Subject:
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Re: Preaching to the Choir
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Sun, 8 Aug 2004 04:12:35 GMT
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Viewed:
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1367 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Chris Phillips wrote:
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I’ve noticed that o-t.d seems to be populated largely by people who will never
change their minds about the issues being discussed. There are a lot of us on
the left who seem to be pounding the same arguments into the ground against a
small conservative fringe on the right, who rarely seem to back up their
arguments with fact.
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Well, I doubt I’m in the choir to which you are referring in your subject line;
you probably have me in mind when speaking about the “small conservative fringe
on the right” (BTW, what does that mean, exactly?). So let me tell you about
my particular participation here.
First, I don’t try and change someone’s mind or opinion. I’d much rather
clarify positions. I have been on the Left, so I am pretty familiar with the
mindset, and thus there really isn’t any amount of “pounding” that would ever
change that.
Secondly, the time I have to spend here is sporatic at best. I would love to be
able to make a dedicated effort to engage in this NG on a regular basis, but my
life/workstyle just doesn’t allow it, which is too bad (for me). There have
been many times where I have so wanted to respond in a complete manner in
particular threads, but time just didn’t allow it. It is unfortunate for me,
because I value many opinions offered here, though I may not share them.
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Most everyone else seems to stay out of the fray, probably
never even reading our diatribes.
It recently occurred to me (when someone told me to “get a life” instead of
whining about bley) that it would be more productive for us to spread out,
find some conservative blogs, and start injecting common sense into the
one-sided discussions that happen there. I recently found one such blog that
seems to be run by a relatively open-minded person whose politics I happen to
disagree with. I have spent a lot of time over the past two weeks rocking the
boat there, not letting the crowd that hangs out there get away with the
typical hypocrisy that seems to dominate “debate” on the right. It has been
quite a satisfying experience, and I feel that I am accomplishing something by
providing a counterpoint to the pro-insanity agenda being preached.
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Now you are sounding like some sort of crusader, which is fine I suppose, but
not exactly the kind of attitude I think is mutually beneficial to either side.
(BTW, review your language in the previous paragraphs describing the right. You
sound about as closed-minded as you seem to believe they are)
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I still read LUGNET, and I don’t mean to suggest that anyone should stop
posting here, but this is an important time for us to get the good word out
beyond our small sphere.
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What is that “good word”? Are you talking about Liberalism in general?
JOHN
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Preaching to the Choir
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| (...) The good word I've always tried to share is that of freedom. Free minds, free markets. The problem is that neither "side"(1) gets it. The Right (that's you, John, and your ilk) wants to take away my personal *rights*. They are busily impinging (...) (20 years ago, 8-Aug-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, FTX)
| | | Re: Preaching to the Choir
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| (...) Anyone who has read my LUGNET posts has seen countless occasions where I have retracted my own statements and/or evolved my opinion about one topic or another. And unlike George Bush, I try to never make a statement without backing it up with (...) (20 years ago, 8-Aug-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, FTX)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Preaching to the Choir
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| I've noticed that o-t.d seems to be populated largely by people who will never change their minds about the issues being discussed. There are a lot of us on the left who seem to be pounding the same arguments into the ground against a small (...) (20 years ago, 8-Aug-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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