[MD] Metaphysics

[Matt Kundert]

Hi Krimel,

Krimel said:
I hear what you are saying about addressing the tender minded lurker. But I think I share Arlo's concern that if Platt, Ham and Bo are allowed to go on with no challenge at all, then the lurker is left with the impression that what our dimwitted brethren say is acceptable to the rest of us.
...
But to present you with just a touch of opposite advice, you say, "If I sound oh-so too reasonable, you've never seen me handle a bigot."

It is true; I haven't. Which leads me to ask, why you have not reacted to the bigotry of Platt and Ham's screeds on multiculturalism and Islam; or Bo's blatantly anti-Semitic accounts of history?

Matt:
Because you do.  I don't think you or Arlo (it used to be DMB...and Horse, if I'm not mistaken; a lot of people have taken turns) should stop--when Platt lays out ditto-points, they should be pressed back with the relevant arguments (and _facts_ in a lot of cases).  So I wasn't exactly asking you to change your behavior to Platt, I guess.  You have my silent blessing and backing against all right-wing idiocy, and especially bigotry.  I didn't know Bo was anti-Semitic (I'm not asking for evidence, but I'm also withholding my own judgment on that), but that's partly because I don't, largely, read posts from Platt, Ham, or Bo.  They never seem to talk about much that I find relevant to my concerns, so I've gotten in the habit of moving past.  And I'm very grateful that someone does, so that I'm not tainted with the idiocy (the community reputation you spoke of).

So I take your point to heart, and wish you godspeed.  The only real advice I had was in the possible shifting in how you push back.  Platt has one tone--I think you and Arlo push back with the reasonably expected "every action is met with an equal and opposite reaction."  And since I don't want to be in the trenches with you guys, take my (very abstract) advice with the grain of salt due to a general preaching strategies but's become a bit remote from the ground-truth.  I don't know about many of these particular people, but I do know that an occasional, accidental "poisoning of the well" occurs.  I've done it myself.

Matt
 		 	   		  
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