> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On
> Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[snip]
> Are you suggesting that all critics of the United State are fair critics?
Hardly. I made no comment on that issue, only on the rhetoric.
> I almost think you believe that, but that's probably an uncharitable
> reading of your posts. The arguments that many criticisms of the United
> States are motivated by things other than the justice of morality of the
> American position puts me in the company of such fervent American
> nationalists as Tony Blair, who told a meeting of his _own_ party that the
> reaction to September 11th of some of the people in the room revealed an
> ardent anti-Americanism that shamed them.
Comparing your beliefs to Tony Blair's beliefs is irrelevant. Compare his
rhetoric, the way he debates, with yours. I think you'll find that he
doesn't discount by ad hominem those with whom he disagrees. Can you even
imagine Tony Blair saying that people who disagree with him do so because
they "seek only to criticize to satisfy some internal compulsions?" I have
a hard time reading that as anything other than a comment on the mental
health, at best, of whoever is being described, as in "people mutilate
themselves to satisfy some internal compulsion." Bringing the notion of
compulsive behavior into political debate is an ad hominem, regardless of
what side one is on. Perhaps there's another interpretation. Anyone?
Or are we only participating in Brin-L to satisfy some compulsion and thus
should not take anything here seriously... ;-)
I'm not picking on you for your views here, Gautam. As periodically seems
to be the case, your way of arguing them disturbs me. Conversely, it's not
that I agree with Jeroen, but he seems to argue reasonably... until he
becomes angry. It's my hope that we can all argue well, not that we can all
agree.
Nick
