[Newspoetry] thanks for opinions / poem take II

[Sam Markewich 2]

Or perhaps Sam
meant that Goff didn't give us any evidence that the
evidence against bin
Laden was weak, which would be a fairer accusation


Sorry.  Yes, William, this is what I meant.  I certainly don't think
evidence of innocence needs to be offered.  I also want to clarify what
I meant about Goff's style.  I didn't mean to offer a critique of his
writing as art.  Rather, I meant that I am not convinced that his claims
are factual because they are backed up by inference and not evidence in
his writing.  His claims seem to be inferred from his knowledge of the
role oil has for the U.S.  I also feel that his arguments get muddled at
times through his use of cliches of leftist writing.  I'm not critiquing
this use because I think he should be a finer writer but only because
his use of these particular cliches makes his thought process seem
looser (but not dumber) than it would have to be for me to feel
certainty that his claims are facts rather than opinions.  If someone
makes a claim of fact I want to see the evidence for it.  Otherwise, I
have no way to know whether or not it is true.  Anything I have said
about weak parts of his writing is only about this and not in any way
meant as an artistic critique.  I'm also happy that he is choosing to be
a leftist over a military person.  And I wouldn't be surprised if
everything he said is true.  It's just that I don't feel comfortable
thinking that it's true and acting from that.  Does that clear things up
or make them more foggy?  By the way, I heard that the evidence supplied
to Tony Blair was posted on the web, though I have no idea where.  If
you come accross it please let me know.

- sammy