Separation makes the heart grow fonder..

They say, time away makes the heart grow fonder.... Well, we'll see.

Recently, I was on a thread here that started interestingly enough and it was a Cop Bash party so I know it's not a high welcome to anyone who has more than a 'kill 'em all' attitude toward men and women in Law Enforcement. It's not the disagreement that gets me. (If I'd expected different, I'd have been a fool, indeed) That thread became the a decent example of what has pushed me off the site for awhile, though.

Not much choice...it's become too much and the low class gutter fighting has finally taken the enjoyment out of ATS entirely for me.

We don't debate topics anymore in FAR FAR too many cases. We all debate people. Other members. "You're a shill" "You're stupid" "I can't believe you..." "What is wrong with..." and on and on. Topics are enjoyable to debate. PEOPLE are tabloid garbage other sites thrive on and I'd hoped not to see take over here. Sadly, at this moment in time, I have to say, it HAS taken over ATS and beyond that point I can stomach for awhile.

I'm hoping when the election has come and past.....whoever wins......some basic sense of civility will return or Mods will do what they're there for and stop holding back for whatever reason they have lately.

*

T&C needs ENFORCED on ATS, otherwise it may as well just accept being the BIG version of a Godlike place. It's what it's become with the personal fighting damn near every thread with any disagreement of ANY kind and God help anything political for it.

*

I know how vicious politics are. The two parties and sides have Americans hating each other as if we truly were enemies of respective nations on a foreign field of battle. The POLITICIANS benefit enormously from the citizens ready to kill each other. NO ONE ELSE DOES.


WE'RE AMERICANS DAMNIT!! WE AREN'T BANANA REPUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN FIGHTING OVER CLASS PRESIDENT AND WE ARE STILL AMERICANS THE DAY AFTER THE ELECTION!! REMEMBER? ! ? ! ? !


If we've lost the ability to even debate with civility and decency, then we've lost the right to even ASK for the respect of the world or our own peers. When debate cannot be held without NAME calling,...EVER ONE DAMN TIME...then we have intellect below the level of intelligent debate and it won't work well or for long. As we see now, every day here.


** Very specifically to those on the Left who have led the gutter fighting charge to tear down and beat up ANYTHING more right of center than Nancy Pelosi. You win..... I wanted to be a part of a balance and showing the right side of politics....but I just can't match the level of venom and hate some people carry like an old friend and treasure. It's self-destructive to keep trying to match it. To those for whom HATE doesn't come as a natural thing, it's too damn much to spend so much effort with people who DO know the emotion as a primary one.


I cannot and WILL NOT go on TRYING to match that black, ugly core of emotion driving that hate and absolute total intolerance.


Frankly, I shouldn't HAVE TO...and what has made ATS special has been the fact NO ONE HAD TO. Now? Hell... It's FIGHT or be destroyed if you don' conform with the majority of a thread for opinion on Politics or ebents of the day on FAR FAR FAR too many topics now. It's not JUST Cop Bash threads....It's Military, Government (From city to Federal and EVERYTHING in between), Politicians (Unless they are the "right kind"...then they can DO NO WRONG. EVER). It's the way you can't even make a passing political post not even intended to BE partisan without being stomped by one or both sides in short order.

^^^ That's more to for the new people..who don't understand this isn't ATS as it recently was.....this is the Jungle War edition and ambush may be sitting just around the next 'Submit' button.


So it is.... I'm leaving for awhile. Not the whole site. I know it's an absolute SHOCK to some...but ATS has a hell of a lot more than politics. However, politically? I'm done. Folks can have their partisan gang fight for the next few weeks....and we all lose at the end. I'll see if it's possible to have a discussion or debate WITHOUT personal emotion bringing personal hate directly into other people's faces...after the election.

Right now, debate here on anything political without personal attack and fighting is like going to a boxing match and asking to give peace a chance.

I'm the damn fool for even asking, looking or wanting it. Any of it....as I seem to be ALONE in the desire. SO MANY others are taking to the new combat ATS like fish to water and loving every minute. Well..

HAVE IT!

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


I respect your decision. All the political threads have gone from being a friendly game of "red rover" to becoming a nasty game of "kill the man with the ball". It's not fun anymore, it's an insulting free for all.

Seems like everything is politicized in an election year. I don't know much about ATS as it is now. I was away from the internet for a few years. I used to come to this site for conspiracy info. ATS has morphed into something different, I just can't put my finger on it. In the limited time I have been coming here, I've noticed some major ego tripping. But that could be due to my own ego. Anyway, I'll hang here til I find a niche.

Originally posted by littled16
reply to post by Wrabbit2000

 

I respect your decision. All the political threads have gone from being a friendly game of "red rover" to becoming a nasty game of "kill the man with the ball". It's not fun anymore, it's an insulting free for all.

Thank you, and that really is 100% what it's about for my feelings right now too. I love tossing it up in a rip roaring debate with the best of them....right until it becomes personal.

Then it's not debating anymore, is it? It's just fighting. Fighting with absolutely no other purpose than to upset, belittle or ridicule another individual person, directly.

It's so often the case now that it's fighting people...not debating topics. Member against member directly and very personally...rather than calling each other's positions stupid.

I'm glad you replied on here and I feel a bit better in leaving the political side of the forums for awhile knowing at least some feel similar (if not quite the same. ).

Apparently the vicious personal edge things are taking on as a normal course of business these days isn't something I'm alone in taking note of....even if I am alone in saying enough for my own involvement right now.

I'm not leaving entirely by any stretch....I'm just dropping essentially *ALL* politic related forums ..even remotely....for awhile. When/If it ever gets back to being more topic than personal (after the election..I hope I hope..lol) then I'll happily jump back in.

@Cupar

If you get sick of the fighting too...just remember 'Below Top Secret' and the other worlds to the site besides the gutter fighting political world that is the rage at the moment.