Can we try to limit attacks to candidates, and not their supporters?

[democrattotheend]

In the interest of sanity, I would like to make a proposal. It's one thing to criticize a candidate, but it is quite another to demonize a candidate's voters or supporters. I've seen this from both sides, with Obama supporters talking about Clinton supporters as uneducated white trash and Clinton supporters who think all of Obama's supporters are spoiled college kids who are too lazy to actually think about their decision. I've heard both sides call the other candidate's voters sheeple, and it's insulting.

Use these forums to support your candidate, vigorously defend your candidate, and post negative information you find about the other candidate, but is it really necessary to trash groups of Democratic voters, all of whom we will need in the fall in order to build a winning coalition?

Many people here and elsewhere feel passionately that Clinton would be the best candidate and the best president, and many feel passionately that Obama would. To suggest that the supporters of the other candidate are less intelligent or lack the same kind of ability to think logically as supporters of your candidate is arrogant, elitist, and counterproductive. Just because you feel strongly that your candidate is the better choice does not make you smarter or more capable of making a decision than the voters and activists supporting the other candidate, and this elitist attitude is one of the reasons Democrats keep losing elections.

In my opinion at least, we have two great candidates, and most Democratic voters agree (see exit polls where upwards of 70% would be satisfied with either candidate). That's one of the reasons this has gone on so long. Both sides have passionate supporters, and the goal should be to figure out how to channel all of the energy on both sides into a passionate Democratic base in November, whoever gets the nomination.

I think if we can limit criticisms to the candidates and not their supporters, it will go a long way toward restoring some degree of civility to this forum. So please, post here if you will join with me in keeping the focus on the candidates and on the big picture, and avoid trashing groups of Democratic voters who don't happen to share your candidate preference.

[leftofcool]

1. Aha! A voice of reason

Will it be heard?

Left of Cool

[democrattotheend]

2. Probably not

But I am thinking of compiling all of the posts I see that insult a candidate's supporters and compiling them with the name of the poster, and posting a weekly (or even daily) wall of shame. What do you think?

[mac56]

3. That might constitute "calling someone out"

but I agree with the sentiment.

[democrattotheend]

5. Is calling someone out against the rules?

[mac56]

6. I've always thought it is.

For sure, it's considered "bad form".

Perhaps someone wiser than me can address that.

Add on edit: from the rules = "Civility: Treat other members with respect. Do not post personal attacks against other members of this discussion forum."

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. But, but the supporters can be so much more deserving of attack

than their candidates.

In fact, USUALLY the supporters deserve it, while the candidates, rarely.








Who needs civilization anyway?