tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5044318737317983833.post8258099786189580557..comments2023-06-08T04:15:43.908-05:00Comments on The Lost Albatross: Dumbing down the discourseEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11393762115493350763noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5044318737317983833.post-34999486677253436112008-04-14T11:45:00.000-05:002008-04-14T11:45:00.000-05:00In case anyone's wondering what the heck PD is tal...In case anyone's wondering what the heck PD is talking about, it's a reference to the comments thread on <A HREF="http://www.dane101.com/current/2008/04/10/regretfully_in_defense_of_michelle_malkin" REL="nofollow">this article at dane101</A>.<BR/><BR/>It may take you awhile to get through all of that.<BR/><BR/>PD - I took issue with that statement because it made the blanket accusation that all "progressive" at the university were using "fascist tactics" - which is not remotely true. Is shouting down and otherwise abusing an invited speaker a shitty thing to do? Yes, and I made that clear in my comments and in this post. Does what happened at the Malkin speech count as "fascist tactics?" I'm not sure it quite reaches that level, but I'm willing to concede that similar harsh tactics were used by Nazi sympathizers. <BR/><BR/>I should have more carefully phrased my rebuttal to point out what I felt was the absurdity of accusing all Madison progressives of using fascist tactics (and, as is implied, of being fascists themselves--which, for anyone who knows anything about the history of fascism, is in fact completely ridiculous).Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11393762115493350763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5044318737317983833.post-2607849685524317162008-04-12T02:24:00.000-05:002008-04-12T02:24:00.000-05:00"progressives at Madison continue to use fascist t...<I><B>"progressives at Madison continue to use fascist tactics"<BR/><BR/>Do you really know what fascism means? I would encourage you to read up on Germany in the 30's and 40's, as well as Italy and Spain. Then come back to here and tell us that we're fascists.</B></I><BR/><BR/>Yes, I <I>really</I> know what fascist means.<BR/><BR/>I've read up on Germany in the 30's and 40's, as well as Italy and Spain. <BR/><BR/>I've come back here to tell you that shouting down and otherwise abusing a speaker who has been invited to deliver an address is a fascist tactic, one that was employed by nazi students in the 30's to purge the universities of jewish, classical liberal and other dissident voices. Perhaps it is <I>you</I> who should spend a little time researching the history of fascism on campus.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5044318737317983833.post-3614980245333319202008-04-09T12:36:00.000-05:002008-04-09T12:36:00.000-05:00The best approach is to let her stupidity speak fo...The best approach is to let her stupidity speak for itself.krshorewoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00417863312104824551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5044318737317983833.post-24042243365333395672008-04-09T10:58:00.000-05:002008-04-09T10:58:00.000-05:00CB - Always much obliged to the service you do for...CB - Always much obliged to the service you do for campus.<BR/><BR/>FL - My opinion is that yes, indeed, Malkin has contributed to the dumbing down of the discourse. My message is as much for her as it is for those people in the audience who saw fit to scream at her during her talk.<BR/><BR/>Look, it's up to an informed public to make sure misinformation is strongly countered, but that shouldn't involve shouting "fuck you!" at someone. That's not going to convince anyone that you're right. And despite the fact that I disagree with 99% of what Malkin and co. say, it is their opinion and they have every right to express it.<BR/><BR/>There is a difference, though, between expressing a disagreeable opinion and spreading outright lies. It's called slander/libel, and we have good laws in place to deal with it. It's up to us to exercise those laws, of course.Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11393762115493350763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5044318737317983833.post-41320616074362772692008-04-09T09:56:00.000-05:002008-04-09T09:56:00.000-05:00Haven't people like Malkin already dumbed down the...Haven't people like Malkin already dumbed down the discourse by lying and misleading people? Do they have an inherent right to have their nonsense listened to as if it is true? Why?Free Lunchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12272965187978654322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5044318737317983833.post-33968109796564021842008-04-09T01:14:00.000-05:002008-04-09T01:14:00.000-05:00Just so you know my live blog was the first media ...Just so you know my live blog was the first media source -- and for a time, the only -- to report on the obscenities.Daniel S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02806242790179490292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5044318737317983833.post-40540051000937201422008-04-08T15:45:00.000-05:002008-04-08T15:45:00.000-05:00The best way to deal with blowhards and creeps is ...The best way to deal with blowhards and creeps is to ignore them. Scrape them off like the ticks they are and move along. <BR/>The other way that I think works great is to laugh at them, using humor as a tool to disarm them.<BR/>But I don't think intterupting someone screeching out lies or hate is an unforgivable sin. Rude, maybe, and pointless when you consider that the Ann Coulters and Malkins and Barking heads like Bill Orally and Rushbo feed on the attention. <BR/>But what do I know, I'm just one of those flaming liberal unpatriotic dykes destroying marriage and human society.....elliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16525818580068532479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5044318737317983833.post-51735044679208154452008-04-08T10:51:00.000-05:002008-04-08T10:51:00.000-05:00Inturrupting someone is a far more unforgivable si...Inturrupting someone is a far more unforgivable sin than being a liberal or conservative. I don't know if I can think of anything more rude or annoying, regardless of whatever ignorance was spewing from the guest speaker's maw.The CDP.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10960324885155236386noreply@blogger.com