.....sigh....again let me tell you guys that this is NOT a political discussion! I am NOT telling you that what they say is necessarily wrong or right. I am NOT telling you that any one particular viewpoint they have on any particular social or fiscal issue lead me to my conclusion. I don't know how I can possibly make it any clearer, and I'm sick of repeating myself. I'm not interested in debating political issues with you on this site. In person, over coffee or while listening to some good music, why not as long as you give me a chance. I have been thinking more lately about the media (ALL media) have failed us, and specifically I have found the alternatives to be some of the worst failures. That's what I wanted to talk about.

I also NEVER NOT ONE TIME incinuated that the fact they are progressive papers is the problem. You would not even let me completely finish Part 2 before coming to incorrect conclusions and assumptions. In fact, most of you are not even willing to hear me out. I have been nothing but respectful to everyone here. All I can ask is that I receive the same treatment. I am not being closed minded. I have said time and again that I am open to new ideas. I am one of the few people left (apparently) who believes that learning and progress do not stop at some finite point. All I wanted to do is begiin to explain why I think the alternatives are not to be taken seriously - and you all jumped on me like rabid wolves. If the discussion is to stop, and if it offends you all so much then I will happily leave you to your undisturbed, unquestioned view on the alternatives. Fine. But I will humor (e:ajay) and (e:matthew) with some responses:

(e:matthew) - Wow. Such hatred. For the record, regardless of what you think or what you've said I still see no reason to dislike you. I will answer the question you posed - What does "Republican" mean? I will give you a very honest and simple answer: It is the political party I am registered with. Nothing less, nothing more, and by the way I disagree that it is any different than saying "left" or "right" - I consider them to mean very much the same thing. Tomato, tomahto. Potato, potahto. I will say that I think that "left" and "right" could encompass a broader variety of viewpoints, but it was a grievous waste of your time and mine to discuss how they are different. If I say I am a registered Republican or a Democrat, you should automatically figure out how that translates.

There are some things, however that I will not let go. Take your ball and go home if you want to. Lob bombs, and then run away and hide. Very good. You would make the writers in the alternatives very proud. I find myself laughing right now because you say that you don't "really" know what I think, yet you find it well within your rights to sling a list of insults at me and claim that my ideas are unimportant and unbiased, and that I can keep my "poison" to myself. You sound like a very confused young man.

Furthermore, it takes a special kind of cowardice to do what you did in disrespecting me that way. I bet....no...I know for a fact that you would never have the balls to address me that way in person. It is very reminiscent of the idiots in high school who would call you names as they drove by you in their car. I mean...seriously Matthew....I do not dislike you, have no reason to, so on and so forth, but that was rather silly of you. I believe you have it in you to do a lot better than that. I think everyone does. If you don't want to talk to me then fine, but I have done nothing to you to earn that kind of disrespect. Keep that in mind.

(e:ajay) - Thank you for offering to lend me your ear. I think there is a bunch I can learn from you also, not just politically speaking. I feel the same way about SQB. I get the impression you two have a lot of very smart things to say. Unfortunately some fo
lks here have proven me right....
.w
ithout me even having to actually say a political word. I do not see a point in maintaining a blog, or to share my ideas and experiences with everyone on this site if I am going to only be met with hatred, hostility and rushed conclusions. That's not what I came here for. My AIM and e-mail is available here, and it would be nice to talk sometime. All I ever wanted to do was to hopefully make some new friends in the neighborhood, and also perhaps lend whatever help I can with my programming expertise in the event it was needed. I wanted to contribute. I wanted to be introduced to some new experiences through you guys (like the environmental cleanup ideas, never occured to me and I thought perhaps it was my moral obligation to try it). One post critical of the alternatives and people literally shit a solid brick. Also (e:paul) - my invitation still stands. I have a lot to talk to you about if you'll let me.

Signing Off-
Jason (artist formerly known as (e:jason))

Thanks for writing. I will answer your questions, although I am scratching my head when it comes to the tone. I promise to respect your point of view and your take on any subject we discuss on this site, even if the subject is Jason.

1. Essentially what I am getting out of this is, "If you don't like it, leave." How very cruel. I will help you to understand. I don't want to leave. I like it here. With the exception of frothing at the mouth fanaticism, I find Elmwood to be the best place to live in WNY by far. The best food, the best cultural activities, the parks, the beauty of the neighborhood - I could go on and on about how great it is. I tell ALL of my friends (at least those who reside in Buffalo) they should live here. Believe me, if I felt compelled to leave I would have already been gone. I've lived on Elmwood for 4 years now.

You state the obvious when you say that I will never change the political slant of the neighborhood. It was not necessary for you to tell me that. It is not my intention to change the political slant of the neighborhood, nor have I ever said a single syllable to that point. You've misunderstood my message entirely. When I first came here I said it was the HOSTILITY which was objectionable, plain and simple, not the Liberalism itself. Luckily there are a few of you who can tolerate Republicans on Elmwood, otherwise I would feel unwelcome enough to move away.

2. Look, Paul, I've gone out of my way to say multiple times now that it i's not the Liberal slant that I dislike about the alternatives. I can't make it any more clear than I already have. I said that they are not to be taken seriously. In fact, I haven't even had the chance to line up point-by-point my argument. That would be in Part 2 of my Alternative Shitrag series which remains unwritten.

It is also more than a little presumptuous to think that I want to only hear the conservative agenda. Notice how some of the lefties on this site line up some of the farthest of the far left media sources in the book under their links section (this is not a criticism so please don't take it as such). Susceptibility to brainwashing and myopia cannot be claimed as only conservative traits. I have no such list in my links section. You can come over to 750 any time you like (seriously) and I will show you what is in my book case. We can have a beer and talk about what media sources I check out regularly. You might be surprised by what I have to say, and by the questions I might ask you.

3. You know what...I have a lot more faith in our species than that. I am going to have to disagree with you on this point. I believe that the far right does not have all the answers. I believe that the far left does not have all the answers. Anyway more emphasis is placed on who is right and wrong, and who wants to keep/acquire power, than actually coming up with solutions we all have faith in. We have wasted an inexcusable amount of time. Decade after decade we have seen arrogance, greed and hunger for power stop us from becoming a more civil, educated, medically and technologically advanced society. You say it can't be done, but I believe (or at least hope) that one day it all can be done with the right focus, and with a properly framed dialogue.

4. You say this is your most important point. Unfortunately you've mistaken a blog discussing why I think the alternative rags should'nt be taken seriously with a political discussion. Sadly I didn't even get to finish it before A) the topic was changed into a media bias discussion (not a political discussion, again), and B) You impatiently decided that you've had enough of me. I said this before, and I will repeat it - I am not here to discuss political issues. I already know how I will be treated, on here and in the street if I voice my opinion on political issues. I already know that most people around here don't know the
first fucking thing about your average Republican, which is why
I
have heard "You're too cool to be Republican" from people who have given me a chance. I only wanted to voice my opinion on how I think the alternative rags are failing you. I will save that opinion as well.

Jason

(e:matthew) - I sense a bit of a condescending dismissal on your part in regard to the problems I have with some of our local bird cage liners. I promise you this - I'm no idiot, despite what 99% of the people in our friendly neighborhood might say about people with different philosophical viewpoints. If you wish to discuss the general media bias question I am more than happy to participate - even when I know that there are dozens of people here waiting to nickel-and-dime me, cherry pick things and get away from the real discussion. I didn't get to finish my post (I was in a rush so I decided to split it into parts), so I can understand that the lack of completion meant that the main thrust of it wouldn't be effectively communicated.

Let me then be VERY clear - I never incinuated that these messages shouldn't be out there for people to absorb. Although I disagree with the, um, "authors" (most of the time anyway) I agree with (e:rachel) that it would be beneficial to everyone if all viewpoints were more readily available. I would also like for the "media watch" people to be far less transparently disingenuous in their work. Of course this is asking too much, so I can only hope for us to be able to take baby steps.

Anyway - I have a LOT of stuff to do at work lately, which is why Part 2 hasn't been posted yet. I am not finished expressing my gripe with the local alternatives, and I would like to finish that before we decide to divert the discussion in any other direction. I guess it will have to wait until this weekend sometime because I have already wasted too much time here wriiting this interlude. I didn't want you guys to think I was ignoring you. :)

The local alternative shitrags are becoming more similar and more difficult to take seriously. To be honest, I wish they would focus more on the subjects in which they have any kind of competency - like (gasp!) art, music, theatre, food, local happenings and the like. I am not someone whose mind is closed to new ideas. I think we need a lot of fresh ideas and fresh blood in American politics. Watching this presidential campaign has been revolting. However, people who so consistently weave their flimsy emotional bias into their writing cannot expect the fair minded among us to receive their message. What is their responsibility? Is it to dutifully echo the extremist liberal agenda to the believers, cleverly labeled as "truth" while at the same time crucifying anyone who doesn't share 100% of their glassy-eyed view of the world? Is it to try and convert the unbelievers? Is it to justify their own jobs? It is a shame that otherwise decent publications I used to enjoy reading have become nothing more than "journalistic" bullhorns for the radical liberal cause. They have every right to say what they say, of course I know that. But in using such language, they choose to alienate and condemn anyone who doesn't subscribe to such a fringe political ideology. But of course they are wildly popular because everyone in our neighborhood with the exception of me, my brother, Jessbob and one of the guys from Lazlo Hollyfeld is a lib. Perhaps they see no value in honest political discourse, or in working together to find real solutions to our problems. Perhaps they wish to infiltrate our minds and make us conform into one collective consciousness a la the Borg. I for one don't care for it. Put some logical, coherent, sane thought into it and I'm willing to give it a chance. My ears are open.

More thoughts on this later - work is over and I'm gonna puff a doob before the Bela Fleck show. Look for the guy that vaguely resembles the photo if you are going.

Jason

Well I just found out my best friend's girlfriend dumped him out of the blue. That guy is beside himself with grief right now. He actually really liked her and was happy being with her. I actually feel sick about it....poor bastard. This also means that she probably won't be trying to hook me up with her sister any more. I guess I don't care about that anyway.

You know what makes me even more sick to my stomach? I have been too busy/tired/selfish to pick up the phone the last few days. He needed someone to talk to - he needed help - he needed me to talk him up. Of course if I had seen this situation coming I wouldn't have left the phone alone. Bottom line, I failed him, I flat out failed him. This is not like me, and not like the guy I want to become. This burns me. I am seeing red right now. I wasn't there for my best friend when he needed me the most. What a horrible piece of shit friend I have been to him this week.

My man, if you can read this - I am truly sorry. This is not how a friend treats a friend. I try very hard to be the best guy I can be, but I fell very short this time. I am imperfect. I will put my face on the net and say it where dozens and dozens of people can read it - I have been a Grade A fuckup. I will do whatever I have to do, sacrifice whatever I have to in order to make this right. Hopefully you can forgive me - I know I would be super fucking pissed right now if I were you. You will be cool - girls come and go, and you have had some great ones. I would give years off of my life to be able to have some of the experiences you've had. I envy you. I can't say that some chick won't do the same thing someday, but I can say this - I won't fail you again.