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159. you're going to be a jerk and rag on me for bringing a little lightness and humanity to this forum

. . . you must feel so smug right now. Didn't you have enough fun backslapping and yucking it up with the other smart-ass upthread?

It really seems like what you want, and some folks here with more of a negative agenda, is to dehumanize these legislators and pols so you can comfortably sneer at them and look down at them. It looks weak and doesn't compel other folks who thrive on humanity to find agreement with whatever you're advocating.

Take this effort by you on this thread to ridicule my politics and define my character as some sort of dilettante only interested in pretty pictures - It's so slimy and juvenile, it's so patently false that I was actually surprised to see you join in.

It demonstrates, betrays, a weakness in your ability to not just respect my differing opinion, but a desire by you to actually denigrate me personally. That's just sad, and, I think, more of a reflection of your character than anything you've written here; any view you might hold about the politicians we were discussing.

You really forfeit the debate when you engage in garbage like that. Appropriate, perhaps for a grade-school cafeteria, but not appropriate for a debate in which you want your own views to be judged on their merits and not subjected to childish taunting and ridicule.