Anyone else have mild contempt for the "Help me respond/debunk RW email"

[markses]

posts?

I suppose I'm a raging asshole about it, but I find these kinds of posts mildly contemptible. Can the posters not forulate* an answer on their own? And if not, is it because they cannot defend their own positions? And if they cannot defend their own positions, why do they hold the beliefs that they do?

I understand the value of collaboration and community; I even dig a kind of open source principle whereby a thousand eyes make all bugs shallow. Yet there remains something offputting about the "Help me debunk..." posts, something...I dunno...weak about it that rubs me wrong.

So, lay into me. How big of an asshole am I?


* One edit: "formulate" - big ups to Jean for debugging.

[Alpharetta]

1. i don't mind. it's batting practice

keeps us sharp

keeps our pithy one-liners sharp

:)

[trof]

21. I like that. "batting practice" eom

[VOX]

28. Excellent metaphor!

Nice!

:toast:

[SheepyMcSheepster]

2. i tend to agree

the resources are out there, but what you have to keep in mind is everyone is not aware at how useful google is.

[kiahzero]

3. There's a difference between knowing something and having links handy

Internet debates inevitably turn into linkwars - who can find the most substantiating information for their argument.

Unless one's offering a logical argument from axioms, one needs the most 'ammunition' - sources - as possible. Since everyone on DU tends to have different areas of interest, consulting DU is a good way to get information from the people who are focused on that issue.

For instance, if I were going to debate the 2002 coup of Venezuela with a Republican, I'd be a fool not to check with specific posters here on DU first.

[Dogmudgeon]

4. Not quite an a**hole

I think you have the wrong target.

It's not that the people who post requests for help on ammunition are incapable of responding -- these requests are really calls for community participation to formulate rebuttals, talking points, and to get the word out that the conservatives have found themselves a new drum to bang on.

ConservaSpam is a very common and effective way that the Right spreads propaganda. One such piece of mail may be sent to 200 people. And one effective, devastating response can change the minds of those same 200 people.

It's a form of collective action in the info-sphere, and we're still collectively learning to tap into its power.

--bkl

[comradebillyboy]

5. ignore them and ignore the rw e-mail

why would anyone think their reply to a rw e-mail would even be read, much less considered. their minds are not open to another point of view, or even reality. don't frustrate yourself.

[Melsky]

6. I think they are fine

I don't think you are an asshole. But I also have no problem with someone requesting a little help. Especially if someone has already debunked it before, sometimes there is no sense reinventing the wheel.

I also don't mind when people ask for links to something that would be easy to google. I have found some great sites from people asking those questions.

[jean]

7. It's a chance to help the cause. Your spelling of "forulate" is weak

[markses]

9. Please help me with the correct spelling!

;-)

See wotimean?

[Robbien]

8. Sign me up for the contempt group.

And the contempt is a bit more than mild in my case.

[Metatron]

11. Me, too. n/t

[rock]

10. Well, contempt, no

But what I do notice is that RW points are always (let me repeat that always) lies. It gets tiresome debunking outright lies. There are a lot more lies than there are truths.

[LastKnight]

12. dosent bother me either way.

but i would never respond to a RW hate filled email. such ignorance isnt worth responding to. not worth my time.

-LK

[Paradise]

13. You're not a big one and you're not a small one.

I'd say you're just the right size.

:) Now, get over it! :)

Seriously, though, just tell the poster not to waste their time, and the best response is "IGNORE"!
When I first started here I asked once but when I thought better about it, took my own advice.
:hi:

[DS1]

14. If someone's brand spankin new to DU, then it's somewhat OK

Otherwise you should know this stuff by now

[Guaranteed]

15. Usually it's for links.

People need help finding liable information to back themselves up.

[Gildor Inglorion]

16. There aren't enough REAL targets for your contempt?

A fellow Democrat asks other Democrats for help and you're irritated by it? And not only irritated, but feel the NEED to let everyone else know that you're irritated? I hope you haven't discouraged anyone from asking legitimate questions. Frankly, I think you're a whiner and a bit of a bully, and nothing on earth is more contemptible than that (see Bush*, G.W., for example).

[Robbien]

17. Asking for help is great

And I will try my best to supply links if I can.

But supplying help for the purpose of debunking a freeper is an exercise in futility. Freepers will not listen to facts if it puts their Bush in a bad light. The only reason freepers send out that spam mail is to rile a liberal/progressive. Debunking the email with facts never changes their opinion. It is only a waste of time.

[markses]

18. Oh, well done!

A whiner and a bully! Mein Gott.

I never said I was irritated. Just that a minor flood of contempt wells up in me. Cant quite account for it. I see that I'm not alone here in this feeling, so I guess there are a pack of whiners and bullies. Mine is a legitimate question as well, in any case, and it is in the Lounge, after all. Might wanna reeeeeeelaaaaaaaaaaxxxxx a bit, boss.

[Pithlet]

24. Well

You did say lay it on you ;)

[markses]

26. That's why I complimented our friend

His was the best lay on of the bunch! :evilgrin:

[ikojo]

19. There are some on this board who are either

leaving the dark side or getting into activist politics for the first time in their lives. They may not be familiar with all the Dem arguments and are looking to the "elders" so to speak for guidance and advice.

[scottcsmith]

20. I don't mind it

I like coming up with hateful responses to right-wing e-mails. I do it all the time. I do, however, have a generic all-purpose response for anyone that gets hate mail because of a blog or web site:

"Dear (name), thank you for your kind words of support. Although I do not advertise this fact, every visit to my web site generates donations to Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, NAACP, GLAAD, and the John Kerry election fund. Come back again soon! With every click you generate real money for those fine groups. For that, I thank you.

Feel free to send another e-mail soon. I'm almost ready to roll out a new payment system, which will generate dollars for the Bill Clinton Presidential Library. I'm sure Mr. Clinton will be grateful for the support.
Sincerely,"

See? Have some fun. Or, if someone writes something really nasty, just respond in as pleasant a way as possible. There are lots of ways to turn a hateful e-mail exchange into something entertaining.

[Pithlet]

22. I don't

I don't presume that I know all the good arguments or facts or links on any one issue. Sometimes there are others who can say it so much better than I, especially here at DU. I see nothing contemptuous whatsoever about asking them for help.

[LoZoccolo]

23. Nah.

I imagine more than that one person who started the thread learns something from it, or at least how to look up something on Snopes next time. We all gotta hang together.

[Mz Pip]

25. I ask for help

because the DU community has wonderful insights and amazingly sharp wits.

Yes, I do google searches and Snopes, etc. But I also like to throw in some contemtuous comments that are so readily served up here.

Sometimes more than two heads are better than one.


MzPip
:dem:

[WillParkinson]

27. Weak?

Well, I'm sorry if we've left a bad taste in your mouth - verbally speaking.

Some of us hear things and just do NOT have an answer for it. Normally I ignore right-wing mail. When it comes from family or friend, however, I can't just ignore it. I want to educate those who don't know better.

I figured it was better to have actual answers than to stammer an answer that would either not satisfy them or would reinforce their misguided thoughts.

Guess next time I'll just keep my mouth shut. Sorry to have been 'weak'.

[LynneSin]

29. I get so many it's nice to find what others have done

If I spent all my time trying to debunk the repuke crap I'd get I wouldn't have time for my real job or even much of a social life.