One of the interesting aspects I've found about conservatives is that they enjoy a good debate...provided you agree with every word that drips from their pen or lip. If, by chance, you might disagree with any point, then they don't want to discuss anything.
Of course, not desiring actually to DISCUSS any issues is the antithesis of debate.
I mention this because I happened upon a VERY conservative blog, The Big Picture. The blog's author, Vik Rubenfeld, spends his days railing against ANYTHING that might be considered peaceful, humanitarian, community-building, non-racist or non-Christian.
Usually, when encountering a blog such as this, I read a few snippets, shake my head and move on to another blog. However, this particular one was so outrageous that I decided that its readers would benefit from hearing a different take on the issues presented.
In his graciousness, Rubenfeld allowed me to participate in his one-sided discussions. We had several pointed debates. Unfortunately, those debates have ended as he has decided that ALLOWING a different viewpoint to be presented is dangerous to his readers. He has taken to deleting my comments from his blog.
I certainly understand that the decision to post comments is the purview of any blogger. My rule on this blog is that so long as you make cogent comments, I'm not going to touch them. In fact, the only comments I have deleted to this point are double-entered comments (I'm assuming the poster didn't mean to enter the identical comment twice) and a standard comment from one person who entered verbatim the same comment on several different posts. I did permit this one person to post their pre-fab comment the first two times posted.
None of us can learn from another UNLESS we engage in conversation. It's not about agreeing, but, if nothing else, getting a better feel for where someone else is coming from. When debate is unilaterally cut-off, it harms everyone.
Censorship polarizes people.
Of course, not desiring actually to DISCUSS any issues is the antithesis of debate.
I mention this because I happened upon a VERY conservative blog, The Big Picture. The blog's author, Vik Rubenfeld, spends his days railing against ANYTHING that might be considered peaceful, humanitarian, community-building, non-racist or non-Christian.
Usually, when encountering a blog such as this, I read a few snippets, shake my head and move on to another blog. However, this particular one was so outrageous that I decided that its readers would benefit from hearing a different take on the issues presented.
In his graciousness, Rubenfeld allowed me to participate in his one-sided discussions. We had several pointed debates. Unfortunately, those debates have ended as he has decided that ALLOWING a different viewpoint to be presented is dangerous to his readers. He has taken to deleting my comments from his blog.
I certainly understand that the decision to post comments is the purview of any blogger. My rule on this blog is that so long as you make cogent comments, I'm not going to touch them. In fact, the only comments I have deleted to this point are double-entered comments (I'm assuming the poster didn't mean to enter the identical comment twice) and a standard comment from one person who entered verbatim the same comment on several different posts. I did permit this one person to post their pre-fab comment the first two times posted.
None of us can learn from another UNLESS we engage in conversation. It's not about agreeing, but, if nothing else, getting a better feel for where someone else is coming from. When debate is unilaterally cut-off, it harms everyone.
Censorship polarizes people.
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