it's the internet. That *kitten*'s still a few pages back! I think some people are very used to arguing in real life and being able to say "I didn't say that!" when they in fact did. That's why I like online debating. It's all right there for everyone to see.

I think that

A: People are at a loss when they debate people with different views because when they all sit around with their friends, they just trash the other side without ever being confronted. You don't exactly sharpen your wit debating people you agree with.

B: Peope who get all of their opinions from one source, whether it an instituition, church, or politically slanted new channel like FOX/MSNBC get crushed once they get into the real world of debate. Suddenly their perfectly crafted little scenario of how they are just going to tell everyone how it is falls apart because they are now facing a........thinker (gasp). People who possess critical thinking skills will almost always walk away from the debate the clear winner since no matter how educated or how articulate the other is, without the source of their knowledge, rather it be a book, O'Reilly, or Olbermann there to help them, they are lost.

C: PC has killed honest debate.

Would you guys believe me if I told you I'm one of the most non-confrontational people you could imagine? Because I am.

I got what I thought was a good education in debating in public forums during the 2007-8 election campaign, both the primary and general elections. Up until then, I had spent most of my time on like-minded websites, where you can develop an insular outlook.

It wasn't enough to go into a public forum and just start throwing out general criticisms and making blanket statements. First of all, those on the other side were using the exact same arguments and usually similar if not exact same language (esp when criticizing the other side). Often the discussions became an unending circle of insult-trading.

But I also ran into people who had valid arguments or who had their own thought-out ideas, strong convictions, etc. The same general statements and language that sounded eloquent on Daily Kos or My DD or other like sites didn't work so well outside of the "echo chamber". So you had to come prepared with facts, logic and consistency if you wanted to be taken seriously. And, over time, I learned to have a better understanding of the opinions and reasoning of those who opposed my opinions. While I still read a lot of articles on more liberal sites, I rarely participate in the discussions anymore. I have never been big on ideological orthodoxy.

Those forums don't really exist anymore, although there are many more opportunities to express opinions. 90% of comments consist of various forms of "Obama is a socialist" and it's impossible to have anything resembling an intelligent discussion --hard to fight a war of wits against an unarmed opponent. Things have become so polarized that there is almost no common ground, and the issues are so complex that almost no one understands them enough to do anything more than parrot talking points and cliches.

A lot of what I know, about debate and religion and just general facts about life I've picked up from the James Randi Educational Forum. Those people are no joke! You gotta bring your A game in that place. It's a forum for skeptics so there is a certain bias at play you might say. The main focus is debunking things like 9/11 myths and ghost sightings, bigfoot and paranormal claims. But there's also a political segment of the forum where things get brutal. It's SUPPOSED to be civilized debate but when you're arguing with people who say the reason no one's every seen a dead sasquatch is because they bury their dead (and apparently their feces) it tends to get pretty snarky.

So you can blame them for me being the way I am. Good site though!

Just because you never habe seen a sasquatch doesn't mean they don't exist.

Adrian! No bigfeet!

I swear if I'm on the elliptical one morning and see you on that Bigfoot Hunter show on Animal Planet (comes on right before Orangutan Island starts. Love them monkeys) I will... block you! Take that!