Cancel 2018.1 (03-18-2018), cancel2 2022 (03-17-2018), Eagle_Eye (03-19-2018), Truth Detector (03-26-2018)
G'day folks
Let me begin by stating that I am a conservative. I began life as a Lefty (sigh, yeah, I know) but as I progressed through life, learning as I went, I reached a stage where I RAN to the right as fast as I could. I belong to no religion (religion is a social construction for social control...one man deciding how the society he lives in should behave), so please don't tie conservatism with religion with me. However, that is not to say I don't believe in a Higher Power, I do, just not the version(s) everyone else believes in.
I am a High School History/English teacher in a State school (I also teach Geography, which I dislike intensely but have no option but to do the best I can). If I had my time to do again, and I knew what I know now and I had the money, I would absolutely, without doubt, home-school my kids. I am a conservative teacher surrounded by Left-wing teachers and, trust me, it makes for interesting staff room discussions, although I have reached the point where more and more, I no longer bother to discuss things. Being the sole voice of reason means its usually not worth the effort and energy!
I am fanatically pro-Israel, nothing more to be said. I am anti pre-born baby execution (aka abortion), nothing more to be said on that one either.
I believe that the biggest danger to western society is Islam, and for that I will undoubtedly be accused of Islamophobia ("A word created by Fascists and used by cowards to manipulate morons" - Christopher Hitchens).
While I am appreciative of some areas of progress made in the last few decades, I miss the respect, self-respect, decency, good manners, resilience, independence and strength of both will and character that we have thrown away to create our modern world (my middle name should be 1950s).
I have never been, am not now and never will be a feminist. I favour a mother with babies and/or young children, being a traditional stay-at-home, homemaker. Women have always had power, just not control, and the hand that rocks the cradle really does rule the world!
I do not like Trump, but I almost fell to my knees in gratitude and thanked the Powers That Be when Clinton failed to become President.
I do not put people on ignore and have never used an ignore thingo, wouldn't know where to find it. Personally, I find ignore to be somewhat infantile.
I rarely post, I prefer to read the responses of others, although that could change in the future. At my age (65), I really do not have the energy or inclination to carry on arguing/debating with anyone. I read and think "Ok, you're a moron without a clue", or "Yep, I agree, you know what you are talking about". Some would probably say that I lack the skills to argue/debate proficiently and intelligently.
My hobbies are reading, which I do every morning before work and every night. Unfortunately, so far, publishers are not enthusiastic about my writing (although the last publisher called my novel intriguing). I also etch on glass and mirrors.
Well, that's about it on me.
Cancel 2018.1 (03-18-2018), cancel2 2022 (03-17-2018), Eagle_Eye (03-19-2018), Truth Detector (03-26-2018)
Hello and welcome LadyMoonlight,
Thanks for introducing yourself. It's nice to know a few things about the people who frequent this place, and I am envious that you feel comfortable to provide such insight. I am more reserved about the personal information I choose to provide.
I am glad to hear English is still taught. The propensity of so many posters to bypass correctness, almost is if it were out of style, is saddening.
I suspect from your mention of using the Ignore Feature you read my intro post. If not, suffice to say that I may be it's most extensive user. If you'd like to learn more about why I chose to do that, and you didn't read it, I explain my reasoning there. The Topic title contains a typo misspelling of the word 'civil.'
It is only understandable that for lurking there is less reason to consider using the Ignore feature. Flames are never directed at lurkers. If you decide to begin posting more here you will inevitably encounter someone who will unload on you. That places you in a position. If you continue to allow it, you become an enabler for that behavior. I simply choose not to do that. It's become all too common since we elected President Trump, as if he has made it OK. I say no, it is not OK. I thus defy him. I am doing as Michelle Obama advised. When they go low, I go high.
I am impressed that you have written novels. I've begun one, but lost interest. I am far more into non-fiction, but I had an idea for a fictional plot and began laying it out before leaving off with it. Hang in there. I hope you do get published one day.
I'm liberal, and was a strong supporter of Bernie. I didn't campaign for him, although I previously did for President Obama. He didn't turn out to be what I had hoped, but I'm glad he was elected. I think we are better off for having him than we would have been with Senator McCain. I also opposed Governor Romney, having been taken in by some of the liberal propaganda about him, but I have since learned more about him and wonder if he might have done better for us than President Obama did in his second term.
My hobbies are more physical. I almost never read non-fiction, preferring to stay well-informed politically, so most of my reading has to do with politics. I also grow as much of my own food as possible in my own organic garden.
I have noticed that since President Trump has taken over the news cycle, and allows his ego to dominate it with trash talk, that trash talking has become quite the fad. It has increased under his leadership, and I do not think that makes America great at all. So I oppose it. You choose to simply not post; I choose to engage in my own way. I believe merit-based argument is far more credible than obscenity-laced aggression.
Engaging in political conversations and debates causes me to do a great amount of research. This leads to being very well informed. When posting in a Forum like this, opponents will prompt one to back up what they say with evidence. This leads to searching for credible sources to fortify one's view. The result is an education in how to vet information. This has become crucial with the advent of fake news. This enhanced ability to separate the credible from the fake leads me to tear apart the arguments of many conservative posts. Effective debating is a matter of clarifying fact, and dismissing false opinion, particularly those purported as 'fact.'
This also provides the ability to vet sources I intend to post and avoid having my sources called out as heavily slanted. If I can find what supports my views from the most credible sources, it gives me more confidence in my views. We have a lot of right wing radio talk shows in the USA. Most of them are pretty bad about whipping up hatred of liberals, Muslims, the impoverished, any form of socialism, freedom of sexual orientation, religion, and on and on. Conspiracy theories abound. We get people coming in here saying some of the most incorrect stuff, usually unsupported by fact. It's gratifying to point out the errors.
I also believe abortion should be avoided, but favor maintaining that as a choice. I always have to laugh when I see auto tags which say 'Choose life.' I think to myself: 'Fine, but in order to choose life, one must *have* a choice, mustn't one?'
I would love it if our economy would allow more mothers to stay at home, and for family values to be stronger. The problem I see there is we do not have enough socialism mixed in with our capitalism. Europe allows a mandatory 6 weeks paid leave after childbirth, usually paid for by the government through taxes. The USA does very little on this front. We have a law supporting family leave which favors the rich. If a family can afford it, a new mother is allowed to take 6 weeks unpaid leave and cannot be fired for doing this. Needless to say, this does nothing for the working class. Is it any wonder that affluent families tend to stay together more than less wealthy families? And yet to listen to the conservatives it's all about lack of family values. Having parents working and commuting to so many shifts that they never get to spend time with children does not lead to having 'family values.' But that is exactly what the businesses owned by those same conservatives expect out of workers.
America has a terrible way of polarizing issues, and that holds us back. Climate change, for instance, was once a personal view not particularly aligned with liberal/conservative factions, but has in recent years become highly politicized. Which is absurd. Climate change is physics. Whether it is or is not occurring, what we think about it does not affect that. But the way it has become so polarized in the USA just shows the power of propaganda.
I hope you do chose to begin posting more. I intend to build a repertoire of intellectual friends here who can engaged in political discussions while maintaining the utmost of mutual respect.
Either way, Thanks for sharing.
Last edited by PoliTalker; 03-17-2018 at 02:08 PM.
Personal Ignore Policy PIP: I like civil discourse. I will give you all the respect in the world if you respect me. Mouth off to me, or express overt racism, you will be PERMANENTLY Ignore Listed. Zero tolerance. No exceptions. I'll never read a word you write, even if quoted by another, nor respond to you, nor participate in your threads. ... Ignore the shallow. Cherish the thoughtful. Long Live Civil Discourse, Mutual Respect, and Good Debate! ps: Feel free to adopt my PIP. It works well.
Don't fuck up.
WATERMARK, GREATEST OF THE TRINITY, ON CHIK-FIL-A
www.gunsbeerfreedom.blogspot.com
www.gunsbeerfreedom.blogspot.com
cancel2 2022 (03-17-2018)
Minister of Truth (03-17-2018), Rune (03-26-2018), Sailor (03-18-2018)
Thank you for your welcome.
cancel2 2022 (04-09-2018)
Do you know Mick Dundee?
"It [the draft] is duty rather than slavery. I part with the author on the caviler idea that individual freedom (whatever that may be to the person) leads to nirvana, anyone older that 12 knows that is BS."
-(Midcan5)
"Allow me to masturbate my patriotism furiously and publicly at this opportunity."
-(Ib1yysguy)
"There is no 'equal opportunity' today unless the government makes it so."
-(apple0154 )
"abortion is not killing Its birth control"
-(Desh)
Welcome. I've never understood how anyone can be a conservative once they have lived life a bit? But then again in America conservative is just an ideology and an opposing position rather than a considered life style or philosophy. I try to use 'American conservative' for the word meaning here is surely different than other places in which it may consist of genuine thoughtful and considered values. Egads that sounds presumptuous but I'll stick to it.
And homeschooling is brainwashing on another level. Life is other people and learning from other people. Life is social.
I want to attach a few links, not for Me but to challenge or maybe just plant a seed in another reader that life is complicated and openness and inclusion are good things. I hope the top two aren't too harsh?
http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/pagre/conservatism.html
https://deanbaker.net/books/the-cons...anny-state.htm
And a few of my threads.
http://www.justplainpolitics.com/sho...ative-Wakes-Up
http://www.justplainpolitics.com/sho...nservative-hat
http://www.justplainpolitics.com/sho...e-Embarrassing
Conservatism [Republicans today] in a Nutshell
A man is lost in the woods and it starts snowing, off in the distance he sees a cabin. Slowly he makes his way only to find a locked gate, he rings the bell and a voice asks what he wants. He tells the voice his plight and is told by the voice that there is a church down the road and that they will pray for him.
Libertarianism [Socially liberal republicans today] in a Nutshell
The snow continues and growing more tired and cold, the man sees another cabin, struggling he barely makes it, he knocks and finally opens the door to warm himself. There is a full kettle of hot soup, he helps himself. Soon out of a back room comes a man, he scolds the man and tells him to leave as this is private property. The man stumbles out the door.
Liberalism in a Nutshell
Nearly exhausted the man sees a third cabin. Slowly he makes his way, opens the door and warms himself. There is soup in a kettle and he helps himself. From a back room a woman enters, she sits down next to him and they talk. He sleeps the night on the floor and the next morning goes on his way.
Wanna make America great, buy American owned, made in the USA, we do. AF Veteran, INFJ-A, I am not PC.
"I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: 'O Lord make my enemies ridiculous.' And God granted it." Voltaire
WATERMARK, GREATEST OF THE TRINITY, ON CHIK-FIL-A
www.gunsbeerfreedom.blogspot.com
www.gunsbeerfreedom.blogspot.com
BRUTALITOPS (04-09-2018), Cancel 2018.1 (03-18-2018), cawacko (03-18-2018), midcan5 (03-19-2018), Minister of Truth (03-18-2018), RB 60 (03-26-2018), Truth Detector (03-26-2018)
Midcan is wrong. The liberal would insist that the man go find government assistance, since that's what we pay taxes for, and that personal charity is inadequate for doing anything meaningful for this poor man.
The conservative would have helped the man out, and then called the church in the morning to get contacts for Christian services.
The libertarian would have shot the man in defense of the property.
"It [the draft] is duty rather than slavery. I part with the author on the caviler idea that individual freedom (whatever that may be to the person) leads to nirvana, anyone older that 12 knows that is BS."
-(Midcan5)
"Allow me to masturbate my patriotism furiously and publicly at this opportunity."
-(Ib1yysguy)
"There is no 'equal opportunity' today unless the government makes it so."
-(apple0154 )
"abortion is not killing Its birth control"
-(Desh)
/MSG/ (03-18-2018), cancel2 2022 (04-09-2018)
WATERMARK, GREATEST OF THE TRINITY, ON CHIK-FIL-A
www.gunsbeerfreedom.blogspot.com
www.gunsbeerfreedom.blogspot.com
Minister of Truth (03-18-2018)
Minister of Truth (03-18-2018), Rune (03-26-2018)
I had to throw egg at the libertarian, in hopes that Midcan will re-enact his failed "Libertarianism in a Nutshell" threads from back on FP. Unfortunately, we don't have the full contingent of libertarians around (Ironhead, Stringy, IH8, Beefy, etc.) to proverbially bash his head into the pavement the way FP did at the time.
"It [the draft] is duty rather than slavery. I part with the author on the caviler idea that individual freedom (whatever that may be to the person) leads to nirvana, anyone older that 12 knows that is BS."
-(Midcan5)
"Allow me to masturbate my patriotism furiously and publicly at this opportunity."
-(Ib1yysguy)
"There is no 'equal opportunity' today unless the government makes it so."
-(apple0154 )
"abortion is not killing Its birth control"
-(Desh)
/MSG/ (03-18-2018)
OK
welcome
I hope to bring you to reality with facts
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