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• Friday, February 16, 2007 08:01 PM

  Art guerrilla

  I still don't know what your point is, but you do get an A for writing effort.

  I didn't call you out simply for naughty words, I called you out for your overall insulting tone toward anyone you disagree with. This isn't priggish, it's just good communication. You want to win people over to your way of thinking? Make them see the world as you do? Then focus your artful communication in a way that isn't self-marginalizing. Why would anybody want to sift through your rant to get to the substance when every other phrase calls them a pussy? Ever heard of the Golden Rule? How do you like to be spoken to? With a modicum of respect or without? (I don't mean "respect" as in "ass-kissing." I mean "respect" as in "basic decency toward another human.")

  You misrepresented what I said. I didn't say that "bad words" were going to trigger the apocalpyse. I said it is sad to see liberals acting as bad as right-wingers and then being self-congratulatory about it as if they're being "real." Reality is what you make it, not what you use to rationalize doing whatever you feel like. Comparing your juvenile blogging style to the men at the Boston Tea Party is a good one. The only difference is they were taking real action about something they cared about, that had the power to change matters, and you're sitting alone typing for a self-satisfying political exercise.

  Again, what was the substance of your original rant? That people shouldn't ever be offended by things? That there is no purpose for employing a level of respect in communication? Feel free to elucidate if you can get it out between chants of "you douchebag."

  The funny thing is, I agree with a lot of what you write. I'm down on the "korporatocracy" and cynical about government. Iraq is a disgrace. The computer voting systems have proven to be corruptible and should be overhauled. I am all for a very clear separation of church and state. There is absolutely a place for malcontents and subversives, especially when they have something real to say as opposed to thumping their chests and screaming, "Look at me! Look at me!" which is what your "guerrilla" (pun intended) style amounts to.

  You said something I disagree with in this statement: "it is ALWAYS the loudmouthed, rebellious, and -yes- profane malcontents who curse The System (tm), who always, Always, ALWAYS are the irritant which eventually FORCES the system to accomodate their progressive agenda, then you are uneducated..."

  In fact, history has plenty of examples of people who effected change without making insults one of their primary tools. There are people who worked diligently and peacefully to change society, and succeeded. You can call me uneducated and other names till you're blue in the fingertips, but you've just made an absolute "always" statement that is demonstrably false.

  You misrepresent me throughout your message ("childish fixation on 'dirty' words"? It wasn't even the words I objected to, it was the rudeness. And I like George Carlin's dirty-words album; used to own it). It's strange, really, that you turn to this straw-man tactic so easily. If you have to misrepresent somebody to argue against him, I consider it evidence that on some level you are aware of the weakness of your own position.

  Yes, I do watch the Daily Show and Colbert. I am aware they use swear words, especially Stewart (Colbert's use is rare -- he's playing the part of a right-wing gasbag), and I don't mind that at all. I guess it's because Stewart uses swear words artfully and humorously, in the context of pointed political satire, and with a light spirit. I wish I could say the same for what Amanda wrote.

  I disagree with you that all of those who claimed offense at Amanda's comments are just pretending. Granted, the whole thing was exploited as a tool against Edwards, but I imagine when the quotes reached the ears of Joe Average Religious American, and he took offense, it was real. Whatever the sincerity of people might be, Amanda's comments are not the sort of thing that reflect well on a presidential campaign. You claim they were mere "heat of the moment" words, sort of like calling somebody a dickhead in an argument, but somehow I doubt Amanda didn't have the time to preview and edit her blog.

  I probably shouldn't even bother replying to you, but what the hell. You do seem creative. I hope you will find a smarter way to channel it than your current verbal-diarrhea approach.

  —Juniper Flesco
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