Wednesday, December 05, 2007
My whereabouts
My radio silence on the revised NIE is not calculated, but by default. I got home late last night after having been on the road since Saturday morning, and leave tonight for a surge through Boston and Worcester. So posts will probably be shallow and blunt, rather than long and nuanced.
For instance, this has to be the bloggy trash-talk of the week.
I admit to having liked Naomi Wolf back when she was original -- I read Fire With Fire
1 Comments:
By 
, at
Wed Dec 05, 11:58:00 AM:
"For instance, this has to be the bloggy trash-talk of the week."
I'll say.
Naomi is correct, and the sophomoric screed Megan wrote was almost painful to read. Note how her entire argument is based on nothing but cheap sarcasm. In the first paragraph, she sarcastically ponders why Naomi said what she said, then, in the second paragraph, she spouts this dribble:
Naomi: "The Second Amendment protects U.S. citizens by protecting local militias that are closely accountable to the people. The states are still allowed to have their own militias, which are referred to as State Guards or State Defense Forces (as opposed to the National Guard, which is part of the federal army). Twenty-five states have such guards, which are under the direction and control of the governor of the state."
Megan: "Without those brave 12,000 souls, you see, the Federal Government would even now be roaming freely through your living room, rustling through the Precious Moments collectibles, raiding the fridge and probably hogging the remote. The next time you get up to fetch another beer, and return to your couch without tripping over a DEA agent, or the long dark night of fascism gripping our nation's soul, how about taking a moment to give silent thanks to those brave militiamen?"
That's it. Her entire argument was two paragraphs of sarcasm.
That your idea of a "good argument", Hawk?
When I was growing up in the 50's and 60's, we were taught that the Second Amendment was exactly as Naomi phrased it. Over the ensuing 40 years of adulthood, I've watched it become a 'personal issue', thanks, I suppose, in large part due to the NRA and a good PR department. I think a sweeping statement could be made that anyone who thinks the Second Amendment is a 'personal issue' is under 55.
Cultural conditioning.
If someone wants to make the argument that the Second Amendment was written so people could own guns to scare off burglars, I'm sure someone -- anyone! -- could do a better job of it than Megan.
"I could have done better than this on a freshman composition, spotting Ms. Wolf three beers and an entire day wasted on Law & Order marathons."
Megan, honey, your screed sounds like that's exactly what you did. I had to 'up' you a grade by calling it "sophomoric" simply because there's no such word as "freshomoric".
