Reply #88: Some people here believe [View All]

[Dhalgren]

(and I have no idea whether they are correct in their beliefs) that this forum is used as a crucible, of sorts. A candidate or group within the party or group outside the party, will float comments in order to test reactions from an infromed and engaged population. I could come on here, for instance, and say that one of the candidates has a spouse who is a drunk. Then I sit back and watch who gets irate and who picks up the accusation as ammunition. Also, these "agents" are seen as fomenting discord. This is at least one idea I have read that is part of the "attitude" some of the "older" posters have towards the "newbies".

One thing we could all do is simply not become insensible if a poster makes an accusation against the candidate we happen to support. A studied, calm response is all that is needed. If the "attacker" happens to be a "newbie", well, show them that debate and reasoned dicourse is what we are about, not shrill diatribes and holocausts of "message deleted's".