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Trump Truce
We’ve reached a point in this cycle a lot like the end of the SSM debate. One side is currently ascendant and the other is acutely sensitive to anything that seems like gloating or punching down. We would encourage the former group to show a little sensitivity and the latter to grow a thicker skin.
For those who are now planning to vote for Trump, continuing to scold the Never Trump members is doing a disservice to the site and to the members themselves. It is one thing to work to try and persuade them to come over, it is another to morally castigate them. Trump is the nominee, that battle has been won. Psychoanalyzing, name calling, and gloating over Never Trump members will not bring them over, but it will poison the well for civil discussion after the election regardless of the outcome. It would be well to show some grace here.
For the Never Trump members, continuing to declare that Trump voters are somehow really progressives, pro big government, betrayers of the conservative movement, etc., is both reading intent into the actions of others and attempting to read such people out of the party / movement. You personally may feel it immoral to vote for Trump, you personally may believe that Trump is ruining the party or brand or future electoral chances, but to continue to insist that Trump supporters / voters on this site have betrayed conservative principles or that they are all advocates of an enlarged government is to engage with them in bad faith. It would be well to take them at their word when they say they believe a Trump victory would actually achieve conservative ends. No one is asking you to agree with them.
For both sides, a final word. Not every post disagreeable to you actually needs your disagreement. If you cannot engage with the post in a civil way then refrain from commenting. Not every disagreeable comment within a post needs your disagreement either. More than a fair number of flags of late are directed at one member or another claiming “bad faith” in some comment or line of argument, and most of this stems from from one side or another 1) reading intent where none was stated, 2) morally castigating the other’s position on Trump, or 3) some variation of “obviously you do not believe what you are saying.”
We are a little over a month out from the election and, as of this writing, the race is still competitive and we’re all more than a little bit tense. Arguing over whether we should or should not vote for Trump is, of course, still fair game, but continuing personal attacks on members for their stated positions is not. Further, it is in poor form to continue to assume ill intent or “bad faith” on each others’ comments and posts. Argue all you want over whether we should vote for Trump, but stop trying to morally condemn the other side.
Published in General
That’s a relic, right?
Well there’s certainly a lot of veneration from the priestly caste.
It shares a great deal with other relics in that it hasn’t been touched in many years.
That’s a relic, right?
Indeed! And she keeps it in a lockbox. With Chrissie’s testacle.
No Chrissie. You may not have it back.
Do you think we could store it behind glass too?
In case of emergency do not break glass.
The pun I had in mind would get me banned here.
Now you have to say it. Even in a PM to me. If you do PM me I promise not to repeat it.
Really.
The sheriff would have to lock himself up in the hoosegow.
Yes, indeed. Somewhat similar to Qwert Yuiop
Half way down you can reassure yourself that “so far, so good.”
Should I get some tissues out?
@skipsul
I love the post and whole-heartedly agree with your suggestions.
But one quick question…I just assumed editors and moderators received some sort of combat pay status the closer we get to the election….sort of like a shift differential…is it not enough?
I’m surprised no one has pointed out yet the inherent bias in the rock. Clearly whoever doodled this thinks Trump supporters are all lefties, while the Never Trump side is unhappy at having the short end of the boulder. BIAS, I TELL YOU, BIAS!
Moderators paid? Hahahahahaha!
Can’t speak for the eds (I think Claire might be getting an increase in the catfood allowance) but moderator pay has been doubled!
Leave Wisconsin out of this.
Note: $0 x 2 = $0
Yea, I hear they were considering quadrupling the pay, but decided against it, as it might be thought elitist.
I agree with TKC here, and the trade discussion was very good. It led me to actually buy a book about Globalization and listen to several EconTalk podcasts that I had missed… That is one topic where the disagreement surrounding Trump has helped me to become better educated, and I see that as a very good thing.
So what you are advocating is that we Make Ricochet Great Again?
Psychoanalyzing why people support what is a recipe for bad discussion. Everybody gets lumped into holding positions they don’t believe, and we end up sending armies of straw men to fight over dead horses. (That’s right, I mix my metaphors in bulk).
I will contradict myself and admit that one of my favorite discussions in the last year were the multiple threads from Avik Roy’s interview with Vox and his follow-up on the Ricochet Podcast and response post. It broke my first thesis above about psychoanalyzing people by how they vote, but the argument back and forth afterwards was quite good. It was definitely heated, but I didn’t notice either side implying the other was either racist, trying to destroy our country, or were closet progressives.
I think this is where we are all headed:
We should all just stick to talking about pie.
That would just make me hungry, and I’m fat already.
I’m up for talking about pi. Or about e, which I find more fascinating. When did we last have a transcendental numbers post, anyway?
Just can’t hold back, can you? What’s that famous phrase, oh yea, “There you go again.”
Those who disagree with you often say the same thing and may think that you are implying that they are not concerned for the nation.
As somebody or other recently said,
This all makes me feel good.
Group hug!
Wasn’t that Avik Roy interview the one where he said that Trump’s popularity indicated that the right was largely (or was it inherently or irredeemably — I can’t recall) racist?
I think you’re saying Roy’s stance contravened your advice, but the discussions about that were good? I’ll take your word for it, but I doubt it would have been easy to have a sensible discussion with Roy himself about it.
I know you’re just trying to kiss up to Rob, so cut it out.
Belay, Sire!