Why the hatred, poison & bitterness????

[Lonewolf76]

I was recently watching some of the footage on TV with President-Elect O'Bama and he mentioned some words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King. Paraphrasing - the words were - "America is the sum of its's people. Each person can make a difference in our society for good or ill. If you see hatred, bigotry, discrimination - speak up against it! - because it is only with each individual speaking up that change can happen." That inspired me to speak up - I have recently become active in reading and responding with my opinion to several threads in the forums section. In that short time (a few days really) I have noticed that while the vast majority of participants are kind hearted souls who share their stories and experiences - there are a few that spew vicious poison, negativity, bigotry and down right hatred. I ask them - why? It is one thing to RESPECTFULLY disgaree with someone and to do so in a tactful manner. I fully support the right to free speech and differing opinions - it's what makes America great - But c'mon people IT IS NOT OK to bash, ridicule and tear down someone - by suggesting that they get a divorce when they are trying to work through issues in the relationship, or call them fat, ugly, trailertrash or a whore! Don't all of us in this alternative lifestyle get enough of that EVERDAY from society in general??? Our site moderator Drew has clearly stipulated no bashing - tearing down etc. Yet it still happens daily and Drew while doing an excellent job of remving oiffensive comments and banning abusers can only do so much. I call upon each member of this community to do their part and report immediately to Drew on anyone who crosses that line that separates a respectful differing opinion from hatred and verbal bashing (and it is not hard to recognize the difference!) . I know there will be several who say - "It's to be expected" on a site like this". I counter with "It may be expected - but IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE TOLERATED!." We should join together to assist Drew in banning those who espouse such negativity, bashing, poison and hatred. I've commuicated with several people on this site who are warm and beautiful souls - we need to support one another here in our domain - we get enough negativity from the rest of the world. Let's not allow it here. There - I got that off my chest and feel so much better! Peace! Lonewolf

[_Joe_]

Not everyone is in the mood to improve themselves and their world around them, easy as that :/

[12voltman59]

It is a sad aspect of our modern times that civility is something that has long gone out the window-----there are many reasons why this is so---the worst part of it is that such civility sort of received a degree of formalization thanks to the rise of talk radio---especially the rise of far, extreme right wing media----in the 80s and 90s---but the dissolution of such civility most likely is one of the negative legacies of the 1960s and all the strife that was rampant in the society in those days----but the rise of talk radio in the 80s and 90s took it all too a new level.

Then along came the internet and the abilty to post things on the internet without much repercussions.

It would be nice to be able to go back to a time of more civility---but that most likely is a pipe dream I am sorry to have to say---it seems to be a pretty well ingrained aspect of the way people behave.