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Although many U.S. presidential candidates are discussing "aliens," the Daily Mail has a story about a candidate talking about aliens from potentially much farther away. According to the Daily Mail, Hillary Clinton has made a campaign promise to 'get to the bottom' of Area 51 if she should be elected President of the United States of America. Specifically, Clinton said that she would reveal the UFO truth:
"one way or another. Maybe we could have, like, a task force to go to Area 51."
"I think we may have been [visited already]. We don't know for sure."
The Daily Mail story is based on the report of an interview with the candidate published in the Conway Daily Sun newspaper of Conway, New Hampshire.
Do the contributors here think that extraterrestrials are a promising and important campaign topic? Or is there skepticism?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 10 2016, @11:52PM
Hey Runaway. I'm beginning to think that you're an (American) left-wing (which means center-right everywhere else) plant, attempting some sort of false-flag to make the right seem like a bunch of complete morons.
No way, not even Runaway could make the American right seem to be a bunch of complete morons! I don't thing he is a false flag, I just think he is the real thing.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by NotSanguine on Monday January 11 2016, @12:43AM
Hey Runaway. I'm beginning to think that you're an (American) left-wing (which means center-right everywhere else) plant, attempting some sort of false-flag to make the right seem like a bunch of complete morons.
No way, not even Runaway could make the American right seem to be a bunch of complete morons! I don't thing he is a false flag, I just think he is the real thing.
tl;dr: There are both morons and intelligent/thoughtful persons of every stripe.
An interesting (if divisive and short-sighted) point. However, I'd point out that The Mighty Buzzard [soylentnews.org] and Frojack [soylentnews.org] among others here also espouse right-wing ideas, and while I may disagree with some of those ideas, they actually attempt to back up their positions with logic and/or fact.
That's the essence of free, honest discourse IMHO.
Runaway1956, on the other hand, generally doesn't back up his claims with anything approaching logic or evidence.
I suggested that Runaway might be a (American) left-wing plant as an alternative to the idea that he is, in fact, that dumb -- essentially giving him the benefit of the doubt.
What is more, our beliefs are usually much more nuanced than left/right or Libertarian/Collectivist. Our views are guided by our life experiences and the information we both take to heart and reject. This blurs the lines pretty significantly.
I believe that all ideas, from the coherent to the dotty should be espoused, examined and debated, creating what William O. Douglas called the Marketplace of Ideas [wikipedia.org].
As an example, I am (WRT social issues) strongly libertarian and believe that we should have the right to think and speak without restriction. I also believe that we should be able to act without restriction, unless those actions impinge on the rights of others [quoteinvestigator.com].
At the same time, I also believe that, as a society, we have an obligation to assist those who are less fortunate and, that government is an appropriate mechanism for doing so. E Pluribus Unum [wikipedia.org] has strong meaning for me and I believe that we are stronger together as a society than we are as individuals.
This isn't cognitive dissonance [wikipedia.org], rather it's the result of my life experiences. I try hard (and usually succeed) not to negatively judge those with whom I disagree, nor do I attempt to silence them. I'd much prefer to find areas of agreement (of which there are many on all sides, IMHO), while engaging (without rancor) others in healthy debate the ideas over which we disagree.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 11 2016, @02:16AM
It is weird how you made your conspiracy theory critique of runaway all about you.
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Monday January 11 2016, @02:34AM
It is weird how you made your conspiracy theory critique of runaway all about you.
It's weird how you think that everything isn't about me, friend.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr