SR V: To boldly go where no room has gone before

Keppa4v wrote: MovingPictures07 wrote: Keppa4v wrote: I may finally be getting Dark Side of the Moon. I always thought it significantly weaker than WYWH, but now it worked perhaps better than ever. I may have to listen to it tomorrow again. I am not a huge Pink Floyd fan at all. They're alright. I do have all their albums though; I used to like them more. WYWH is their only true masterpiece album in my opinion, but there's so much other good stuff in their catalogue that I too have ended up buying everything they have. One thing I'd like to see released is a compilation of all their non-album singles and b-sides. Relics has some of them and they are mostly brilliant.

Their masterpiece for me is Animals. The rest I could go the rest of my life without hearing again and I'd be fine.

Padraic wrote: The only thing that I didn't care for in Teo's opening post was the second paragraph where he (initially) trotted out the very old, tired, and to be honest offensive refrain that Republicans are by definition racist (the issue of it being about ethnicity, not race, notwithstanding).  Racism is a very ugly pejorative to be throwing around like that.

Racism is very often improperly used instead of the more correct 'xenophobia' (= fear of strangers/foreigners), but its practical effects are the same. Obviously, I disagree with the axiom that EVERY Republican is a racist - however, what I have seen in my 48 years of life is that those execrable attitudes are generally more common in people who lean towards the right. You know, stereotypes are very often based on a grain of truth.

Raff wrote: Padraic wrote: The only thing that I didn't care for in Teo's opening post was the second paragraph where he (initially) trotted out the very old, tired, and to be honest offensive refrain that Republicans are by definition racist (the issue of it being about ethnicity, not race, notwithstanding).  Racism is a very ugly pejorative to be throwing around like that. Racism is very often improperly used instead of the more correct 'xenophobia' (= fear of strangers/foreigners), but its practical effects are the same. Obviously, I disagree with the axiom that EVERY Republican is a racist - however, what I have seen in my 48 years of life is that those execrable attitudes are generally more common in people who lean towards the right. You know, stereotypes are very often based on a grain of truth.

Is that so?  Because I know of some awful stereotypes that I don't think you would agree is based on a grain of truth at all.

As I told Micky the other day- most Christians are quiet and sweet.  It's the loudmouth ones though that get the attention.  It's no different with conservatives- the loudest ones that stir the pot get the attention.

I guarantee you most Republicans aren't racists. I've met just as many racist liberals as I have conservatives.

Epignosis wrote: Raff wrote: Padraic wrote: The only thing that I didn't care for in Teo's opening post was the second paragraph where he (initially) trotted out the very old, tired, and to be honest offensive refrain that Republicans are by definition racist (the issue of it being about ethnicity, not race, notwithstanding).  Racism is a very ugly pejorative to be throwing around like that. Racism is very often improperly used instead of the more correct 'xenophobia' (= fear of strangers/foreigners), but its practical effects are the same. Obviously, I disagree with the axiom that EVERY Republican is a racist - however, what I have seen in my 48 years of life is that those execrable attitudes are generally more common in people who lean towards the right. You know, stereotypes are very often based on a grain of truth. Is that so?  Because I know of some awful stereotypes that I don't think you would agree is based on a grain of truth at all. As I told Micky the other day- most Christians are quiet and sweet.  It's the loudmouth ones though that get the attention.  It's no different with conservatives- the loudest ones that stir the pot get the attention. I guarantee you most Republicans aren't racists. I've met just as many racist liberals as I have conservatives.

I echo Robert's response here as well.

I can't speak on the behalf of religion; I don't interact in a daily basis with regards to that anymore.

rushfan4 wrote: I am easily the only upper middle class white male professional that I interact with who is a Democrat.  I always kind of wonder why I lean Democrat because the Democratic party really doesn't do anything to my personal benefit, but I so despise most of what the Republican party stands for socially I just can't get myself to cross that line.  I am a fiscal conservative, and even personally I am quite conservative but I am very much a social democrate in my beliefs and for whatever reason that overrides my fiscal conservatism.

I'm one of the few people in my neighborhood or class-range who leans the way that I do---and as extremely.

However, I hate aligning myself with either party; I think they both suck and I'm generally a very cynical person.

Epignosis wrote: MovingPictures07 wrote: rushfan4 wrote: I am easily the only upper middle class white male professional that I interact with who is a Democrat.  I always kind of wonder why I lean Democrat because the Democratic party really doesn't do anything to my personal benefit, but I so despise most of what the Republican party stands for socially I just can't get myself to cross that line.  I am a fiscal conservative, and even personally I am quite conservative but I am very much a social democrate in my beliefs and for whatever reason that overrides my fiscal conservatism. I'm one of the few people in my neighborhood or class-range who leans the way that I do---and as extremely. However, I hate aligning myself with either party; I think they both suck and I'm generally a very cynical person. I'd go with that.  But I still hang onto to an ideal that is consistent with my beliefs.  The Republican party is it, sadly.

Which are the opposite (too strong of a word) beliefs of mine and which always makes me laugh.  There are so many people who vote Republican because of those beliefs, and yet aside from those social issues which they disagree with the Democratic party's beliefs, they really should be democrats.  Seriously, unless you are a rich white male or a farmer there is no fiscal reason for you to vote Republican.  Which is what is funny about me voting Democratic because there truly is no fiscal reason for me to do so.

If you don't think abortions are an option, guess what, you don't have to get an abortion if the situation arises.

MovingPictures07 wrote: birdwithteeth11 wrote: Padraic wrote: Good one David.  I think the 4 stars is correct. Thanks. As much as I like it, I think CRA and Crac! are an infinite number of times better. I agree entirely.

Honestly, I have no idea how to judge that one... three, four... both could fit... I mean, now I've got the much stronger Crac! I hardly ever spin that one, though I love it.

Sorry about disappearing - I went to lie down for a bit, since I am feeling somewhat under the weather.

Anyway, thank you for a very civilised, constructive debate. Alex, Rob, you know I disagree with many of your views, but I respect you both as INDIVIDUALS (as both of you very rightly said - this is something I agree with profoundly), therefore I am happy to be able to discuss such topics with you. Being considerably older than you are, I have unfortunately seen a lot of intolerance (let's use this word instead of the more restricted 'racism') from every side of the political spectrum. I remember a slogan from the Seventies about 'male chauvinist comrades' (meaning left-wingers), which unfortunately was rooted in reality. I lived for eight years in Siena, one of the most nominally left-wing towns in Italy, and was treated like crap for all most of the time because I had not been born there.

Alex, I understand what you have been through very well (and I won't go into detail now - suffice it to say that I have often come across as 'weird' in the past). I can't say I am persecuted now, far from that, but I am aware I am considered differently from, for instance, my husband, who is a US citizen. In Siena, however, in my home country, I was persecuted (they tried to have me branded as mentally ill, and dismissed from my job), so I know how it feels.

As to your parties, obviously I don't recognise myself in either of them. My views go way beyond the Democratic Party, but are rooted in my experience as a human being. However, I won't go into that, because it would be too long, and boring for all of you.

The Italian Communist Party has been long dead (though there is a minuscule party that still bears a similar name). And what about our friends Area? I think you'll find our new RPI definition quite interesting... I have personally taken care of the socio-political-cultural part.