In this case, I suggest focusing rebuttals of the most critical underlying arguments and ignoring details.
The one convincing argument the anti-metric lobby relies upon the most is freedom. I would focus on rebutting this claim, and not get too wrapped up in back-and-forth arguments like such-and-such a store's detailed practices. Here's a start: "If measurement is free, then why can't I buy gasoline by the liter? Why can't I buy fruits and vegetables by the kilogram? For that matter, why can't I buy gasoline by the firkin and milk by the imperial gallon? In fact, measurement has not been free in English speaking nations for hundreds if not thousands of years. [insert specific examples with quotes and references here.] " Now, if only Han Maenen would be so kind as to give us a few specific examples with juicy quotes about laws forbidding units and about specific punishments for using a forbidden unit. John On Thursday 06 November 2003 20:04, Mighty Chimp wrote: > I agree with you 100 %. But, it is necessary also to refute their claims > on websites like metricsucks. Some of the undecided may visit that site > and see only anti-metric comments made there or read a series of lies and > then believe them to be true. It is very important, to me at least, that > these people see a pro-metric point of view. Then they may at least remain > neutral. > > If we don't battle them, then we may see them convincing more people to > their ways, then us convincing people to our way. > > Euric > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "John S. Ward" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Thursday, 2003-11-06 22:22 > Subject: [USMA:27492] Arguing with the BWMA, etc. > > > Hi, > > > > I don't think there's much to be gained by arguing with anti-metric > > militants. > > > These people have already made up their minds, and they aren't going to > > change. Furthermore, anti-metric folks are illogical by nature. Most of > > their arguments are blatant falsehoods and they don't care. YOU CAN'T > > WIN! > > > On the other hand, there are hundreds of millions of people who haven't > > made > > > up their minds yet. These are the people that I want to talk to. > > Probably > > > 80% of the people I talk to agree that the U.S. should complete > > metrication. > > > Much to my surprise, most are pretty enthusiastic. > > > > I met a guy this morning. He told me he first learned about the metric > > system > > > in a physics class 48 years ago. Thirty years ago he was convinced the > > U.S. > > > was converting, so he bought his son a set of metric tools. I quote, "We > > would all be better off today if we had gone metric 30 years ago." > > > > Also today, someone saw my "Go metric" bumper sticker and said he "ought" > > to > > > put one on his car, too. > > > > These are the people I want to talk to. Talk to a journalist, and he may > > start using metric measures in his publications. Talk to a school > > teacher, > > > and he may get interested in teaching his students. Talk to an engineer, > > and > > > he just might design something metric. Talk to someone who likes to > > cook, and he might try cooking a metric recipe. The list goes on.... > > > > John
