Please ask yourself this question when posting responses.

[littlejoe]

Would we be so impolite to each other, if we were discussing the issues face to face?

[tom_paine]

1. Of course the answer is "no".

I don't think that is endemic to one side or the other.

It is just human nature, one of the sadder sides of it.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

2. Probably not

I'm only impolite to freeper disruptors, and I can honestly say I would be the same way to their faces.

[coloktm]

5. I'm new here

What's a Freeper? Thanks...

[AngryYoungMan]

6. Short for "Free Republic"

Right wing site; evil twin of DU. They come here and disrupt us and we call them "Freepers."

Welcome to DU!

[texastoast]

11. We do not call them freepers . . .

We call them neanderthals. But that insults our forebearers. Did neanderthals have tails? Freepers still have tails, I think.

:evilgrin:

[AngryYoungMan]

3. I'm never impolite, no matter how angry I am.

I almost always say, "respectfully" or "diffidently" before I disagree. And the harshest stuff I say, like "Wrong" or "No" or at worst "You Naderites couldn't think your way out of a paper bag" is stuff I have and would say in polite company. I argue verbally with conservatives all the time, and I'm very good at maintaining a civil tone. It's not that hard.

[bluedog]

4. yes I would

I am know for being out spoken and it doesn't do any good to hold opinions in...why say you agree with something and play nicey nice and turn around and stab them in the back later....one has to be straight forward.....I say....you can express you opinions but beware the back lash...just me I guess...

[atreides1]

7. I'm With You

We need to get out of this "Rodney King, Can't we all just get along club", if you can't be straight with people who are on "your side",
then what's the point.

Sometimes you have to be impolite to make your point.

[littlejoe]

9. You could express those opinions civilly, and this is all I am

getting at. I, too, have strong opinions, and will continue to express them. I'm glad to have a forum such as this one, but I will always try to maintain my civility.

on edit: sometimes it doesn't always work, but I constantly try.

[Beetwasher]

8. Yeah, I Would Be

But then again, I have no fear of anyone and low tolerance for idiots...

[TrogL]

10. I'd be ruder

Text acts as a filter, allowing me to say exactly what I want when I want.