4 ms·

The problem is that this election is not about a difference of opinions over the fundamental issues. It's become a spite-driven, rage-fueled, all out fear mong

The problem is that this election is not about a difference of opinions over the fundamental issues. It's become a spite-driven, rage-fueled, all out fear mongering and hate breeding spectacle. Trump's supporters have, in some cases, started talking open revolt if he doesn't win. On Twitter, there was a hashtag of #RepealThe19th, which essentially said they wanted to disenfranchise women in efforts to ensure Trump is supported. This isn't necessarily new from constituents, but at the very least, the candidates have drawn the line. McCain is reported to have told a woman than Obama is good Christian family man with whom he had fundamental policy disagreements. Trump is threatening to throw Hillary in jail, and is attempting to use her husbands (known) indiscretions as ammunition. Campaigns get vicious, but in this case, Trump is actively feeding the hatred and paranoia.

dubrocks 10y ago
Yet neither Trump nor his worst supporters represent Peter Thiel. Are Democrat voters represented by Hillary's worst supporters?
debacle 10y ago
> It's become a spite-driven, rage-fueled, all out fear mongering and hate breeding spectacle. That happens every time. > Trump's supporters have, in some cases, started talking open revolt if he doesn't win. This also happens every time. > On Twitter, there was a hashtag of #RepealThe19th, which essentially said they wanted to disenfranchise women in efforts to ensure Trump is supported. Eco-terrorists vote too. > Trump is threatening to throw Hillary in jail There's a not-insignificant percentage of the population (potentially a majority) who believe that jail is where she belongs. Being receptive to free speech means being receptive to free speech, full stop. It is a pillar of our country, and regardless of how incendiary you view anyone else, this is a country where the KKK, fundamentalist groups of all flavors, Nazis, etc, are all allowed to exist and that's important.
- Delmania 10y ago
  > Being receptive to free speech means being receptive to free speech, full stop. It is a pillar of our country, and regardless of how incendiary you view anyone else, this is a country where the KKK, fundamentalist groups of all flavors, Nazis, etc, are all allowed to exist and that's important. It is perhaps one of the greatest misconceptions that free speech means all speech is protected. Libel, slander, and sedition are all forms of speech that is NOT protected by the 1st Amendment.
  - debacle 10y ago
    I'm not sure how that conflates with anything I wrote? Also, while sedition is illegal in the US, seditious speech is not (there is clearly a gray area there).
  - Turing_Machine 10y ago
    It is very difficult to make a case for libel or slander against a public official. I can't think of a single one, offhand. As Billy Carter once put it, "That means you can call your congressman a no-good sumbitch and he can't do anything about it". Seditious conspiracy is a crime, but requires overt planning of an act to overthrow the government, or make war against the United States. Suggesting that an election was rigged doesn't come close to meeting that bar.
AlexB138 10y ago
Or the fire bombing of a GOP headquarters and physical assault of Trump supporters at rallies. Both of those are significantly more serious than people saying mean things on twitter. I couldn't, in good conscience, vote for either candidate, but your examples are incredibly one sided.
- Delmania 10y ago
  I won't comment on the physical assault, but I do know there are no identified suspects in the firebombing. It's a bit premature to blame Trump's opposition.
  - AlexB138 10y ago
    The words "Nazi Republicans get out of town or else" were spray painted on an adjacent building. Are you suggesting someone who didn't oppose Republicans, and their candidate, did that?
    - dragonwriter 10y ago
      It wouldn't be the first false flag attack in a US political campaign in recent memory. (See, e.g., Ashley Todd.)
    - Delmania 10y ago
      Let me repeat this again so we're absolutely clear: there have been NO identified suspects in this case and NO reported leads. It is too premature to guess anyone's motives.

dubrocks 10y ago

Yet neither Trump nor his worst supporters represent Peter Thiel. Are Democrat voters represented by Hillary's worst supporters?

debacle 10y ago

> It's become a spite-driven, rage-fueled, all out fear mongering and hate breeding spectacle. That happens every time. > Trump's supporters have, in some cases, started talking open revolt if he doesn't win. This also happens every time. > On Twitter, there was a hashtag of #RepealThe19th, which essentially said they wanted to disenfranchise women in efforts to ensure Trump is supported. Eco-terrorists vote too. > Trump is threatening to throw Hillary in jail There's a not-insignificant percentage of the population (potentially a majority) who believe that jail is where she belongs. Being receptive to free speech means being receptive to free speech, full stop. It is a pillar of our country, and regardless of how incendiary you view anyone else, this is a country where the KKK, fundamentalist groups of all flavors, Nazis, etc, are all allowed to exist and that's important.

Delmania 10y ago
> Being receptive to free speech means being receptive to free speech, full stop. It is a pillar of our country, and regardless of how incendiary you view anyone else, this is a country where the KKK, fundamentalist groups of all flavors, Nazis, etc, are all allowed to exist and that's important. It is perhaps one of the greatest misconceptions that free speech means all speech is protected. Libel, slander, and sedition are all forms of speech that is NOT protected by the 1st Amendment.
- debacle 10y ago
  I'm not sure how that conflates with anything I wrote? Also, while sedition is illegal in the US, seditious speech is not (there is clearly a gray area there).
- Turing_Machine 10y ago
  It is very difficult to make a case for libel or slander against a public official. I can't think of a single one, offhand. As Billy Carter once put it, "That means you can call your congressman a no-good sumbitch and he can't do anything about it". Seditious conspiracy is a crime, but requires overt planning of an act to overthrow the government, or make war against the United States. Suggesting that an election was rigged doesn't come close to meeting that bar.

AlexB138 10y ago

Or the fire bombing of a GOP headquarters and physical assault of Trump supporters at rallies. Both of those are significantly more serious than people saying mean things on twitter. I couldn't, in good conscience, vote for either candidate, but your examples are incredibly one sided.

Delmania 10y ago
I won't comment on the physical assault, but I do know there are no identified suspects in the firebombing. It's a bit premature to blame Trump's opposition.
- AlexB138 10y ago
  The words "Nazi Republicans get out of town or else" were spray painted on an adjacent building. Are you suggesting someone who didn't oppose Republicans, and their candidate, did that?
  - dragonwriter 10y ago
    It wouldn't be the first false flag attack in a US political campaign in recent memory. (See, e.g., Ashley Todd.)
  - Delmania 10y ago
    Let me repeat this again so we're absolutely clear: there have been NO identified suspects in this case and NO reported leads. It is too premature to guess anyone's motives.