Would you answer a civil question put to you by a FReeper?

[Lady Freedom]

After two question that did not get answered over in Free Republic due to there...ah... shall we say 5th. amendment right, I thought of this poll. Not that it matters, but hey why not?

[Bertha Venation]

1. I'd be wary but I'd answer.

No matter how civil the discussion remained, the guy would be tombstoned. I kinda don't like that about DU, but I realize they have to do it to keep things on an even keel.

[Lady Freedom]

2. I mean anywhere.

You know, one comes up off the street, in another chat room, that kind of jazz!

[Bertha Venation]

6. Oh. Yes, absolutely.

I used to do it all the time at somd.com (Southern Maryland) -- lots and lots of conservative types over there. I made a friend of at least one, who disagreed with me on taxes, welfare, homelessness, unemployment, the judiciary, gun control (So. MD is pretty rural), etc. But we were always friendly.

I have infrequent brief run-ins with folks in the grocery store parking lot about my ever-changing bumper stickers. (The current one is in my sig line.) In those encounters, the attitudes have ranged from pity (poor thing, going to hell and she doesn't even know it) to barely-contained hostility (what "right to marry?"!!).

So much fun bein' me.

[supernova]

3. I would and could have a civil discussion

with a freeper.

The problem is most of the time, it gets only so far. There's an unspoken wall that we agree not to smash through because that's where it can get uncivil. Either one or both can start to feel attacked.

[AndyP]

4. I would

cuz it would really piss me off if I asked a question that I thought was civil and he blew me off. As long as he was asking it not as a trick question just so he could rail me on the answer.

[Maeve]

5. Anywhere but DU, yes

Here, I never feed the trolls. It only encourages them.

[Lady Freedom]

7. 2 no votes?

May I ask why? That is if I won't be banned that is! hehe!

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

8. I'd answer and my answer would no doubt be civil but...

...whether THEY would consider the answer civil is another matter altogether. :crazy:

[Lady Freedom]

9. Maybe they thought I was being uncivil?

But what would they consider "civil"?

[amandae]

10. I would but ...

I probably wouldn't get far. I'm sure that any answer wouldn't be received with a thoughtful response but with a personal attack. Isn't that the calling card of a freeper?

[Lady Freedom]

11. I am beginning to wonder if they ever really answer anything!

Could the not answer one of my two questions at all? What was the big deal?

[scottcsmith]

12. I encourage friendly debate (when it happens)

A while back I received an e-mail from a reader who didn't like what I had to say, but objected to my point-of-view in a very fair, and civil, manner. He was respectful and courteous while at the same time able to communicate to me the reasoning for objecting to whatever it was I had written. That's the sort of e-mail I respond to. I've gotten plenty of the "you're not a real veteran" e-mails, which I usually do not respond to directly, but instead post to my web site and then make fun of it.

[DinahMoeHum]

13. But would they know civil if it kicked their ass?

n/t

:evilgrin:

[rbnyc]

14. Not if they asked it over here.

They don't belong here and are not to be engaged.

[Fenris]

15. Depends on whether or not I could understand their question

Through all the grunting and feces throwing.

[Az]

16. Thats the difference between open minded and close minded

I am willing to consider anything a person puts to me. I will honestly examine it and try to be fair in my conclusions. The right seems to be built on a foundation of absolutes. Either you are with them or something has fouled your brain and you should not be heard. Its an effective tactic to keep the numbers from being influenced.