From AngryPenguin to MLW - sorry.

[angrypenguin]

Hey folks,

I've been part of many IBB over the years, even moderated for some. I however just wanted to say sorry for my actions in the last two days. No, no moderator or poster has contacted me, but I just felt the need to say sorry.

A few posters on here have gotten under my skin, and that caused me to reply with one liners and caused me to be more harsh than I am as a person. Obviously, everyone shouldn't be painted with the same brush, and I sorta painted all lefties in my mind in the same brush.

That's not like me. Having said that, i'm new here and i'm starting to learn who the usual trollers are, and to be frank, I'll probably just ignore them, or be unresponsive, and perhaps on a bad day, I may troll them, but that's partly because I now have had a few PM's now that have been sent from posters indicating displeasure by a select few and sadness that the mods don't act to deal with them.

Anyways, my behavior in the last day or two is not like who I usually am. Politics can get heated, for sure, but there's no reason to be an ass (unless someone's treating me as such!)

I'm on here to have civilized debates. Out of everyone in Canada, I'm sure it's safe to say, there are no swing votes to be gathered on here. We're all aligned to our respective parties. The day it just becomes mudslinging, is the day I leave, but for now, I've learned a few things, and as long as i'm learning and hopefully contributing, I'll stay.

Greetings from Ottawa. The green tops of the Parliament building are right outside my hotel window! Was at 24 Sussex Drive today...I thought there were free tours? I've been to Ottawa probably 80 times in the last 3 years and never been to 24 Sussex. Was disappointed today. Was hoping for a tour!

Anyways, for what it's worth.

AP

Edited October 7, 2015 by angrypenguin

[Big Guy]

I do understand that it is difficult to maintain some semblence of decorum when those who disagree with your politics begin to get personal. That becomes the nature of the beast when political passion energizes the human attack mode.

I would suggest that a good start to your restart would be to review your designation of those who agree or disagree with you. The term lefty or righty or lib or con have devolved to be considered pejorative in nature. They also serve to try to group people with very differing views. I see posters here who agree with some of the potential resolutions from all parties. I believe it to be far more correct to deal with a particular issue than what you perceive to be a left or right wing argument.

As to some posters here getting under your skin - that is what they are trying to do. A little self discipline and targeted replies on your part may encourage them to hunt elsewhere for other unsuspecting victims. They do have to satisfy that unhealthy and irrational need to irritate and demean.

Some of us here do understand that you can disagree and still respect others and their opinions.

Glad to hear that things are well in Ottawa.

[angrypenguin]

I would suggest that a good start to your restart would be to review your designation of those who agree or disagree with you. The term lefty or righty or lib or con have devolved to be considered pejorative in nature.

Hold please. If I call someone a leftie or a rightie (I am a rightie in this election) that's pejorative in nature? I've never found it personally to be insulting when someone calls me a rightie. If so, oh hell I'll stop it right now, but that surprises me.

[dialamah]

I'm OK with a bit of passion, especially interspersed with more friendly stuff. So leftie is not going to hurt my feelings. :-)

[cybercoma]

News and Announcements, eh? Someone upstairs has a sense of humour.

[waldo]

News and Announcements, eh? Someone upstairs has a sense of humour.

I wondered why the penguin was so angry... good to know he plans to reign it in!

[ToadBrother]

I'm OK with a bit of passion, especially interspersed with more friendly stuff. So leftie is not going to hurt my feelings. :-)

What bothers me is when someone just assumes one is a "lefty" because one isn't a fan of the Conservatives.

I'm constantly being accused of being a "lefty", when I think it's pretty clear that I am pro-fiscal conservatism, pro-free trade, pro-end of supply management. I'd say I'm a social libertarian; in that if it doesn't harm children and animals, I don't think what you do in your bedroom is my business, or more to the point the government's. Being a bit of a science buff, I also don't think the world's climatologists are part of a cabal to impose communism on us, and don't view the physical laws of the universe to be amendable to ideological bias.

So when someone comes along and accuses me of being a "lefty" because I criticize the Tories, I get a little cranky because it misrepresents who I am, and is usually thrown at me in the absence of a meaningful retort.

[Big Guy]

Just saw a dvd of "The March of the Penguins". Did you have a role in the film?

Were you marching on the left side or the right side?

[The_Squid]

What bothers me is when someone just assumes one is a "lefty" because one isn't a fan of the Conservatives.

I'm constantly being accused of being a "lefty", when I think it's pretty clear that I am pro-fiscal conservatism, pro-free trade, pro-end of supply management. I'd say I'm a social libertarian; in that if it doesn't harm children and animals, I don't think what you do in your bedroom is my business, or more to the point the government's. Being a bit of a science buff, I also don't think the world's climatologists are part of a cabal to impose communism on us, and don't view the physical laws of the universe to be amendable to ideological bias.

So when someone comes along and accuses me of being a "lefty" because I criticize the Tories, I get a little cranky because it misrepresents who I am, and is usually thrown at me in the absence of a meaningful retort.

Very well stated...

[GostHacked]

Hold please. If I call someone a leftie or a rightie (I am a rightie in this election) that's pejorative in nature? I've never found it personally to be insulting when someone calls me a rightie. If so, oh hell I'll stop it right now, but that surprises me.

The terms have lost all their meaning in my view. I've had the term leftie and rightie thrown at me several times by members who consider themselves to be on one side or the other. I use the term 'political athiest' to describe my views. I borrowed the term from someone I do pay attention to regularly.

I guess I should applaud the notion of making an apology, but before you do it, I do think there are a few others that should have stepped up to that plate long time ago. If I were you, I would not feel bad about it at all, and even though none of it seemed to be directed at me, I can say it is appreciated.

[Charles Anthony]

Hold please. If I call someone a leftie or a rightie (I am a rightie in this election) that's pejorative in nature? I've never found it personally to be insulting when someone calls me a rightie. If so, oh hell I'll stop it right now, but that surprises me.

The terms have lost all their meaning in my view.

That is just it.

I guess I should applaud the notion of making an apology, but before you do it, I do think there are a few others that should have stepped up to that plate long time ago. If I were you, I would not feel bad about it at all, and even though none of it seemed to be directed at me, I can say it is appreciated.

Agreed.

Hold please. If I call someone a leftie or a rightie (I am a rightie in this election) that's pejorative in nature?

Possibly but that depends on the disposition of your target. Regardless, calling someone a leftie or a rightie reflects upon you and your perception.

As mod, I hold the position that those terms are ambiguous and or insulting. I leave it to the target to care to make that difference because as far as moderator intervention is concerned, the ambiguity trumps everything. The ambiguity is what leads to the terms crossing the trolling threshold.

For instance, if a member of the Red Team calls a member of the Blue Team a Lefty (or a Righty?) and then the discussion goes on and on and on and on about who is a righty or a lefty or what is the definition of righty or lefty, then the thread is drifting and it has only 1 place to go: ever increasing meaninglessness. As far as moderator intervention is concerned, it does not matter whether the members are offended or not anymore. Even if they were NOT offended, the matter may warrant an intervention.

Personally, I used to get mildly offended whenever somebody called me a lefty or a righty but now I laugh it off because as GH said, the terms have no meaning and yet, they are presented as if they do. So, whenever somebody calls me a lefty or a righty, I immediately say to myself: "Slow down. You are not dealing with a person who knows that of which he speaks. There is no intelligent conversation to be had with this person. Smile and pretend you are stupid."

Was at 24 Sussex Drive today...I thought there were free tours?

Ha! Ha!

I suspect you did not intend to make a joke but thanks! You made my day!

[Argus]

Hold please. If I call someone a leftie or a rightie (I am a rightie in this election) that's pejorative in nature? I've never found it personally to be insulting when someone calls me a rightie. If so, oh hell I'll stop it right now, but that surprises me.

It's not pejorative. Some people are just really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really sensitive...

[eyeball]

Very well stated...

What you both said.

[Big Guy]

"Personally, I used to get mildly offended whenever somebody called me a lefty or a righty but now I laugh it off because as GH said, the terms have no meaning and yet, they are presented as if they do. So, whenever somebody calls me a lefty or a righty, I immediately say to myself: "Slow down. You are not dealing with a person who knows that of which he speaks. There is no intelligent conversation to be had with this person. Smile and pretend you are stupid.""

I especially agree with t​he "You are not dealing with a person who knows that of which he speaks."

But he keeps speaking and speaking and speaking and .... then figures the problem that others are too sensitive.

[Wilber]

I'm not sure if I am one of the subjects referred to in the OP's post but if I am, I'll make my contribution for what It's worth.

As I get older and more cynical I am less tolerant of what I feel are positions motivated purely by politics or ideology and much of the political and ideologic BS I hear coming from all our party leaders. As a result I have a tendency to be sharp and bark at times. Afterwards, I think, that might have been bit harsh but then I think, what the hell, that's the way I really feel and If I barked at someone it is because I thought they had something worth responding to, because some are so far gone, I can't be bothered. I'm not into trolling, I'm not creative enough. I'm not going to apologize for anything and I don't think angrypenguin should either.

I'm trying to look at issues on the basis of what they actually mean to the country, not from a narrow political or ideological viewpoint or strictly as a consumer. It's hard because everyone has biases but sometimes I get it right, like when I end up butting heads with angrypenguin, ToadBrother and ReeferMadness on the same topic.

I can't claim never to have done it but I think putting labels on people is a form of laziness, just a way of not having to respond to their arguments. I don't really care what people call me. I think I am fairly liberal but when it comes to change, I am quite conservative. I'm not against change because it is one of the few constants in life but if you want to change something, convince me that it is necessary or desirable. if you can, I'm in, if not, I'm not. Blowing things up for purely political or ideological reasons is the business ISIL is in.

Hope that's not thread drift Charles.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Wilber

[Big Guy]

Cheerleaders tend to cheer for the whole team or against the whole team rather than talking the time to respond to individuals action. As long as we remember that they are only cheer leaders on the sidelines. As long as they do not get in the way so that we can watch the game and evaluate the paly ourselves then they are harmless.

SIS, BOOM, BAH!

RAH, RAH, RAN!

________ , ________, - HE's OUR MAN !!!!!!!

You fill in the blanks.

Edited October 9, 2015 by Big Guy

[socialist]

Cheerleaders tend to cheer for the whole team or against the whole team rather than talking the time to respond to individuals action. As long as we remember that they are only cheer leaders on the sidelines. As long as they do not get in the way so that we can watch the game and evaluate the paly ourselves then they are harmless.

SIS, BOOM, BAH!

RAH, RAH, RAN!

________ , ________, - HE's OUR MAN !!!!!!!

You fill in the blanks.

Youn should try Libertarianism.

[BubberMiley]

Youn should try Libertarianism.

That would involve moving to Somalia.

[socialist]

That would involve moving to Somalia.

Do whatever you feel you need to do to get a happy feeling inside.

[On Guard for Thee]

Trust me.....Somalia will not give you a happy feeling.

[dre]

That would involve moving to Somalia.

Not all libertarians are anarchists or minarchists. You could just believe in strong personal liberty, oppose military interventionalism as a foreign policy, and oppose the emergency of the modern police/surveillance state, and large and expensive government security apparatus, and non defensive military spending and you would wind up somewhere at south end of the authoritarian/libertarian axis.