The Unvaxinated = the Taliban

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

This man, Obama's former Education Secretary, is a man after Dill's heart. Remember kids, always compare people you disagree with politically to the worst human scum you can. Make sure you polarize people further and stir up hatred. Remember kids, it is our responsibility, nay our duty, to compare our political opponents to Nazis, Isis and the Taliban.

https://twitter.com/arneduncan/status/1431974283388100612?s=20


Seriously, this kind of thing makes me nauseous.

[BmorePat87]

What a tool. This both undercuts the atrocities of the Taliban and undermines efforts to stop the spread of Covid.

I hated him as sec of edu. Completely out of his depth in that job, and it seems like not much has changed.

[BmorePat87]

But now I have to ask, did you start a thread to complain about this Nazi reference yesterday? I don't present this as a "what about" for Duncan. **** him. But you seem pretty intent on making this a dig as a specific Liberal member (pretty sure that's a CoC violation, starting a thread just to call out a member by name) while taking a pretty holier than thou approach about it. So, did you make any posts about a sitting congressman comparing covid protocols to the Holocaust?

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(08-29-2021, 10:20 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: What a tool. This both undercuts the atrocities of the Taliban and undermines efforts to stop the spread of Covid.

I hated him as sec of edu. Completely out of his depth in that job, and it seems like not much has changed.

I'm pleased to see this.  I would think that a refusal to compare fellow Americans to the Nazis, Isis or Taliban would be an easy, bi-partisan, agreement.  Sadly, there are some among us who find such comparisons valid and necessary.  I have consistently stated that such comparisons are inflammatory and serve no legitimate purpose.  They only serve to polarize us further, stigmatize those compared to such odious organizations, and set us at each others throats.  Certainly no assistance is needed at this unfortunate time to further demonize the "other", and any attempts to do so only fuel an already volatile political landscape.  Hopefully, in this microcosm at least, we can agree that such comparisons are beyond the pale and a tool of the radical who only seeks to inflame tensions.


Hopefully.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(08-29-2021, 10:23 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: But now I have to ask, did you start a thread to complain about this Nazi reference yesterday? I don't present this as a "what about" for Duncan. **** him. But you seem pretty intent on making this a dig as a specific Liberal member (pretty sure that's a CoC violation, starting a thread just to call out a member by name)

Only in as much as that member has consistently defended such comparisons.  If you've planted your flag, then be prepared to defend it.  My thread is not about "calling out" a specific person, but a specific behavior.  If said specific person routinely engages in such behavior than pointing that out is valid.

Quote:while taking a pretty holier than thou approach about it.

If by "holier than thou" you mean consistently condemning such comparisons, then sure, I'll own that.

Quote:So, did you make any posts about a sitting congressman comparing covid protocols to the Holocaust?

You mean did I defend the comparison?  If so, the answer is no.  I have routinely stated that comparisons to the Holocaust or Nazi Germany should not be made for the exact reasons listed in my original post.  If your issue is with my not making a thread specific to this occurrence than I'll have to extend my apologies, I cannot, and will not, be making a thread about every single such occurrence.  I will, instead, allow my general statement on such comparisons to answer such questions; they should not be made.


I would close in inquiring as to why you felt the need to raise such concerns considering my consistent condemnation of the actions I decry in my original post.  Maybe if we were all more consistent in our outrage here we'd have a more congenial forum for honest discussion?  Please note I do not single you out in this regard, the practice is rather widespread.  I would point out that calling out unacceptable behavior should not be confined to the "low hanging fruit" posters (and I know you know exactly who I mean).  I've been called out by posters I respect and it caused me to reexamine my conduct or argument.  Sadly, this is rarely done, especially with those who share our particular ideological bent.  Who knows what we could have here if this was not the case?

[BmorePat87]

(08-29-2021, 10:40 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Only in as much as that member has consistently defended such comparisons.  If you've planted your flag, then be prepared to defend it.  My thread is not about "calling out" a specific person, but a specific behavior.  If said specific person routinely engages in such behavior than pointing that out is valid.




If by "holier than thou" you mean consistently condemning such comparisons, then sure, I'll own that.




You mean did I defend the comparison?  If so, the answer is no.  I have routinely stated that comparisons to the Holocaust or Nazi Germany should not be made for the exact reasons listed in my original post.  If your issue is with my not making a thread specific to this occurrence than I'll have to extend my apologies, I cannot, and will not, be making a thread about every single such occurrence.  I will, instead, allow my general statement on such comparisons to answer such questions; they should not be made.


I would close in inquiring as to why you felt the need to raise such concerns considering my consistent condemnation of the actions I decry in my original post.  Maybe if we were all more consistent in our outrage here we'd have a more congenial forum for honest discussion?  Please note I do not single you out in this regard, the practice is rather widespread.  I would point out that calling out unacceptable behavior should not be confined to the "low hanging fruit" posters (and I know you know exactly who I mean).  I've been called out by posters I respect and it caused me to reexamine my conduct or argument.  Sadly, this is rarely done, especially with those who share our particular ideological bent.  Who knows what we could have here if this was not the case?

Your post seems to very intentionally comes across as "Here is bad liberal doing the same thing I have been fighting with bad liberal Dill about". The only purpose of this thread seems to be for you to use it as a vehicle to attack Dill, considering that an actual elected official did the very thing you are complaining about in this thread, but there was no mention of him (presumably because said politician was a Republican so you can't compare him to Dill as easily as the guy who was Sec of Edu over 5 years ago). 

Would you have started this thread if you weren't beefing with Dill? Probably not, and that's the kind of dumb shit that gets this place shut down. Don't start threads for the sole purpose of calling out another member if it means the rest of us can suffer as a result. At the very least, be clever in your mockery so that we know who you're ragging on without you explicitly saying it. I know witty mockery isn't foreign to you lol.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(08-30-2021, 12:30 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: Your post seems to very intentionally comes across as "Here is bad liberal doing the same thing I have been fighting with bad liberal Dill about".

Is Dill a bad liberal?  I raised a behavior I find abhorrent.  You are certainly correct that Dill has defended said behavior, on numerous occasions.  That, however, was not the purpose of the thread.  The purpose was to highlight this behavior and point out how wrong, divisive and destructive, it is.  As I said, if you plant a flag be prepared to defend it.  

Quote:The only purpose of this thread seems to be for you to use it as a vehicle to attack Dill, considering that an actual elected official did the very thing you are complaining about in this thread, but there was no mention of him (presumably because said politician was a Republican so you can't compare him to Dill as easily as the guy who was Sec of Edu over 5 years ago). 

This is a very poor point.  As I already stated, am I to make a new thread to address every single such instance of this behavior?  Am I to know of every such instance when it occurs?  I just had a lengthy back and forth on this very subject.  A back and forth that saw no interjection from other parties.  If you're so concerned about these comparisons, and to flip your inquiry back on yourself, why did you not raise these very concerns then?  Did you not know about it?  Did you not care?  If so, why do you care now?

Quote:Would you have started this thread if you weren't beefing with Dill?

Absolutely.  As I've stated throughout the years, I despise these types of comparisons.  Did the recent argument have the topic fresh on my mind, absolutely.  But don't pretend this is some new cause celeb for me.

Quote:Probably not, and that's the kind of dumb shit that gets this place shut down. Don't start threads for the sole purpose of calling out another member if it means the rest of us can suffer as a result. At the very least, be clever in your mockery so that we know who you're ragging on without you explicitly saying it. I know witty mockery isn't foreign to you lol.

An interesting argument, "call someone out" but don't be so obvious about it.  Is your concern with the conduct or its overtness?  If it is the latter, then I don't think you stand on very firm ethical grounds.  There's a lot of "dumb shit" that gets this place "shut down".  One of them is ignoring behavior in some that you claim to dislike in others.  So, given your stated dislike of such comparisons, I expect to see your condemnations of such when they are made in the future.

[Dill]

(08-29-2021, 09:53 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: This man, Obama's former Education Secretary, is a man after Dill's heart.  Remember kids, always compare people you disagree with politically to the worst human scum you can.  Make sure you polarize people further and stir up hatred.  Remember kids, it is our responsibility, nay our duty, to compare our political opponents to Nazis, Isis and the Taliban.  

https://twitter.com/arneduncan/status/1431974283388100612?s=20
Seriously, this kind of thing makes me nauseous.

Doubtful. If it makes you "naseous," then why are you doing it with this post? Again.

I actually don't compare people I disagree with politically "to the worst possible human scum." You have no examples. 

E.g., I have never called you a supporter of ISIS or MS-13. But you have called me such, and that was precisely because I refused to call any other humans scum. Right? Why call me that if you really "despise these types of comparisons"?

I.e., once again you are projecting on me what you regularly do. That's your super power.

If I refuse to call Nazis, ISIS and the Talian "human scum," as you do, then what am I actually doing when I defend the principle of comparison?The comparison, as I understand it, isn't to "human scum." Rather I argue that

1. social scientists and historians are uncovering useful knowledge about authoritarian regimes which can be applicable to current U.S. politics.

2. that the professionals doing that are not engaged in some form of partisan name calling.

3. and that the US right wants to obfuscate that knowledge by characterizing it as simply another form of name calling.

I have articulated this position very clearly on another thread, and explained how your beef is really with social science, the disinterested pursuit of politically useful knowledge about both political forms, past and present.

Instead of refuting the social scientific rationale for studying authoritarian tendencies in other regimes and then applying that knowledge to our own politics at a moment when those same tendencies are appearing, you just broke off discussion because I was too "complex" and "long-winded." Now you are back at it, still not addressing what I have actually said or done, but imputing to me the kind of name calling you regularly engage in.

This really isn't about some "nauseous" name-calling behavior that you are against on some ethical ground and always ready to "call out" on principle.   You, yourself, regularly address "human scum" style verbal abuse, directly to forum members, substituting it for argument. While I do no such thing.

Rather, you just want to block legitimate use of social scientific and historical knowledge in thread discussions. You cannot refute the rationale for its use, so you attempt to characterize it as the same kind of personal attack you regularly engage in. 

It is possible you do not see any distinction between scholarly analysis and name calling. You don't really understand what the thousands of social scientists around the world are doing when they study authoritarianism, the social scientific ethos, methods and goals they operate with. For you, it's just a Trump-with-Hitler-moustache meme if someone notes muptile redflags when a US president encourages minions to find votes, or interrupt the peaceful transfer of power, and millions place his personal leadership over principled party order because they perceive another set of red flags--the "socialists" are taking over, BLM is the problem. etc.--a MIS-percpetion which also has historical precedent.

It would be nice if the moderators would let this thread continue, despite the CoC violation. Perhaps we can settle the matter once and for all. At least I can demonstrate that you don't have a response to my argument, beyond simply repeating what has already been refuted.  I can produce examples of you doing exactly what you accuse me of, and you con produce NO examples of me doing exactly what you accuse me of. Those not interested in following the discussion can just click on another thread. And we won't be "off topic."

That will have a stronger corrective effect on your behavior than deleting your posts or suspending you. 

[Dill]

(08-29-2021, 10:40 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: I would close in inquiring as to why you felt the need to raise such concerns considering my consistent condemnation of the actions I decry in my original post.  Maybe if we were all more consistent in our outrage here we'd have a more congenial forum for honest discussion?  Please note I do not single you out in this regard, the practice is rather widespread.  I would point out that calling out unacceptable behavior should not be confined to the "low hanging fruit" posters (and I know you know exactly who I mean).  I've been called out by posters I respect and it caused me to reexamine my conduct or argument.  Sadly, this is rarely done, especially with those who share our particular ideological bent.  Who knows what we could have here if this was not the case?

Doubtful. 

You once instructed me to "be the change you want." 

Start with the assumption that "honest discussion" is not compatible with verbal abuse, one form of which is accusing people of things they haven't done, and dismissing any call for evidence to support your accusations. 

Important to honest discussion is also how people behave when they disagree on points. I'd suggest that calling one's opponents "liars" and "hypocrites" is a step away from honest discussion. 

Rather, allow people to explain why they hold the positions they do, then refute the positions with logic or evidence, rather than turning yet again to verbal abuse, which doesn't refute anything. If you cannot legitimately refute their position, and still don't agree, then just stand down. Don't cast them as evil and encourage others to pile on, also without refuting what is being "calling out." (In fact, let's all just dispense with "calling out" and instead stick to logical refutation, which involves indentifying what people have actually said and considering their evidence for it.)

If we don't do that, then "consistent ourtrage" will just mean more outrage, separated from any kind of ethical principle.

[BmorePat87]

(08-30-2021, 01:33 AM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Is Dill a bad liberal?  I raised a behavior I find abhorrent.  You are certainly correct that Dill has defended said behavior, on numerous occasions.  That, however, was not the purpose of the thread.  The purpose was to highlight this behavior and point out how wrong, divisive and destructive, it is.  As I said, if you plant a flag be prepared to defend it.  




This is a very poor point.  As I already stated, am I to make a new thread to address every single such instance of this behavior?  Am I to know of every such instance when it occurs?  I just had a lengthy back and forth on this very subject.  A back and forth that saw no interjection from other parties.  If you're so concerned about these comparisons, and to flip your inquiry back on yourself, why did you not raise these very concerns then?  Did you not know about it?  Did you not care?  If so, why do you care now?




Absolutely.  As I've stated throughout the years, I despise these types of comparisons.  Did the recent argument have the topic fresh on my mind, absolutely.  But don't pretend this is some new cause celeb for me.


An interesting argument, "call someone out" but don't be so obvious about it.  Is your concern with the conduct or its overtness?  If it is the latter, then I don't think you stand on very firm ethical grounds.  There's a lot of "dumb shit" that gets this place "shut down".  One of them is ignoring behavior in some that you claim to dislike in others.  So, given your stated dislike of such comparisons, I expect to see your condemnations of such when they are made in the future.

That was a really bad, a lazy, straw man. Just be open that this thread exists to attack Dill and Dill alone. I said what needed to be said as someone who doesn't want the board locked because of this feud. Don't really care about the reasoning.

Mods, can we shut this down?

[Dill]

(08-30-2021, 03:31 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: That was a really bad, a lazy, straw man. Just be open that this thread exists to attack Dill and Dill alone. I said what needed to be said as someone who doesn't want the board locked because of this feud. Don't really care about the reasoning.

Mods, can we shut this down?

Please don't. 

Let the "feud" have its own thread. 

I do care about the "reasoning."  If it is not exposed, accusations will continue leaking into other threads. 

We CAN get clear on who "despises comparisons to human scum" and why--and who does not and why.

The forum is a record, and thanks to the convention of refering to actual quotes, it's as easy to settle the issue as "looking at the video."

Worst case scenario, he'll just cut and run. Again.

You should want this too, Pat, as he impllies that you saw me comparing Americans to "human scum" but said nothing, imputing to you agreement with his characterization of my rationale for scholarly, comparative knowledge of authoritarian regimes, but are "selective" in whom you "call out":  

You are certainly correct that Dill has defended said behavior, on numerous occasions. 

"why did you not raise these very concerns then?  Did you not know about it?  Did you not care?  If so, why do you care now?"

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(08-30-2021, 03:31 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: That was a really bad, a lazy, straw man. Just be open that this thread exists to attack Dill and Dill alone. I said what needed to be said as someone who doesn't want the board locked because of this feud. Don't really care about the reasoning.

Mods, can we shut this down?

Bmore, I like you, sincerely, but this board cop routine, constantly accusing others of violating the CoC, is obnoxious.  As to the "lazy straw man" accusation, you have nothing to support that assertion.  I have consistently, throughout the years, stated that comparing Americans to extreme organizations is inflammatory and serves zero constructive purpose.  Then along comes the perfect example of the behavior I consistently condemn.  This thread exists to do nothing but reinforce that and to point out, using a real world example, how harmful these comparisons are.  If GMDino posts yet another in his slew of law enforcement basing posts/threads, is he deliberately targeting me?  

Based on your first post in this thread you apparently feel the same, or at least in a very similar fashion, on this subject as I do.  Maybe that consensus will lead to some condemnation of that behavior in the future?


As to the rest, my point has been reinforced, again.  Comparing people to Nazis, Isis or the Taliban serves no legitimate purpose other than to inflame and label those compared as analogous to such awful people.

[CKwi88]

I second the motion to leave this thread open so SSF and Dill can maintain their relationship here rather than just about every other damn thread in P&R.

[Dill]

(08-30-2021, 05:45 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Bmore, I like you, sincerely, but this board cop routine, constantly accusing others of violating the CoC, is obnoxious.  As to the "lazy straw man" accusation, you have nothing to support that assertion.  I have consistently, throughout the years, stated that comparing Americans to extreme organizations is inflammatory and serves zero constructive purpose.  Then along comes the perfect example of the behavior I consistently condemn.  This thread exists to do nothing but reinforce that and to point out, using a real world example, how harmful these comparisons are.  If GMDino posts yet another in his slew of law enforcement basing posts/threads, is he deliberately targeting me?  

Based on your first post in this thread you apparently feel the same, or at least in a very similar fashion, on this subject as I do.  Maybe that consensus will lead to some condemnation of that behavior in the future?

As to the rest, my point has been reinforced, again.  Comparing people to Nazis, Isis or the Taliban serves no legitimate purpose other than to inflame and label those compared as analogous to such awful people.

Well you actually do heap personal abuse on people in violation of the CoC. And WAY more than anyone else here. So it’s a bit much to demand people stop flagging you for it, as opposed to actually exerting some self disclpine and stopping said behavior yourself.

And Pat does have something to support the “straw man” accusation:

1. Your claim that I have defended comparing people to “human scum” or anything similar to your meme example. I’ve never done that.

2 your imputation that Pat agreed I engage in “scum” comparison. He did not. He understands the difference between a twitter meme and reasoned scholarly comparison, as do the majority of posters here.

You are perfectly fine with “inflammatory” and “divisive” comparisons—just not with social science analysis applied to right wing politics. No one disputes your “consistency” regarding the latter. “Zero constructive purpose” in applying knowledge of the past to the present. No present crisis to be illuminated. Protect the present FROM the past.

Perhaps you hope the mods will forbid any future historical comparison, even serious and responsible scholarly types, to quel the continuing drama. Then you can gain by administrative fiat what you cannot by reasoned argument.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(08-30-2021, 07:04 PM)Dill Wrote: Well you actually do heap personal abuse on people in violation of the CoC. And WAY more than anyone else here. So it’s a bit much to demand people stop flagging you for it, as opposed to actually exerting some self disclpine and stopping said behavior yourself.

Eh, not really, probably not even close.  Certain people constantly hurl accusations of racism at others.  In fact I was personally attacked in such a vile way that the person in question was banned for a considerable amount of time.  Of course, Dill didn't see any of that.

Quote:And Pat does have something to support the “straw man” accusation:

1. Your claim that I have defended comparing people to “human scum” or anything similar to your meme example. I’ve never done that.

Ahahahaha, this is true only in so far as you refuse to refer to members of Isis the Taliban or the Nazis as "human scum".  Other than that, you frequently compare people to those groups, you just did it in the Afghanistan thread, which is what reignited this entire discussion.

Quote:2 your imputation that Pat ageed I engage in “scum” comparison. He did not. He understands the difference between a twitter meme and reasoned scholarly comparison, as do the majority of posters here.

I didn't say that, nor did I infer it, so stop making things up.  I said Bmore expressed his distaste for comparing people to the Taliban, something you just did in the aforementioned thread last week.  Bmore stated;

What a tool. This both undercuts the atrocities of the Taliban and undermines efforts to stop the spread of Covid.

You'll please note that I frequently make this argument about the dangers of such comparisons.

Quote:You are perfectly fine with “inflammatory” and “divisive” comparisons—just not with social science analysis applied to right wing politics..

Indeed?  Give me a for instance?

Quote:Perhaps you hope the mods will forbid any future historical comparison, even serious and responsible scholarly types, to quel the continuing drama. Then you can gain by administrative fiat what you cannot by reasoned argument.

Oh no, sweetie, not in the least.  If anything I'd prefer a much looser set of moderation.  Lastly, what "continuing drama" am I apparently trying to quell?  This post really comes across as you projecting your foibles and insecurities on me.

[BigPapaKain]

Depends on if you're sick or not. Because getting into a hospital in America right now is a lot like trying to get into a Taliban infested city - you'll probably die before you get in.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

Michael Moore just made the same comparison, again.

https://twitter.com/MMFlint/status/1432445779189370884?s=20


Time to fix ourselves and strengthen our own Democracy and defend it against our own domestic taliban.


No danger in these comparisons at all.

[Dill]

(08-31-2021, 01:26 AM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Michael Moore just made the same comparison, again.

https://twitter.com/MMFlint/status/1432445779189370884?s=20

Time to fix ourselves and strengthen our own Democracy and defend it against our own domestic taliban.

No danger in these comparisons at all.

To whom is the danger? 

I.e., who are the domestic Taliban?

[Dill]

(08-30-2021, 07:37 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Dill Wrote:[url=http://thebengalsboard.com/Thread-The-Unvaxinated-the-Taliban?pid=1053344#pid1053344][/url]Well you actually do heap personal abuse on people in violation of the CoC. And WAY more than anyone else here. So it’s a bit much to demand people stop flagging you for it, as opposed to actually exerting some self disclpine and stopping said behavior yourself.

Eh, not really, probably not even close.  Certain people constantly hurl accusations of racism at others.  In fact I was personally attacked in such a vile way that the person in question was banned for a considerable amount of time.  Of course, Dill didn't see any of that.

No, I didn't see "any of that." And you aren't going to say who "constantly hurl accusations of racism at others." I only have examples of you doing that to Dino and myself (e.g. the "MAGA" and "Tucker Carlson Omar" threads).  There is no one you can name who exceeds your practice of verbal abuse. Further examples will appear in the rest of this post.

(08-30-2021, 01:33 AM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote:

Quote: Wrote:And Pat does have something to support the “straw man” accusation:

1. Your claim that I have defended comparing people to “human scum” or anything similar to your meme example. I’ve never done that.

Ahahahaha, this is true only in so far as you refuse to refer to members of Isis the Taliban or the Nazis as "human scum".  Other than that, you frequently compare people to those groups, you just did it in the Afghanistan thread, which is what reignited this entire discussion.

"Only in so far"--that is the point. I don't compare anyone to "human scum."  Sure I made a comparison of Taliban to Americans, but not of "scum" to Americans. I ask you to identify the actual terms of my comparison and you refused. Rather, you replaced my terms with your own. You've been doing that ever since. You did the same with Bpat. Straw man once, Straw man twice. 

I say calling people "human scum" has "no legitimate purpose." You say it does. That's where we disagree. 

Where I see myself as comparing one set of HUMAN BEINGS who may share similar existential anxieties regarding cultural changes which challenge traditional authority with another set of HUMAN BEINGS experiencing the same, leading both towards fundamentalist religion and a Manichean worldview--you twist that into a comparison of HUMAN BEINGS with HUMAN SCUM. 

You would censor ANY such cross cultural comparison because you cannot tell the difference between a tweet and social science. In fact you are insisting there is no difference. You evidently think it serves some "legitimate purpose" to regularly call people "faux-intellectuals" and "liars" and "hypocrites" who make "racist statements" etc., but identifying analogies between right wing politics and the US and right wing politics in authoritarian regimes the world over serves "no legitimate purpose"--and at a time when millions of Americans are having a great deal of difficulty recognizing authoritarian politics. 

That is evidently a topic you want to keep OFF the board. 
 

(08-30-2021, 07:37 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Quote:2 your imputation that Pat ageed I engage in “scum” comparison. He did not. He understands the difference between a twitter meme and reasoned scholarly comparison, as do the majority of posters here.

I didn't say that, nor did I infer it, so stop making things up.  I said Bmore expressed his distaste for comparing people to the Taliban, something you just did in the aforementioned thread last week.  Bmore stated;
What a tool. This both undercuts the atrocities of the Taliban and undermines efforts to stop the spread of Covid.
You'll please note that I frequently make this argument about the dangers of such comparisons.

Did I "make up" this quote below from post #7 of this thread, addressed to Bpat?

(08-30-2021, 01:33 AM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Is Dill a bad liberal?  I raised a behavior I find abhorrent.  You are certainly correct that Dill has defended said behavior, on numerous occasions.  That, however, was not the purpose of the thread.  The purpose was to highlight this behavior and point out how wrong, divisive and destructive, it is.  As I said, if you plant a flag be prepared to defend it.  

My positions and Bpat's both reduced to straw men in one statement. A twofer. Actually, I have never defended superficial comparisons like your example. You can only get there by reducing a subfield of social science to tweet level. And Bpat did not say that I had defended "said behavior." You put words into his mouth.

You arrive at that conclusion only by asserting that all comparisons between authoritarian groups and right wing Americans are inherently vicious, regardless of intent, method and applicability. 

Why don't you say that directly--"Social scientific study of authoritarian tendencies in US politics should be off limits."
Or perhaps "It should be done in a way that does not actually identify any authoritarian tendencies which could be linked with past authoritarian regimes."  

As for an example of divisive and inflammatory comparison, you have equated ANTIFA with the Klan, and me with ANTIFA, haven't you? You've claimed both the Klan and "far left" use the same rules to decide who is and who is not black ("It's Kamala" #223). 

Lastly, your efforts to block scholarly comparison of authoritarian regimes in the study of American politics doesn't fit well with your claimed preference for "looser" moderation.  Looser moderation requires that posters take on more personal responsibility for bad behavior--very difficult when some cannot agree their behavior is actually bad. 

[jmccracky]

Hey, Jmccracky here. Been a member since September 2005. Yall need to relax. I don't have a problem with any of you guys. I think you guys need a reset, lol. I am the one who helped start this baby 16 years ago, don't go f'ing it up now. Be best.

Seriously, I don't post much at all these days, but you guys can be pretty damn insightful sometimes. I rather enjoy reading this forum every day. I have no idea who is right or wrong with this particular situation. I've seen members be sarcastic and smartasses to each other. Which is fine by me. Don't let it get to ya. Spit some chewin' tobacco on it, rub it in, and get on with it. It's just a forum.