[net.politics] On stereotyping for political effect, also Jackson/Goodman

jj@rabbit.UUCP (01/11/84)

I quote:


>The entire argument, of course, that Jackson should not have
>gone to Syria is ludicrous. I realize that a lot of people
>resent anyone who exercises the right of free speech, but
>I don't think that the bill of rights has been repealed yet.
>
>		Phil Polli
>		ihuxl!pvp



Awwwwww, come on, Phil.  All your offensive assumptions in that
paragraph do is justify to yourself why you should treat anyone
who disagrees with you as sub-human and stupid.  There are a lot
of questions of propriety in the Jackson visit, a VERY few of
which have been mentioned in nettrash.  

While you would like (for the obvious, deliberately manipulative,
dishonest political ends) to brand everyone who disagrees with you
as not believing in free speech and the bill of rights, I don't think
that most netnews readers are stupid enough to believe you. <It's
clear that about 55% of the voting population IS, but nettrash
attract people who understand controversy, sophistry, and argument
tactic, a population that's not likely to fall for it.>

Just think on this, Phil:
	I think the move by Jackson was stupid.  (Silly, unwise,
unwarranted, manipulitive, etc)  Regardless, I'm glad that he
got the serviceman home.  <Not all silly ideas fail.>

Why do I feel that it was stupid?  It provides a country
who has shown time and time again that its behavior
is against the interests of the US, even when there is no
rational basis for the conflict with an opportunity to manipulate
the country via its voters.  It also allows the same country
to generate lots of probaganda showing how it "really isn't
anti-US, it's just anti-Reagan (and Nixon, and Ford, and Carter).
Providing such opportunities is just simply foolish, regardless of
whom you prefer as a leader.

Why did it work?  Propaganda, etc.  I can't see that the Syrians would
actually try to BRIBE Jackson with the publicity, they aren't
that stupid, and as far as I can tell, Jesse Jackson isn't either
that stupid OR that dishonest.

None the less, welcome home, Mr. Goodman.
-- 
-Diogenes stopped here-

(allegra,harpo,ulysses)!rabbit!jj