From John.Morris@UAlberta.CA Thu Jan  9 17:59:31 PST 1997
Article: 92012 of alt.revisionism
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From: John.Morris@UAlberta.CA (John Morris)
Newsgroups: alt.revisionism
Subject: Re: Holohuggers:  put your money where your mouth is
Date: Thu, 09 Jan 1997 21:57:09 GMT
Organization: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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In <5b25c0$jt6@cnn.cc.biu.ac.il>, schultr@ashur.cc.biu.ac.il (Richard
Schultz) wrote:

>Prince Myshkin (mgiwer@gte.net) wrote:
>
>: I learned the correct modern usage of nigger from blacks 
>
>Okay guys.  I think that Giwer should be given an all-expense paid 
>trip from Tampa to Harlem.  The purpose of his trip will be to explain
>to the locals his knowledge of the correct modern usage of "nigger."
>I will be more than happy to help underwrite the expenses for such
>a trip.  Who's in with me?

I can't put up much money, but I'm in.

I suggest that Matt use the old method of scholastic disputation:
question, argument, counter-argument.

It would not do for Matt to enter a Harlem bar and simply state the
proposition, "You are all a bunch of niggers." It is perhaps the
"in-your-face" style he would prefer, but setting the terms of a
debate about correct usage as a positive proposition might make
actually organizing the debate problematic since the likeliest
response would be simple contradiction rather than debate.

Matt might attempt to contradict the contradiction in an effort at a
kind of Marcusian dialectic, but those things only work out on paper.
In practical debate, contradiction simply leads to further
contradiction and, ultimately, some ill will on both sides.

Instead, the proposition could be framed as a question: "Are you all a
bunch of niggers?" The time required to divide the patrons into teams
could be used profitably to consider the framing of arguments.

Disputation has the added benefit of allowing both sides of the
question to speak more than once with definite and formal limits to
the debate. The basic sense of fairness which arises could even lead
former adversaries to retire with manly claps on the shoulder and the
standing of drinks all round.

Either way, I would certainly not wish to impose my view on Matt. I am
sure that in the circumstances he will decide upon the right approach.

So I'm in for saaaaaay . . . $10 CDN? Oh what the hell! Make it $10
US.

--
 John Morris                                
 at University of Alberta  
-- 
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