DISQUS

barbwire · 1 year ago

Bravo. One bone to pick. "Some people on the left" do use words like Nazi and fascist, but the difference is that Democratic candidates, Democratic officeholders and the Democratic Party do not. Too many Republican candidates, officeholders and the RNC use the un-American frame, on purpose, to excite the lowest of the low within their base.

Thomas_James · 1 year ago

That is a bald faced lie Barb and you know it.

forgottenground · 1 year ago

V.B. Price is one of the most genuinely nice and caring people I've ever meet. His concern for others, for Albuquerque, and for this state is something I can only hope to emulate on my very best days. When he is scared because of the hate pushed by local public figures like Jim Scarantino, I take it seriously. When he is worried how to diffuse the hate that comes from calling 45,000 Albuquerque citizens "un-American", I take it seriously.

Thomas_James · 1 year ago

Hey guys you are pushing hate the same as Republicans, the majority of everything you guys are spouting is hatred. You generalize and paint with a broad brush conservative. You lump whole classes of differing ideologies under this misnomer of "conservative" then blame all of what you view as wrong with Country on them. I saw your tolerance and understanding at the McCain rally. It did not exist, you called names and the hate emanated from you. No liberals are no more tolerant or fair minded that anybody else. You are just as much a part of the problem as any neo-con who would call you un-american. I have had my house egged, my car keyed, been cut off in traffic, flipped off because of the candidates that I displayed my support for. I have been vilified and disrespected by my liberal colleagues because of my beliefs. I identify myself as libertarian, I don't believe our federal government has any business deciding moral issues such as marriage or life any more that I believe they should be allowed to redistribute income. The only thing that VB is correct about is that America is shredding itself apart. But instead of a real cool headed lets meet in the middle, he resorts to denying that liberals are doing only very little except fanning the flames of hatred and instead resorts to attacking the "conservatives" as he calls for reconciliation. Well thats "BS" you slap people in the face as you ask them to get along. Hate comes from both sides and as long as people are blaming nothing will be fixed. It is that simple.

forgottenground · 1 year ago

You're reading something into my post that's just not there. I don't, and more importantly, never mentioned hating Jim Scarantino. I want us as a society to take hate very seriously. This includes identifying where it exists, not responding with just knee-jerk reactions and avoiding false equivalencies ("Your side is hateful as well").

I'm not hateful, but truly scared of what public figures like Scarantino have done. I'm scared of the repercussions of so flippantly calling 45,000 Albuquerque citizens "un American".

Thomas_James · 1 year ago

First off Scarantino is that public of a figure.

Second off I have read all of his thoughts on the matter. They were well thought out and commentary based upon history and what he saw. I don't think he is motivated by hate, nor is he flippant about what he is seeing. His point that he is concerned with the cult of personality that has developed around Obama is founded on facts and events observed by all of us.

Third, you were responding to an article of VB Price, who from my experience and reading is writing things much more divisive and partisan. You were commending his article. My point is that those that live in a glass house seeking to repair relations should not start by throwing rocks!

Quill · 1 year ago

Seems to me we've all devolved into playing guests on the Jerry Springer show. I often wonder if it will take national therapy for everyone to learn how to engage again.

Immanentize · 1 year ago

If identifying hateful behavior is conflated with behaving hatefully, then hatefulness can never be objectively discussed. Very clever tactic.

Pointing out double standards, straw man tactics, and inaccuracies is not hateful. It is, at worst, disagreement, and at best, analysis.

Thomas_James · 1 year ago

I disagree when you only identify hateful behavior on the other side and refuse to acknowledge your own faults in a meaningful manner you are nowhere near being objective.

So if you want a really an objective "productive" analysis, examine the faults on both sides and propose a solution. When you only examine one side it looks like a smear job.