Re: Here's my email address
Subject: Re: Here's my email address
From: Barrett Brown <barriticus@gmail.com>
Date: 10/2/09, 17:32
To: Dan COLLINS <vermontaigne@gmail.com>

Hi, Dan-

Thanks again for taking the time to talk to me. I spoke with Jeff a bit earlier today, and we had a good conversation about the nature of political debate on the internet and some of the problems that are particular to that medium, as well as the specific drawbacks that can be seen at PW in the context of some of the debates I've had with commenters there.

The reason this article is focusing on PW is the same reason I've been debating there for so long to the exclusion of all other blogs - of all of the anti-Democratic blogs (I hesitate to call it "conservative"), it has, I think, the most cerebral commenters, and this of course is a function of Jeff and his unique style and viewpoints. I'm picking on PW's commenters because they're the best, which is to say that any faults they exhibit are probably going to be found among all lesser people as well.

So this article is going to draw heavily on incidents in which I've encountered illogical or dishonest debate tactics on the part of some of the commenters there. I know, of course, that I'm accused of being illogical and dishonest, and I'm going to give anyone who wants it a chance to respond to my article and point to any instances of rhetorical wrongdoing on my part, and I'll link to these from my article.

As you might expect, I'll be pointing to you, Jeff, and a couple of commenters like Sdferr as the reason that PW is the best and most interesting blog of its sort, as you in particular aren't afraid of conceding a minor point or making a correction if you're convinced that it's warranted; I remember one incident in particular when you'd gotten the impression from another, sloppier blog that a certain story was being "trumpeted by the MSM," and then immediately corrected that line when I noted that the MSM hadn't touched the story. Obviously, a lot of people would have gotten defensive and refrained from making a correction at all; I've run into some static at Daily Kos, for instance, trying to get people to correct minor points such as that.

So, I've got a couple of questions for you.

1. What sets PW apart from other blogs, particularly those in the anti-Obama/Democrat/"liberal" camp?

2. Take a look at these two incidents and tell me if you think that I'm right to see these as examples of poor logic:

MARKETING INCIDENT

http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=15330 Darleen Click tried to claim that Obama had no respect for the First Amendment because Humana was told to cease sending out marketing materials that referred to government policy, with this being a violation of the agreement it had signed with the feds upon receiving a contract to sell federal medical treatment.

http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=15330#comment-788190 Carin quoted a news article; her excerpt began with the following sentence: According to a source with inside knowledge of the way CMS regulates marketing guidelines, Medicare providers are only allowed to communicate with plan members about the benefits they have now, not about possible changes to benefits.

http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=15330#comment-788201 Yea, I found it interesting that BB is changing this issue into code words. It was “marketing”. This was when I decided it would be a good idea to write this article.

http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=15330#comment-788211 I noted this.

http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=15330#comment-788229 And, honestly - BB twists until the argument fits into his nice little package. Humana said it would refrain from certain “marketing” … so all we have to do is call whatever we don’t like “Marketing” and they’re in breach. So, that's her response to that.

"They did it, too!"

http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=13135#comment-508729 Big Bang Hunter wrote: Barrett, does it ever occur to you that arguments to the effect “well they did it too”, qualifies at the level of 5th grade discourse?"

http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=13135#comment-508736 I responded: I’m sorry, BBH, I’m going to have to direct your comments to Mythos McGee, who was overheard to have told the duchess:

“Remember the laudatory proclamation that Gerry Studds (D-MA) got after he got caught shtumphing the pages?” Uh-oh! Blowback!

http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=13135#comment-508738 Rob Crawford responds: WTF is your point?

3. Would you describe my contributions to PW as being generally civil?

4. Do you think I am being dishonest when I describe myself as a libertarian?


If you have anything else you'd like to mention for use in the article, feel free to add it. The piece will appear first on True/Slant, then possibly at Huffington Post and later my weekly column here in Brooklyn. An extended version will be used as the last chapter in my upcoming book, which will be released next year.

Thanks,

Barrett Brown
Brooklyn, NY
512-560-2302

On Thu, Oct 1, 2009 at 10:44 PM, Dan COLLINS <vermontaigne@gmail.com> wrote:
What did you need?

Thanks,
Dan