Cordoba House – Finishing the discussion Mike’s America wouldn’t allow- Open, Un-Edited Discussion for Everyone

Background:

Several years ago, I discovered Flopping Aces. After participating here for a long period of time I was honored to be asked to be one of the Authors here.

They say that politics makes strange bedfellows. Through my time of being aware, involved, and interested in politics, I’ve certainly found that saying to be true.

That realization has become even more clear over the span of the last few days.

People that you have a great deal in common with can sometimes shock and astound you with the ideas they have and positions they take on certain issues.

Purpose:

One my co-authors here, Mike’s America, decided that he would create a series of posts regarding the Cordoba House project, the Islamic community center which is currently under construction near the site of the WTC.

The most recent of the series, and the reason for this separate, independent offshoot post, is here.

Mike is of the strong opinion that the construction of the facility should not be allowed and, that’s cool with me, as long as he can create a solid, logical argument for his position.

I, and two other co-authors here, Mata Harley and Wordsmith, are of the opinion that because there is no legal or Constitutional basis by which the project can be blocked, it should be allowed to go forward no matter how distasteful we find it.

Through the ensuing discussion on the issue in earlier threads Mata decided that she had had enough of the negativity and the fighting so she is now on hiatus, taking a much needed, and well-deserved, walkabout.

I purposely joined in on the conversation late precisely because I was not liking the tone myself.

Needless to say that the conversation started out bumpy then accelerated down the slope, jumping ugly at the end.

Basically the thread comments descended into a back and forth conversation between Mike and I in which I posed a series of questions, and he ignored them.

The purpose of this post is to pick up where Mike chose to cut our conversation off by repeatedly using the delete key on me, a fellow co-author on this site then subsequently closing the thread to all comments.

Mike deleted multiple other comments from the thread toward the end as well, especially any that expressed support for me or my position.

As unfortunate as the events over the last couple of days have been however, this whole experience, this entire discussion, has been one of remarkable value to you Dear Reader which is why, really, I continued to participate, standing my ground, arguing my points, and never wavering because, quite simply, the facts and logic are on my side.

Dear Reader, what you have been able to learn is that there are many disparate voices here at Flopping Aces and that we, like the American population in general do not, and will not, always agree with one another and that we will vehemently disagree at times as well.

Scope:

With the exception of vulgarities* or major profanity* or threats of harm* there will be no censorship on this thread.

I have the courage to allow you, the audience, to post your opinions freely without fear of the delete key.

(*Unfortunately, Curt or I, or one of the authors here at FA must decide what violates standards of acceptability when it comes to said vulgarity or profanity. Threats of harm in any form are not acceptable. Kindly conduct yourselves as mature adults and don’t put us in position of editing.)

If you have new things that you wish to say on the Cordoba House issue, or if you simply wish to continue the discussion from that thread, here’s a place for you to do it unmolested.

If you posted a comment there (Ron) that got deleted, feel free to re-post it here.

If you posted something directed toward me and it appears that I didn’t respond, I may have either missed it, or Mike trashed it. Feel free to re-post it here.

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That said, Mike’s America, you are more than welcome to participate on this thread. In fact, I look forward to having you drop by with one unwavering caveat: NO DELETE OR EDIT KEY FOR YOU.

Let’s see if you can debate, and argue, and support your position without the escape valve.

Let’s see if you can strut your cred and walk the talk without the safety net.

I did my best to get you to understand that I was the wrong one for you to try to bully and intimidate but you chose not to heed what I had to say.

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Ill get things started off by posting here my last comment on Mike’s thread. He deleted this one, of course, which is exactly what I expected he would do.

@Mike’s America:

No one is “keeping score at home.”

Actually, they are Mike. All of those regular readers. All of those lurkers. All of those casual observers. All of those people who might make it through these parts at some point during their Interwebz browsing today or at some point in the future.

They’re all out there. Watching. Reading. Observing.

And, yes, keeping score too.

All of those who have their e-mail alerts turned on have been able to read each and every post…including those you chose to delete.

And what they’ve seen here on this thread, as well as the other three or four or five by you on the same topic is a very sad display.

A very sad display indeed.

I, and others here, have made well rounded, fact based, rule of law based arguments without the need for emotion, feeling, hysteria, hyperbole, or insult.

Others, not so much.

From my very first post I’ve been able to defend each and every position I’ve taken without finding it necessary to hide behind the cowardice of the delete key.

Considering that fact alone, which of us has been clearly demonstrated to be the adult here?

Furthermore, you and I both know that you’ve never laid a glove on Mata, Word, or myself regarding this issue.

While you’ve spun and spun and spun and whirled and twirled and gyrated yourself into a shrieking frenzy of emotion and feeling your arguments have never even stirred the breeze close where we’ve been standing.

This isn’t about your ego or that of your buddy Rich Whiner.

No, it’s not about my ego at all. Fact is, it’s about yours.

This whole thread and the three or four or so before it (as well as your complete posting history here and at your “home planet”) have been all about your record of crowing and pontificating and preening yourself on how you represent and espouse supposed Conservative principles and values and your “service to the cause,” and how you believe in the Constitution, blah blah blah, yadda yadda yadda, etc. etc. ad nauseum.

Yet, when asked simple, but pointed, questions you cannot even bring yourself to answer directly even with all that Conservative street cred you supposedly have.

No my friend, the ego runs large, thick, and heady on your side. Do I really need to go through your posts and comments to pull blockquotes and links together for you and our reading audience?

Nah, I won’t do that. At least not at the moment. Interested parties can can click to read your posts and the accompanying comments. They can search the archives.

You lost the argument a long time ago and yet you cannot help but insult those who see it otherwise.

Actually, I find that tremendously amusing. I’ve lost the argument? Really?

Who is cowering behind the delete key?

Not moi.

Instead, I’m standing firmly on the facts, the law, and the US Constitution.

Again, post it all if you want on YOUR OWN POST.

The post is coming. Oh, YES!…

(By the way, this comment addressed directly to you sir will be included as part of that post…so delete away my friend, it’s still gonna be right out there in the blogosphere for everyone to see.)

But I am not going to enable you to launch a civil war against our readers.

Um….there has been no civil war against the readers here. Have I intelligently debated the issues with them? Yes, of course. Has there been disagreement? Yes, of course.

Such is the nature of a blog which allows comments.

Of course there are some who cannot bring themselves to discuss and debate things intelligently, instead choosing the cowards’ way out by simply clicking delete and acting as if the comments were never posted when the tide of the conversation turns.

You’re done here.

And that is final!

He says, as he stomps his foot and sashays away from the discussion.

Well, Mike, whether I am “done” here remains an open issue. That decision ultimately lies with Curt, the barkeep who also owns the saloon.

I had a little conversation with Curt on this matter yesterday when you chose to delete the first in the series of comments. We will see what he has to say about today’s events.

You know, in the grand scheme of things I think it’s OK that you and I came to this head to head, toe to toe standoff…actually it’s great in many ways.

This whole thread…every single comment we’ve made back and forth to one another, and to others…clearly demonstrates what both of us are made of.

One of us, when challenged, stands his ground, firmly and convincingly stating his position. Then arguing it.

The other, when challenged, dashes for the comfort and safety of the delete key.

Of of us, when challenged, embraces the voice of opposition, debating, arguing, and discussing counterpoint by counterpoint.

The other, when challenged, dashes for the comfort and safety of the delete key thereby silencing the opposition.

Ironically, actually more like hypocritically, this is the same person who was, earlier in the thread, busy complaining about the voice of the opposition (his side) being silenced.

This discussion series demonstrates to anyone who wants to see that we Conservatives, we true Constitutional conservatives, always believe in the US Constitution and will always, always unwaveringly stand with the Constitution and the rule of law even when it’s unpopular.

Even when it’s uncomfortable.

Even when it runs contrary to public opinion.

Those who choose to make the Constitution into some malleable, flexible thing that applies when convenient, and is to be ignored when uncomfortable…well, are they really and truly Conservatives?

Or are they some other squishy thing?

Mike, the clarity of the difference between the two of us really couldn’t possibly be more clear.

Thank you so much for giving me such a stellar opportunity to demonstrate it.