Letters to the Editor
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@haut
With headlines like this one: "Misdirection Alert: Worry about Wright, not the whore, I mean war, monster, I mean monger",
your screen name should be 'bas'. Perhaps 'femme hater bas'.
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Great Caesar's ghost!
Why are folks so shagged out and depressed? Everybody in the country is THIS much pastor man obsessed?
Get outta the house a little bit more, the game is still afoot, with still no final score.
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@ pyrrho
"By the way, I think Jeremiah Wright is an opportunist and appears to be as racist as those he denounces."
Ok. I don't think this is relevant to anything, but fine. I'd ask what, specifically you consider racist, but that's pretty tangential to the basic points I'm trying to make.
"No amount of apologetics from you, Dr. Rhyme or anyone else will change how many people or I feel about that."
Ok. Not sure what kind of response is appropriate here.
I can't change your mind, nor is that my mission in life.
What's the nature of this bone of contention, I guess I would ask you.
I mean really, what are we arguing about here and what relevance does it have?
"And what is Dr. Rhyme saying? That he will turn his back on well meaning moderate people? What is he suggesting? A revolution?
You'd better ask him, but I'd suggest you not be so eager to find conclusions.
Just try listening and reflecting first. Don't worry about the conclusions. Puzzle out for yourself all the possible conclusions that can be drawn. Sketch out for yourself the argument and main points Dr. Rhyme seems to be making.
Sorry to sound patronizing, but part of reaching out and being open-minded means being committed to using your mind.
You’re losing me here but then I guess I wouldn’t understand, would I?
No, probably not. You appear to lack certain fundamental skills of deliberation, analysis, interpretation, etc. Understanding is an active pursuit. Not everything can be served up on a silver platter. You have to be willing to do some work.
Despite your bitterness I would still try to meet you halfway.
Ok, if you really mean this, truly, I'd ask you to go back, read Dr. Rhyme's words and then summarize them for me.
DOn't worry about right or wrong, it's just that the first step to dialogue is (literally) being on the same page.
I've supplied an actual text we can all refer to. It may mean different things to each of us, and that's ok. In fact, it's probably inevitable.
But we have to start somewhere, establishing agreed-upon premises.
So if you can offer your thoughts about what you think Dr. Rhyme is trying to say and/or how you take his words, we'll have a "halfway" point from which to build up mutual understanding.
Are you game?
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@weep
Fair enough but Dr. Rhyme's statements don't make much sense to me. My sensitivity has a practical component to it and I can't understand what Dr. Rhyme is proposing. By the way, I did differentiate between your comments and Dr. Rhyme's.
Sounds like we want the same thing but from disparate points of view. I want justice for everyone and so do you. Less finger pointing and more action on helping those who need help. Hope I'm not putting words in your mouth. I must say that looking at where we are now I don't have much hope. Now I'm getting maudlin.
Shame we can't discuss this over a few bottles of wine. I am much more emphathetic in person and rarely have meet anyone I don't like. I am sure I would find Jeremiah Wright likeable as well despite his recent theatrics. Whatever the outcome for Obama I will still vote for him.
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@ pyrrho
Thank you so much for your response, pyrrho.
"Fair enough but Dr. Rhyme's statements don't make much sense to me. My sensitivity has a practical component to it and I can't understand what Dr. Rhyme is proposing."
I get this, and this is important. I'm suggesting precisely that you make an effort to factor out the "practical component" and find a perspective from which you can usefully understand or at least attempt to, what is being said.
I'm not saying its easy, but I think it's urgently necessary, on all our parts. To me it's how we practice empathy and I believe that there can be no pursuit of justice without an attendant pursuit of empathy.
They're inextricably connected, in my view.
"By the way, I did differentiate between your comments and Dr. Rhyme's."
You did, except the initial quote. Anyway, that's not that important.
"Sounds like we want the same thing but from disparate points of view."
I'm glad to hear you say that! That's heartening.
I want justice for everyone and so do you.
I take you at your word that you want justice for everyone. And yes, so do I. See? Common ground!
"Less finger pointing and more action on helping those who need help."
I don't think that "action" and "finger pointing" is mutually exclusive.
To me, "finger pointing" is nothing more than keeping track of results and demanding accountability, in many spheres. "Finger pointing" can be nothing more than crying, "This is unjust!"
If you're working for justice, you have to recognize it when you see it, don't you? Of course there are degrees of justice and lots of factors determining how and when we pursue justice, and whether justice is measured in the immediate or short term, or the long term, etc.
I don't presume to have solved the problem of justice, but I try. I earnestly try.
The point being, I guess that's what this whole issue boils down to: notions of justice.
I just wish we could cut to the quick of the matter rather than fucking around in the weeds.
"Hope I'm not putting words in your mouth. I must say that looking at where we are now I don't have much hope. Now I'm getting maudlin."
I don't have much hope either.
This is maybe one of the reasons for my anger with Joan. She's giving me evidence for cynicism.
I don't like being cynical and have a real tendency towards it. It's the flip side of idealism.
I think on some level I resent Joan for playing to my cynicism.
But in fairness, that's my issue and I can't fault Joan personally for that. Still, I don't think that accounts for my harsh criticism of her, which isn't based on how she makes me feel, but rather how she practices her craft which I believe is a sacred trust and not to be trifled with.
I'd be interested in hearing your ideas of justice, if you'd care to share them. Otherwise, thanks again for the humane reply.
Shame we can't discuss this over a few bottles of wine. I am much more emphathetic in person and rarely have meet anyone I don't like. I am sure I would find Jeremiah Wright likeable as well despite his recent theatrics. Whatever the outcome for Obama I will still vote for him.