To Heal Our Nation

[PaxNurgle]

I've been hesitant to read this forum the last few days. I might end up taking a break from it for a while, though I can't promise it will be permanent (sorry.)

I'm just tired of all the negativity and all the hate.

Charlie Kirk preached a message of hate and intolerance, and it is unfortunate that he was able to gain such a wide platform to spread this message, or find such a large audience who was receptive to it.

So I'm supposed to be sad that he was assassinated? I just cant bring myself to feel sadness. Let's be clear, this was a toxic, sociopathic, and (at best) a very deeply flawed human being. Or should I be glad he's dead? Actually I am neither.

I am sad that the discourse in this country has reached such toxic levels. I am sad that people felt the need to resort to violence to silence their opponent. I am sad that there ARE opponents. I am sad that this man has become a martyr who died for such a dubious cause, and I'm sad that such divisive and angry speech has become so normalized. I decry political violence in ALL its forms, and yearn for an America that was more innocent and where people felt the need to build bridges, not fight each other (or use the government to leverage fighting each other.) It's not "The Radical Left" or "The Liberals" or "Conservatives" and "MAGA" anymore. We need to just go back to rediscovering our common, shared values again.

I guess, if there's any good to come out of this, both sides will learn to tone down the rhetoric and renounce violence, and perhaps a new Martin Luther King type, one who believes in building bridges and community, or a Ronald Reagan who (Despite some flawed domestic policies) will come along and lift all Americans up together, and work on behalf of all of us. Charlie Kirk was the diametric opposite of Martin Luther King, but that was not something that should not be celebrated.

I'm just tired of all the negativity and all the hate. To those of you who were fans of Kirk, I'm sorry for your loss, I really am. If nothing else, he was always a champion of free speech, even though I believe he abused that right, at least I agree with him there. But hopefully those who were his fans can find someone else who preaches a more universally positive and uplifting message (Neither "Liberal" nor what passes for "Conservative" these days) to follow in his wake.

That is all.

 

[RobDownSouth]

Reading how Elon Musk is doing his level best to "fan the flames of intolerance".

The Twitter algorithm yesterday worked very hard, suppressing most of the comments from the left decrying the shooting of Charlie Kirk, instead seeking out lightly regarded and little known radical accounts that celebrated Charlie's death.

The outrage machine needed to be fed. and Elon's fascist social media site was going to give the fascists what they wanted: a reason to hate.

 

[HisArpy]

I've been hesitant to read this forum the last few days. I might end up taking a break from it for a while, though I can't promise it will be permanent (sorry.)

I'm just tired of all the negativity and all the hate.

Charlie Kirk preached a message of hate and intolerance, and it is unfortunate that he was able to gain such a wide platform to spread this message, or find such a large audience who was receptive to it.

So I'm supposed to be sad that he was assassinated? I just cant bring myself to feel sadness. Let's be clear, this was a toxic, sociopathic, and (at best) a very deeply flawed human being. Or should I be glad he's dead? Actually I am neither.

I am sad that the discourse in this country has reached such toxic levels. I am sad that people felt the need to resort to violence to silence their opponent. I am sad that there ARE opponents. I am sad that this man has become a martyr who died for such a dubious cause, and I'm sad that such divisive and angry speech has become so normalized. I decry political violence in ALL its forms, and yearn for an America that was more innocent and where people felt the need to build bridges, not fight each other (or use the government to leverage fighting each other.) It's not "The Radical Left" or "The Liberals" or "Conservatives" and "MAGA" anymore. We need to just go back to rediscovering our common, shared values again.

I guess, if there's any good to come out of this, both sides will learn to tone down the rhetoric and renounce violence, and perhaps a new Martin Luther King type, one who believes in building bridges and community, or a Ronald Reagan who (Despite some flawed domestic policies) will come along and lift all Americans up together, and work on behalf of all of us. Charlie Kirk was the diametric opposite of Martin Luther King, but that was not something that should not be celebrated.

I'm just tired of all the negativity and all the hate. To those of you who were fans of Kirk, I'm sorry for your loss, I really am. If nothing else, he was always a champion of free speech, even though I believe he abused that right, at least I agree with him there. But hopefully those who were his fans can find someone else who preaches a more universally positive and uplifting message (Neither "Liberal" nor what passes for "Conservative" these days) to follow in his wake.

That is all.

Go fuck yourself, asshole. No one will miss you while you're gone and I, for one, will be sorry to see your hateful ass return after your self imposed exile.

At least you're better than rorbags. He still hasn't left, despite promising to do so for a full year, so you have that going for you.

 

[Lazaran]

Reading how Elon Musk is doing his level best to "fan the flames of intolerance".

The Twitter algorithm yesterday worked very hard, suppressing most of the comments from the left decrying the shooting of Charlie Kirk, instead seeking out lightly regarded and little known radical accounts that celebrated Charlie's death.

The outrage machine needed to be fed. and Elon's fascist social media site was going to give the fascists what they wanted: a reason to hate.

What "Leon" and "X" did to promote the fringe accounts should be an indictable offense.

Full stop.



We. Told. Them. So.

 

[Bn2f]

I've been hesitant to read this forum the last few days. I might end up taking a break from it for a while, though I can't promise it will be permanent (sorry.)

I'm just tired of all the negativity and all the hate.

Charlie Kirk preached a message of hate and intolerance, and it is unfortunate that he was able to gain such a wide platform to spread this message, or find such a large audience who was receptive to it.

So I'm supposed to be sad that he was assassinated? I just cant bring myself to feel sadness. Let's be clear, this was a toxic, sociopathic, and (at best) a very deeply flawed human being. Or should I be glad he's dead? Actually I am neither.

I am sad that the discourse in this country has reached such toxic levels. I am sad that people felt the need to resort to violence to silence their opponent. I am sad that there ARE opponents. I am sad that this man has become a martyr who died for such a dubious cause, and I'm sad that such divisive and angry speech has become so normalized. I decry political violence in ALL its forms, and yearn for an America that was more innocent and where people felt the need to build bridges, not fight each other (or use the government to leverage fighting each other.) It's not "The Radical Left" or "The Liberals" or "Conservatives" and "MAGA" anymore. We need to just go back to rediscovering our common, shared values again.

I guess, if there's any good to come out of this, both sides will learn to tone down the rhetoric and renounce violence, and perhaps a new Martin Luther King type, one who believes in building bridges and community, or a Ronald Reagan who (Despite some flawed domestic policies) will come along and lift all Americans up together, and work on behalf of all of us. Charlie Kirk was the diametric opposite of Martin Luther King, but that was not something that should not be celebrated.

I'm just tired of all the negativity and all the hate. To those of you who were fans of Kirk, I'm sorry for your loss, I really am. If nothing else, he was always a champion of free speech, even though I believe he abused that right, at least I agree with him there. But hopefully those who were his fans can find someone else who preaches a more universally positive and uplifting message (Neither "Liberal" nor what passes for "Conservative" these days) to follow in his wake.

That is all.

Pax? Please, do what you need to do to promote the best for your mental health well being.
Take a step back and take account of what is important in your life and what is the trivial that you maybe can do without.
Do that for the PB as well. If you choose to return then that's a positive for this forum. If you don't then it may be a positive for your life span (IDK).
Good luck to you.

 

[Bray123]

When there was a possibility of the killer being a Trans, or a Lib, or a Gay, the MAGAts were full of 'You've started a civil war'.

It turned out that he was just a Mormon and it's crickets about having a war with Mormons. They Always Chicken Out.

 

[Lazaran]

I've been hesitant to read this forum the last few days. I might end up taking a break from it for a while, though I can't promise it will be permanent (sorry.)

I'm just tired of all the negativity and all the hate.

Charlie Kirk preached a message of hate and intolerance, and it is unfortunate that he was able to gain such a wide platform to spread this message, or find such a large audience who was receptive to it.

So I'm supposed to be sad that he was assassinated? I just cant bring myself to feel sadness. Let's be clear, this was a toxic, sociopathic, and (at best) a very deeply flawed human being. Or should I be glad he's dead? Actually I am neither.

I am sad that the discourse in this country has reached such toxic levels. I am sad that people felt the need to resort to violence to silence their opponent. I am sad that there ARE opponents. I am sad that this man has become a martyr who died for such a dubious cause, and I'm sad that such divisive and angry speech has become so normalized. I decry political violence in ALL its forms, and yearn for an America that was more innocent and where people felt the need to build bridges, not fight each other (or use the government to leverage fighting each other.) It's not "The Radical Left" or "The Liberals" or "Conservatives" and "MAGA" anymore. We need to just go back to rediscovering our common, shared values again.

I guess, if there's any good to come out of this, both sides will learn to tone down the rhetoric and renounce violence, and perhaps a new Martin Luther King type, one who believes in building bridges and community, or a Ronald Reagan who (Despite some flawed domestic policies) will come along and lift all Americans up together, and work on behalf of all of us. Charlie Kirk was the diametric opposite of Martin Luther King, but that was not something that should not be celebrated.

I'm just tired of all the negativity and all the hate. To those of you who were fans of Kirk, I'm sorry for your loss, I really am. If nothing else, he was always a champion of free speech, even though I believe he abused that right, at least I agree with him there. But hopefully those who were his fans can find someone else who preaches a more universally positive and uplifting message (Neither "Liberal" nor what passes for "Conservative" these days) to follow in his wake.

That is all.

Hey Pax, you take all the time you need.

I recall you mentioning that you were a lifelong conservative and only moderated due to Trump (or Bush?). During your sabbatical from the Lit PB, perhaps you could reflect upon how your support for conservative politicians of the past contributed to the current situation in our country.

I’m of a certain age, and I saw the writing on the wall about where conservative politicians would lead this nation starting with Nixon (and I was just a kid then): Conservative politicians only got worse from there (including / especially "Saint Ronnie"), and the conservative media hate-o-sphere was just as bad starting quite awhile back.

Do some soul searching and engage in some serious introspection / self-reflection about your own contributions to the current political and social climate in America.

I suspect you may develop a new appreciation for some of the "liberals" (centrist Democrats) on the PB who are simply trying to hold the line against America sliding further into "conservative" fascism.





We. Told. Them. So.

 

[Meekly_Anna]

Go fuck yourself, asshole. No one will miss you while you're gone and I, for one, will be sorry to see your hateful ass return after your self imposed exile.

At least you're better than rorbags. He still hasn't left, despite promising to do so for a full year, so you have that going for you.

And with that deep insightful comment you proved the original poster right.

 

[PaxNurgle]

The thing is, when I was a kid in the 80s, in the Reagan era, whenever the Charlie Kirks of the world tried to gain a foothold, they would be drowned out by voices across the political spectrum, Republican and Democrat, liberal and conservative alike, who would show up to protest such hate, intolerance and tyranny. Such fringe views were regarded as no more than that- and denounced by almost everyone.

It was a more innocent time. To Make America Great Again, which is what I desperately want, we need to go back to that.

And yes, left and right, Democrat and Republican, do not need to be glorifying his murder. We do NOT need to be celebrating it. I even give condolances to his family. We should treat it instead as they would have in the days when America was great, as a tragic death of a misguided and mentally unsound misfit who wished desperately to be heard, only to have his message rightfully rejected.

At the very least, we all can agree that he was a champion of free speech, even though I would argue he did not use his freedom of speech in a socially responsible way.

 

[Meekly_Anna]

Democracy, in essence, thrives on collaboration and consensus. It is not the dominion of a single group but the collective process through which citizens shape their shared society. Diverse opinions, interests, and worldviews are not only tolerated but are vital; they must be debated openly and with mutual respect to forge sustainable solutions for everyone. This requires both politicians and the public to be willing to listen, question their own assumptions, and make concessions for the common good.
Considering the current political landscape in the United States, this foundational principle of collaboration is under significant strain. US society and its political sphere are increasingly defined by a deep polarisation that manifests in several ways:
The chasm between Republicans and Democrats has never been wider. The dispute often extends beyond policy disagreements and into a fundamental clash of values and an outright rejection of the opposing side. This tribalism means that any compromise is often seen as a betrayal of one's own party.
Extreme polarisation has paralysed political institutions. In Congress, legislative processes are frequently blocked because the parties are unwilling to work across the aisle. This severely hinders the government's ability to respond effectively to critical issues like the economy or social inequality.
There is a declining willingness to adhere to the unwritten rules of democracy. Examples include challenging election results, politicising the judiciary, and using aggressive rhetoric that seeks to delegitimise political opponents. This behaviour erodes trust in institutions and the integrity of the democratic process itself.
A fragmented media landscape, where many consumers only get information that confirms their own views (so-called echo chambers), exacerbates the division. Misinformation and conspiracy theories contribute to a situation where there is no longer a shared factual basis for public debate.
In conclusion, the US is facing immense challenges to the "togetherness" of its democracy. While conflict is a natural part of any democracy, the current trends have led to a paralysis and a loss of trust that threaten to erode the very foundations of the American political system.
This forum mirrors all that and more. Every wanker (and I don't specify what part of the politicial spectrum said wanker is of) can get an account and ejaculate its opinion. Radical believes of minorities no sane person would agree with becomes visible and voila: the wanker is among friends.

 

[CuriousJInLA]

When there was a possibility of the killer being a Trans, or a Lib, or a Gay, the MAGAts were full of 'You've started a civil war'.

It turned out that he was just a Mormon and it's crickets about having a war with Mormons. They Always Chicken Out.

Hey I’m not LDS but I lived in Utah for a while. Despite my disbelief in LDS, or most any theology that claims truth, my experience with Mormons was utterly positive across the board. Politically. I often disagreed with the likes of Flake, Romney, Huntsman. But they have more integrity and decency than the bulk of the Republican senate and house. And I agree that they should have stood up rather than backing down but they also recognized that what’s left of old conservativism has been replaced by abject subservience to MAGA ideology at the cost of everything else. As a history and religion student I came to learn, for better or worse, and often worse but, Mormans are still willing to buck the trend more often than others.

All that said I don’t condone political violence against anyone, but I’m not surprised that someone raised on traditional conservative, American values, a clear sense of right and wrong, carried out the action. While I don’t believe he should have been killed, Kirk was a repugnant man and espoused and condoned hate and violence towards anyone that didn’t fit his warped view of who should be considered an American.

This isn’t liberal media…this is a decade of his own words and stated positions.

Just my rambling 2 cents

 

[Lazaran]

The thing is, when I was a kid in the 80s, in the Reagan era, whenever the Charlie Kirks of the world tried to gain a foothold, they would be drowned out by voices across the political spectrum, Republican and Democrat, liberal and conservative alike, who would show up to protest such hate, intolerance and tyranny. Such fringe views were regarded as no more than that- and denounced by almost everyone.

It was a more innocent time. To Make America Great Again, which is what I desperately want, we need to go back to that.

And yes, left and right, Democrat and Republican, do not need to be glorifying his murder. We do NOT need to be celebrating it. I even give condolances to his family. We should treat it instead as they would have in the days when America was great, as a tragic death of a misguided and mentally unsound misfit who wished desperately to be heard, only to have his message rightfully rejected.

At the very least, we all can agree that he was a champion of free speech, even though I would argue he did not use his freedom of speech in a socially responsible way.

All due respect, Pax, but Charlie Kirk was a sociopathic monster who was gleefully profiting bigly at the expense of the most marginalized and vulnerable individuals in America. And Charlie Kirk’s brand of evil was platformed and exploited by other sociopathic monsters who profited bigly from Charlie Kirk’s influence over a vulnerable (yet rabid) audience of (mostly) young white males.

Charlie Kirk caused great harm.

Fuck Charlie Kirk to hell.

And, no, that ^ does NOT mean I support or celebrate Charlie Kirk’s murder or the murderer - the POS MAGAt that shot Charlie Kirk in the neck should be prosecuted like any other murderer - but Charlie Kirk deserve no "special justice" because of his celebrity (notoriety). Charlie Kirk was no martyr.



We. Told. Them. So.

 

[Meekly_Anna]

I know that liberalism is a swear word for some people here. These people don't know what they are talking about, or worse, they do. These people are normally from the US and contradict the needs of their own country.
The core principles of liberalism could offer a path forward for the deeply polarised US political system by fostering compromise and collaboration. The philosophy, in its purest form, stands for the very "Miteinander" (togetherness) that is lacking in modern American politics.
A return to the core liberal idea of protecting individual rights—regardless of political affiliation—could help bridge the divide. Instead of seeing the other side as a threat to one's own way of life, it would encourage a focus on shared fundamental freedoms. This would mean defending the rights of everyone, even those with whom you disagree, which is a hallmark of a healthy democracy.
Liberalism's acceptance of diverse viewpoints could help to counter the current tribalism. It advocates for open debate and the acceptance of different ideas, rather than the outright rejection of those who hold opposing views. This could help move the political discourse away from a zero-sum game and towards finding common ground.
Both sides of the political spectrum often accuse the other of seeking to expand government power in a way they see as detrimental. A renewed focus on the liberal principle of limited government could provide a shared goal. Both parties could agree on the importance of reining in power, albeit for different reasons, creating a basis for negotiation and compromise on other issues.
Ultimately, a return to these foundational liberal principles could help the US move past its current gridlock. It offers a framework for respecting differences, protecting individual liberties, and fostering the kind of dialogue and compromise necessary for a healthy democracy to function.

 

[Musinginspace]

When I first heard of him being shot, I grieved. It didn't matter to me who he was. All that mattered was someone else. Just like the school shooting that happened in Colorado that same day. Lives cut short.

 

[Bray123]

It's good to see calmness sweep across the MAGAT party now that we know the identity of the shooter and his political affiliations.

https://imgur.com/BMH4vbM

https://imgur.com/nIW2STR

 

[1984X2024]

I've been hesitant to read this forum the last few days. I might end up taking a break from it for a while, though I can't promise it will be permanent (sorry.)

I'm just tired of all the negativity and all the hate.

Charlie Kirk preached a message of hate and intolerance, and it is unfortunate that he was able to gain such a wide platform to spread this message, or find such a large audience who was receptive to it.

So I'm supposed to be sad that he was assassinated? I just cant bring myself to feel sadness. Let's be clear, this was a toxic, sociopathic, and (at best) a very deeply flawed human being. Or should I be glad he's dead? Actually I am neither.

I am sad that the discourse in this country has reached such toxic levels. I am sad that people felt the need to resort to violence to silence their opponent. I am sad that there ARE opponents. I am sad that this man has become a martyr who died for such a dubious cause, and I'm sad that such divisive and angry speech has become so normalized. I decry political violence in ALL its forms, and yearn for an America that was more innocent and where people felt the need to build bridges, not fight each other (or use the government to leverage fighting each other.) It's not "The Radical Left" or "The Liberals" or "Conservatives" and "MAGA" anymore. We need to just go back to rediscovering our common, shared values again.

I guess, if there's any good to come out of this, both sides will learn to tone down the rhetoric and renounce violence, and perhaps a new Martin Luther King type, one who believes in building bridges and community, or a Ronald Reagan who (Despite some flawed domestic policies) will come along and lift all Americans up together, and work on behalf of all of us. Charlie Kirk was the diametric opposite of Martin Luther King, but that was not something that should not be celebrated.

I'm just tired of all the negativity and all the hate. To those of you who were fans of Kirk, I'm sorry for your loss, I really am. If nothing else, he was always a champion of free speech, even though I believe he abused that right, at least I agree with him there. But hopefully those who were his fans can find someone else who preaches a more universally positive and uplifting message (Neither "Liberal" nor what passes for "Conservative" these days) to follow in his wake.

That is all.

To Heal Our Nation​

We need to get rid of you and all your ELK

 

[ChloeTzang]

Democrats need to roll back their hate-filled rhetoric publicly and repeatedly

 

[ChloeTzang]

I've been hesitant to read this forum the last few days. I might end up taking a break from it for a while, though I can't promise it will be permanent (sorry.)

I'm just tired of all the negativity and all the hate.

Charlie Kirk preached a message of hate and intolerance, and it is unfortunate that he was able to gain such a wide platform to spread this message, or find such a large audience who was receptive to it.

So I'm supposed to be sad that he was assassinated? I just cant bring myself to feel sadness. Let's be clear, this was a toxic, sociopathic, and (at best) a very deeply flawed human being. Or should I be glad he's dead? Actually I am neither.

I am sad that the discourse in this country has reached such toxic levels. I am sad that people felt the need to resort to violence to silence their opponent. I am sad that there ARE opponents. I am sad that this man has become a martyr who died for such a dubious cause, and I'm sad that such divisive and angry speech has become so normalized. I decry political violence in ALL its forms, and yearn for an America that was more innocent and where people felt the need to build bridges, not fight each other (or use the government to leverage fighting each other.) It's not "The Radical Left" or "The Liberals" or "Conservatives" and "MAGA" anymore. We need to just go back to rediscovering our common, shared values again.

I guess, if there's any good to come out of this, both sides will learn to tone down the rhetoric and renounce violence, and perhaps a new Martin Luther King type, one who believes in building bridges and community, or a Ronald Reagan who (Despite some flawed domestic policies) will come along and lift all Americans up together, and work on behalf of all of us. Charlie Kirk was the diametric opposite of Martin Luther King, but that was not something that should not be celebrated.

I'm just tired of all the negativity and all the hate. To those of you who were fans of Kirk, I'm sorry for your loss, I really am. If nothing else, he was always a champion of free speech, even though I believe he abused that right, at least I agree with him there. But hopefully those who were his fans can find someone else who preaches a more universally positive and uplifting message (Neither "Liberal" nor what passes for "Conservative" these days) to follow in his wake.

That is all.

Lets be clear here.

Charlie was a moderate who believed in coming together and debating and discussing issues. He NEVER advocated violence. He walys reached out to the other side.

He was the guy that wanted to bring us rogether and heal the country.

You killed him.

Now you have to deal with the rest of us, who aren't moderates and who don't give a shit for your feelings. As a country, we're not on a good path, but fuck it. That's where we are and the Left have only themse;ves to blame for what's inevitably coming.

 

[ChloeTzang]

And a lot of you here are, sadly, no different. It's not that Charlie Kirk wss killed. It's the ghoulish pleasure you all took in his death. There's no walking back that. Yuotoo the masks off and it's not a pretty sight.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Meme's always sum thigs up really well

 

[Bray123]

Democrats need to roll back their hate-filled rhetoric publicly and repeatedly

View attachment 2564253

Why is it that people who routinely call Democratic Party voters 'Communists' get all whiny about their policies & actions being compared to Nazis?


Just a few quotes by the Felon Pedophile from five minutes of googling:

"All we have to do is define our opponent as being a communist or a socialist or somebody who is going to destroy our country"

"We cannot allow a handful of communist radical-left judges to obstruct the enforcement of our laws,"

“Comrade Kamala”

“If the Communists get away with this, it won’t stop with me. They will not hesitate to ramp up their persecution of Christians, pro-life activists, parents attending school board meetings, and even future Republican candidates.”

“We pledge to you that we will root out the Communists, Marxists, fascists, and the radical-left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country that lie and steal and cheat on elections.”

“The Democratic Party is trying to impose their woke communism on every man, woman, and child.”

 

[YDB95]

I guess, if there's any good to come out of this, both sides will learn to tone down the rhetoric and renounce violence, and perhaps a new Martin Luther King type, one who believes in building bridges and community, or a Ronald Reagan who (Despite some flawed domestic policies) will come along and lift all Americans up together,

Reagan did no such thing. In a very real way, he paved the way for Trump.

 

[Philthy_Phil]

Go fuck yourself, asshole. No one will miss you while you're gone and I, for one, will be sorry to see your hateful ass return after your self imposed exile.

At least you're better than rorbags. He still hasn't left, despite promising to do so for a full year, so you have that going for you.

Oh noes, a crippled retard won't miss him, whatever will he do?

 

[Philthy_Phil]

Meme's always sum thigs up really well

View attachment 2564255

Kirk wasn't doing that. Kirk was an asshole who supported a pedophile.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Why is it that people who routinely call Democratic Party voters 'Communists' get all whiny about their policies & actions being compared to Nazis?


Just a few quotes by the Felon Pedophile from five minutes of googling:

"All we have to do is define our opponent as being a communist or a socialist or somebody who is going to destroy our country"

"We cannot allow a handful of communist radical-left judges to obstruct the enforcement of our laws,"

“Comrade Kamala”

“If the Communists get away with this, it won’t stop with me. They will not hesitate to ramp up their persecution of Christians, pro-life activists, parents attending school board meetings, and even future Republican candidates.”

“We pledge to you that we will root out the Communists, Marxists, fascists, and the radical-left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country that lie and steal and cheat on elections.”

“The Democratic Party is trying to impose their woke communism on every man, woman, and child.”

Well, tghe differemce is that the Republicans AREN't Nazis, and the XDemocrats ARE communists or worse