Our Sincere Apologies
No posts since yesterday, and not even a quick note about why. Hopefully you’ll agree that what we were doing was worthwhile, we were off in the UpperRightQuadrant getting educated as to why governments should not be not financially responsible for their actions or negligence - it was a truly enlightening process.
It appears that we’re not very good learners though, try as they might the UpperRightQuadrant was unable to clearly explain to us the difference between an institution like the LA archdiocese reaching a settlement over sexual abuse being (possibly - there’s one question still outstanding, we might have misunderstood that as well) reasonable, possibly even ok, but an institution like a government doing the same is not.
Go look, it’s a long and winding tale that includes phrases like “reinforce victimhood” and “a waste of money”, such diverse locations as Iraq (yes, they brought Sadam into the discussion) and Rwanda, a fictional murder with an orphan, and at least one reference to a tribe of head hunting pygmy’s in South America.
PS: If ya figure it out before Shane answers my question do drop is a note in the comments section will ya.
[...] Over at Stageleft, they ask a provocative question:  It appears that we’re not very good learners though, try as they might the UpperRightQuadrant was unable to clearly explain to us the difference between an institution like the LA archdiocese reaching a settlement over sexual abuse being (possibly - there’s one question still outstanding, we might have misunderstood that as well) reasonable, possibly even ok, but an institution like a government doing the same is not. [...]
Answer’s up. Enjoy.
Ahem. Well…”sort of answer”’s up.
Sorry man, as I said over there, that’s not an answer.
But don’t trouble yourself about it, I read enough of your comments to get the drift of how you think.
It was fun, sort of. But I think I’m finished with Politic as a reader. We delinked them last week because their best writers have been silent for weeks, and the quality of both posting and commentary was sinking.
Over the last couple of days their thread on Aboriginal issues has been a depressing reminder that URQs like that (a) don’t know what they’re talking about, beyond the racist crap of Tom Flanagan,(b) have no interest in learning, and (c) see Aboriginal affairs chiefly as a an easy way to start an argument when they can’t think of anything else to bitch about.
Talking to the wilfully ignorant can be fun for a bit, sort of like a cat feels when digging into a scratching post. But I’m afraid the Politic has exhausted its entertainment value for me. Tom, Greg - I always enjoyed your writing and our discussions. It’s a shame you let the Axis of Stupid convert your once interesting site into a litter box.
Geeze….I just read the thread at the politic and it reminds me distinctly why I don’t bother getting into debates with narrow minded bloggers who are little more than demagogues.
I think I will continue to just hang out here once in while for the time being.
You learned faster than I did, TH.
Willfully ignorant? You’re being too kind by far. ThePolitic has more than one racist blogger on their list of authors - as frustrating as it is the only reason for engaging bigotry of that nature is to help spread it to as wide an audience as possible.
Whooee! Dang an’ double-dang, SL. I been stayin’ away from that cesspool fer over a year an’ now I fell off the wagon an’ went back on accounta yer link. I knew it was gonna put my blood pressure in the danger zone but I went anyways.
An’ what do I find besides the ignorant bigots I knew I’d find? Some dumbass tryin’ to copy my schtick.
I’m chewin’ nails an’ fartin’ tacks!
JB
[...] Without meaning to, I started a bit of a firestorm a couple of days ago over the residential schools issue. This has caused me to look much more seriously at this issue than I had before. While those who disagreed with me called attention to some remarks of mine that were perhaps not as well thought out as they could have been, I have had a chance to focus my thoughts on what for me is the most important objection to the Canadian government paying reparations to the victims of those crimes incurred as a result of that program. [...]