Whatever happened to respectful debate and discourse?

Hear, Hear!

I've actually been surprised by how comparatively clean and civil the discourse is on Rally Point. However, there are a few people on the forum who dislike the whole idea of debate, so they blow off people they disagree with by resorting to name calling. When it happens, vote them down and if they persist, report them to a moderator.

Yes Ma'am thank you for this discussion

I started " Would you support a bill that prevents people on the "no fly" list from being able to purchase firearms?"
There were many comments both Pro and Con for the "No Fly" controversy but unfortunately a few RP members got too carried away over gun control. And began with insults, threats and etc that I ignored after being called a "troll & stupid' . But I think others may have been offended with this nonsense and left this discussion.

Since I started several controversial discussions & reading your comments; I should have stepped in and policed the name calling, put downs, and etc Those insults probably caused some to leave this discussion which overall had many great comments.

In the future when I start a discussion that has some more of this vitriol I will do a better job at policing it; instead of just staying on the sidelines as I did with this one.

We should have had a respectful debate and discourse. What happened was I left stay some comments that crossed the line of common decency and I will do my best to not let that happen again.

Couldn't agree more. I really want RallyPoint to be a great professional networking site to connect to fellow service members and veterans. Unfortunately, it's just become another forum for people to spout off their political views. I keep coming back hoping someone will raise the dialogue about issues that really matter. Instead, it's just plain babbling about issues that are politically driven or unimportant.

The biggest problem I see with debates is that both parties want the other to agree with their view point but unfortunately it never works out. When passion and emotion is involved, it goes very bad. I stopped trying to convince people and started a different approach. We all grew up differently, some in different communities and upbringing. To make the other feel the same way as yourself would be a near impossible. So instead of trying to convince others to agree with your way of thinking, my route would be to state my opinion of why I believe something should be the way it is, then my experiences based on why I believe so. While doing this, I also try to understand others opinions and why they feel the way they do, and approach with a moderate solution or idea.

I haven't noticed any poor behavior on RP; but, I'm a relative newcomer and don't participate generally.

Some public schools and many public universities are teaching Alinsky tactics and much of the political "leadership" sets a particularly poor example and has for a couple of decades.

http://www.bestofbeck.com/wp/activism/saul-alinskys-12-rules-for-radicals

I'm going to be honest, I have yet to experience that kind of behavior on RallyPoint. So far all the discussions I've been a part of have all been fairly civil, including some of the most heated hot button topics like Presidential candidates.

Ask these folks.

Even opposing viewpoints, however closely held, have kernels of opportunity for understanding. As masters graduates, it's sometime incumbent on us to reflect on the discussion at hand, before we add a response. True, sometimes it's hard to get past passion and vitriol, especially when we'd REALLY like to see that "sum b*" go up like an incendiary device.

I wouldn't say it's less civil here, but it definitely has a less friendly military tone to it. After all, this a community of veterans and military members, there is a certain lack of decorum that seems to be present in the military. Cursing, dark humor, and direct sometimes uncaring statements are the norm of military service and it carries over to this forum as well. This might not be the case for what you're referencing, but if it is I doubt it's something that can be resolved.

ok Ma'am, there's always two (or three) sides to every hot topic. If we are discussing abortion for example, I consider it murder. Some consider it choice (but no choice for the infant). I'm pretty adamant about my abortion position. (The same scenario could apply to many topics discussed here.) I don't HAVE to respect your viewpoint on anything that violates my personal beliefs or Oath to The Constitution. I'm a FIRM believer that the cult referred to as islam is incompatible with Military and American values. Chances are nowadays, I'd be branded and ran out of the Service for those beliefs.

I agree, I will not engage him in further conversation.

Yes Ma'am!

Here Here!

The military is merely a sample set of the bigger civilian population. Therefore we bring a lot of the same habits and tendencies to the table too.

Well said. I was always taught to attack the position not the person in a debate. Getting nasty towards the person isn't just disrespectful, it shows a weak position.

CPT (Join to see) Captain, do not be reluctant to disagree or vote with your feet.

CPT (Join to see), I'm sorry that this has been your experience. I have run into very few abusive posts, and those that I have seen were quickly removed by the moderators.

Personally, I just keep a list of flamers that fulminate rather than discuss, and I don't engage them any further; fortunately it is a short list. There is no point in poking a hornets’ nest.

Preach Captain!

Agree totally with you mam! I think that rank on this forum should be immaterial as my opinion is just the same as anyone's. Still I'm often astonished at some of the name calling and belittlement that sometimes occurs on this and other forums I frequent!

People are not tought to value anyone else's opinion if it doesn't match their own by their parents anymore.