Liberty is an inherently offensive lifestyle. Living in a free society guarantees that each one of us will see our most cherished principles and beliefs questioned and in some cases mocked. That psychic discomfort is the price we pay for basic civic peace. It's worth it. It's a pragmatic principle. Defend everyone else's rights, because if you don't there is no one to defend yours. -- MaxedOutMama

I don't just want gun rights... I want individual liberty, a culture of self-reliance....I want the whole bloody thing. -- Kim du Toit

The most glaring example of the cognitive dissonance on the left is the concept that human beings are inherently good, yet at the same time cannot be trusted with any kind of weapon, unless the magic fairy dust of government authority gets sprinkled upon them.-- Moshe Ben-David

The cult of the left believes that it is engaged in a great apocalyptic battle with corporations and industrialists for the ownership of the unthinking masses. Its acolytes see themselves as the individuals who have been "liberated" to think for themselves. They make choices. You however are just a member of the unthinking masses. You are not really a person, but only respond to the agendas of your corporate overlords. If you eat too much, it's because corporations make you eat. If you kill, it's because corporations encourage you to buy guns. You are not an individual. You are a social problem. -- Sultan Knish

All politics in this country now is just dress rehearsal for civil war. -- Billy Beck

Friday, July 31, 2009

Debate Invitation # Who Knows?

Debate Invitation # Who Knows?

I sent this out yesterday:
Subject: Your recent column "Congress Stops an NRA-backed Gun Law?"

Mr. Rothstein:

I read with interest today your recent column, Congress Stops an NRA-Backed Gun Law? What's This Country Coming To? As you can probably tell from my email address, I'm on the opposite side of this topic from yours. As you can imagine, I have a number of issues with things you stated as fact in your piece that are not so, and a number of questions about those statements.

I'd like to make you an offer: I'd love to discuss this article with you - in print - at my blog, The Smallest Minority. We can do this by email correspondence, or I will be more than happy to give you guest-posting privileges. I promise that I will not edit anything you say, other than for physical appearance and clarity.

I don't expect to change your mind, nor you to change mine, but I want to have an honest public exchange between two people distinctly on opposite sides of this topic so that the undecided can read - and decide - based on the merits of the arguments.

I've made this offer on a number of occasions to a number of your colleagues and others. The acceptance rate has been disappointingly low. Not zero, but low.

Thank you for your attention.

Kevin Baker
Tucson, AZ
24 hours and no response yet, but hope springs eternal.

UPDATE, 8/10: Mr. Rothstein has responded! Via email:
Mr. Baker:

Sorry for the delay in responding to this. It's August, and things are moving in slower motion than is usual. I received a large number of emails in response to my July 25 column, many of them rightly pointing to errors, and all of them well considered. Today I posted a follow up piece which you can find at:: http://uspolitics.einnews.com/article.php?nid=723681

I'd be happy to take you up on your offer to exchange views on your web site. What do you have in mind for a format?

Joe Rothstein
(Cue Mission: Impossible theme music . . .)
Posted by Kevin at 6:17 PM
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