Huckupchuck in Thoth
Here I am, in the green mask, throwing my arm off to a large swath of friends on the ground in the picture below and handing down some highly-prized spears in the picture on the right. Notice the flag beads around my neck? Can you guess the country? [NOTE: Credit the pictures to colleague and friend, JW.]
Posts
9 comments:
Huck, you really gotta stop trying to engage the RWN folks in intelligent conversation. That's not what they're there for.
I just read your posts on Andrew Sullivan's conservativism, and you're spot on. But they'll never see it. To paraphrase Sully, to people like this, Conservativism isn't an idiology, it's a club. It has members & it has leaders, and when you don't follow the leader, you get kicked out of the club.
I mean seriously, these people don't even see the irony when they criticize Sullivan for being a "Basher."
In a real 1 on 1 conversation, these people can probably be reasoned with. But not there. On that forum, half of what they write isn't even aimed at you, they're just looking for a good one liner to impress some other numbskull.
Anonymous - Yeah. I know. But it's in my nature to try to reason with people. I imagine only a small fraction of the folks who visit RWN actually post comments there. I don't expect much from them. But I wonder if it isn't somehow worthwhile to always try to interject my 2 cents for those who might not post and who may go home thinking about something in a little different way because I made a stand. Who knows? In the end, I only do it because I get some small satisfaction out of it for myself. But I'm glad you left this comment. It makes me not feel so much in the wilderness at RWN. Thanks, and peace.
I don't expect much from them.
Too bad you so dislike people who wished you well and prayed for you after Katrina.
Looks like you fell for the liberal mind delusion about how anyone who has a different paradigm must not be as smart as you.
Typical liberal disdain for those who are not as "tolerant" as you humble, intellectual lefties.
I'm disappointed.
don_cos - I don't dislike caring people at all. On the contrary. But you would be blind to think that I am not subject to some viciousness and hostility at RWN by people you probably like and share an ideological sympathy with. In fact, I am sure that sometimes you have not been so "tolerant" of my ideas at RWN and have strongly expressed as much. Should I interpret your reactions to my comments at RWN as a disappointing commentary of your "tolerance," too?
Where did I say that I thought I was smarter than anyone? Is it all that strange for someone to think that his ideas are correct and to try to convince others of this? It seems to me that you are being both defensive and dismissive for no reason, don_cos.
Next time we're at RWN and I'm on such "friendly" turf there, trying to get out my ideas, count the amount of "disdain" there is for me.
And, frankly, what is disappointing to me, don_cos is that you have strings attached to your well wishes and your prayers. I appreciate them all. But that doesn't mean that I have to agree with the ideologies and political positions of those who offer well wishes and prayers to me.
Huck
I don’t deny that you are sometimes on the receiving end of rude behavior. However you are respected by the majority of the long-term conservative commenters. And yes I have been snarky and rude to some liberals from time to time, but if I have ever directed that to you in other than a joking manner, I do not remember it. However I will add that if I have, I apologize. I usually get that way from reading the stupidity of the trolls that continually infest the site.
What upset me here, was your agreement with “Anonymous” in his/her(?) assessment of conservatives as toe the party line “basher’s” and “numbskulls.”
I have time and again defended you, libiliever and D-vega (just to name the primary three) when conservative trolls have (baselessly) bashed or insulted you. And I am not the only conservative commenter at RWN to do so.
I would also like to note that comments you have left have made me think “about something in a little different way.” Granted it has seldom swayed my views to any great degree, but it has had some effect. Nevertheless here you state “I don't expect much from them.” And “But I wonder if it isn't somehow worthwhile to always try to interject my 2 cents for those who might not post” making it clear what you actually think of those who do post. You also ask “Where did I say that I thought I was smarter than anyone?” Do you understand now, after being classed as a “basher” and “numbskull,” how I came to understand this as your view?
Also if you truly believe that I have strings attached to my well wishes and prayers, then it is clear that you really don’t know me well. Of course that is to be expected considering that our interaction is limited to blogs.
In my opinion, the reason that so many conservatives at RWN do respect you is because you normally present your arguments in a reasonable manner. This added to my disappointment when I read your agreement with Anonymous. You seem to have simply lumped us all into an “evil conservative” category.
So the question is; do you really think so little of us?
don_cos - Of course I don't think so little of those at RWN who are respectful. My comments in response to Anonymous were really directed at those at RWN who aren't so. I shouldn't have generalized. But you misinterpret me when I said "I don't expect much from them." I meant in terms of having minds changed. Those who generally tend to comment regularly are usually those who are very committed to their positions and not shy about expressing that. The lurkers may be just checking things out and may be more able to be influenced. I don't know that for sure, but I am fairly convinced that the regular posters aren't likely to budge in their positions -- at least towards my direction. Also, the words "Basher" and "numbskull" aren't mine. I generally don't use such words to describe people. When I expressed agreement with Anon, I was not agreeing with his/her choice of terminology, but with his/her general representation of what I perceive to be the usual modus operandi at RWN, which is usually less to reason with a liberal and more to attack him. (Sometimes I do provoke such reactions with snarky comments; but the ambience there tempts me sometimes to be a bit on the aggressive side. And, besides, I'm not alone. Even you admit to having been on the giving end of a provocation. That's part of the nature of blog-commenting.)
In short, I know not all folks at RWN fit the general characterization presented above, but I do think that there is a general overall hostility towards things I have to say. That's fine, because it's a conservative blog and I expect as much; but that doesn't mean that it's not there. It just would be silly to think that RWN is an overall friendly and chummy place for any liberal.
I'm sorry if my comments came off in such a harsh way. They weren't intended to be so personally directed, but rather to address the general environment of RWN for liberals.
In that case Huck, i appologize for jumping to the defensive. I do enjoy your comments over there. One of the things that drew me to RWN is that john allows liberals to comment. And you are (normally) one of those who truly seems interested in the interaction.
Anyway no hard feeling from me. I hope to continue to see you over there.
Thanks, don_cos. I fear, though, that you won't be hearing from me at RWN anymore. I woke up this morning only to discover that my account there has been banned. I truly don't understand why. Have you noticed any really nasty posts from my account lately? I have been using some public access computers and I wonder if someone else has been able to post under my name. I have already written to Hawkins asking for an honest explanation, and I hope he responds. But I have to admit to being very shocked to discover that I am banned. I won't be attempting to set up another account to post at RWN until I find out more clearly what is happening, because I really don't want to be posting at a site where the reason for banning me is not that postings under my account have severely violated his policy, but simply that I am just not welcomed.
No Huck, I haven't read anything you posted that I would consider a bannable offense. Most of us look forward to "crossing swords" with you.
Despite your tendency to be wrong ;-}, I can't remember you posting anthing that crossed the line.
Anyway I hope this does turn out to be a correctable mistake.
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