"I'm sorry for being so mean to you"

[Pryderi]

STOP THE GODDAMNED APOLOGIES! REPUGS NEVER APOLOGIZE! AN APOLOGY MAKES YOU LOOK WEAK AND IN THE WRONG TO THE AVERAGE, KNUCKLEDRAGGING, MOUTH BREATHING VOTER!

[applegrove]

1. Ah - just because the GOP acts like a machine and never apologizes

should mean that Dems should ape them. Don't know the issue - but I think apology is refreshing. And very human.

[Hello_Kitty]

4. You can always say "I'm sorry you feel that way"

Or "I'm sorry you were hurt." It's a way to acknowledge the pain felt by someone without taking responsibility for it if you don't feel you did the person wrong.

[Common Sense Party]

8. The high road is for sissies!

Who wants to look like they have class? (sarcasm, by the way)

[applegrove]

18. I'm just saying the Dems should run as the "still human being Party".

The whole noise machine and punditry of the GOP is to instill tribalism and distaste of each other in Americans - so they vote that way. Religiously devout hating humanists (LaHaye says humanists are evil) even though they often work hand in hand on issues. Rich voting against poor who will want to take their tax cuts away. South voting against New York elites. "Patriots" voting against internationalists. And on and on.

I don't think we should emulate the cold hearted snakes. As always - you defeat the nefarious liars with the truth - and show these human truths using empathy, intellect, responsibility, might and by acting like adults.

Don't know the details of Reid's statement and retraction. But I think there is nothing wrong with being capable of adult behaviour. Indeed that is likely what scares the GOP political creeps the most. They appeal the the adolescent. Didn't Katrina show us that the vast majority of the country - when push comes to shove - want adulthood in governance?

For sure Ann Coulter runs around and tries to teach a sense of humour to Americans that is adolescent and mean and tearing down in nature, rather than adult humour which is based on self-knowledge and punching through to truths. We don't expect our political leaders to start making fun of the poor in humour or calling for executions of large groups of people in jest, why would they give up other adult attributes? That would just make them a pale second to the children running the WH now.

[Heidi]

2. Very nice description of average voters.

Why don'tcha tell us how you _really_ feel about us? :eyes:

[Common Sense Party]

9. Let's call all the voters ignorant, stupid sheeple...

...and see how many elections we win.

[Heidi]

11. Exactly.

I'm not saying we should kiss a$$ or compromise our progressive values to win votes, but we certainly don't need to _prove_ the right's allegations that we're elitists, either. I thought we were supposed to be the "Big Tent" party; that's what I signed on for, anyway.

[Common Sense Party]

12. But there's no room in the tent for:

* NASCAR fans
* country music fans
* hunters
* anyone that lives in red states
* religious voters
* people who didn't go to college
etc. etc. etc.

We don't need THOSE types around, even if they would vote for progressive candidates.

Or so it would seem, hearing some people around here.

I really hope we're not THAT out-of-touch.

[Heidi]

13. Welcome to DU.

People from all of those segments of the population are among my friends and family, and they're _all_ registered Democrats. It takes all kinds, in my opinion, to affect meaningful change.

[FreedomAngel82]

15. Oh so thanks for kicking me out

As someone who likes country music and is religious. How nice of you. I guess my vote isn't that important to you eh?

[Heidi]

23. I think he/she was being sarcastic, in reference

to how quickly we progressives disown people who like country music, NASCAR, etc.

You're OK with me, FreedomAngel. I think our party needs people with a variety of concerns, interests and backgrounds. :pals:

[Common Sense Party]

35. Read my post more carefully.

You'll find I was definitely NOT kicking you out. Quite the contrary. I like country music. I'm religious.

Some of the threads and posts I've seen here seem to hold people like you and me in disdain.

The elitism of some in denigrating many average, normal Americans is the problem.

[thebigidea]

16. since when are all those people shunned?

the complaints and mockery of at most a few dozen posters on a message board aside, the Democratic party has bent over backwards to reach/appeal to those people listed. Some posters on DU making fun of Alabama somehow doesn't equate with the DNC shunning NASCAR fans or something.

What kind of crazy cartoon stereotype of Democrats do you have?

people who didn't go to college?

man, i've never even heard the likes of Hannity try to claim that Democrats shunned people who didn't go to college.

[longship]

20. Welcome to DU.

Not all DUers are knuckle draggers. There are many of us here who, although progressive, recognize the need for Dems to appeal to a broad spectrum of people. That's why I do not stress too much when some Dems advocate some positions which I cannot myself sign on to.

To those who demand ideological purity in the Dem party I would ask: Once we have ideological purity how then are we any different from the ideologue rapture rightists in the Republican party.

We have to be tolerant. But we also must be tough and fight the ideologues on the extreme right. I sincerely hope that our Congress Critters are working that balance out.

Peace.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

19. Well if it's what they like it's their problem. We're not here to be their

therapist .........

:popcorn: :popcorn:

[Heidi]

26. Besides, there's waaaaaaaaaay too much compassion

and understanding in the world as it is, right?

:popcorn:

[Crazy Guggenheim]

28. Toward the current Repukes there is.

:popcorn:

[Heidi]

29. You'd really spit on them?

Really?

[Crazy Guggenheim]

31. Not physically. But I'd give them an emotional beating! HA HA HA HA!

:popcorn: :popcorn:

[Heidi]

32. But then they might require psychotherapy. (nt)

[Crazy Guggenheim]

33. It's called Tough Love!!! HA HA HA HA HA HA!

:popcorn:

[upi402]

3. No shit!

I'm so sick of making nice to those crooks.
They have a PRISON MENTALITY.
Hello DINOs, wake up please before it's too goddamn late!

[OKDem08]

5. are you referring to Harry Reid? n/t

[unblock]

6. how 'bout: "i'm sorry you can dish it out but you can't take it"

banana republicans are really just whiny sucky babies.

[raysr]

7. Never apologize, and never,

NEVER beat up other dems on message boards, stick together, fight together. I might except Lieberman. As much as I hate it, we must all speak with the same voice until we've defeated the mf-er's, then we can move back to a normal situation of heatlhy debate. We must defeat them they same way they've beaten us. It's something they'll never expect.

[FreedomAngel82]

17. My stance is

if you're planning on say something mean it and don't apologize. If you're not going to mean it why say it in the first place?

[upi402]

10. wife to batterer; "I'm sorry I made you beat me."

aaaaaaahCHOOOOOOOO!

I'm allergic to bullshit.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

14. I say kick 'em and spit on them when they're down!

:popcorn:

[Heidi]

21. I think you lost your sarcasm smiley, Crazy.

:hi:

[Crazy Guggenheim]

22. I wasn't trying to be sarcastic .........

:popcorn:

[Heidi]

24. Oh. I see.

:popcorn:

[Crazy Guggenheim]

25. Take a look at Post #19.

:popcorn:

[Heidi]

27. .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=200240&mesg_id=200576

[antonialee839]

30. Why do we have such a bunch of submissive leaders in our

party? Sometimes I get so :mad:

[Pryderi]

34. IF WHAT YOU SAY IS TRUE OR VALID, WHY APOLOGIZE????

[Jade Fox]

36. I agree for different reasons....

The Republicans have perfected the ability to put Democrats and everyone vaguely left, on the defensive. We need to stop falling for that and punch back!

In Molly Irvin's latest she gives a wonderful analogy: During WWII, American bully types went around kicking Dachshunds because they are a German breed. But they didn't kick German Shepherds!