[lit-ideas] Re: Max Boot
- From: "Simon Ward" <sedward@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2007 22:02:01 -0000
So that's a no for Saddam's demise then?
Too difficult to defend? Too embarrassing a mistake? Or do you like the notion
of raw revenge and how that will enrage the Arab and Muslim world?
----- Original Message -----
From: Lawrence Helm
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, January 01, 2007 9:55 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Max Boot
Simon writes, As for my [lack of] success in debates with Lawrence, memory
suggests that it has been him either using dodgy debating tactics [like using
logic] or else just plain leaving rather than me on the fire and burn.
Right, well I do confess to "just plain leaving" after you demonstrated not
only a lack of understanding of the rules of logic but an insistence that logic
should be ignored in order to allow the debate to continue.
Lawrence
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From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Simon Ward
Sent: Monday, January 01, 2007 1:35 PM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Max Boot
Not for the last time, Lawrence misses the joke [thought the parenthetical
comment might give the clue, but no...]
As for my success in debates with Lawrence, memory suggests that it has been
him either using dodgy debating tactics or else just plain leaving rather than
me on the fire and burn. But since it's New Year, perhaps we could turn over a
new leaf and discuss something to the bitter end.
How about Saddam's demise?
Simon
----- Original Message -----
From: Lawrence Helm
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, January 01, 2007 9:19 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Max Boot
Simon wrote, "As for Lawrence, I think we all know by now that he is the
devil incarnate [says the athiest trying not to grin]."
Since Simon has never done terribly well debating me, I can see why he
might ascribe this fact to my possessing supernatural abilities. Let me
hasten, before I suffer the same fate as Nebuchadnezzar, to assure everyone
that I make no such claim.
Lawrence
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From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Simon Ward
Sent: Monday, January 01, 2007 12:52 PM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Max Boot
Brian,
I doubt you'll find many on the left who have a true concept of evil in the
sense of a profoundly flawed soul. That's far too spiritual. Instead, those on
the left will talk about motives, sometimes in a conspiratorial manner, but
often in terms of economic greed, not personally, but in a partisan way. It's
motive that matters far more than the individual, because motive covers the
broader range of decision making activities. Nobody on the left would say that
Bush is evil, many, if not all, would say that he is a misguided idiot.
As far as Eric is concerned, I for one find his views divergent from his
nature. In one post he will talk fondly of the bear in the orchard, in another
he breaths fire about an arab in a cave. Given that he is a Newyorker, I think
this is understandable, sad yes, but entirely understandable.
As for Lawrence, I think we all know by now that he is the devil incarnate
[says the athiest trying not to grin].
Simon
----- Original Message -----
From: Brian
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, January 01, 2007 3:27 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Max Boot
Simon, there was no vitriol present. I was demonstrating Irene's
absurdity by being absurd. She has a bad habit of speculating about the
psychology of people she doesn't know and imposing a template from the
therapeutic/victim culture onto them. And I don't see how it in any way
negates her apology or my accepting it. In fact, I think her admission of
error would be stronger if she had left it at that instead of pretending I
brought up Bill Clinton in a completely different context to deflect from Max
Boot's crushing analysis of a position I haven't staked.
I think you're quite wrong about Rightists. By-in-large conservatives
believe the Left is wrong but the Left believes the Right isn't just wrong, but
bad and often evil. We see this time and again, both in the larger culture and
on this list, with President Bush. It isn't enough to say his policies are
wrong but that he is a bad person and a force for evil in the world. How many
times has Eric taken a more conservative position and been personally attacked
for it?
~Brian
On Dec 30, 2006, at 4:44 AM, Simon Ward wrote:
Seems Lawrence's surrogate didn't waste too much time descending into
vitriol. Par for the course with these Rightists. Some advise: never waste an
apology, you might not get another.
Other related posts:
