I am generally very sympathetic to the arguments and positions that Tony puts forth on his blog, but I have trouble taking seriously his attack on me as a McCarthyite.
I didn't watch the little video he posted, so I am not sure what it says in there.
I just want to come back to the question I posed in yesterday's post. Are we supposed to let all and sundry viewpoints be presented on campus in the name of academic freedom, no matter how repulsive and unfounded they are?
I have never once said that Barrett should be banned from campus or not allowed to speak. I also don't think that 9/11 conspiricists are the equivalent of holocaust deniers.
What I have argued consistently is that we as an institution need to work on our reputation as a solid, intellectual community. Barrett does nothing to enhance that. When the Greens sponsor their candidates for elections, I am very glad to see it. When the Earth Charter brings serious people to campus to discuss important environmental issues, I applaud it. When we have Barrett coming to campus, we have to waste our time dealing with the controvery.
As a final note, I have never made any spurious allegations of illicit infiltration by Communists or demanded that anyone be arrested.
For a few links, here is the chancellor in the Northwestern today.
Here is a philosopher discussing why people believe in conspiracy theories.
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13 comments:
Yes, I'm rather disappointed in Tony, not just for stooping to cheap name-calling but because the imprecation he has chosen doesn't seem apt in this case.
Joe McCarthy was a political demagogue who advanced his personal career by making unsubstantiated accusations of disloyalty against a great many innocent people.
You clearly don't seem to much care about making a name for yourself. You've not made any unsubstantiated claims about others. Comparing you to "Tail-Gunner Joe" just seems like a flawed comparison.
Actually, if you think about it, Barrett and the 9-11 Conspiracy Crowd have much more in common with McCarthyism ...
The irony of the 9-11 "Truth" Movement is that several of the members are also members of the holocaust denial movement. Their accepted association of these people discredits them in my eyes.
Eric Hufschmid, who is named as a holocaust denier by some groups, is a member of the Scholars group. Dr. Fetzer has cited Mr. Hufschmid in his own work. I have attached two links, the first from a group criticizing Mr. Hufshmid and the holocaust deniers, and the second, which is a link to some of Mr. Hufschmid's writings on the holocaust.
http://www.oilempire.us/holocaust-denial.html
http://www.erichufschmid.net/Conspiracies12.htm
So no, they are not the equivalent of holocaust deniers, but they are actually the same in some cases.
As long as we're name-calling here, I would like to suggest that Tony Palmeri is the campus version of Anna Nicole Smith. No publicity is bad publicity, right Tony?
The UWO Barrett visit has brought about discussion, some of it civilized, and some of it not. The chancellor has brought us at least one good panel, but he also wishes to minimize the event, with his “weird things” panel. Many of you have complained that there are more important things to talk about, I agree start talking about them, the Campus Greens are moving ahead. We are planning the movie The Corporation for November, and in December we will be having a local filmmaker talk about his experience in an AIDS hospital in Kenya this will be followed by the Frontline documentary The Age of AIDS. These things are still in the planning stage, and more information will be available later.
I have only responded because I am disappointed that the dialogue has resorted to personal attacks, and quick dismissals of other points of view. I suggest that we all take a deep breath and count to ten, including my friend Tony.
Andrew Sabai
I just deleted a comment from some who used vulgarities to insult me. I don't delete insults from my comments, but I do remove inappropriate language.
Also, I want to thank the commenters here who called for keeping the discussion civil.
>>I just deleted a comment from some who used vulgarities to insult me.<<
Hm, I thought he was insulting ME! (It was kind of hard to tell for sure.) It seemed as though he was suggesting that *I* am Winnie Bloggo!
Now we know who “administers” Lake Winneblogo, therefore the thoughts conveyed on this blog have a face.
Thanks
Lammers, you claim that Tony called you a McCarthyte. I read Palmeries piece, he called Lake Winneblogo a McCarthyte. Here is the timing of the last 2 posts winneblogo 9:48 AM, October 06, 2006, Lammers 10:11 AM, October 06, 2006. Wow what a coincidence. Both posts speak of a vulgar comment. Now, if Winneblogo deleted the vulgar comment at 9:48 am, how would you know about said post or why wait till just after Winneblogo to make your reply.
Um, I think someone is terribly confused. I don't think Tony Palmeri knows I exist; we've never crossed paths that I recall. I'm not much into politics. He certainly did not call ME a McCarthyite, he called Winnie Bloggo a McCarthyite.
The deleted post was up for several hours this morning before Winnie Blogo deleted it. It started off something about "Lammers" and ended up with "is an elitist [expletive]." It was *that* incoherent post that I was speaking of when I said, "I thought he [the anonymous potty-mouth poster, not Tony Palmeri] was insulting ME." It was hard to tell just who was being insulted, but my name was the first one in the post, so I thought it was *I* who was an elitist etc.
I'm quite content to merely chip in here; I don't feel a need for my own blog. (Though if I did I'd sign my name to the damn thing and not hide behind anonymity! I've been on Winnie's case about THAT for ages!)
So how does it feel to get messed with by someone coming out of left field, hammering away with personal insults and ridicules claims. How does it feel? Well now ya know. What started out as a simple speaker engagement has turned into way more drama then needed. This blog has added nothing but negative to the Barrett engagement, therefore I thought I would give a little back. This blog, Wells, Simmons and others are making way to big a deal out one person speaking. Let the guy talk, then let it go. One speaker is not going to make or break the reputation of this University. I rather enjoyed pushing peoples buttons on this blog, just to see you all pop.
Frank MCcandless
Just so it is clear, it was a Frank MCcandless comment that I deleted earlier.
I don't delete the posts where this person disagrees with or insults me in basically civil prose, but I draw at obscenities.
Thanks for posting my name. I take full responsibility for everything I write.
Frank MCcandless
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