Flame wars?

[jimpeel]

The concept of “flame wars†is specious. The third highest response thread at TFL (315) was at:

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=88006

which started out with members going to the Ms. boards to interject their thoughts and picking the brains of the other members for help in their responses. We gained Malone LaVeigh from that thread and enjoy her company and commentary to this day on THR. We also learned that there were persons from the Ms. boards who had been with us for some time; but weren’t members or posters to TFL.

We were able to make it known that, unlike some forums which reject thinking other than their own, we at TFL -- and now THR -- welcome the dissenting point of view along with the members of the choir. It is boring to constantly sing the tune to those who simply hum along. We should welcome dissent and attract those who would give us a lively debate.

As I stated at the TFL thread:

Practice makes perfect and what better way to know thine enemy than by debating him and drawing out his best (worst) ideas. We hone our debating skills not by preaching to the choir but by participating in the free exchange of ideas.

When I used to post at the old Pathfinder boards, we convinced several persons of the disingenuousness of the anti-firearms movement. We did so by logical, truthful posting and submitting those instruments from reliable, established sources that supported our contentions -- and proved the lies to be exactly that.

Yes, there are those who will never be convinced as they are blinded by their own self-importance. No fact -- even the saving of their own life through the use of a firearm -- will convince them that firearms are good. They will not only tell you that instead of you defending yourself immediately with a firearm -- but, instead, wait for a man with a gun to get there to defend you -- they will use that same advise in their own lives; often at the forfeit of their life.

There are always newbies coming onto every thread out there and if we simply dismiss them all as unassailable, they will be.

 

[Quartus]

Depends on your definition of "flame wars", Jim.

For example, we had a spirited discussion and much disagreement on the subject of the 10 Commandments monument, in which some ASSININE, CHILDISH, STUPID, IGNORANT, TREASONOUS, *^%%*$&^$ *&^%$*#*$*#^%$(*-ING IDIOTS DARED TO DISAGREE WITH ME!!!!!!

OH YEAH?!?! WELL YOU'RE JUST A *%$#*&-ING MORON!!!! AND YOU PROBABLY ****** YOUR ****** TOO!!!!

And your mother dresses you funny. So there.

Well, I think you get the point. Spirited disagreement is not a flame war. Name calling and personal insults are. THAT is what we try to avoid.

 

[Mike Irwin]

To thee, Sir, I say may the pox infest your household, may your cattle go dry, may your sheep die, and may you contract the French disease!

(Elizabethan Flame War...)

 

[Sgt]

Dang, my flamethrower is in the shop for repairs!!!! I guess I'll have to wait until I pick it up Tuesday

Just my luck...Sgt

 

[jimpeel]

Oh, yeah!?!? Take this!

http://www.bigjimsmgs.com/VIDEOS99/flame2.avi

 

[Mike Irwin]

Maybe we should follow this advice to stay out of flame wars?