General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The latest "banning" (NYC_SKP) is an interesting lesson on REPUTATION. [View all]Pooka Fey
(3,496 posts)Watching the grave dancing and the hotly debated justifications for his banishment , I keep being reminded of Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic book "The Scarlet Letter".
This notion of the moral righteousness of punishment for sin is our legacy of the Puritan founders...how is it possible that this ethic is still imprinted upon the American character after 4 centuries? But here it is on DU, plainly visible.
I've spent a decade living abroad, so I do have a basis for which to compare cultures. This attraction for simplistic binary thinking - good or evil - with us or against us - one misstep and you're out -- it's a very American personality trait.
And it plays nicely into a political dynamic where we can severely censor words and language use, but then overlook many much more harmful crimes.
I loved your essay, IdaBriggs. Thank you.
On edit: I'm a longtime DUer, I recognized NYSKP by his user name, but I don't know him at all- so I have no opinion other than it seems harsh to banish a long time member over one post. A time-out would have seemed more appropriate to me.