On the comments of a recent entry, a conservative reader posted the following:
“If you want a certain opinion or state of political flavor only posting to your website then you should make that clear. I respect your ability to make roleplaying games and I enjoy your LJ when I can. That being said if my political leanings are enough to earn ridicule on this board then I should think there is nothing worthwhile here to read about.
So, I’m posting this to “make that clear.”
I have to live with you people every day. Your policies destroying what this country once was, your social and religious views dragging us back to the Middle Ages, and your all-but-open declaration of war upon intellectuals. I don’t think, therefore, it’s unreasonable for me to behave as I wish in my own journal.
If you don’t like it, you can do what you tell liberals to do: Shut the fuck up and live with it.
I have no respect for conservatives of any stripe. Moderates are welcome, if they still exist.
If you can’t live with that, if you would prefer that I limit my posts to Roleplaying Games, movies, books and other items of Geek Interest, too goddamned bad. There’s the door, don’t let it hit you in the ass on the way out.
You know what really gets me about the other guys post?
“That being said if my political leanings are enough to earn ridicule on this board then I should think there is nothing worthwhile here to read about.”
No, if your political leaning are enough to earn ridicule from people whose artistic output you respect, then, just maybe, the guy you respect is right, and you may possibly be wrong. Further reading may be exactly what you need.
Preach it on the hill, BROTHA!
Agreed!
I’m a Pinko lefty communist freako anit-bigot secular humanist atheist! Can I still look at our journal? By the way, I don’t look at your journal for role-playing stuff at all; perhaps this is on account of MY political leanings (see above). I feel that some good honest abuse can be very helpful, In fact I’m starting to get to like it! I think NeoCons know in their hearts they are wrong, which explains the whole fingers-in-the-ears La-La-La thing. … As though being Liberal hasn’t been vilified for Years! But to the RIGHTteous ones never brook criticism well…
A-freakin’ Men. Sorry I was the link what brought him here. My apologies.
I’m mostly liberal, with the sole conservative value of “Gun control is hitting what you aim at.” Mind if I stick around?
I had a similar experience with a local wingnut apologist that I know from scifi conventions – on the morning after Kerry conceded to Bush, I blogged about a conservative at work I’ve long dubbed ‘FoxBot’ and his arrogant smarmy attitude over the results of the ‘election’. The aforementioned apologist commented that I shouldn’t “stereotype”. When I refused to allow him to dictate what the fuck I wrote in my own blog, he un-friended me. Which I was extremely comfortable with.
Give ’em hell, Skarka.
I still think you should just start deleting and IP blocking.
I don’t participate in politics or religion, but I still enjoy watching the conservative scum get a good ass reaming. Keep up the good work.
AS A CYLON, I GROW TIRED OF YOUR TEDIOUS PRO-HUMAN LEANINGS. WHILE I RESPECT YOUR WRITING, I MUST INSIST THAT IF YOU DO NOT ADOPT A MORE SOLIDLY PRO-MECHANICAL LIFEFORM ATTITUDE, I WILL DETONATE MY THERMONUCLEAR SUICIDE BOMB. AND POSSIBLY REMOVE YOU FROM MY FRIENDS LIST.
Hee. Fun.
*applause*
Give them hell. And if you need someone to hold the spit bucket in between rounds, and maybe cut you when you can’t see out there, let me know.
Joe
What, so you get to be a published author AND have an opinion? That’s crazy talk.
“If you make people think they’re thinking, they’ll love you; but if you really make them think, they’ll hate you.”
-Don Marquis
“The gargoyles have taken over the cathedral”.
-Ray Bradbury
Moderates are welcome, if they still exist
Is it stupid of me that I still consider myself a moderate?
I’m liberal as all hell (I used to refer to myself as so far left the Democrats didn’t want me), but I do support gun rights (within reason), small government (although I see the NeoCons have abandoned that), and state rights. *sigh* I feel very alone sometimes.
Gun control is hitting what you aim at
Now that’s funny. =) See my comment below.
No respect for conservatives of *any* stripe?
Gareth,
I think your painting with fairly broad strokes here, and I suspect that there are a lot of folks who you do respect in some way that are more conservative than you. For example, I’d like to think that you respect me (or at least my work) to some degree, though I’m a fair bit more conservative than you (of course, I don’t come here to tell you that you’re wrong, do I?).
If you’re saying that you have no respect for the political opinions of conservatives, that’s cool I suppose, but is still a little on the extreme side (IMO), since it’s certainly possible to respect someone’s opinion even while holding a directly opposing view.
I understand your frustration and aggravation at what’s happening in DC these days (and agree with much of if), though I don’t necessarily agree that things are quite as bad you suggest. I agree things need to change (and hopefully soon!), but I’m optimistic enough to believe that the current conservative path the nation seems to be on won’t last much longer.
Take Care,
Lou Prosperi
Hey, you’re the guy who is writing the Gentleman Bastard series that Gareth is always crowing about, yes?
Mind if I friend you in the hopes that some of your Golden Publishing Karma might drip down onto my pen?
;)
(Gareth, tell him I’m not a stalker.)
I really hate the notion that being liberal somehow automatically includes a desire to stamp out gun rights.
It’s true, Scott. She’s no stalker. Besides….dude! Blonde in a bodice…with a sword!
Re: No respect for conservatives of *any* stripe?
Yeah, but see….that’s part of the issue. By your own statements, I would peg you as a Moderate. A lot of Conservatives are no longer what the movement represents, but still self-identify as Conservative.
I’m waiting for folks like you (and other friends I have) to rise up and take back their party….or at least stop giving the appearance of a mandate to the lunatics who currently control it.
heheheheheh. my sneaky icon plan worked…
Re: No respect for conservatives of *any* stripe?
Okay, now I see where you’re coming from.
I guess in many ways I am a Moderate, and even when I do identify myself as a Conservative, in the back of my mind I’m thinking “but not THAT conservative.”
I think that’s part of the issue as well, that the terms “Liberal” and “Conservative” are both so broad that they aren’t all that useful in discussion.
For example, both “Conversative” and “Liberal” are often used to imply the most extreme views on each side. For instance, when you use the term “Conservative” you generally mean right-wing Christian Conservatives (at least it seems that way to me), and when many Conservatives use the term “Liberal” they generally mean far left-wing bleeding heart Liberals. But there are many shades of grey between those two extremes.
Take Care,
Lou
My dear, I do so love to hear you rant, but broad stroking Conservatives in this manner is the equivalent of what they want so desparately to do to you and your worldview. However, I know this general issue is something which evokes strong emotion in you (as it most certainly does in me), so I do understand where you are coming from.
Conservatism in and of itself is not a bad thing. Even strong conservatism doesn’t piss me off, if the person can concede that not everyone in the world views things as he/she does.
What I think you actually have little respect for is fanatacism which wears the simple label “conservative” (because such a label is the fashionable term for the same).
If anything, I’m sickened by that last point…that Conservatism has successfully been usurped by a very vocal, very motivated and organized, very fanatic worldview…that has nothing to do with actual Conservative ideas, but rather, simply extreme ideals, with the strong overtone of “it’s our way or no way at all”.
D.
Demographic trends would indicate that you’re gonna have to live with conservatives (and conservative public policy) for a good long time.
I hope you’re praying for the health of Ginsburg and Stevens.
Ah yes, another of the Usual Suspects heard from.
Yes, yes….51% in the last election is quite the demographic trend.
Whatever, sparky. Take a hint, and fuck off.
There’s very little actually conservative about our public policy any more, damn it, except that it is the product of people who have taken ownership of the word, and given it a good blackening while they have been at it.
Amen and preach on, my sister!
I would never make a decision based purely on the content of anyone’s particularly attractive LJ icon! The very sexism inherent in such a possibility appals me. Gareth, I’m utterly ashamed at your involvement in this demeaning exercise, and I… I…
I, um… I’m not fooling anyone, am I?
I don’t know about Golden Publishing Karma, but if you want to read my blabble, welcome!
Which is the result of having a label; it will be co-opted and taken up by people who you may not like. You are either the co-optor or the co-opted.