At what point did I mock your service to your country? I implied that you being there wouldn't have affected our freedom which is the truth. You have a right to be proud of your time in the military but that doesn't give you a right to be all elitist about it. Let me tell you something, a friend of mine whom I considered a brother all throughout high school is currently in Iraq and I respect him greatly for his work because not only does he have a genuin love of England but he is also graceful in his situation and doesn't consider himself morally superior just because he's putting his life on the line for what he believes in. So don't you even think about telling me I don't understand. If anything it's you who doesn't understand. Waving your former military service in our faces to prove a point wont get you respect.
I'm far from elitist and do not feel morally superior to anyone....but I have nothing to prove to you especially since flaming is your common debate method. I dont apologize for being abrasive with my views but I'm also not shoving them down your throat or flaming either. I've never been a part of such a defensive forum with the exception of the Democratic Underground who bans you for not worshiping Al Gore. However, this is quite entertaining though, in a twisted way.
being diplomatic yourself wouldn't hurt. what's entertaining, in a twisted way, is how you seem to think that the only reason people have reacted towards you as they have is because you disagree with their views, when really it's probably because you've put yourself across as a misinformed cock since you started posting regularly. luke can be hotheaded but his posts in this thread have been more than reasonable. be honest to yourself, your whole “ooh, get me, i was in the military” 'argument' doesn't really hold any water. neither does your generalisation of the arabic/islamic people.
No one's being defensive because of your views. Do you really think you're the only person here who's ever disagreed with the majority of us? We're being defensive (and in some cases, offensive) because you've got a holier-than-though superiority complex regarding everything, you don't respect others' opinions and you genuinely seem to be the kind of person no one invites to parties just because you'll end up being a huge, complete and utter fuckwit the entire time, like you've been since you started posting here regularly.
I'm Elitist because I am an elite. Everyone else here can go fuck themselves. Just playin' Luke can be hotheaded, don't worry about his flames, I mean, Hellflame is in his name! Beside, You service your country, you ought to feel proud, but feeling proud doesn't mean your correct and right and just, ect. It's a self-centered emotion that others will not feel, if they never served. And it's true, Alot of people here just flame eachother due fact that it's not the same as theirs. Or the arguement would've lasted longer than a few pages, If you take one side, You shouldn't Ignore or bash the otherside, thats Ignorance, which causes Arrogance. The few things that WWII threatened America was "Security", Profiteering, Democracy, and something I forgot. England however; Was threatned by the bombs, and possible invasion. Difference? Oh yes. (that I know of, Haven't studied enough) America, as I know, has learned alot from Nazi Germany. I.e: Eugenics, Propaganda machines, Technology, Experimental Technology ( Such as Rocketry/Jet engines ) Mass transportation ( Ask Texas about this one ) Awesome Vehicles, Controlled Education and beating a Democratic system using selective speech words. How free are we? We're pretty free, but we're losing alittle-bit every month. The Islamic people aren't bad people, And a Generalization of people will always be wrong, wrong wrong. EDIT: What if everyone here was just a hating asshat? Then that wouldn't be good now would it? Get some ice water and pour it over yourhead.
These guys are right, I can be hotheaded, but I don't actually remember flaming you lpboarder. The only thing I think I said that could be taken as flaming is me telling you to fuck off which I still stand with because you really do seem to have a holier-than-thou attitude. The fact that other people are saying this too proves that I'm not just some angry dude flaming you for no reason.
Keep flaming, I wont respond. Good day. Others could learn from your diplomacy, are you interning at the UN? I knew I took a chance when I revealed my military service because not everyone receives it the same way. Hell, I live 40 minutes from Berkeley, CA and I am not going to announce it up there! However, why should I hide it because I am proud of it but this nonsense about me feeling "morally superior" or "higher than thou" and all the other accusation are just that, nonsense. I came in here to check others' opinions and *gasp* debate about it. But as you say, some people just like to flame and that is the impression I have gotten any time I have ever logged in to this site. I even revealed my support for Obama and the flames continue so hotheaded or no, some people just like to get their jollies off by namecalling.
That's exactly the bullshit we're on about. Instead of taking it as 'flaming' take it as constructive criticism if you will and do something about it. We're not all going on at you for the hell of it you know.
We are as 'free' as the goverment allows us to be I guess, cause I think true freedom has no restrictions and the last time I checked a law was a restriction that if you disobeyed you would be punished for thus not 100% free. I'm not saying that I have a big problem with these said restrictions, cause it does make me feel safer. But still to be completely free is to be without laws-restrictions.
You won't respond because you know you're in the wrong but you don't want to admit it because you might fall off your high horse.
C'mon guys, Stop flaming the dude, He's just saying hwhat he belives in and such, and even if it's a Holier than everyone type of view, its still a View , which you should respect, despite how He is. ImInYourDreams: It's partly true but we need restrictions because we don't want a hay-wire anarchist government, or most of us dont.
I'm more than sure everyone here respects his view. No one's disputing that at all. It's the fact that he's spitting it at us from the highest spires that's a little annoying.
We 'flame' because the moment you've set foot in this place you've been only negative about all kinds of things. Even in that ringtone topic in Random Chat, someone has 'never gonna give you up' as a ringtone, what's your reply? 'Wow <_<', now what was the point of that? Or in the Got something you wanna let out of topic; we try to help each other out there, and you barge in there and say: 'haha@ internet doctors'. I repeat, if you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it at all. If you are planning to continue like this, than I advice you to leave because you're on everyone's nerves.
Are you serious? I should take being called a cunt, fuckwit and trogdolyte (or whatever the D&D thing was) as well as being told to fuck off as being constructive? Ask yourself that same question or better yet, go to a university professor or better yet, go to your parents with the same language and tell them you are just being constructive. Honestly, this is some of the silliest sentiments I have ever read. Will, no horse to fall off here man. Because yes, its all my fault right?
Folks, let's cool down and let's try to keep this civil. I understand that there's an issue here but please do not stoop to the level of insults to make a point. There's no use getting riled up over one personality. lpboarder: If you're looking for a good debate it'd probably help to be a bit more empathetic to those debating against you. Meaning be proud but not too proud, you understand?
I'd rather not take this any further than it's already gone. lpboarder, I'm sorry for flaming you. I'm not backing down from my stance against you, but I had no right to flame you. I'll accept any warnings any member of staff wants to give me. But I will say, you've got to tidy up your attitude just a little bit. We're a really tight-knit group of people around here, so you can't just barge in and say things so radically different (and in some cases, rude) and expect us to just sit there.
It is your fault yes. Debating is one thing, acting like your views are superior is another. Don't try and say that you havn't been because you have. I dunno whether you're conscious of it or not but either way this is how it is. If we've been going on at you it's not because we enjoy it, it's because you've deserved it.
I know this wont be popular to say but it seems just me broaching the fact of my military service incited some heat towards me. Have I maybe stated a few things that could be construed as arrogant, possibly. What I say on here is nothing different from what I say on any other forum or in real life. And no one has ever accused me of being too big feeling about it, ever. So the fact that I am now is a complete shock to me. I'm a very humble person, too humble probably but with the double/triple post debacle and me not agreeing with others' views I got attacked with flames instead of "Hey man, this is the problem just so you know." Wouldn't you be a bit defensive if it seemed like vultures were flying over you? No worries Will, I can handle it. I apologize if anything was taken as rude because none of it was meant to be unless I was responding to a flame. I'm not a rude person so just please remember that because someone is new and has stumbled a bit, it doesnt give you and the other vets around here a right to kick them. We'll have to agree to disagree here I guess. Maybe you'll read my response to Kaeton and have a better understanding. If not, I dont know.
The only part of this thread, besides the posts by lpboarder, that I disagree with. I didn't realize this thread, which I actually created in a moment of anger after a rant someone who lives near me went on, would end up the way it is right now. Point is, we're only as free as the government allows, yes, but we honestly should appreciate that we are free, and if we want more freedoms, do something about it, rather than complaining about it. That's not directed at any members here, unless your name is Craig, and you live 5 doors down from me.