Isn't "what you said is bigoted but I didn't say you were" just weaseling?

[brewster]

Wanted to see what the word warriors here thought. I've had arguments contending that the fashionable Liberal trend of calling out what you said as racist, sexist, whatever, but denying they actually called YOU that, is just weaseling, and wanting to call you a name but not having to stand behind it. They'll even say it's to give you a chance to backpedal. But if you don't, then presumably it's OK to really call you whatever. This latest was a fellow Jew calling me anti-semitic.

I contend that you should just fucking make your argument. If you can't make it without name calling, then you don't have a very good argument.

[TheReal_ND]

I'm bigoted AMA

[Martin Hash]

I've always contended that The Left are the kids who were picked on in school, and their only weapon was insult, a tactic which they've carried into adulthood. The thing that is so effective about name-calling is that almost everyone goes on the defensive when they respond: defense is a lost argument. (Here at MHF, we practice Insult Debating as a response to the name-calling tactic.)

Personally, I never respond defensively to being called something. Normally, I ignore it but occasionally I'll respond with a clever masked insult, especially if the other person is so unaware that they don't know they're being taken-for-a-ride. It's the clued-in Lurkers you're entertaining.

p.s. Good to see you.

[brewster]

The thing that is so effective about name-calling is that almost everyone goes on the defensive when they respond: defense is a lost argument.

Oh, but they DIDN'T call anyone a name, just what they said, and that's OK and feelgood. I argue exactly what you say, the target makes no distinction between themselves and their words being called out, no matter how the namecaller feels about it.

p.s. Good to see you.

The thing about being a moderate is you oscillate between the extremes when all there are is extremes. I get the crap kicked out of me no matter where I go!

[DBTrek]

I'm not saying you're a murderer, I'm just saying your actions are murderous.

[Alexander PhiAlipson]

[Hanarchy Montanarchy]

I'm not saying you're a murderer, I'm just saying your actions are murderous.

Reminds me of the joke about an architect that can design quality bridges his whole damn life, but guess what people call him if he sucks just one cock...

[C-Mag]

I'm not saying you're a murderer, I'm just saying your actions are murderous.

Reminds me of the joke about an architect that can design quality bridges his whole damn life, but guess what people call him if he sucks just one cock...

An Engineer ?

[brewster]

I'm not saying you're a murderer, I'm just saying your actions are murderous.

Reminds me of the joke about an architect that can design quality bridges his whole damn life, but guess what people call him if he sucks just one cock...

An Engineer ?

Yeah, I don't get it either. Architects don't design bridges. An "exterior decorator"?

[SuburbanFarmer]

Wanted to see what the word warriors here thought. I've had arguments contending that the fashionable Liberal trend of calling out what you said as racist, sexist, whatever, but denying they actually called YOU that, is just weaseling, and wanting to call you a name but not having to stand behind it. They'll even say it's to give you a chance to backpedal. But if you don't, then presumably it's OK to really call you whatever. This latest was a fellow Jew calling me anti-semitic.

I contend that you should just fucking make your argument. If you can't make it without name calling, then you don't have a very good argument.

Well, there is a difference between judging that a statement made was itself racist vs. judging someone's character to be racist.

Among the shady poker world I used to run in, it was pretty standard to say racist things all the time, so long as you said them about each race. This was done with and towards minority people at the table, and it was never thought that the person themselves was a racist. It's just a rougher sense of humor.

There's value in this, which I fear is being lost. Laughing about outrageous things is the easiest way to disarm them. See: Lisa Lampanelli comedy shows, Goodfellas, etc.