I have watched how we handle interactions, politically, since I started being interested in politics. That would have been about at the age of 8: 1962. I’m an old guy who used to be a Conservative back when William F. Buckley was pushing a more civil, a more intellectual approach. Back then, instead of insults aimed at anyone who dares disagree: even mildly, Barry wrote the easy to read, more civil, The Conscience of a Conservative.
 One of my assignments was calling voters: many who would never vote our way, to get out the vote. Calling those we disagreed with could actually be fun, as we bounced with back and forth with somewhat snarky comments. Only, we really didn’t use the word “snarky” much back then.
 On Facebook I posted a response to a meme about Hunter’s laptop. I commented that I could care less because we because don’t know exactly what’s on it. The whole Hunter “scandal” so far has been an empty taco shell wrapped around a lot of hot air. Basically I’ll tune in when you actually HAVE something.
 Seemed logical to me. A lot of scandals are like that these days. Too many, and not just from any one side.
 The invective that led to pretty much ended what could have been a discussion about who has scandals. Poster Matt wanted to take it to how much he hates people like me. Despite the fact that most of what I posted at first was less partisan; about how the partisan scandal machine has been ramping up since at least Nixon. Repubs hit Dems, Dems hit Repubs, and when one party loses influence they at least double the rpm on the hate machine. A lot of this reminds me of the number of people Bill and Hillary had killed, until W became president and I swear someone almost copied the same list; listing them as killed by the Bush family.
 Interesting how the long list of political scandals have mostly failed to convict any president, but continue to be fueled by supposition.  Yes, like we finally will get not only Hunter but Joe too. In this case B doesn’t necessarily follow A. Again: “an empty taco shell wrapped around a lot of hot air” …so far.
 What actually WAS in those E’s? (SHOW ME THE E’S! Oh, you can’t.) Did Donald Trump ACTUALLY mean to inspire violence and death on 1/6? (Prove it!) What is on some laptop? (SHOW ME! Oh, you can’t.) I find it interesting, no matter whose ox is being slaughter rhetorically, how empty these tacos are, no president is ever held to account. And most eventually fade into, “so what?”
 Of course that never makes scandal hungry sharks calm down these days. They just rage to be fed as long as they can: usually until they get the presidency back. If results mean anything, an English prof would write on the story of said scandal, “Where’s the content?”
 As a Conservative in my teens and early 20’s I LOVED discussing issues with people from the left. That was well over 40 years ago. Back when a debate site calledVolconvo was active I enjoyed debating Conservatives. That was at least 14 years ago. The mods on that site made sure insults, invective and framing wasn’t in the debates. We were to use logic, reason, proof, and at least a tiny amount of respect. But it was pretty obvious the ability to discuss and debate had been slipping away even before that.
 I suppose I could respond in kind to Matt’s rage, to how much he hated me and anyone he disagrees with. I have been writing for a long time so it would be an easy. Yeah, I could do a Don Rickles act, or Rick Wilson. Matt made it easy, all I have to do is write about how much I hate people like him. How they are to blame for everything: a claim so vast common sense should make everyone laugh.
 I actually don’t. And no one side is “to blame for everything.” That claim reeks of how the Jews were demonized and any group fascists, communists and dictators of all kinds use to distract from their own culpability; or those they wish to protect from being held to account.
 Yes, I could respond in kind, but for what purpose? Where does that get us? Why would this kind of melodrama be of any real value?
 Matt didn’t offend me. It’s actually kind of hard to offend me. But, hey, I thought it was JUST the left who were considered snowflakes, too easily offended.
 While popular among talk show hosts such rhetoric is the equivalent of jacking off in public into one’s own mouth. It just gets hot, sticky insult semen all over yourself and everyone else. It makes some of us just step back and laugh.
 Not me. For me it’s just a sad commentary on where we are as a society.
                           -30-

 Inspection is a column that has been written by Ken Carman for almost 50 years, first published in fall of 1972. Inspection is dedicated to looking at odd angles, under all the rocks, and into the unseen cracks and crevasses, that constitute the issues and philosophical constructs of our day: places few think, or even dare, to venture.
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