I don't believe it appropriate to judge people, including Trump, because we can't see what's in their heart. However, judging behavior is appropriate - and Trump's behavior (in terms of both words and actions) CLEARLY appeals to racists, and he avoids distancing himself from them. This normalizes their behavior - which indeed fans the flames.Trump isn’t a racist, nor does he fan those flames. That’s the sport of anti-Trumpists who utilize that canard for the sake of power seeking.
I never said nor implied I was above judging people. I would suggest trying to put words in another’s mouth is bad form — NOS4A2
They’ve already tried to sell us the notion of a dark future before the election—recession, race wars, nuclear fallout, concentration camps, the second coming of Hitler, Russian influence, ecological collapse—and they are doing everything in their power to make this a reality. — NOS4A2
I don't believe it appropriate to judge people, including Trump, because we can't see what's in their heart. However, judging behavior is appropriate - and Trump's behavior (in terms of both words and actions) CLEARLY appeals to racists, and he avoids distancing himself from them. This normalizes their behavior - which indeed fans the flames.
You are free to disagree, but please don't claim your judgment is anything other than partisan. The only negative judgments you've made are against those who disagree with and dislike Trump, and you repeat the same old partisan tropes.
Trump has read denouncements from the teleprompter, and I don't ignore it, I applaud this. But I also call out the bad behavior, and this bad behavior (which is predominantly off the cuff, unfiltered, unquestionably a product of his OWN mind) is not negated by the good.It’s not partisan because Trump has denounced racists and racism from the beginning. It’s actually you who is partisan because you refuse to see it. — NOS4A2
Judgments of Trump are a consequence of the words he unapologetically uses. Even if merely spoken out of political correctness, the fact is that there are predictable consequences to doing so, and there are appropriate responses he COULD make: acknowledging those who are offended, and apologizing for inadvertantly offending. Voters who embraced his political incorrectness should have anticipated that this would cause a backlash. Instead you condemn them for not being like an idealized version of you who merely disdains political correctness.The media is spinning the yarn that Trump is racist, not Trump himself. It is the media spinning the yarn that Trump is racist, not Trump. They are emboldened and normalized by the media, not Trump.
Trump has read denouncements from the teleprompter, and I don't ignore it, I applaud this. But I also call out the bad behavior, and this bad behavior (which is predominantly off the cuff, unfiltered, unquestionably a product of his OWN mind) is not negated by the good.
You, on the other hand, completely ignore the bad behavior. You hide behind a superior attitude: "I think wagging my finger at someone for not conforming to political correctness is intellectual cowardice". Political incorrectness means inadvertantly saying something that some people find offensive. This is forgiven when one apologizes and recognizes the feelings of the offended. It goes beyond PC when he just defends his actions, and it's not negated by reciting a prepared speech (although I am glad he delivers those). In my personal opinion, I think he is simply incapable of ever admitting he's done anything wrong. But the effect is the same: racists love him, and it normalizes racist behavior.
Judgments of Trump are a consequence of the words he unapologetically uses. Even if merely spoken out of political correctness, the fact is that there are predictable consequences to doing so, and there are appropriate responses he COULD make: acknowledging those who are offended, and apologizing for inadvertantly offending. Voters who embraced his political incorrectness should have anticipated that this would cause a backlash. Instead you condemn them for not being like an idealized version of you who merely disdains political correctness.
BTW, if it's wrong to call people racist, how do you rationalize Trump's calling people racist?
The media is spinning the yarn that Trump is racist, not Trump himself. It is the media spinning the yarn that Trump is racist, not Trump. — NOS4A2
What racist rhetoric? — NOS4A2
You're not going to be able to see it if you're wilfully blind
The stuff you pay no attention to, because you don't care what people say (except when aggregated into what you label a "mass hysteria" backlash against Trump).What racist rhetoric? — NOS4A2
Do you seriously believe that your 'arguments' here("counterpoints" is a better description) are acceptable?
Trump's behavior is unprecedented. Review this list of lies (which is but a small subset). He personally contributes to the spread of fake news including the spreading conspiracy theories (e.g. implying Clinton had Epstein killed), while concurrently labellling anything he doesn't like as "fake news". It's hilarious listening to his staff try to force fit his nonsense into something truthy. The silence of most Congressional Republicans on his antics adds to the frustration. No prior President has hurled insults with such frequency.Really, the backlash against Trump’s words has eclipsed any backlash in modern history. — NOS4A2
The Russian influence canard is mostly an anti-Trump hoax.
— NOS4A2
A canard is "a false or unfounded report or story; especially : a fabricated report: a groundless rumor or belief."
Your statement is categorical. Make your case or recant within three days, lacking that I request you be banned. The world is too full of liars and and their lies. — timw
Not merely a troll, but simply a liar. What you write or say simply cannot be taken at face value, i.e., trusted. Your words are worth less than nothing; they take and give nothing.
And, I did request you be banned. Apparently hasn't happened yet.
Ehhhhh. Debate is an honorable enterprise between honorable people, or at least people who follow some rules. Lying destroys the ground of those rules, so is neither debate nor defense, but war by other means, even if in some cases for motives unclear. Nor do I presume to "debate" who should be banned - that's yours not mine. But in fact i did ask. I said I would and I did.
Thus in particular I held his comment to be a lie - not an error or mistake - and invited him to correct the impression, which he has taken care not to do. It's a "fish" in the punch bowl; would you care for a drink?
Sorry, I’m trying to keep it civil here, despite the threats and ridicule. — NOS4A2
The Russian influence canard is mostly an anti-Trump hoax. — NOS4A2
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