Political Discourse
The saddest thing about political discussions is that they have degenerated into name calling. When you attack others by calling them “stupid” or “fools” or worse, you are no longer having a debate. We cannot discuss what the opposing positions are when we lower ourselves into making personal attacks.
We all need to understand what the different positions are and why people have these positions. We need to understand what the actual data is regarding a situation and we need to carefully examine each perspective. We need to understand and have insight into objectives and the paths proposed to achieve them. We also need to contemplate the unintended consequences of the various courses of action.
Little of this can be done without being civil to each other. Everyone needs to seek to understand the different sides and discuss the issues without personal vindictiveness. Discussion needs to be about the issues; what the goals are, the methods meant to achieve those goals, and associated data. It needs to avoid insults and denigration.
This site will only condone such polite discourse, especially when disagreeing with certain points of view.
What To Do
Talk about the issue. Discuss the options and the proposed courses of action. Avoid personal attacks. Point out the flaws in different options without calling them or their proponents derogatory names. It is ok to point out that an actual program or proposed intervention will have little to no effect. It is not ok to call the program “stupid”.
We need to focus on the flaws in arguments. This can be done with constructive comments. Comments that use logic and data to make the point.
Do not stoop to personal attacks, even in retaliation for attacks made against you. Instead point out that the other side is making such attacks because they cannot show either the strength of their own arguments nor the weakness in yours.