Sorry Jeff! I have no answers, as I really don't want to get pulled into
the discussion. Later, off list, if you wish! Let me know.
Robert D.
-----Original Message-----
From Jeff Boatright <jboatri at emory.edu>
To: spridgets@autox.team.net <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Date: October 30, 2000 11:01 AM
Subject: Re: GUNS, GUNS, GUNS, GUNS & NO FACTS OOPS! Valve lash!
>Robert,
>
>Thanks for the note. I restate my point: How is "talking and ranting"
>as you say on the spridgets list moving the cause forward? It is
>either preaching to the choir or creating new opposition where none
>existed before.
>
>I have found that spridget list members are pretty interesting
>people. I think it's a safe bet that each and every spridget list
>member has at least one other burning interest in life in addition to
>spridgets. Should each one of those non-spridget interests be aired
>ad nauseum on the spridget list? There are something like 300 people
>on this list. There are probably African-Americans, Asian-Americans,
>Native Americans, Brits, Dutch, Italians, Greeks, gays, straights,
>Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, strict-constructionists,
>lax-constructionists(?), pro-lifers, pro-choicers, liberals,
>conservatives, dog-lovers, cat-lovers, sheep-lovers(!), men, women,
>and children on this list. Heck, there may even be Caucasian American
>middle-aged men of European descent who are practicing Christians on
>this list! Would it be a good thing if we had 55 posts about gay
>rights? Everyday? How about four or five rounds of 20 or more posts
>each about abortion? Let's spend some quality time discussing,
>in-depth, the pluses and minuses of bacterial DNA plasmid
>amplification versus yeast amplification. After that, just for grins
>and giggles, let's talk about why Bill Gates is either evil or a
>saviour.
>
>All of these topics have their fervent supporters and detractors.
>They all have email groups or websites, even the yeastie boys. Heck,
>some of them even cover constitutional issues other than the 2nd
>Amendment. Would it seem a little self-centered and maybe slightly
>rude if I went to their list and started hammering them with why I
>think the lower A-arm design of the BMC small car was poor and should
>have never lasted beyond the early '50s? Should I go on and on about
>how any right-minded person should see the obvious advantages of the
>Mk3 Sprite versus Marks 1, 2, and 4?
>
>Conversely, should I burden the spridgets list with why I think
>privatization of the Air Traffic Control system in the US is a
>misguided idea? Should I go on and on about how the FAA is cow-towing
>to international standards, a stance taken under both Republican and
>Democratic administrations? Should I go on and on about the loss of
>due process for pilots administratively accused of transgressions, a
>policy started by Quesada in the '50s under a Republican
>administration, but fully embraced by every admin since?
>
>I was not being facetious or derogatory when I addressed my last post
>on this topic to "2nd Amendment patriots." I have a lot of respect
>for people who care enough about their country to put aside the cares
>of the day and become actively involved in issues that concern them.
>(You _are_ doing something, right? You're not just carping in an
>off-topic forum, right?). But just like yelling "Fire!" in a crowded
>theater, there is free speech and then there is abuse. As I wrote
>before, nobody (except Mark!) is going to stop anyone from speaking
>their mind on this list. And there's always going to be give-and-take
>on various topics - it keeps things interesting. However, at some
>point, and I'd maintain it was about 1000 posts ago, an off-topic
>discussion becomes self-centered indulgence _in regards to the
>specific off-topic list_. [Hey! Sort of like this response! :) ]
>
>And I ask again: Can you find one instance in the spridgets archive
>where the gun debate was started by a gun-control advocate? And if
>you can't, what does this observation imply?
>
>And for all of you who have queried privately, my brother and I grew
>up in the oil fields of Oklahoma (pump literally in the back yard),
>we are good shots since childhood, and we regularly enjoyed target
>practice and a little hunting on his land until he recently moved
>into the city. My brother-in-law and I almost always did a little
>target practice when I visited him before he too moved to the 'burbs.
>I am regularly invited to lunch followed by target practice by my
>wife's co-workers. I'm not scared of guns, I don't advocate gun
>confiscation (except for the super-soakers of certain spridget list
>members!), and I won't hate you if you're a card-carrying member of
>the NRA. I wouldn't have much family if I felt that way. And yes, I'm
>a registered Democrat, but I've voted Republican and even third party
>in the past. But above and beyond all this, in regards to this email
>list, I own a 1965 Sprite and constantly learn about it from you
>folks. Thanks for that.
>
>Spridgetly yours,
>
>Jeff
>
>
>At 9:04 AM -0500 10/30/00, Robert Duquette wrote:
>>Hey Jeff!
>>
>>This is one way in which the Canadians differ from the Americans. We
>>remained silent for far too long and are now in trouble for it. We only
>>started talking and ranting as the last bit of prohibitions was passing.
I
>>won't bore you with the details.
>>
>>Robert D.
>>
>> >Somebody please tell me when the pro-gunners were 'remaining silent'!
>> >I'd love to be able to remember those times with fond nostalgia, but
>> >I guess I'm too young. It certainly must have been before this list
>> >was born.
>
>
>_____________________________________________________________
>Jeffrey H. Boatright, PhD
>Assistant Professor, Emory Eye Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
>Senior Editor, Molecular Vision, http://www.molvis.org/molvis
>mailto:jboatri@emory.edu
>
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