----- Original Message ----- From: "Warren Ockrassa" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Killer Bs Discussion" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, November 20, 2004 1:05 PM Subject: Re: Br!n: Big Suggestion
> On Nov 20, 2004, at 11:53 AM, Dan Minette wrote: > > >> You, sir, are in no position to criticize him on his ability to carry > >> on civil discourse. Your very first interaction on this list to ME was > >> a sneering comment on my atheism. > > > > My memory was that it was a comment on your sneering athiesm. :-) > > My recollection was that his statement was, quote, "Oh no, not another > one." And the comment he was replying to was, and I quote: <quote> > The best way to be free from religious terrorism is to be free from religion. <end quote> I think my memory is pretty good. > >> So be quiet and let the adults speak, okay? > > > > Since you're fairly new, it may be that you've missed a working rule of > > this list...if people are generally polite, as JDG was in this last > > post, > > we frown on others telling them to shut up. Indeed, if they are not > > polite, we don't tell them to shut up, we merely ask them to be polite. > > I'm not *that* new. I recognized, as should you, that this last post > was JDG's attempt to draw out Dr. Brin, so he could once again engage > him in acrimony. Hmmm, its interesting that you are so sure about your viewpoints...How do you know what is in JDG's head. Did he tell you that is what he was attempting? Have you discussed his motivation with him offlist? My reading of your posts is that you often write as though your quick assessement is far superior to scholarship on the part of others. For example, as far as I can tell, you wrote as though Gautam's memory of a class he took at Harvard is the equal of your gut feel. If that is not what you intended, then I'd be happy to explain to you why I obtained that understanding from what I wrote, and have you show me why your intent was not to give that impression. In other words, I'll accept that I didn't fully parse your attempt, because I have no a priori knowledge of your thought processes. However, I have been taught how to parse meaning from text, so I'd be happy to explain my processes. I hope that such an exchange would lead to improved communications in the future. >He's used the technique before. Goading, prodding, and > then when told to stuff it, crying foul. OK, so people you agree with shouldn't be questioned, while it is perfectly acceptable to insult those you differ with....as you insulted me. The only logical reason for this is if you had an intuition that was far superior to the scholarship of others. To be blunt, I see no evidence of that. > I wasn't fooled by the polite tone any more than a sheep's hide would > trick me into disbelieving the wolf's growl. Pray tell me why you fell > for it. Because I don't think I know the truth about other people a priori. I try to glean what I can from what I read. That is another way you and I appear to differ. :-) Its interesting that you made a broad swipe, insulting 90%+ of Americans, including JDG and myself, and then cry foul when JDG says "Oh no". Why do you have the right to insult him and me, and why is it nasty for him to register chagrin at such an insult? Dan M. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
