I’ve been snapping a bit today, and I’ve used harsher language than I usually do. In a way I regret this, but I’ve said nothing I want to retract.
I’ve always tried to treat everyone on this board with respect. There are ideas, though, that I cannot and will not treat with respect, because they simply do not deserve it. They’ve come up over and over again and been dismissed over and over again; they keep coming back, and I am getting sick and tired of addressing them with a seriousness that they do not merit. This, then, serves as fair warning: the following assertions and all arguments based on them will be treated, if addressed to me, with absolute contempt:
“Everyone in the world is either with us or against us in the fight against terrorism.”
“Failure to invade Iraq immediately will effectively cede control of the Middle East to Saddam.”
“Our choice is between immediate invasion and doing nothing.”
These statements may be well suited to the lowest level of political propaganda, but I don’t think they have any place in an intelligent discussion. As far as I’m concerned, their continued appearance is an insult to everyone here.
I really don’t like acting like this, and I hope that those who feel the need to repeat these things will simply direct them elsewhere, allowing me to ignore them. I continue, of course, to welcome any discussion of meaningful issues, of which there are many in this picture. I’ve just run completely out of patience with the knee-jerk propaganda material.
I also hope that it is understood that any hostility, anger, or contempt I manifest here is directed at an idea and not at a person. Some may not make that distinction. I do.
I will now go away from this place, and come back tomorrow to read the assorted expressions of outrage that this will provoke.
Steve
PS: Somre nice stuff in the inbox today, which was welcome. I will respond to those tomorrow; I like to think about these things before writing. A peculiar approach, I know, but not one I'm ashamed of. |
