Now Gropius has always been a place for everyone—short and fat (and gaining like me from all of the junk food at work), tall and thin, black and white, liberal and conservative, etc. Especially that last one. I’ve pretty much had it up to my eyeballs with people who have different political views and can’t still get along. What the hell? We’re all people, right?
One of my favorite people at work couldn’t be more different than me when it comes to politics, but I love to talk to him because we challenge each other’s beliefs. We'e both very educated about the issues on which we share dialogue. And although we’ll never convince the other to change, we respect one another and in the end, it’s really just about two people having a passionate conversation. And true to form with Gropius, even if you respectfully disagree with my opinion, your comment is very welcome. I truly appreciate different points of view.
So here’s our new Gropius friend. Someone who just left a comment (on the wrong entry I might add) to a statement I made here:
“Here's the infamous border fence, keeping our America safe from pot, people and...hmmm....wait? What's it for?"
It’s true, some patrolling of our border may be necessary for many reasons, but the fence? I do happen to find it just atrocious. Maybe you feel differently. That’s fine. Isn’t that why we can live in this place called America? If you find yourself hating people who have different political views, I think the problem is yours, my friend.
Here’s what our friend said about my comment above in red:
After all, only marijuana gets smuggled across the Border. Not heroin, cocaine, weapons and terrorists. It is only pot. RIGHT. Wow, you really are ignorant.
To many uneducated liberals, the Border Fence may just be that.
I'm sure you think that most illegal aliens are just coming over to work and find a better life. Unfortunatley, a majority of them have backgrounds that include rape, murder, drug smuggling, and numerous other felonies. But I'm sure that doesnt matter to a left wing douche like you.
Let's just open the country to them. After all, they aren't coming to your neighborhood, are they? The luxury that you have is that you don't really know what happens in these Border towns and you can cry and bitch all you want, but the fact remains that if the Border Patrol wasn't around, your life as you know it would not exist.
Like I said, different opinions are important to me. They help all of us to continue re-thinking and evaluating our stances and enable us to find new solutions. But honestly, Anonymous, if you’re that intelligent, maybe you could discuss the issue intelligently. You made quite a few assumptions about what I know and don't know. How presumptuous of you.
“You really know what happens in these border towns?” Clearly you would be surprised to know all of the research I have done on the issue and having just come from a border town, I've seen a few things for myself. We just feel a little differently about this. And one of us knows a little more about having an adult conversation. "Douche?" That's so 80's.
Here's the point:
Isn’t it sad that Anonymous and so many other Americans are losing the ability to talk to one another humanely when they disagree? I was just chatting up this topic with a fellow blogger before Anonymous delighted my morning by proving a point.
My 13 YEAR OLD is more educated in having conversations. If Anonymous was really feeling smart about his comment and conduct, he would have included his name.
One of the biggest opportunities we have here in today's devisive American climate is to be friendly with and/or respectful of those who feel differently about the big issues. It will only benefit you and the country as a whole. Comments on either side welcome. As long as you're decent.
12 comments:
I find that comment so rude... I find all negative comments made by anonymous people really rude. Why can't they sign their name if they are really bent on discussing issues? And there's no need to talk rude. You can stress a point by saying it in a nice manner...it just shows what kind of person anonymous is.
Don't stress yourself. Big hugs!
PS... I get a lot of negative comments too. Although I don't publish them if the sender is an anonymous person. I welcome negative comments as long as they are signed.
Anonymous obviously doesn't have any huevos. That really grates on my nerves when someone hides behind the Anon signature.
As for the fence, unfortunately it's needed. Just like laws and prisons are needed. The honor system doesn't always work. For the most part people are GOOD. But since there's a small part of the population that isn't, we need all of the above to keep the rest of us safe and to prevent society from falling into chaos.
While I think it's completely ok to disagree, it is totally unacceptable for someone to do it so rudely and childishly name call at that! I told you the fruitcakes and mean people come out at Christmas...I just thought it was in the malls not on our blogs! And if someone is so passionate about their beliefs, why sign annonymous? Just sayin'.
Well said!! I also agree that a disagreement is only worth it when both people are educated about the subject they discuss.
Nice read, Gropius.
Peace...
Agreed, I tend to think that a blog is a public forum and can become a place for presenting a variety of opinions. But visitors should remember their manners, just as if we were visiting in someone's home. Presenting another point of view on a blog is central to the intention of the comments. But please, namecalling is just plain impolite.
Yes, why couldn't he just have said (and let's assume it's a he because males tend to be more aggressive without cause), "The heck with a fence: shoot them, cut off their heads and stick them on pikes as a warning to others who might think about crossing the border illegally." There. A comment that doesn't attack the blog author, but which certainly gives people something to dialogue about. ;-) (I hate the use of "dialogue" as a verb. Shudder.)
Okay. What is it about anonymous people who just want to annoy and argue? And the name-calling is testament to being a child...'cause that's what children do when they're frustrated and don't know how to properly use their words.
It's amazing to me that some ppl have nothing better to do with their lives than to try and pick fights with others on the internet...
That whole anonymous option should not be..an option that is. If u stand by your opinions then at least have the balls to share your name.
These comments sound to me like they come from a young person just repeating something he's been told. The scary part is that the susceptible young are sometimes only a step away from becoming domestic terrorists who have lost all respect for the rule of law on which civilization is founded. But think of all the supportive comments above and don't lose any sleep over a cowardly hit-and-run artist who seems to have a dislike of women.
I have thought carefully about the flimsy opinions of our Anonymous commentator. He or she represents the paranoid camp who feel that pot leads to heroin and other urban anxieties. Mexico's drug problems are sufficiently demonised by the media without more of their American neighbours dehumanising them from the so-called safe side of the fence. I wonder if South American countries have border fences between their nation-states? Otherwise, it's quite telling how America has toughed it out to keep Central and South America's hungry hoardes at bay. If the Americas decided to work together they could rival Europe. More languages in Europe than in the Americans, and smaller and just as crowded, but they got an act together I still find impressive.
What thoughtful comments. I appreciate them. And here is my skinny on the border fence. According to the US government, the total projected construction cost of the fence (just the additional 600 miles) approaches $3billion. Already,the fence has been compromised 3,000 times. Has it reduced illegal crossings? Perhaps. But many believe that it is also increasing the likelihood that entire families are coming and coming to stay, since going back and forth is more dangerous and expensive. It would be terrible for me to assume that those who are in favor of the fence couldn't care less whether illegal immigrants die or starve during their trip, so I won't do that. But the fence is ensuring that crossers take the risk through more dangerous, less obvious areas and is leading to more death. If you think that serves them right, hmmmm.... Sad. I'll also say I've heard straight from the horse's mouth that in SOME places, pot is the most commonly smuggled item. Unfortunately, for Anonymous, who didn't do homework before the nasty response. And keeping "terrorists" out? Oh my, if all we have is a fence for that, America is in much more trouble than we think. I hope that everyone who feels very stongly about illegal immigration does not eat tomatoes or tomato products, since so much of their harvesting comes from the labor of illegals, who do jobs that no American would be caught dead doing. Just saying, one way to stop our drug problem and illegal immigration problem (if you believe it is one) is to have our own population stop purchasing drugs and stop purchasing products that are made possible through employers who hire illegal workers. The responsibility is just as much ours as the border patrol, now isn't it. What's so interesting about this whole dialogue? I never said a word about border patrol OR illegal immigration to begin with, just the damn fence! And as Mitzi said in a previous post, let's all go caroling now. Peace, everyone.
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