Re: a modest proposal or two [was: Why Iran Keeps Coming Up]

[Michael Perelman <michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Good idea.  The problem is really not Iran but an abusive style of communication.  A
Gresham's Law of communication exists hear where loud and insistant voices make
rational people hesistate to speak up.

I have been disgusted by much of what I have seen over the last few days.  Some
people act as if they could convert others to a relgion by reading some Biblical
texts over and over.  The objects of this abuse become angry and become more abusive.

Jim probably remember the preacher at Berkeley who tried this every day.  Some people
enjoyed the exchanges, but most regarded it as wasted.  The preacher was supposed to
have been an actor in Little Rascals -- Hubert? was his name.

With regard to Iran.  Look.  Most of us would be happy to learn more, but the
discussion has been absolutely unproductive.  Once I tried to prevent discussion of
Israel because I know that some "leftists [sorry about the stereotype, which should
be avoided]" are rabid zionists.  I feared that we might get that kind of discussion
here.  Fortunately nobody of that ilk was here.

So yes, Jim is right.  Let's drop Iran for a month & not try to slip back into that
stuff through the back door.

On Sun, Nov 05, 2006 at 09:06:46AM -0800, Jim Devine wrote:
>
> 1) Michael, how about banning the word "Iran" from pen-l for the rest
> of November?
>

--
Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
Chico, CA 95929

Tel. 530-898-5321
E-Mail michael at ecst.csuchico.edu
michaelperelman.wordpress.com