Speaker's Corner...

[deltron80 0]

I'm sure this has been brought up before, but does anyone else think it's strange that like 80% of the posts in here are about US gun rights? Out of the entire panoply of human existence outside of skydiving, this is the only issue we care about?

I could be considered left of center on many issues, but this is not one of them. Everyone should be allowed to have guns. It’s obviously a well-tested and secure right in the US. I'm just baffled as to why this is such a gripping topic for people, especially considering the 2nd Amendment doesn't appear to be the main one under attack these days, while literally all the rest are.

I have a feeling that when the government finally comes to escort us all to the concentration camps, if you have a gun they'll just shoot you instead of putting you in the box car. It just doesn't seem to be *that* important an issue to merit this much debate. Do you really think they’re going to take away your guns? It’s like the #1 industry in the US, get real.

Forgive me for not having read through the 5,000 pages of debate on this issue, but what the hell am I missing? Can we talk about something actually controversial? For example, how about we discuss the environmental toxins causing Autism in 50% of our male children? That seems way more alarming and real.

I almost think there should be a separate section of Dropzone.com just to discuss firearms laws, but then, what would we talk about in Speaker's Corner?

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

#1 Gun rights are controversial. And while well tested, I don't see it as all that secure. Brady and the AWB were less than 20 years ago. And if there hadn't been a very strong backlash (to a lot of things, not just guns) that put the Rs back in control of congress in 96, it might have gone a lot further.

#2 They seem to be the flavor of the month. A couple months ago, it was religion. It seemed like 80% of the posts were about God. A lot of it is about the Florida case, which actually doesn't involve gun rights per se, it's a lot more about self defense (which usually involves guns and did in this particular case).

#3 If you want to discuss other stuff, start a thread. Nobody knows the causes for Autism. And it isn't anywhere near 50%. There are opinions out there that the rate of identification is rising a lot more than the actual rate of ocurrence.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[billvon 3,120]

>but does anyone else think it's strange that like 80% of the posts in
>here are about US gun rights?

I'd say it's closer to 40% gun arguments and 40% "I hate Obama" threads, with the remainder distributed between religious arguments, abortion threads and lists of horrible stuff the "other party" did.

[jakee 1,596]

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but does anyone else think it's strange that like 80% of the posts in here are about US gun rights?

I would if they were, but they're not so I don't.

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For example, how about we discuss the environmental toxins causing Autism in 50% of our male children? That seems way more alarming and real.

'Real' is one word for it. Another would be 'imaginary'.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[kelpdiver 2]

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I'm sure this has been brought up before, but does anyone else think it's strange that like 80% of the posts in here are about US gun rights?

Guns aren't remotely close to 80%. I doubt it's 20%. Currently health care, the elections, all the bad things Obama or Bush did ... way ahead. The Zimmerman-Martin incident really hasn't been about guns, so much as potential racism and self defence issues.

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Do you really think they’re going to take away your guns? It’s like the #1 industry in the US, get real.

Not remotely close. The civilian gun market is a few billion a year in revenue, not even profit. That doesn't get you into the Fortune 500. Exxon's gross profit, otoh, is 170B. Altria, the domestic wing of Phillip Morris, has a gross profit of 9B. Anheuser-Busch (Bud) does 20B in gross profit.

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For example, how about we discuss the environmental toxins causing Autism in 50% of our male children? That seems way more alarming and real.

feel free to start a thread. Nothing prevents anyone from doing so. Producing scientifically valid evidence is a harder step though, and after the fraud with the Lancet article was revealed, it's even more critical than ever.

[deltron80 0]

Fair enough...these replies are actually much less vitriolic than I was expecting. thanks

[BIGUN 1,488]

Given that 20% of your 395 posts are in Speaker's Corner; is there a reason you haven't brought alternative subjects for discussion. You obviously know how to start a new thread.

And as long as we're throwing percentages out there... in about 80% of posts, there's greater than 50% of the same players debating the same things in different ways.

Jump in. It only hurts for a little while.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[kelpdiver 2]

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And as long as we're throwing percentages out there... in about 80% of posts, there's greater than 50% of the same players debating the same things in different ways.

personally I'd love to see something new and interesting. The trick/catch is that somehow all threads drift back to the mainstays. So talking about autism, there is a timer on how long it takes to being about Obamacare.

Bill tried an experiment with moderation where extraneous postings would be nuked. Not sure how many he had to do that to, but I would welcome forum functionality where the thread initiator could do this.

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

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Given that 20% of your 395 posts are in Speaker's Corner; is there a reason you haven't brought alternative subjects for discussion. You obviously know how to start a new thread.

And as long as we're throwing percentages out there... in about 80% of posts, there's greater than 50% of the same players debating the same things in different ways.

Jump in. It only hurts for a little while.

The 50% of the players are having the exact same debate in the exact same way.

It goes something like THIS.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[deltron80 0]

Well played gentlemen...well played indeed.

[BIGUN 1,488]

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Given that 20% of your 395 posts are in Speaker's Corner; is there a reason you haven't brought alternative subjects for discussion. You obviously know how to start a new thread.

And as long as we're throwing percentages out there... in about 80% of posts, there's greater than 50% of the same players debating the same things in different ways.

Jump in. It only hurts for a little while.

The 50% of the players are having the exact same debate in the exact same way.

I think you proved both our points in one sentence.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[BIGUN 1,488]

I would welcome forum functionality where the thread initiator could do this.

Agreed.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[RonD1120 62]

Debate and discussion are boring. Only the emotionally aggressive personal attacks and character assassinations inspired by the left wing socialistic liberal, irresponsible, pantywaists of the give me generation provide therapeutic enjoyment and release.

None of us will be able to rest until BHO is thrown out of the White House.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[wmw999 2,589]

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Debate and discussion are boring. Only the emotionally aggressive personal attacks and character assassinations inspired by the left wing socialistic liberal, irresponsible, pantywaists of the give me generation provide therapeutic enjoyment and release.

None of us will be able to rest until BHO is thrown out of the White House.

Awesome

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[deltron80 0]

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Debate and discussion are boring. Only the emotionally aggressive personal attacks and character assassinations inspired by the left wing socialistic liberal, irresponsible, pantywaists of the give me generation provide therapeutic enjoyment and release.

None of us will be able to rest until BHO is thrown out of the White House.

This is amazing. Extra karma for using the term 'pantywaists' lol.