Re: Fw: Re: [WDDM] I spit in your face

[Dan Smith <draciron(at)gmail.com>]

And I think Rap is not music at all. That it does not qualify since
there is no musical merit in the genre. This means what to direct
Democracy? I'm sure at least one member here loves Rap and will
happily debate me on whether Rap is really music or not. I'm sure
there are others on the list who will agree whole heartedly with me.
It would be spirited debate would it not?

Yes spirited debate is essential to Democracy of any kind. Democracy
cannot happen in a vacume. Democracy wilts like a tree denied the sun
in a land where honest and open debate is not tolerated. Where
dissenting viewpoints even the most irrational are not allowed to be
expressed.

If the point of the posts were to oppose some group or government
attempting to censor the expression of an opinion that would be on
topic. Whether I agree with an opinion or not I fully support the
right to express it. My point is that we condemn our stated cause by
aligning politically thus alienating people and that debating the
wrong topics here can have unintended consequences. I assert there are
more appropriate venues to debate these topics. That none of us will
suffer from a loss of free speech by restricting what we debate on
THIS specific list.


On Thu, Apr 16, 2009 at 1:32 PM, Georges Metanomski <zgmet(at)yahoo.com> wrote:
> --- On Thu, 4/16/09, Dan Smith <draciron(at)gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On another list where this topic is on-topic I've debated vigerously
> in defense of Israel but that is not productive or on topic in this
> list. Your welcome to email me off list and we can have a spirited
> debate. My question is what does this have to do with Direct
> Democracy? How does it advance the cause of Direct Democracy?
> ===============
> G:
> I believe that the culture of decent debating of
> controversial issues is one of the prerequisites of DD.
> Be that as it may, you may perhaps have a look at my
> "WHAT ISRAEL MEANS TO ME" in
> http://findgeorges.com/ROOT/WRITINGS/ESSAYS/israel.html
> and two essays on Israel/Palestine written in the 80th
> but IMO keeping some actuality:
> http://findgeorges.com/ROOT/WRITINGS/POLITICS/israel_palestine_and_the_pigs.html
> http://findgeorges.com/ROOT/WRITINGS/POLITICS/israel_palestine_and_the_pigs.html
> Regards
> Georges.