Use of the term "Libtard"

[jamil]

Thanks a lot, I just sprayed coffee on my keyboard.

BigBoxaCoffeeSpitKeyboardParts! ETA: I forgot to ad "Tard" on the end.

See? I still suck at name jacking.

 

[PistolBob]

The other one that I always laugh at is the word or attempted word: fuqtard, or fooktard, or fukterd, or however the user wants to spell it. It's hillarious and the mere use of it immediately identifies the user as one of those "socially special" people.

 

[rambone]

Isn't our goal to 'convert' people to support gun rights and freedom?

I don't think there has ever been a person who has changed their opinion about something because the advocates on that side spouted the best pejoratives and playground insults. In fact --- I think you LOSE supporters that way.

Remember that debates on the internet are often not about the people doing the talking.... but about the invisible bystanders reading the conversation. Do you want to win them over?

I have personally changed people's minds about gun control and other things. It was done by making compelling arguments; asking the right questions to let them arrive at the conclusion on their own.

 

[Trooper]

Personally I think that "libtards" is an awful term. For one thing, it is extremely offensive to the mentally disabled. I have several family members who have diminished mental capacity, and I would take major umbrage if I heard someone using that term in front of me. For another, it makes us more conservative folk appear to be immature, hotheaded and downright stupid. It brings crappy New York Times political cartoons of fat camo wearing rednecks with half a brain to life. If we can't articulate ourselves properly, then our arguments and positions lose validity. Just like I stop listening when a liberal calls me a violent gun-crazed maniac and compares me to a mass murderer, I wouldn't blame one of them for not listening if I insult them like a 14 year old boy. By all means, when someone says something stupid, call them out on it and take them to task, but do it like a grown up. To me, that term seems very base and childish.

I'm not speaking directly to any one person, I have always found that term to be in very poor taste. I simply think that we, as a generally conservative bunch, do ourselves a disservice with such rhetoric. This is just one man's opinion, for the very little that it is worth.

Liberalism, as practiced by collectivists and progressives, is a mental disease. And they are retarded in their thinking due to reliance of myths that shape their worldview.

Too many left wing freaks are educated beyond their intelligence.

 

[Trooper]

All sides have people that will degrade honest debate and discussion into name calling and hatred. One side calling the other out for it is folly and in and of itself takes attention off the important points and counterpoints, facts, and opinions. In fact, name calling, or pointing out name calling are a sure sign someone feels they are losing the debate.

Conversely, all sides have people who debate and discuss in a respectful and thoughtful way. I think most of us try and avoid the pitfalls that pride and passion can bring, but the media likes to shine the spotlight on those that don't. Drama sells, unfortunately.

Is it any different than when we referred to the Germans as Huns and the Japanese as Japs or Gooks?

And a true, class liberal is a libertarian. The left just played word games so that they could improve their image.

Name calling is a way to dehumanize the other side. The left does it to us. And just to make things equal we give them fair shake in return. You want society to be more civilized then start with the leftwingers. They are the ones who seem to control the agenda.

 

[rambone]

I have been watching this go on long enough to sense that a lot of these terms are introduced or disseminated by powerful radio hosts and media operatives. Then the listeners go around repeating the talking points.

The establishment wants to keep us divided and conquered, name-calling instead of letting reason prevail. When one side is shouting "Teabagger" and the other side is shouting "Libtard" then absolutely no one is changing their minds and the status quo is allowed to continue. Plus, we keep our anger focused on the playground bullies and ignore what the government is doing.

 

[Trooper]

Yes, I can deny it. My mother was one of the most wonderful people in the world, IMO, and she was a liberal. She was not stupid. Far from it. I could take your quote here and substitute conservative or teabagger, or whatever, and it would work for rabid liberals just as well. My father was a staunch conservative, and was as compassionate and caring as any man I've ever met. He was quite intelligent, too. He would attest to the intelligence of my Mom. (I'm certainly not saying I'd be the poster boy for intelligent conservatives, either.)

Our capacity for hypocrisy in political discussion is amazing, and like it or not, we are ALL quite capable of it and guilty of it from time to time.

What type of liberal was your mother? More like a libertarian? Or was she a hardcore communist or one of those feminist activists? What is referred today a leftwing freak is an activist who breathes fire and destruction.

 

[Double T]

I dunno, I still sign off on admissions with MR-DD as a diagnosis. So it technically isn't politically incorrect to call someone mentally retarded who is, in fact, mentally retarded. I think it's an insult to lump the leftist gun grabbers et al into a class with MR-DD peeps. I think that the MR-DD peeps have higher reasoning ability, at least the semi-functional ones

 

[88GT]

No one has posted the whambulance smiley yet?

I find a lot of things childish, inane, and tripe-ish. Threads like this are on the list.

 

[KG1]

 

[CathyInBlue]

It hasn't impeded one "ineffective measure of progressive political reform".

No. The fall out of attempting to implement "ineffective measure of progressive political reform" does that. Some people are just so stupid, you have to let them burn themselves to learn the fire is hot, or shock themselves to learn that electricity hurts, or jump off the roof with a bath towel tied around their necks to learn that gravity doesn't play favourites. So too it is with the American electorate.

 

[Daggy]

I don't use pejoratives, and I avoid stereotyping if at all possible. In my personal experience most people are complex individuals that rarely meet any single stereotype. Maybe I'm naïve, but I think most people are decent regardless of their political persuasion, and as such worthy of not being called names.

 

[jamil]

No. The fall out of attempting to implement "ineffective measure of progressive political reform" does that. Some people are just so stupid, you have to let them burn themselves to learn the fire is hot, or shock themselves to learn that electricity hurts, or jump off the roof with a bath towel tied around their necks to learn that gravity doesn't play favourites. So too it is with the American electorate.

Can't argue with that.

 

[Trooper]

The other one that I always laugh at is the word or attempted word: fuqtard, or fooktard, or fukterd, or however the user wants to spell it. It's hillarious and the mere use of it immediately identifies the user as one of those "socially special" people.

Sometimes, especially when they want to tell what you believe, you have to return the favor and give them a taste of their own medicine.

 

[MisterChester]

I think the term over-generalizes them. Not every liberal is an idiot. Some of the most brilliant people were liberals or left-leaning.

 

[Trooper]

I think the term over-generalizes them. Not every liberal is an idiot. Some of the most brilliant people were liberals or left-leaning.

Most people who call themselves "liberal" are not. Modern left-wing beliefs are more in common with European fascism than classic liberalism. A true liberal today is a libertarian. And conservatives like Goldwater would be libertarians today. Others of that era might fall into the neo-con camp.

 

[Shadow8088]

all this labelling talk has caused me to do a little thinking... Im not sure "democrat" fits me anymore... perhaps a left-leaning independent?

 

[MisterChester]

all this labelling talk has caused me to do a little thinking... Im not sure "democrat" fits me anymore... perhaps a left-leaning independent?

Perhaps. The Democratic Party has a pretty big tent. States like Arkansas and West Virginia have strong democratic parties in them, usually making up majorities in one or more houses. Most of them can't really be classified with national Dems as these ones are more friendly towards gun rights and lean to the right on social issues.

 

[Tombs]

all this labelling talk has caused me to do a little thinking... Im not sure "democrat" fits me anymore... perhaps a left-leaning independent?

It's better to be an honest socialist than a democrat.

Incomparably better.

 

[HICKMAN]

I've been using the term libtard for more than ten years. I don't care who gets offended.

"less advanced in mental, physical, or social development than is usual for one's age."

Seems to describe them perfectly.