Amen.
Which means we have a responsibility to be civil.
Personally, I like to advance the conversation. But it is difficult to maintain a civil conversation when people think it is their duty to converse by kicking others in their chins.
Like I said, we should be aware that people read this forum, not just Americans. I know that we have a lot of lurkers from India who do not post but read FR in order to understand American culture. And, when we are spending most of our time arguing it makes us look bad.
I think of FR as a large river, when I post something and throw it in, I have no idea who will read my post. I throw it out their hoping that somebody may chuckle or get informed in some way.
Posting on FR is an important responsibility.
“Personally, I like to advance the conversation. But it is difficult to maintain a civil conversation when people think it is their duty to converse by kicking others in their chins.”
Agree.
There are some FReepers that see nothing wrong with being crass, profane and downright unreasonable, incapable of a civil exchange—and they are proud of it and mock those that are calling for adult conversations.
Check out this thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3391340/posts
Many examples of FReepers mocking those that are calling for civility.
Amen.