I heard David Bianculli talk about his book on NPR's Fresh Air yesterday and was fascinated by just how courageous the Smothers Brothers were during the 60s. Sometimes you have to create a crapstorm to stand up for your principles when opposed by those in power.
Any Smothers Brothers fans out there with stories about their show in the 60s?
Kurt Nimmo
Infowars
June 15, 2009
FULL STORY: http://www.infowars.com/pentagon-multiple-choice-dissenting-americans-are-terrorists/
A multiple choice question included on a Level 1 Antiterrorism Awareness training course required for all DoD personnel asks the following question: “Which of the following is an example of low-level terrorist activity?” The correct answer is “protests.” The ACLU wants the question removed.
“For the DoD to instruct its employees that lawful protest activities should be treated as ‘low-level terrorism’ is deeply disturbing in and of itself,” write Brick and German of the ACLU in the letter to Gail McGinn. “It is an even more egregious insult to constitutional values, however, when viewed in the context of a long-term pattern of domestic security initiatives that have attempted to equate lawful dissent with terrorism.”
You write a blog post and post it. Someone comes onto your blog and has an alternative point of view. But, instead of engaging this commenter in a logical argument, you lash out at him, belittling his point of view and then using sarcastic remarks in subsequent comments. Is that smart?
This happened recently to me. (I won't mention the blog because that would result in more traffic.) When I first read the author's post, I thought it was insightful, but lacking in a couple of key areas. After reading the author's immature response to my observations, I now think the author is a bit immature, perhaps even an idiot. I won't be back to his blog -- not because I got my feeling hurt -- but because there is probably not much else I can learn from someone who does not have the skills to engage in an argument without resorting to ridicule and sarcasm.
Attacking a commenter might get you some momentary traffic, but is probably unwise in the long run. A blog works best when there are contributing points of view that are different from yours. If all you want is your friends and family agreeing with you, that is probably ok on a personal journal. But, I suspect many authors want their ideas challenged by the readers who find holes in their arguments.
Any dissenting opinions? If you agree with me, please don't post a comment. But, if you have an alternative point of view, please share it.
Originally published at: DogWalkBlog.com
