Re Reagan: Look, this is an anonymous internet forum!

[Taylor Mason Powell]

Can we really hold ourselves to the same standard of behavior that we would in "real life?" If Nancy Reagan walked into the room right now, I would politely and sincerely express my condolences, even as I believe that the Reagan presidency was a horrible blight on this nation. I'm willing to bet that many of you would do the same.

Online, however, under this cloak of anonymity, I can say whatever I want. It's pure Id over here!

I think those who object to the vitriol and the pissing on the man's grave that's going on here:

(a) should recognize that this is an inevitable characteristic of any online forum like DU, having nothing to do with left or right, with "decency" or the lack thereof, and

(b) should perhaps take a breather, get off DU for a while.

Look, I have no doubt that the vast majority of people here are decent, friendly people. But let anyone's id run rampant, without consequence, and you get the threads we're seeing. It's nothing to be alarmed about. This is one way in which we really ARE no different from the Freepers. It has nothing to do with ideology and everything to do with human nature. I understand the consternation over this, and I really DO wish we all could be more civil, and thus separate ourselves from the monkeys over at FR, but this is, after all, the internet.

It is my hope that we can use this event as a "teachable moment" to counteract the hero-worship that's sure to come with the real facts of Reagan's presidency. And I'm sure that's exactly what many of us will do.

All I'm saying is, let's not get our knickers in a twist over the very natural, very predictable, response here on this internet message board. Anybody who's spent any time at all on DU could certainly have seen this reaction coming miles and miles away. You have the option not to participate.

All that said, when GWB dies I will be totally popping the champagne. I think I'm going to have to wait a while, though. That man does WAY too much jogging. Although you never know when an errant pretzel...

[wellstone_democrat]

1. Amen

I'm sorry for the man's family. That's it and considering what I suffered during his "reign" that's damn generous. That's all I have to say.

Stay offline folks if a political forum diametrically opposite of everything this man stood for doesn't hypocritically shed tears.

[RapidCreek]

2. Well you'd be losing money if you made that bet with me

I wouldn't offer my condolances....I would ignore her completely.

I wouldn't walk up to her and try to steal her purse like she and her husband did in a figurative fashion to my family though. Therein lies the difference between us...and what makes me and my family better people than she or her rotten thieving whore of a husband will ever be.

Anonymous? You want my name? Ok it's ANDREW HENTZ. I live in Spearfish South Dakota. Here's my picture.



RC

[wellstone_democrat]

5. I've actually *been* to Spearfish!

Spooky---it was long ago and some religious festival was going on (passion play?) and so we had to drive on and on to stop for the night.

Oh, and I'm not at all sorry he is dead. Not at all.

[RapidCreek]

7. Actually it was probably the Jesus Freak concert they have

every year. Thankfully it has moved to a different city. There is a Passion Play. The guy who founded it is a money grubbing old German. He used to play the part of Jesus. It was sort of funny seeing a secenty five year old fascist hanging from the cross making like the son of God. Finally his daughter got married and her husband, an Italian named Guido took over Jesus duties. The locals play parts in the play for coffee and doughnuts while he rakes in millions and gets tax breaks from the city. The son of a bitch actually had the gall to insist that a special tax be created, which he recieved, on all hotel and motel rooms rented in town. He told the city fathers he'd take his Jesus circus down the road if they didn't comply....and heck, the city fathers didn't want to miss out on those free donuts, so they complied! Fascism at it's finest!!! Hiel Jesus.

RC

[Taylor Mason Powell]

6. Well, I did say "most..."

But thanks for your personal info, as beside the point as it is...

:eyes:

[RapidCreek]

8. It's hardly besides the point...you suggested I would not say

what I say here if I couldn't do so under the cloak of anonymity. That's bullshit. To prove just what bullshit it is, I've made quite plain, who I am, where I live and what my name is. I stand by what I say. I'll stand by it face to face with anyone, any place, at any time.

I don't live in fear of physical, verbal or any other type of retribution. I welcome any redneck freeper asshole to try and convince me I should. Suffice it to say....a few have and have paid a heavy price.

RC

[lachattefolle]

9. Please be careful

Not much free in this country any more, including free speech. You might end up with someone gunning for you. Seriously, the right wing scares me, but, as I said in a previous post, I'm a coward. I do admire you standing up for your beliefs and posting your picture!

[RapidCreek]

12. Thanks for your concern

It's appreciated.

RC

[Taylor Mason Powell]

10. Then you are the exception

that proves the rule. I stand by my original thesis.

(I mean, I did say "most...")

[RapidCreek]

14. I don't know that I am the exception

There's quite a few posters on this board who are publically vocal about their positions. Published authors, Film producers, Protestors etc, etc,.

RC

[Taylor Mason Powell]

15. That's not my point.

If these published authors, film producers, and protestors were faced with Nancy or Ron Jr. in their immediate presence, they would act differently (i.e. with common human decency) than their words on this forum would indicate. That is all I'm saying. Apparently you would not. And that's FINE, of course. No skin off my nose...

[RapidCreek]

16. How is being a hypocrite an exhibition of common human decency?

RC

[Taylor Mason Powell]

17. It just is, sometimes.

Like when your friend asks you "does this dress make me look fat?" And you say, "no! no! not at all!" When it really does.

Same thing. Sometimes, simple human decency means we put our views in check for the sake of someone who is hurting.

The general point I'm making is, people act differently on these message boards than they would in real life. That's all. That's the entire extent of what I'm saying. I happen to think that doesn't count as "hypocrisy."

But I do see your point.

[RapidCreek]

20. If my friend asks me whether the dress she is wearing makes her

look fat....I assume that looking fat is something she would rather not do in public. How is allowing her to expose herself to the ridicule she believes looking fat will cause her to suffer, being her friend? It is not. It is being a chickenshit....it is being selfish. You are not really concerned about the happiness of your freind...what you are concerned with is maintaining your own level of comfort at your friends expence....and a real friend wouldn't do that.


If I knew your wife was fucking the mailman....and I didn't tell you because I realize you probably wouldn't believe me and might get mad that I would say such a thing about your wife....would that be the behavior of a friend? A true freind would be willing to sacrifice the immediate pleasures of friendship...he would be willing to be subjected to your hate and anger if he knew that honesty would prevent you from, or prepare you for, much bigger hurt down the road.

That said, Ronald Reagan and his family are not my friends.

I would suggest that most of the people on this board would say what they say here in public. The fact that the media has taken great pains to see to it that the public does not hear their words...hardly makes them less said by the people who say them.

RC

[buycitgo]

18. you GO, spearfish!

we should concentrate on exactly what you say about what these kleptocrats have done to the less fortunate in our society, since they took power (some, like Robert Parry, would say STOLE).

massive transfer of wealth from the lower/middle class to the upper has taken place, along with the forseeable end of transfer payments to vets, SS reipients, mediacare/medicaid

that's EXACTLY what they want, what they envision

and the Reagan Revolution began it all.

the Bush junta, like a bad analogy, has taken the 80s and driven that decade to its logical extreme, in which there will be no money for ANYthing but defense and law enforcement

welcome to Grover Norquist's wet-dream

[FARAFIELD]

19. Ive been to SPearfish too

I ate breakfast there with my wife and two daughters in september 2001, when our flights were grounded and we had to drive damn near cross country.

[buff2]

3. I would GLADLY pay for a bag of pretzels......

:evilgrin:

[Momgonepostal]

4. I wonder if you mailed a bag of pretzels...

...to the president, if that would be considered a threat of violence? Would the Secret Service come after you?

Random musings... :-)

[chookie]

11. Oh, I see -- the Abu Ghraib defence!

Oh sorry -- I thought this behavior was morally deplorable and contrary to human decency!

Thanks for straightening me out that it's "just pure Id" and that you're "just blowing off steam," as Rush would say!

Also -- GREAT to know that you feel it's okay to do and say these things because of "anonymity"! The folks at Abu Ghraib NEVER thought anyone "uncool" would ever see those photos -- and certainly the Bush adminstration thought that if they could get away with something secretly, it was okay. Hell, I'd have called it barbarity and fucking COWARDICE -- had you not explained things. :eyes:

[Taylor Mason Powell]

13. What a steaming pile of shit!

You're comparing comments on a message board to the torture of human beings?

I think you need to check your moral compass. Or better yet, go outside and take a walk. Maybe interact with some real human beings.

:eyes: back atcha.

ON EDIT: Just to clarify why your post is a stupid, steaming, stinking pile of shit:

TORTURING HUMAN BEINGS: Not "blowing off steam." Indefensible.

TYPING HATEFUL WORDS ON AN INTERNET FORUM: Certainly "blowing off steam." Absolutely defensible.