you're saying would have validity if I called anyone an 'idiot'.

No, what I do is point to the very clear examples of dishonesty by people that can't seem to encompass the reason of the OP.

You can interpret that as 'calling people idiots', but I'm simply not. Like the Senator said; "You are entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts."

I made little 'pretense' of 'objectivity' to begin with. The clue was here:

"I know that I come down more on one side of this issue than the other. I know that I'm going to be roundly and unreasonably lambasted for speaking my mind... as usual. I accept that as part of discourse, but the level of dishonesty that goes with it is very disheartening and robs me of my faith in what should otherwise be a body of intelligent and thoughtful individuals."

What I am 'objective' about is that very dishonesty. One poster called the OP a 'loyalty pledge'. This means that they either did not read it, or they are being deliberately dishonest. It is perfectly within the realm of 'objectivity' to point out such deliberate dishonesty. I'm sorry that you can't appreciate that, but that isn't my concern anyhow. I notice that you consider the 'pledge' 'biased', but you cannot say how it is so.

Or can you? Will you disappoint as so many others have when asked to apply the rule of reason? I expect so, but I still give the benefit of the doubt.

Also, it may not bother you to notice, but every every single response I have given was elicited by each individuals own dishonesty, lack of substance, or deliberate ignorance. I never, ever promised to be 'nice' to people whose very first response to the OP is rude, dishonest, derisive, or ignorant. I never will. Period.

You have also obviously missed the point of the 'pledge' which is to make Obama supporters think about the criticisms before dismissing them.

Once again it appears I'm dealing with someone who could not be bothered to read the OP, otherwise you would have realized that this accusation: "There's a powerful tendency to not hear what others are saying. You don't seem to be able to detect this propensity in the Presidents most ardent supporters," was blown clean out of the water before you formulated it by this:

[font color=blue]I will endeavor to listen to their honest criticism and do the work of discovery to determine the validity of that criticism before dismissing it out of hand.[/font]

That's there for a reason. That reason is that I realize Obama's critics see his supporters that way, and that there are indeed supporters who may fall into the category you describe.

To accuse me of 'not detecting this propensity' is ignorant in the face of that.

I'm really quite astonished at the relative literal torpor on DU these days. Please, re-read the OP, and if you really have an issue with it, be specific about what and why. I am bound by reason, so if you are reasonable I will listen.

As it stands, I'm finding it more and more difficult to take some people seriously. This thread has become another monument to the deliberate ignorance and dishonesty of some people. I hope not to count you among them, but you don't have too good of a start.