Interesting discussion result on Facebook.

[Tennessee Gal]

Yesterday, I participated in a lengthy political discussion on Facebook. Keep in mind that I live in extremely red Tennessee.

The original post was implying that somehow the Obama administration had influenced the 7.8% unemployment rate to gain advantage in the election. I posted some facts with links showing how those numbers are calculated and that they are completely secure from political pressure.

The discussion rambled off on other areas with the usual right wing misinformation and accusations. I responded with facts and links. One of the posters blew a gasket. I said that we would just have to agree to disagree and that it was obvious we both love this country. I then wished him well.

This morning I discovered that his posts are gone from the thread. I thought it might be because he had "unfriended" me and discovered that he had. But I could not figure out why my posts were still there. So, I "unfriended" the original poster thinking that would remove my posts and then I could friend her again with an explanation as she and I had no problems with each other.

After "unfriending" her, I discovered that my posts were still there. I could not figure out why. I sent her another friend request with an explanation of what I was doing.

She accepted my friend request and said that she had "unfriended" him! She said that she enjoyed reading differing points of view and that he was too thin skinned and had gone too far! LOL!

So, there might still be a few rational people out there who can enjoy differing opinions without the put-downs and attacks. It was refreshing.

I would still like to remove my posts in the thread. They look kind of silly hanging out there without the posts I was responding to!

[Tennessee Gal]

1. Update: I just discovered that I could delete my posts on her thread!

How silly am I? LOL!

But it was still a good experience to know that rational political discussions are welcomed even by some on the right.

[mattclearing]

2. I do a fair bit of political arguing on FB.

It's always an interesting business, because people tend to forget that their entire families, social circles, and in some cases, colleagues, can see them, that they aren't commenting anonymously on some news article, and next thing you know, they have to defend some dumb thing they've said in front of everyone they know.

I think anonymity on the Internet is a mixed bag, but I have to hand it to Facebook for making people own their identity and speak as themselves. The conversations are better, the stakes are real, and you never know who is watching.