Definition: The Straw Man fallacy is committed when a person simply ignores a person's actual position and substitutes a distorted, exaggerated or misrepresented version of that position.
Warning! This poster, Tony West, engages the straw man fallacy. Warning! Ignore this barking cheese poster. Here is a good example of the danger of censored private listservs masquerading as community discussion forums. When members of the cheese gang publish distortions and misinformation regularly using various fallacies, responsible citizens do not see and cannot correct the lies for unsuspecting readers. Mr. West, thank you for publishing your false interpretation on the public listserv where readers tend to function with much greater comprehension and analytical ability than frightened bullies on the Penn censored list, [email protected]. In pubic view, Mr moyer -----Original Message----- >From: Anthony West <[email protected]> >Sent: Jan 3, 2009 6:28 AM >To: UnivCity listserv <[email protected]> >Subject: Re: [UC] 311 system for tourists > >Glenn, > >You originally published claims that 311 was designed to serve the >tourist industry, and that Free Library personnel were being cut to >staff this new center. > >I contacted a direct source of data on 311 at the Mayor's Office to >check these claims. Both turned out to be false. > >Now you are proposing that non-residents be forbidden to call 311 with >inquiries about City services. Wow! How about 911 as well, while you're >at it? I assume you don't want police and firefighters to serve visitors >either. I don't think this one will fly, Glenn. But you are free to call >311 and suggest this policy to the appropriate City agency. > >Your own concerns about your trash tickets, by the way, are commercial, >are they not? Your business is that of housing provider. So I don't >understand why you now want commercial callers like yourself to be >banned from calling the City to complain about things like trash tickets. > >One management innovation that 311 promises is a built-in call-tracking >and response system. This would be an enormous improvement over the >current 686-1776 system and that is one problem 311 is designed to >confront. Will it work? Time will tell. There are models in other >cities, however. > >-- Tony West > >> Thanks Tony, >> >> But you forgot to include the lead quote from the Daily News from my post: >> >> “Philadelphia's widely anticipated 311 call center opened yesterday, >> offering for the first time a free phone number that residents, businesses >> and visitors can dial 24 hours a day to get information about a wide array >> of city services.” >> >> http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20090101_Philadelphia_opens_311_call_center.html >> >> Did Maura Kennedy promise that non-governmental commercial referrals would >> be forever banned from this system? Why would "visitors" call about bogus >> trash tickets, etc.? >> >> I wonder why Maura Kennedy didn't mention that we had 686-1776 for decades? >> That was exactly the same operator as 311. I didn't use the operator when >> no one would return calls or answer phones as I investigated the corruption >> over bogus trash tickets. In fact, why hasn't anyone explained how 311 will >> magically bring great service when 686-1776 never made a difference? >> >> Since this customer service department is not linked to, and cannot be >> expected to lead to better service responses for citizens; I would feel much >> better if commercial or tourist referrals were forever forbidden from the >> system. The tourist industry could benefit from such a system even though >> it will not benefit taxpayers whatsoever. >> >> Sometimes press releases introduce one thing, and then the public finds out >> much later, when it is too late, that it never was intended to be what was >> initially spinned in the propaganda. Sorry, I meant press release. >> >> The enforceable limitations of 311 are what is important, not press >> releases. You and I know, better than many people, that press releases can >> be nothing more than hooey. >> >> Example: We thought UCD loved us and only wanted to make us cleaner and >> safer-hahaha >> >> Tired of lies, >> Glenn >> >> > > >---- >You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the >list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see ><http://www.purple.com/list.html>. ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
