Reasoned debate takes a back seat to personal attacks and threats
I did a post (here) about the tactic of using children as a wedge in the immigration debate. I said that, just because illegal aliens have children once they're here — making those children American citizens — that is not a reason to grant those parents amnesty, even if it does break families apart. In any event, the families can re-unite in Mexico. I think it's worthwhile highlighting one of the comments I received regarding that post:
How touching racist bigots have feelings?
I didnt think you had it in you.
But 'Dura lex sed rex' the law is hard but it is the law-
When these kids are 18 they and millions of others like them will still be able to bring thier parents over.
They are American by birth- you rasicts will never be able to take that away from them. basic legal concept – once granted cannot be taken away.
And in the end- your grandchildren will all hear a US President speak spanish to a latino majority in congress!!!! HAHAHAHA
You want to know why? because you whites keep abortion legal and are commiting genocide versus your race= while 20% are mostly fags – who wont have children- so in the end you'll be a minority in America in couple of decades by mere birthrate!
ARIBA LA RAZA!!! Chocolate!!!!
LA and San Diego are already 40% hispanic!
In the identification part of the comment, the author provides what appears to be a dead website URL to a La Raza paper: http://www.laraza.org
I found the whole comment impressive, because it runs the gamut of debating points from the other side of the aisle: personal insults, threats, boasts, and, rather incongruously, vile homophobic slurs.
What I wonder is whether this is a rant to make the author feel better, or if he thinks this will actually change my mind on the subject. As I've shown, I'm perfectly willing to rethink my position if someone makes a strong, logical argument. This kind of attack, however, only affirms my sense that my thinking is probably right. If it weren't, my "opponent" would actually have a counterargument, not just an ad hominem attack.
UPDATE: I'm hitting the big time, since I got another prime example of reasoned thinking from the Left. I'm quoting it below, although I've done a little "expletive deleted" work on it, not liking obscenties in my posts. The comment had all words in their full glory:
F**k America and hope one day americans will kill each other as what happenenig all over the world.
we will teach them the proper lesson one day, there is no empire last forever.
It's definitely a viewpoint, but scarcely a convincing one, is it?
