Hello Everyone,

What I see here is Davidra (someone I've been trying very hard to rebuild a constructive conversation with) and 1thing2add making a lot of accusations. I don't think they are based in fact.

The argument is taking the form of accusing people of being hypocrites and/or racists because they are speaking out against policies being forwarded now by the President and Congress. Let's take a step back for a moment. Do we or do we not respect the right of citizens to protest and attempt to make their voices heard?

Are these two people making substantive arguments against people or making accusations against them which are at a minimum broad-brush, and in many if not most cases inaccurate. Is there any evidence of fact to back these accusations up or are they simply here smearing people that disagree with their goals?

If we want to look at hypocrisy, we might ask if these people denigrating TEA party protestors (including calling them names based on a sexual act), had similar accusations to throw at the host of protesters that regularly protest at G8 Summits, wherever President Bush went, the war in Iraq, the War in Afghanistan (yes there are those too). Did these people so upset about accusations of socialism protest the name-calling (**** was a popular one, as well as facist, and war criminal) thrown at President Bush.

Let me be very clear however. I don't believe that anyone has any obligation to justify their protesting by proving support of past protesters. That however is the basis of these accusations--that these protesters are dishonest, because of PRESUMED lack of former activity.

The Truth is that what is happening here is that these posters are attacking people who they don't know much (if anything) about, painting them with a broad brush and a variety of accusations, without really having anything more than opinion to back them up. Everyone is entitled to their opinion of course, but let's not pretend it is anything else.

I'll just say that I am disappointed to see this sort of blatant smearing of people, based on false assumptions, accusations and in my view, rather childish denigration.

I've done my best here to avoid making personal attacks on the posters who are posting things I think are unfair and inaccurate.

KAM

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