Re: would you vote for this man?

From: Samantha Atkins (samantha@objectent.com)
Date: Sat Aug 30 2003 - 23:11:26 MDT

  • Next message: Spike: "RE: Of Paroxysms and Politics (was would you vote for this man?)"

    I am sorry but as long as the discussion remains civil I thought it was
    perfectly fine to discuss political issues especially if they have some
    bearing on our abilities to accomplish our goals and retain our freedom to
    work toward those goals.

    Are you now requesting that I don't reply to your question asking for details
    of where these laws are in fact dangerous to some of our fundamental civil
    liberties? I am confused by your getting so riled up.

    - samantha

    On Saturday 30 August 2003 16:04, Greg Burch wrote:
    > This list has just gone through a paroxysm of anger and hurt over
    > discussion of current political issues. Before continuing with this
    > thread, please ask yourself whether this is the right forum for discussions
    > of this sort. There are literally thousands of places on the net to discuss
    > contemporary political issues. Other than those that bear DIRECTLY on the
    > transhumanist agenda, this isn't one of them.
    >
    > I know it's hard -- I did it myself today; and I'm already very sorry that
    > I did. I just got back from a trip to the grocery store and the short time
    > away from the house gave me time to think. Nothing I write here about
    > current political issues is going to change the minds of anyone who posts
    > something that I find so problematic that I'm moved to post on it. The
    > most that I get from such a post is the momentary venting of partisan
    > anger. I have a blog where I can do that and, if anyone is interested in
    > what I have to say about politics, they can go there. I know there's a
    > feeling that one must say something, lest what one finds to be an
    > outrageous statement go unchallenged. But nothing is really accomplished
    > by that -- everyone knows there are multiple sides to the current issues,
    > and nothing is accomplished by making a small mark on a scoreboard to note
    > that "here's someone on THIS side of the issue."
    >
    > I've given up on the idea of encouraging "civil dialogue" on contemporary
    > political issues: There will always be people who will push the rhetorical
    > heat up beyond what a civil discussion forum can tolerate. Draconian
    > policing of the list is a last resort. So let me please enter a plea to
    > simply leave off from discussion of the hot-button political and
    > ideological issues.
    >
    > Greg Burch
    > Vice-President, Extropy Institute
    > My Blog: http://www.gregburch.net/burchismo.html

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