[Peace-discuss] Response to John Bambenek

[David Green]

John, if you go back into the archives on this list,
you will be hard pressed to find examples of
demagoguery, however badly the word is misspelled or
perhaps misunderstood. You specialize in the reduction
of political perspectives to characterizations like
"iconoclastic reactionaries." What does that mean? How
do you define it? What are your examples that fit the
definition? How do the examples make an argument that
can be broadly applied? 500 words is plenty with which
to use facts and examples--I'm able to fit quite a few
into a 250 word letter to the N-G. But you can use as
many words as you want on this list. Just don't try to
argue that what David Letterman says to Bill O'Reilly
has anything to do with antiwar discourse in this
country, or proves anything at all.

Your columns seem to be based on the assumption of
your moral superiority to others, and your
characterization of them in a way that assumes
immoral, self-serving, or destructive intentions on
the part of others. You should not place the moral
quality of your character above that of others, and
deal with the content of what they have to say, while
according them the assumption of sincerity and good
intentions. You may at that point conclude that some
are ignorant of the facts, unable to think clearly,
hidebound,etc. But you should let your critique do the
work. Instead, you replace analysis with attack. That
opens you up to those who would question your
intentions, which indeed seem to have little to do
with constructive discourse.

DG





--- John Bambenek <jcb.blog at gmail.com> wrote:

> 1) If you are going to write in, at least spell my
> name correctly.  I
> know, the online editor of the DI can't manage to do
> it right either,
> but at least make an attempt.  You get it right half
> the time.
> 2) No examples from the left on demogogery? 
> Wingnut?  Chickenhawk?
> Hell, read some of your letters about my columns,
> you'll see personal
> attacks.
> 3) David Letterman's spot with O'Reilly suggested
> exactly that
> Sheehan's ideas should not be criticized because she
> lost a son in
> Iraq.
> 4) I get 500 words and no footnotes... just because
> I don't support a
> claim doesn't mean there is no support.  If you
> think it's false,
> there are procedures for journalistic fraud... put
> up or shut up.
> 
> How many times on this list have people taken what
> could be legitimate
> political criticisms of this administration and
> turned it into a tired
> about how evil Bush is, his supporters are, or how
> insane he is?
> Isn't Bush being stupid a typical retort from your
> camp?
> 
> You have as much house to clean as any other camp.
> 
> -- 
> j
> Part-Time Pundit - http://jcb.pentex-net.com
> Owner of BlogSoldiers 
- http://www.blogsoldiers.com
> 
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