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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 6 to 30 of 67. Go back in thread:
Posted by wildcard11 on March 26, 2006, at 19:30:08
In reply to Goodbye from me.........., posted by teejay on March 24, 2006, at 20:08:49
yes, you make an excellent point. i decided not to post here either for my own sanity...c ya around.
Posted by tealady on March 27, 2006, at 0:51:20
In reply to Goodbye from me.........., posted by teejay on March 24, 2006, at 20:08:49
Hiya TJ,
yep, I gave up on the idea of trying to post here too.
tea
Posted by verne on March 27, 2006, at 8:19:58
In reply to Re: Goodbye from me.......... » teejay, posted by tealady on March 27, 2006, at 0:51:20
see you on the other boards. I'm outta here myself. I only come to politics to watch the fights and see who's blocked anyway.
I think politics and religion are both arguments - and blocks - waiting to happen.
Verne
Posted by zeugma on March 27, 2006, at 17:13:50
In reply to Re: Goodbye from me.........., posted by verne on March 27, 2006, at 8:19:58
I would say goodbye to posting here, if only out of regard to my love of honest expression, and the sincere desire to praise laudable acts (per Dr. Bob's injunction for positive rather than negative evaluations) only to get blocked for praising such, like my notice of the recent actions of the good citizens of Vermont.
in that vein, the citizens of San francisco preceded them in passing a similar resolution. The citizens of these locales may deserve to be called prophets someday.
-z
Posted by Declan on March 27, 2006, at 19:11:51
In reply to Re: Goodbye from me.........., posted by zeugma on March 27, 2006, at 17:13:50
The last Harpers was on just that topic.
Posted by Dinah on March 27, 2006, at 19:32:14
In reply to Re: Goodbye from me.......... » zeugma, posted by Declan on March 27, 2006, at 19:11:51
I think I'm going to walk away from this board too.
Spittin in the wind. I just keep spittin in the wind.
Posted by verne on March 27, 2006, at 21:13:16
In reply to Re: Goodbye from me.........., posted by Dinah on March 27, 2006, at 19:32:14
I've been quiet on the politics board, just lurking and reading the threads, but if I did jump in, I would usually agree with you. (think that sentence changed tense on me a few times, hate it when that happens)
Political and religious discussions take too much out of me. I've learned to not "rise to the bait" no matter how deeply I feel about something. For my own survival and health, I've had to give the politics board a wide berth.
Anyway, silent readers, like me, have appreciated your comments. You've been a champion in my book although I understand if you need a break.
Verne
Posted by 10derHeart on March 27, 2006, at 22:52:57
In reply to Re: Goodbye from me.........., posted by Dinah on March 27, 2006, at 19:32:14
I totally understand.
Teetering on the edge myself.
I have so much to ask, to say, to wonder, but it's just not possible, or if it is, well, my participation would require momumental effort and energy I can't muster right now.
drat. I wish I was more clever or something.
Posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 1:59:23
In reply to Into the Wind » Dinah, posted by verne on March 27, 2006, at 21:13:16
Thank you, Verne. :)
It does take a lot out of me, though. And distracts me from more attainable goals.
One of my many resolutions is to focus on attainable goals. :)
Posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 2:07:51
In reply to Re: Goodbye from me.......... » Dinah, posted by 10derHeart on March 27, 2006, at 22:52:57
Yeah, me too.
But it's tiring trying to bring reconciliation to the world, or even to Babble. I think maybe it's not my calling.
Posted by Declan on March 28, 2006, at 14:23:17
In reply to Re: Goodbye from me.......... » 10derHeart, posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 2:07:51
I was thinking of the irony of a Politics Board devoted to support and education. Because Politics is about control and deception. And I thought too, why do we bother? I imagine we've heard it all before. How do you conduct a political discussion with someone who disagrees with you in a civil and friendly manner? What are these disagreements about, anyway (if that makes any sense)?
Declan
Posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 16:47:13
In reply to Re: Goodbye from me.........., posted by Declan on March 28, 2006, at 14:23:17
I guess I'll just never understand why it's not perfectly feasible to conduct a civil and friendly political discussion under the same circumstances.
If you like and respect the people involved, why is it difficult to express that liking and caring through a civil exchange of ideas, even if the ideas are conflicting?
Posted by zeugma on March 28, 2006, at 17:21:56
In reply to Re: Goodbye from me.........., posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 16:47:13
I guess I'll just never understand why it's not perfectly feasible to conduct a civil and friendly political discussion under the same circumstances.>>
because I strongly believe, and have much evidence to back up, the conviction that the politicians we have been discussing here have been lying and flouting the laws of this nation.
And I wake up every morning to news of chaos in Iraq. The U.N. will not clean up our mess, because the Bush Administration disregarded the agreements that they themselves adopted (ironic that they wound up defying the U.N. more, in this instance, than Saddam himself). And there is a civil war, and U.S. troops are in the middle of it, regardless of Mr. Rumsfeld's latest stroke of semantic twisting.
Policy. Essentially, we washed our hands of the U.N. when we went in ourselves (according to the memo recently leaked by a Blair gov't official and described as accurate by unnamed, but we are assured high-ranking officials, Mr. Bush merely wanted to use the U.N. as a convenient cover for his own intentions).
O.K., bring the U.N, to clean up our mess. I would think that the U.N., after having been treated with such contempt a few years ago, is hardly willing to wade into a thankless conflict for such an feckless set of occupiers. But you know, it is a good thing to abide by international law when it is convenient. The better to undermine it later.
-z
Posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 17:29:08
In reply to Re: Goodbye from me.......... » Dinah, posted by zeugma on March 28, 2006, at 17:21:56
And why wouldn't that be possible to discuss civilly and with mutual respect?
Posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 18:01:34
In reply to Re: Goodbye from me.......... » zeugma, posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 17:29:08
I'm in major danger of being hit with my own spittle again.
I think it comes down to choice. And I need to accept that people don't make the same choices I do, and that all I can control is my reaction.
While I think that mutual respect and civility is the one value that can bring peace to the world, if universally adopted, I have to accept that not everyone places the same value on it. That's life. I can't control that, all I can control is my reaction to it. I can choose to try to promote my values, or I can choose to walk away. And sometimes it's a wise choice to walk away.
Posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 18:04:30
In reply to Never mind., posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 18:01:34
That bit of self talk really should have remained in my mind.
Posted by zeugma on March 28, 2006, at 18:47:52
In reply to Sorry., posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 18:04:30
similar self-talk in my own mind.
-z
Posted by zeugma on March 28, 2006, at 18:55:45
In reply to I am sorry, posted by zeugma on March 28, 2006, at 18:47:52
whether about politics or not, my dry mouth perhaps.
-z
Posted by teejay on March 28, 2006, at 19:03:50
In reply to Sorry., posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 18:04:30
> That bit of self talk really should have remained in my mind.
NO NO NO!!!! That is the whole idea of politics, its ALL about the freedom to express oneself, thats totally why it doesnt work on this site, because Bob won't allow posters to express themselves, or makes them feel uncomfortable if they do so. Its my opinion that Bobs philosphy is actually detrimental to the healing of the individual. I come here and I'm so scared of upsetting someone else that it actually dents MY self confidence and self image! I mean, wheres the logic in that?
Let me give you an example (its pertinent to the US posters but those of us in the UK are much more relaxed about the issue) abortion. Now the pro life brigade will of course tell YOU that abortion is murder. Now the way I see Bobs civility rules, that would be tantamount to accusing someone of murder and would fall foul of his civility rules. See what I'm getting at here?
In my case I'm big AGAINST the war in iraq.....I firmly believe and always have done (and think the evidence has more than emerged to back up my case) that both the US and UK leaders conspired to mislead the public about WMD (funny how you never hear of those now isnt it ???). I believe they needlessly killed tens of thousands of iraqis PURELY because they wanted a battlefied on which to fight al-queda. Of course that may well fall foul of Bobs civility rules too as it might upset or offend someone who thinks G W Bush or Tony B liar (its a UK joke) are some kind of heros.
Rather than have to worry when I post about subjects I feel VERY passionate about, I'd rather not bother at all.
I'm gobsmacked at the response to my original post though with not ONE single person supporting Bobs stance on the issue...........but Bob doesnt believe in democracy when it goes against his way of thinking. IMO anyway.
See you one alter guys n gals :-)
Best wishes and hope you are all feeling well
TJ
Posted by wildcard11 on March 28, 2006, at 19:12:55
In reply to Re: Sorry., posted by teejay on March 28, 2006, at 19:03:50
PBC or block in advance..lol I TOTALLY agree w/ you!!!
Posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 19:48:10
In reply to Re: Sorry., posted by teejay on March 28, 2006, at 19:03:50
I don't find it necessary to say so all the time, but I do.
Posted by teejay on March 28, 2006, at 19:52:20
In reply to I support his stance., posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 19:48:10
> I don't find it necessary to say so all the time, but I do.
Did you not say this earlier in this thread?
"I think I'm going to walk away from this board too. Spittin in the wind. I just keep spittin in the wind."
Not quite sure how you reconcile these two seemingly contradictory statements?
TJ
Posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 19:57:06
In reply to Re: I support his stance., posted by teejay on March 28, 2006, at 19:52:20
Because I do support his stance. And as a poster I feel like I'm just spitting in the wind to try to find points of mutual agreement, different ways of looking at possible motivations, etc.
As the administrator of this site, Dr. Bob has a bit more influence.
Posted by Declan on March 28, 2006, at 19:59:52
In reply to I support his stance., posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 19:48:10
IRL I can have civil discussions involving political disagreements a little more easily than here. This is because here there are not so many cues, and nuance is not so easily communicated. And IRL the disagreements I have with people where I live are small compared to here. That makes the disagreements here raw and overdetermined. And where I live almost everyone thinks the same about most of these things (that's why people live where they do).
But people in other parts think differently. For example I had a discussion with an Australian about our attitude to asylum seekers. He was saying 'Sink their boats in the water.' So I said 'Why not shoot them on the beaches? That would send a message.' All that proves (I suppose) is that political discussions IRL can be a bit raw too.
Declan
Posted by teejay on March 28, 2006, at 20:06:39
In reply to Re: I support his stance. » teejay, posted by Dinah on March 28, 2006, at 19:57:06
I too admire his stance reagarding protecting vulnerable people on the other boards, but people venturing into the realm of politics must surely be aware of what they are entering IMO.
Yes DR Bob does have more influence than you or I, but with influence comes responsibility.
I wonder (just out of interest) what Bush Blair of even Clinton would make of this board?
TJ
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