debate idea Re: [Peace-discuss] The case against anti-war adventurism in the U.S. (fwd)

[paul michael king]

I be happy to work on this!

Of course, we run the risk of vainglorious grandstanding. Many of those
who speak will be driven by ego, concerned with with their own arguments,
driven by intellect, focused on appearance and drama. This concern for the
"me, me, me"  could get ugly. Some of them may even suffer from a
"messianic complex", dreaming of making the ultimate sacrifice for a
better world. Oh, those selfish activitists! Maybe we shouldn't go outside
at all! Maybe we should sit in a dark closet until all ego is
extinguished. [sarcasm] =)

That article bugged me.

..::Paul

On Mon, 17 Mar 2003, Ricky Baldwin wrote:

> Actually, Jeff Sowers suggested a public debate to
> Mark Thompson, the organizer of Saturday's
> "pro-troops" rally, and he reportedly liked the idea.
> I'd suggest anyone who wants to work on this - like
> Paul - should talk to Jeff and get started (time's
> a-wastin').
>
> Ricky
>
> --- paul michael king <pmking at students.uiuc.edu>
> wrote:
> >
> > We're going to war without having a real debate,
> > either in the Congress or
> > in the country: this is often said by the antiwar
> > opposition. Well, then,
> > instead of preaching to the converted, let's
> > challenge the other side: I
> > propose a series of town hall debates at which we
> > confront the advocates
> > of war, right and left, and expose them in full view
> > of the American
> > people.
> >
> > Both visually and intellectually, such a device is
> > so much more
> > interesting than a sea of chanting protesters: it
> > has a built-in dramatic
> > structure made for television. The 21st century
> > equivalent of the
> > Lincoln-Douglas debates, re-enacted in hundreds of
> > cities and towns across
> > the country: what better way to reassert the
> > legitimacy of dissent and
> > throw down the gauntlet to the War Party? If the
> > civilian advocates of
> > this war fail to pick it up, then they lay
> > themselves open to the charge
> > of cowardice. We can then point to the anomaly of a
> > War Party that doesn't
> > flinch at mowing down whole cities full of Iraqi
> > civilians, but is too
> > scared to face their fellow Americans on the
> > battlefield of ideas.
> >
> > I don't agree with the rest of his article at all,
> > but this idea really
> > appeals to me. What do others think? Can you imagine
> > a Town Hall Meeting
> > with pro-war people?
> >
> > ..::Paul
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Peace-discuss mailing list
> > Peace-discuss at lists.cu.groogroo.com
> >
> http://lists.cu.groogroo.com/cgi-bin/listinfo/peace-discuss
> >
>
>
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    "The longer I live, the more I read, the more patiently I think,
      and the more anxiously I inquire, the less I seem to know...
         Do justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly. This is enough..."
              -- John Adams, 2nd president of the US --