Discussions with Vigor but Not Rancor!

I have been submitting material to Associated Content over the past six or seven months. I have written on a number of topics that caught my interest.

Some of these were on people and folklore about whom I was introduced many years ago; for example, Hannah Dustin, a lady who, in 1697, was kidnapped by Indians from her home in Haverhill, Massachusetts, escaped and scalped a number of the persons holding her, and Lord Timothy Dexter, a gentleman from Revolutionary days who was certainly eccentric, possibly a genius and possibly just nuts.

Some of my scribbles have been on restaurants I frequent and enjoy, a VW Beetle that I think is cool, life in a Geodesic Dome and such. Others have been related to my experiences as an attorney and government employee for many, many years and attempt to guide others through the arcane mysteries of the law as it applies to everyday situations.

I am pleased to note that the vast majority of comments were and are complimentary and supportive.

Then I wrote a number of articles that, admittedly, were controversial, topics about which I felt strongly while acknowledging that others held contrary views. The whole point of Associated Content, I believed was to provide a forum for opposing viewpoints where intelligent and articulate people could challenge each other's ideas in a responsible manner.

Instead, I have been bombarded with vitriolic and ad hominem attacks that seem totally out of place in a forum for rational discourse.

For example, I had written an article suggesting that those who were energized and aroused by the act of killing had a value system with which I disagreed. My article was not anti-hunting; it did object to the idea of getting enjoyment from the act of killing. Comments to this article included terms such as "retarded", completely ignorant", "liar", condescending wimp" and "idiot". One writer challenged my masculinity and called me a "quiche eater". (Actually, my wife's quiche is quite tasty, but that's another story.)

Only a handful of commentators challenged my opinions directly. Most just ignored my main thesis: if a person is hunting for the "sport" and not to primarily put food on the family's table, hunting with a camera would be just as rewarding. Moreover, as a carnivore, I can hardly object to hunting, as such; my concern was directed at those who found the act of killing exhilarating.

I wrote a piece suggesting that a re-examination of the Second Amendment's "right to bear arms" was appropriate in the light of changing times, there being no need now for the "minute-man" ready to repel an invading force, leaving his field and grabbing his musket. This brought out the, now expected, vitriol.

Then, I became bothered by the state of Florida's considering the issuance of a license plate bearing the Confederate flag. My article generated twenty comments, thus far, including those that called be "absolutely ignorant", "trash" and accused me of "making up quotes". As to the latter charge, my article quoted the Vice President of the Confederate States and cited where his speech could be found.

But all of this doesn't matter. What does matter is that many of us seem to be unable to discuss, even argue, points of view without name calling.

What ever happened to, "I disagree with your opinion, but we can still respect each other"? Voltaire is supposed to have said ,"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

I have corresponded with a gentlemen who goes by the nom de plume, Youranter. We often disagree but I am proud when he refers to me as a "friend". We have never met and, since he lives in the far North it is unlikely that we will do so physically. Yet I value his opinions and insight - even when they are opposed to my own thoughts and are, on those occasions, patently in error. The point is that we can disagree and challenge without rancor.

This same inability to discuss issues without attacking the opponent is found in everyday discourse and can be observed nightly on cable television, political advertisements and on radio talk shows. If we are so blinded by hate, we cannot allow new ideas and thoughts to creep into our consciousness. And that's a darn shame.

A plea: could we please return a note of civility to our discourse, both on this site and in our everyday lives.