What is Digg?Sponsored by AVG
Windows 7 Needs An Extra Layer of Security view!
free.avg.com - AVG Anti-Virus Free 9.0 works with Windows 7, to provide the best protection against web threats.
153 Comments
- pmb1414, on 09/03/2009, -3/+58We all select our own truth. From a menu of available facts we choose information that falls within our comfort zones or political agenda, rejecting that which does not. I continue to struggle with that myself. Often it is a way of belonging, such as the so called left leaning 'group think' on many universities which dismisses conservative opinion as hate speech. The reverse we have seen in recent town hall meetings where politicians are shouted down before they have a chance to open their mouths. We need to gather information from a variety of sources from Fox news to al Jazeera. Take the time to dig beneath the surface and we can separate the wheat from the chaff. Stand for your core beliefs but do so with knowledge, not ignorance.
We have lost debating skills many of us learned in school- half of which is to listen. - iCosmos84, on 09/03/2009, -3/+53"Any proposal including the words 'government-run' elicits cries of 'socialism' and 'communism.' Any argument invoking the words 'God' or 'moral' sparks accusations of 'right-wing extremism,' 'facism,' or 'Bible-thumping.' Instead of listening to each other's ideas, we spot the warning label and run the other way."
The epitome of modern, partisan, American politics abbreviated into one paragraph - elcalrissian, on 09/03/2009, -1/+36Digg is rampant with this in comment threads.
You make a well pointed argument, but all you get in response is "u r elitist, go back to ur trust fund" or "go smoke another joint".
Whats sad is that it exists on Digg because MSM has been baiting and name calling for years. We've been bred to believe that a buzzworthy name-calling is a good retort to a well worded argument. - Alheithinn, on 09/03/2009, -11/+41The liberal point of view is not held by the media. The media, as it happens, is center-right, not left. You obviously missed the point of the commentary as you use it as an opportunity to denounce liberals and liberalism. There is documented evidence that there is a lack of tolerance coming from the right - FOX, Limbaugh, the RNC, etc. Nice attempt to turn it around and make it all seem one-sided, which was not at all the point of the commentary.
So no, SamCatLu, you do NOT agree with what Rudy says here. You disagree by blaming everything on liberals and making it seem one-sided. Nice attempt to co-opt Rudy's piece. - Ferretman, on 09/04/2009, -0/+28Not calling people "Nazis" would be a great start.
- RavagesOfTime, on 09/04/2009, -1/+28What people need to remember, and have unfortunately forgotten is that the truth is not always fair and balanced. The truth is not always in the middle, and the truth can never been found between 3 minute recitals of right and left talking points.
Of course, finding the truth may involve each and every one of us admitting we may be wrong about some things, which America hates doing. - ThunderGodNick, on 09/03/2009, -6/+29This needs to be dug up hard core.
- rockharder, on 09/03/2009, -4/+25Kerry "earned" no label. That debacle was caused by perverted political wordsmithy similar to those who've coined terms like "death tax", "pro life", and "patriot act". An intelligent person will consider the point he was trying to make and not demonize and label him with a soundbite. Kerry's only crime was ineloquence, but we sure got an eloquent speaker in Bush, so it turned out all right. Rudy is right in this case "the willingness to change one's position on political issues has been misread as a mark of weakness rather than a product of attentive listening and careful deliberation," and it makes me sick to think that such there are people who reward such obstinacy. Stay the course! DIGG THIS ARTICLE!
- Alheithinn, on 09/03/2009, -3/+20Well said, pmb1414. Everyone approaches issues from a particular perspective and it's hard to open up our minds enough to change that perspective. This is a failing of both left and right, of both conservatives and liberals, and also those who are in between. People need to be challenged to stop and think; sadly, today, it's more important to be seen to be supporting the party line so you're not seen as the "other".
- nirvanix, on 09/04/2009, -0/+15The big problem with America is that it no longer has a government of, by, and for the people. Everybody knows this in their gut. That applies to the Bush era as well as the current administration.
- Mercedes383, on 09/04/2009, -1/+14I live in a country with govt health care and have had to use it. I can assure you that there is nothing more reassuring than being told I will get treated whether or not I had insurance.
Insurance companies here do not have the power to decide whether you get treatment or not. - sierrabravo, on 09/04/2009, -1/+14finding the truth means reading the whole bill for the health care reform to find out what it says instead of shouting so that your opponent can't be heard. LALALALALALAA!!!! *I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!*
- algaeturd, on 09/04/2009, -5/+18Because you've never been able to rationally and logically explain why you have no problem paying for a $3 trillion dollar war that was unnecessary but you get violent when someone suggests you pay a whole lot less to help your fellow Americans.
It doesn't make any sense. - Alheithinn, on 09/03/2009, -10/+22Ihatesheep: Your reactionary, knee-jerk reaction gives you away.
- Ihatesheep, on 09/03/2009, -5/+17Moreover, it has been the intention of the real players of power in America to divide us as a nation. They have created these "trigger words" to keep us from hearing and understanding the argument of the other side. If we all were to see the facts clearly then we would all choose for justice, equality, truth, freedom, and so on.
Notice how divided our nation is now after this previous election. The fact is is that obama has not parted from bush's policies that he promised he would. He continues this "war on terror", keeps our service people deployed, giving away and spending $$ faster than a rocket ship, and succeeded in divisive tactics which bush did in spades! Both parties have more in common than not. These divisive issues are smoke and mirrors that give the semblance of distinction from the other when an objective annalists would reckon bush and obama one and the same.
Who are these real power players in America? The answers are being hidden by the farce called investigative journalism. Corporate media is NOT objective. Example, msnbc is owned by G.E. G.E. sits on obama's FED board, and "Green" counsel, yet is one of the companies that is in the forefront of "green" technologies. Conflict of interest?
As long as we focus on the mirages produced by smoke and mirrors we will remain divided, if we remain divided the special interests win. - Paranor01, on 09/04/2009, -5/+15@ihatesheep: after your comments, we can see you are an activist who doesn't care about another point of view, or listens at all to the possibility of adjusting one's view.
As stated above, you give yourself away by your comments. - theberlindoctor, on 09/04/2009, -0/+10I don't think the problem is a lack of open minds. Open minds accepting any random ***** is what has us in this situation. I believe lack of critical thinking skills is what has us in this mind numbing roundabout..
- Alheithinn, on 09/04/2009, -3/+13Ihatesheep: pray tell (pardon the pun) but what, exactly, is the truth? You act like there is only one truth. Are you the final arbiter of whatever this might be? If so, move over cause you got over a thousand Christian denominations who all claim there is only one truth and they call claim to have it.
And the demise of "traditional America"? What, exactly, is "traditional" America? Do you mean the mythical Christian America? The one that is supposedly founded on biblical principles? Like Democracy? (that came from polytheistic Greece) or individual human rights? (that came from the European Enlightenment and the [very non-Christian] deists)
Deception and corruption? Wow. Where do you get that analysis from?
Enemy of our freedom? I'm against theocracy, pal. That makes me the champion of freedom.
Dude, you got to try harder. They say a man is judged by the quality of his enemies. If you're my enemy, it's a sad reflection on me. - PhilMoskowitz, on 09/04/2009, -3/+12America will never wake up from the Edward Bernays system of control it's been under for decades. The cradle to grave indoctrination coupled with the billions spent on PR to control the "average" voting American means the oligarchical system will be in place until America itself collapses. It's sad but absolutely true.
- wendelgee2, on 09/04/2009, -2/+11Because you've never been able to explain why we should be satisfied with a system that is more expensive and less effective than almost every other healthcare system in the industrialized world.
As far as you're concerned, everything's hunky-dory because the system hasn't bitten you on the ass yet.
Well, it will. Give it time. Healthcare costs are the #1 cause of bankruptcy. - smashTasker, on 09/04/2009, -0/+9The link is broken...
- Paranor01, on 09/04/2009, -1/+9buried cause this has nothing to do with the article. except that you're proving the point of the article, hence bury.
- Paranor01, on 09/04/2009, -3/+11No, alheithinn is an "enemy of your idea's and beliefs"
way to not get the point of the article - JQP123, on 09/04/2009, -1/+8"We've been bred to believe that a buzzworthy name-calling is a good retort to a well worded argument."
Bred? No, I'd say it has more to do with what came after breeding --- like poor education. - mnocket, on 09/04/2009, -0/+7LOL You didn't learn a thing from reading the article (you did read it didn't you?).
- Paranor01, on 09/04/2009, -2/+9open your brain to all information, doesn't mean you have to agree with it all cause no one ever will. agreement is based on past experience and bias. information is neutral.
- wendelgee2, on 09/04/2009, -3/+10And you'll continue to be an idiot.
- Alheithinn, on 09/04/2009, -7/+13RonPauls: The media is not far left. Not even close. The media is center-right. All through the election process, even networks like MSNBC gave Republicans the run of their broadcasts, spouting disinformation and sometimes outright lies, not giving the Democrats time or opportunity to respond. Joe Scarborough spouting right-wing propaganda from MSNBC and they had Pat Buchanon on as well, but you won't find a "leftist" on FOX. CNN, which I see some right wingers claim is leftist, has Lou Dobbs, who is damn near a Nazi in his xenophobic views, and much of their news is also slanted right-ward, even if not as far right as FOX. I realize citing MediaMatters won't mean anything to those on the right or to RonPaulites, but they've proven repeatedly that the media is NOT left-leaning.
- Stormwern, on 09/04/2009, -0/+6It's a good exercise to always keep an ear towards atleast one person on the opposite side. Though I still disagree about almost everything with Ron Paul, Mike Huckabee and Rick Warren, they're rational enough to be able to formulate an opinion.
- mnocket, on 09/04/2009, -0/+6"***** flowing from the mouths of right wing tools"
"insurance company whores"
OK, if you said you read it I guess you read it, but your words sure indicate that you didn't understand it. - acknotSW, on 09/04/2009, -2/+8This results from our leaders in Washington having one, and only one, primary mission, to get reelected.
Democrats don't get reelected by voting against massive social spending bills, even if it might be what's best for America; republicans don't get reelected by voting for laws regulating businesses or by voting for social programs, even if it might be what's best for America. It's never about looking down the long road, it's about what I can get away with or what benefits me right now.
We are ***** in this country until we get term limits on congress, but the only people on this planet that can give us term limits is congress. - Alheithinn, on 09/04/2009, -4/+10I agree, Ferretman, if you're talking about how good a job SamCat did taking Rudy's words out of context.
- rrwest, on 09/04/2009, -0/+6Harold Bloom wrote "The Closing of the American Mind" many years ago.
It was a warning that the US would fall into the trap of lowering standards in education, politics and all other public and private endeavours to finally reach the bottom.
He was right on target. - greendalek, on 09/04/2009, -0/+6Very well said. I've long maintained that, in America, while even the smallest grocery store has a selection of at least 50 salad dressings, Starbuck's has at least 15 flavors-of-the-day, and there are 32 NFL teams from which to pick a favorite, the supposedly IMPORTANT choices only ever come down to two: you can only pick a Democrat or a Republican; you're either a liberal or a conservative; you're either God-fearing or an athiest; you either love this country or you're an evil terrorist. Why do we oversimplify the critical stuff but overcomplicate the trivial?
- misfit815, on 09/04/2009, -2/+8Liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, left and right, us and them... whether it's because of the dominance of the two-party system or the affinity the media has for broadcasting the conflict or some other reason altogether, our ability to find the right solution has been drowned out by the false idea that there are only two options. And when you have only two options, there are always going to be people who sling mud at the other. Take abortion, for instance. Everyone's either for it or against it (just watch the responses I get to this one). But few people consider the possibility that it's not within the jurisdiction of the federal government. And even fewer people realize that the original Roe v. Wade decision removed the option once the child could reasonably expect to survive outside the womb - meaning that if pro-lifers would have spent the last 30 years investing in research to make children viable from the moment of conception instead of attacking pro-choicers, they would possibly have rendered the whole argument moot by now. Instead, it's us versus them.
- Paranor01, on 09/04/2009, -0/+5Actually I dislike corruption wherever or whenever it occurs, and I do not follow any "group think". But you'd never know that because you attack rather than debate, using a closed mind instead of an open one.
"you clearly love corruption if it benefits you and your side" - you can't honestly say this is truth because you have no idea of how i think. that can only be found out through conversation & debate. Not blind false attacks from no information. oh, and just fyi... I'm not on anybody's "side", but it seems you may be since you think I am. - Paranor01, on 09/04/2009, -1/+6Well said pmb1414. A person's "truth" is also based on previous experiences that build up a personal pre-bias on any new information or event. That's why information is politicized one way or another, because of personal bias.
If we stop looking to grow on a daily basis, then there's a big problem in your life. Sadly, most people only have sporadic spurts of growth rather than a conscious effort for it. - Paranor01, on 09/04/2009, -1/+6Maybe you should understand the article which you are commenting on before commenting, because you're just proving the article correct by spouting off "there's corruption here, and there, etc". instead of debating the merits of the article itself.
- Nedd8, on 09/04/2009, -2/+7Of course, because one side is completely wrong and the other side is completely right,
- govsucks, on 09/04/2009, -1/+6Why can't people participate in their own ideals and leave others alone to do their own thing? I think THAT would be the open minded thing to do. It would also respect the choice and freedom of others. But I guess some peoples Ideas are soooo great that they have a right to force them on others AND call themselves open minded right?
- rthakidn, on 09/04/2009, -0/+5The problem is neither side is willing to be the first to blink. The problem is concessions by one side is usually abused by the other. The problem is government programs always grow larger than they were ever intended. The problem is allowing prayer in school leads to classroom run prayers.
- TheNik, on 09/04/2009, -0/+4Go smoke another joint, nyuuuh!
But seriously, I agree. - apetrie, on 09/04/2009, -8/+12You are so ridiculous and yet you think you're so incredibly right. Speaking as someone from a centrist country (that'd be far left in your make believe fairy-land where right is center) who is bombarded with American tv, you have to be a complete ignoramous or just frothing at the mouth idiot to believe that your media is leftist. You clearly have no realistic concept of what right and left actually are, and can only see things from your rightist point of view. It would be hilarious if there weren't so many of you.
- Alheithinn, on 09/05/2009, -0/+4@gabrielgonzalez: How was the election one of the closest in history, gabriel? You're just proving to everyone that you aren't paying attention.
Compared to Bush?
2000 Bush, George W.George W. Bush 47.9% -0.5%
2004 Bush, George W.George W. Bush 50.7% 2.4%
2008 Obama, BarackBarack Obama 52.9% 7.3%
He won an electoral college landslide (365-173)
He won in states and among demographic groups that normally vote Republican
How does it make no sense to say you lost the election? Facts bother you? You LOST. You do not have a mandate. You do not represent the will of the American people. You lost every demographic except uneducated whites. The only people the Republicans represent is conservative Christians. That's at most 25% of the population. Good luck with that. We can dump you all off on some island and you can have your happy little theocracy and pretend whatever you want. We all know which group is really immune to facts, gabriel.
You're toeing the company line, buddy. petrie has it nailed and like McCain, you keep trumpeting your beliefs in the face of facts. We live (the rest of us do, at any rate) in an evidence-based world. Why don't you join us? - geoboy, on 09/04/2009, -2/+6Way to have an open mind about williepepper's opinion, wendelgee.
Do you always call people idiots when you disagree with them? - Alheithinn, on 09/05/2009, -0/+4I have to stand my ground, quirkopatra. I've lived in five states as an adult and have yet to find a media outlet that's clearly left of center. The local paper here in Evangelical Fort Wayne is damn near a Christian propaganda rag at times. I really don't know how anyone could think the media is left of center.
- quirkopatra, on 09/05/2009, -0/+4I liked this part of the article:
"Any proposal including the words "government-run" elicits cries of "socialism" and "communism." Any argument invoking the words "God" or "moral" sparks accusations of "right-wing extremism," "fascism," or "Bible-thumping." Instead of listening to each other's ideas, we spot the warning label and run the other way."
The danger I see nowadays is the ability to be "enclavist" especially on the internet, reading only those sites where your fellow "whatevers" hang out. It skews perspective and perspective is what is most needed in these challenging times.
And tebriel...some people here on digg have made wonderful points about why they oppose the health care bill, but too often, these are ignored and dugg down ....
There is a legitimate opposition, you may be tired of it, but it's no less legitimate because you disagree with it. Geddit? - TheNik, on 09/04/2009, -2/+6Maybe you should stop living under a rock and awaken to the fact that your opinions are probably inconsistent with the way humanity is going.
- spworm, on 09/04/2009, -0/+3elitist!
- Alheithinn, on 09/04/2009, -1/+4@apetrie: Sad to say, apetrie. It would be hilarious. The thing is, I'm not sure there is really that many of them. They pretend to represent the rest of us, but they don't (they lost the election after all, which says something about their true numbers) but because the media is center-right, they get most of the press and their influence is all out of proportion to their numbers.
@gabriel: gabriel, do you even watch tv or is the problem that if it's not 100% to your liking that it's gotta be liberal? -
Show 51 - 100 of 153 discussions
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is