from Proud Liberal
Independent did say some good things. He is a very intelligent man. If only John had heeded the suggestion for greater regulation of cafe comments you would have been eliminated long ago and we could have avoided all this confrontation.
As far insulting however, I disagree with Independent. As the saying goes, “if the shoe fits wear it”–and in my criticism of you, the shoe fits perfectly so why mince words? For political correctedness sake?? I don’t think so. Your comments have been rude, dishonest, manipulative, child-like, and bizarre in nature and style, so I have said so. Call it an insult, I call it the truth.
You have wrongly gone after every contributor here including administator who does his best to run a decent website (another area in which I disagree with Indie). The cafe may not be perfect and we may not all agree all the time, but the level discourse you have brought here has sunk it to a new low. Your comments are destructive and they contribute nothing of substance. I think that Independent would agree with this. Again, you may call it an insult, I call it as it is.
Obviously you have some knowledge of the political process and if you weren’t so angry and child-like you could be a huge resource, but instead you come to the cafe for your own self-aggrandizement. It’s as if by degrading other people, you feel better about yourself. My advice to you is to not stoop to such a level. First, no one buys it and second, you deserve better.
Do you think that we are all so dumb as to not have figured out who you are. The politics in Woodstock run a lot deeper than just the Republican party. John is quite correct. Many people do visit this site, many people do talk about it, and many people are friends and neighbors with people of different political affiliations. People may deny it, but don’t be fooled, they read the cafe. Its a small town and people love to talk. Its not as if we are in a Charlie “Chaplin” movie.
The danger you create for the RTC, its reputation, as well as for their November candidates is lethal. The RTC seems to have worked very hard in the last year to moderate their positions (another thing I disagree with Indie on). Their new platform was very moderate and very sensitive to all of the town’s issues and not just special interests. It was a great thing for them to have the support of John and his PAC. They even went so far as to support a liberal Democratic candidate Dick Cass in a newspaper ad because it was best for the town. So when you come here, notably a Republican of higher standing, all full of vile and hate, you do the RTC and the town no good.
Change your demeanor and things will go easier for you. Learn to moderate and accept different opinions for what they are. Argue on the merit of your position, not on the flaws of someone else’s. Use rhetoric that is fair, pragmatic, and logical, not hateful, condescending, and manipulative. Cut the name calling, the harping, and the rants, and start complementing and compromising.
You can do it. You are a smart man. Don’t belittle yourself with anger. We can all get along and move in positive direction. No one here puts their political party, their liberalism, or their conservatism before their own self respect and the respect for others, unless they come here for all the wrong reasons–and if you pay attention long enough, they don’t last.
Too funny! You and John like to think you’re better than just about anyone else here yet the both of you continue to engage in exactly what you slam others for.
I see you completely ignored the fact that you are rude, dishonest, manipulative, child-like, and bizarre in nature and style. Just to remind the audience, in the article where this comment originated from you said this about me:
“d) Does he like to blog when he drinks beer?
d) Does he have mental illness?”
The article is titled “And you wonder why this place has pretty much become a ghost town.”
So if anyone other that you wrote that, you’d be all over them, wouldn’t you?
Proud liberal (or should I call you Becki) do you EVER look at yourself in the mirror? Do you ever read the insulting, nasty, hateful, hurtful, etc. (you know, all the things you accuse me, Erine and others you don’t like) comments YOU post here? Do you really believe your own BS? Unfortunately, you probably do.
On the contrary, I’m not “angry” at all, you and John sure seem angry with me, that’s for sure!
I love this one too:
“You have wrongly gone after every contributor here including administator.”
Really? “EVERY” contributor? Now that’s just an outright lie and you know it. Calling out John for lying is NOT “wrongly (going) after” him you fool, it’s calling a spade a spade. That’s you and John’s problem, you absolutely cannot accept criticism and you cannot acknowledge or accept when you’re wrong, instead you lash out like whiny little girls.
Here’s another complete lie from you:
“Your comments are destructive and they contribute nothing of substance.”
No one is going to agree with you on that absurd statement and if they do, they’re just as out of touch with reality as you are! “Case in point,” Bill and the audience assembled learned a whole lot about election law that they didn’t know before, I told you all about Leah Schad running for Judge of Probate. There are MANY more examples of “substance” I’ve brought to your silly little corner of the internet so do yourself a favor and STOP it already with your stupid, wrong exaggerations, you only make yourself look like a howling banshee with statements like that.
I dunno WVG – I tend to think you’re just itching for a fight.
No matter what my opinion is on any issue, I *try* to present my case in a civil manner. Human nature, or perhaps my own personal traits may lead me down a different path, but I do try to stick to facts.
The nature of internet posts, which lack the interactions of face-to-face conversations, often cause people to be a little more aggressive and less tactful.
For some people, the anonymity allowed by posting to sites like this causes them to shoot from the hip, flame, troll, etc.. For others, when posts start getting personal and uncivil, they just don’t want to be part of the nastiness that ensues.
This site is sometimes a ghost town, at least as far as new posts go. Sometimes there is just nothing much to discuss that hasn’t been debated already. And sometimes, people make intentionally provocative and insulting posts. As a result, activity spikes.
The fact remains that this can be a great place for voters to exchange opinions and ideas, and get facts out to those who are interested. Unfortunately, if insults, abusive language, intolerance, and feigned indignation become the norm, the potential benefit of a local blog like this can be lost. Human nature also causes people to avoid situations that are distasteful, or that don’t allow for a reasonable outcome.
If you are really interested in changing what happens in Woodstock, or any town, you might consider civility when presenting your opinions, or even presenting facts. If you just want to stick a fork in the eyes of those who disagree with you and generally irritate people, or otherwise sabotage what could be a great way for people to communicate, carry on.
Things have become predictable and kind of boring – mere repetition of past comments especially.
The good news is that this feud-like atmosphere will soon dissipate and, like most shallow fads, be gone and forgotten. Not quick enough for some, I can see, but please simply look at all similar, past feuds on this site – they all follow the same flash-in-the-pan pattern. No one really cares much about them, entertaining as they may be. This, too, will end.
Most of us are here to discuss issues intelligently and on the merits and THAT type of forum, when achieved, is what is most memorable and keeps most of us coming back…
Any discussion with Vally Girly Man is like scratching a mosquito bite. It’s just irratating and does no good.
Besides, he’s boring
So JK, do you think the fire guy is just “itching for a fight” too? That’s what cracks me up about most of the regulars here, guys like this obnoxious ass post crap like he just posted and none of you say one word but when I respond to the attacks most of you jump ugly on me. Many here howl and whine about “name calling” and engage in it regularly.
Any discussion with Fire-retardant is like putting lipstick on a pig. You can put all the lipstick on him you want but he’s still a pig. Besides, he’s tedious, tiresome and dull.
Petty comments containing angry, immature insults merely makes the writer sound like a braying ass. They are boring, predictable and say nothing of value…
WVG – if that’s your story, I guess you can stick to it. I don’t find Firefighter’s last post particularly helpful or constructive either, but I think you’ve done far more complete, thorough, and repetitive insulting that FF just did.
Since con’s post was short for once, I actaully read it and I pretty much agree with it. Good advice for all here including John, Becky (aka Proud Liberal … correction by Admin – Becki is not Proud Liberal) and even con himself who engages in that same behavior too from time to time.
And thanks JK, I think you’re the only commenter I’ve seen in recent memory that actually spoke out against someone other than me who was doing exactly what con described. I’m not sure you’re exactly engaging in “civility” when you describe my position as a “story” JK, I find that slightly disparaging and I think you would too if the tables were turned. Please try practicing what you preach. Thanks.
” correction by Admin – Becki is not Proud Liberal”
and Woodstock is the smallest town in area in the entire state.
WVG made my point for me.
I called him an irritating mosquito and he resorted to “retard” and pig.
He can toss but he can’t catch.
I’m going back to my “silly little corner”
WVG:
I guess you got me – I called your explanation a story.
Firefighter, I did not say “retard.” Don’t lie like that. Please go look in the dictionary for the definition of “retardant” and tell us what you find. Thanks.
” correction by Admin – Becki is not Proud Liberal”
Your “rant” Becki, not mine.
Typical two sets of rules here once again, it’s perfectly acceptable for you and John to keep insisting you know who I am with your innuendo (when you absolutely don’t ) but you continue to rant when I raise the point that it’s painfully obvious who prod liberal is. Gotta love it!
WVG:
I honestly think you are just playing games in many of your posts. Are you trying to make this site distasteful for those who might otherwise engage in productive debate? You chided me for calling your explanation a “story”, yet many of your posts are expletive laden and for more inflammatory than mine.
Do you really wish for constructive discourse? Based on what I have read, you really seem intent on pushing buttons until you get a response that contains equal rancor to the posts that you have been making as of late.
I am also not sure why you keep insisting that Proud Liberal and Becki are one in the same. Becki seems fine with putting her name on her comments. Do you really believe that she is posting with another name, or are you just trying to stir things up? You could be correct in your assumption, but I have no reason to believe that you are.
Do you want to destroy any positive aspects of this site, or do you really believe that your posts are constructive contributions to the discussions about politics in Woodstock?
JK,
Look, you posted your high and mighty crap in post #2 along with trying to “push (my) buttons” which you claim to not lower yourself to. I simply point out to you that you claim to be “civil” then taunt me by claiming my position is a “story.”
You can’t have it both ways JK, it’s as simple as that.
Please stop your whining and trying to drag me into a fight. You’re probably one of the biggest hypocrites here, you preach about your virtues and insist on lecturing me and others about how to “behave” here yet you engage in the exact behavior your are complaining about.
If you want to keep this back and forth going, then I’m all for it but if you do, you continue to further prove my point that you’re nothing but a double-talking hypocrite.
You choice. If I were you, I’d just shut my mouth for once.
JK,
Do you also wonder why John Leavitt keeps insisting that I used my real name here and disclosed my real name and where I live when I never did? Did it ever occur to you that he’s lying?
That’s another example of the “two sets of rules” for guys like you JK. You chide me for insisting that Becki is “proud liberal” when even the most clueless person here would conclude the same thing no matter how much she tries to deny it BUT JK, you don’t say ONE WORD to John Leavitt for continuing to insist his lie is true. I never used my real name here or an email address containing my real name, John knows it and he refuses to admit he’s wrong. So c’mon JK, ask John to explain himself since you’re so fair-minded an’ all.
Soo…did you want me to keep my mouth shut or not?
You suggested I do so, then you ask me more questions.
You can call me a hypocrite, but that doesn’t make it so. I think your posts speak for themselves, and I am happy to let mine do the same.
As for John – I’ll let him speak for himself. I was just using Becki as an example. You can have your own opinion. I’m actually not interested in playing your game anymore – guess I’ll take my ball and go home.
JK, you’re a hypocrite and your posts speak for themselves. I don’t “want” you to nor am I commanding you to keep your mouth shut, it’s merely a friendly suggestion which you are free to do with whatever you want.
Again JK, you’re critical of comments I’ve posted here yet you engage in pretty much the same behavior you’re criticizing me of. That’s hypocritical and if you can’t see that then you refuse to accept reality.
And thanks too for proving my point about you having two sets of standards, one for me and one for John. You accuse me of “stir(ing) things up” when I call out John for being the liar that he is yet when I suggest that prod liberal is Becki (which you have to admit is a pretty darn good assumption with facts to back it up) that’s wrong in your opinion. You see nothing wrong with John misrepresenting (lying about) who I am yet you howl when I suggest that Becki is prod liberal. Once again JK, you’re a hypocrite.
Prod liberal,
If you’re NOT Becki (which let’s get serious here, I don’t think anyone really believes that one!) then how can you make a statement like this:
“Do you think that we are all so dumb as to not have figured out who you are.”
If you’re not Becki or John, then you have no idea what my IP address is, what my email address is, who I am, where I live or anything else about me for that matter. John likes to think he knows who I am but he doesn’t. I’ve never met him nor have I ever spoken to him.
I can guarantee you prod liberal that I’ve never met or spoken to you either so exactly how is it that you speak with such authority that you know who I am?
WVG,
You might not have purposefully disclosed your real name, where you live, etc. in any comments or articles here, but don’t forget about IP addresses (unless you hide yours somehow). They tell a lot about their users.
student, you’re proving my point exactly, thank you. However my point all along is that John lied and said I used my real name and my real email address here in the past which I never did.
If prod liberal is NOT Becki or John or Admin, then how would prod liberal know what my IP address is?
student, do you know what my IP address is? If so, how did you find out? Even if you did know what my IP address is, does that mean you can conclude without a doubt my identity? No you can’t unless you’ve violated the law.
Besides, I thought this place prides itself on allowing anonymous posting however once again, we have two sets of rules here, one for John, Becki, prod liberal and their buddies and another for people they don’t like which includes attempting to give hints as to the identities of those who they don’t like. They have no idea who I am even though they think they do. Either way, who really cares anyway? I’m certainly not important enough to care about, that’s for sure and it continues to amaze me that John and prod liberal continue to insist I’m someone I’m not. It’s actually quite comical.
Maybe prod liberal is Nancy DeNardo, the Democratic State Central Committee Chairwoman. Ya never know!!!
(Honestly though, who cares……..)
Nope, I don’t know your IP address any more than you know mine. The only way either of us would know the other’s is if a site administrator told us, or if we were some sort of super hackers. I’m good with technology, but I certainly know nothing about programming.
IP addresses can be queried in IP databases… some reveal more than others, but names and addresses can come up.
Valley Girl’s comments will now be placed on his own page called “WVGs Nonsense” at the bottom of the left sidebar. Admin
I have no idea whether it’s wrong because I have no idea if it’s the truth.
If it WERE a concrete fact that he lied about you using your name and Email address, I’d next wonder if he was mistaken.
If he knew what he was doing, then yes, I’d think that it was wrong.