Take the Vow to Share No More Political or Social Memes!
 

It is now known that a great many of the supposedly clever or trenchant or incendiary political or social memes we see online are spread by Russian or Chinese security or government or military agencies as a way to destabilize our country and make us hate each other. (They are also spread by other governments and also by people trying to make money.) If we share them because we know they are over-the-top, but we think they are funny, or even think they are true, we are helping to rip our country apart.

Therefore, I hereby vow that I will share no more social or political memes on social media, from now on. I may share photos of puppies or kitties or clouds or wild animals or sunsets or whatever, but nothing that mocks or belittles or demeans or lies. I may share useful articles from reliable sources about political issues or social interests. I will continue to like and support who or what I like and dislike and not support who or what I like. I may continue to make my opinion heard. But I won’t do it with these politically or socially divisive memes because I love my country and want what I think is best for all of us.

Will you join me in taking this vow? Let’s take this country back to when we generally got along with most people and were polite to most people, even when they scared us, no matter their party, creed, or color, so long as they behaved themselves and obeyed the law and had a smile and an honest handshake. (Okay, now I’m just getting silly, but you know what I mean.)

Please join me. Civility is the path to respect and cooperation.

Sorry cannot agree.
If you lose the ability to laugh at yourself, and life in general, you lose your biggest weapon against those who would want to harm you.
I am all for civility, and would take that as just normal discourse.
JMO.

Well, there's the crux, isn't it.

But I certainly agree about the lack of civility and respect. Someone who replied to a club-related email chain had a signature line that the world would be much improved if all [specific party members] died from Covid-19. Is that really what we've come to, for pete's sake?

It's been a truism since all of us were kids that politics and religion should never be discussed in polite society. I'd be happy just going back to that!

I agree. I don't think that the things that make us mad about political discussions are "memes from Mars" but the true things said by people we care deeply about and who look at things differently. We then (we THINK) answer these misguided souls back, patiently and intelligently, and they they are hurt and mad because we don't see things their way.

Living in the South is the first time I have encountered anti-Catholicism. (Not that I am such a good example of piety. ) It doesn't feel nice to be dismissed when you have been accepted all of your life for your faith. It HURTS to be criticized. Teaches me to try to look at things from another's view.

And that is hard if not impossible. That is why our mother's taught us manners and that kids in the MIDDLE of this country were told to keep their mouth's shut. Not so on the coasts.

Now I've done it.

Good Morning. It's gonna be a beautiful day in The Villages.

Anything that says copy and past to your timeline or share with all your friends is a scam. Many of the "games" are simply designed to obtain personal information. People are far too naive about social media and do not understand how easy it is to be manipulated and scammed. Just Google copy and paste scams and game scams on facebook.

I would agree other than the times that I see something of interest and want to share.

So posting only reliable sources that one person believes
 

but not one that someone else believes???

Excellent idea, but don’t stop here, another 330 million people need to be persuaded.

Nope
 

Civility no ! to much riding our country’s future as well our immediate well -being . Not sorry !
Breaking Down and exposing the dangerous and morally corrupt Is righteous.

I feel the same way somewhat but, the thing is we have to get our views and ideologies out some way as to get our country back. So I and a bunch of my friends use any media we can to preserve and get our way of life back.

The Russians are coming!
The Russians have been involved in the attempt to subvert our elections and ideological thinking for decades/half a century. This is not new, even though some have made it a political ploy when goals, records and policies are not strong enough to move the majority of America's ideology of a small gov and freedom to think independently. I will not say more on that in fear of violating the political rules.
I agree with civility. But, calling it as it is should not be considered being UN-civil. Being politically correct should not be a prerequisite for employment unless it is determined to be essential in a diplomatically sensitive job, such as an ambassador. Using one's sensitive nature as a crutch just shows how weak that person's argument is. Case in point; an employee in the media was just fired for using the descriptor of "colored" instead of "person of color" to describe the candidate for VP. He said it was a thoughtless slip of the tongue and not meant to be demeaning in any way.
How can anyone have a civil conversation about politics or religion or for that matter anything that is of personal importance when the conversation extends over a protracted period of time, such as political campaigning? Ooops, close to crossing the line again. Sorry. Hard to have a discussion on here on this subject without using examples.
It is when an argument turns to violence such as the current rioting in this country, that's when the discussion has turned from disagreement to out of control, physical reaction that changes from two people having different views to two people becoming enemies.
We have experienced lawyers battle it out in court like they hate each other, only to later see them later having lunch or drinks. Same with our politicians. That is the difference between professional adversity and taking a theme personal.
I have no hate for anyone that disagrees with me. But, threaten violence against my family and/or property and we become enemies.
The old KGB was instrumental (and Russia still is) in attempting to destroy our democracy from inside our nation for a long time. Our intelligent agencies have known about it since at least the '70s that I know about and maybe longer than that. You can now Google a list of media and businesses that they have subsidized/owned, etc. that they have power to manipulate. That list used to be classified, but most of it is now available on the Internet. The idea is not to be so easily convinced on a subject by media/blogs, etc. but to verify or fact check statements. A lot of stuff attributed to someone might actually be either actions of another that held the position previously or maybe just plain distorted information used as a weapon to manipulate your thoughts/view.
The Russians are no more a threat today than they were decades ago. They are just being used to manipulate the focus away from real issues. Yes, the Russians are a problem, but this problem is not new.
Civility deals with one's mental state of being. If you agree, then that person is civil. If you do not agree, then that person is not being civil about it. Yes, it depends on how intense the disagreement becomes, but it is still a state of mental being.
I can say "he's a DA" in a affectionate way. Or, I can say it in a demeaning manor, meaning that person is stupid.

Just a long way of saying, you are asking for everyone to be civil based on a presumption that your view is the correct one. Some subjects are just too intense to avoid becoming heated unless one side concedes before it becomes verbally poisonous.

You are looking in the wrong place if you are expecting to find a politician that is NOT morally corrupt. Kind of like saying that when you interview a person for a job that you are looking at his/her religion, gender or sexual persuasion to see if it conforms with your moral compass. Personally, I do not have to like a person to approve or disapprove of their job. I hired solely on ability and record of job performance. When I vote, I do not vote on appearance or emotions but on the ideology, goals and policies that conform with mine and whether or not I believe there is a chance that the person I vote for can and will perform their job with that intention. My preference is job performance over appearance and character.

I'd rather purchase a car that runs great and is durable than one that looks great and is comfortable but doesn't have an engine so I can't go anywhere. Everyone would like to have both, but when it comes to many politicians, it ain't gonna happen.

Here is a simple way to start back on the road to civility. When passing another Villager with an opposing political sign on their cart or cart DO NOT GIVE THEM THE FINGER. Let’s start there.

Even though I did not share political dribble too much I posted this on Facebook a month ago:

I really appreciate all of the posts I view.

I have decided to no longer share posts that further the vitriol that is exploding in our universe.

I still want to see what you share. I still want to see an exchange of positions between individuals.

I will support my country and my constitution. I will NOT support those who exploit it for anarchy.

I will support law & order.

I don't want YAHOO to stop allowing COMMENTS. ( I have always used Yahoo but will have to change in light of what I consider censorship.)

I still want to see uplifting, non religious posts. Your belief is yours.

I am ready for the virus to be over, the violence to stop, and the divisions to be healed.

I want the legislature to work TOGETHER.

I want the education system to stop being an indoctrination by individual or organization agendas.

I want legislatures, teachers, and anyone else not working to bear the same benefits as the everyday citizen. If you are not working, you had better be on unemployment or looking for work, (oh I know I will blasted for that).

Lastly, you had better vote, as much as we have heard this time after time, it is beyond important now, no matter what side of the isle you are on. Many people that know me understand my position, if you do not vote or did not vote, you have abdicated your right to an opinion and/or whine about what could/or should have been. I will not debate your positions either as you do not stand behind them

This is my own views and opinion. I had a HUGE positive response.



I still read others posts but I do not share on my FB account. I do share cute kittens and old people jokes, so if you fit that category don't be offended.

in case you forgot---NO POLITICAL REFERENCES ARE ALLOWED ON THE WEBSITE.