Planetarion Forums - College student avoids rational thought. This story at 10.

Nicole · 25 Mar 2003, 00:36

I'm currently trying to write a response to an opinion article published today in my campus newspaper. For those of you who don't know me I attend a state university in rural Illinois. I'm used to seeing rampant conservatism in the paper but today's article took me by complete surprise for it's inability to come up with a valid point, it fallaciousness, and rambling away from the point. I'm only allowed 350 words as a response so I'm trying to be eloquent, informative, insulting, and brief. I may just have to stick to being insulting and brief. Here's the link to the article:

http://www.westerncourier.com/story.php?id=3942

Scoot951 · 25 Mar 2003, 01:02

I wouldn't bother. Our school paper is written entirely by idiots, stories and editorials both. I don't know if I've yet seen an editorial I agree with, even when they take my side.

queball · 25 Mar 2003, 01:06

she's pretty

nickhall · 25 Mar 2003, 01:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Nicole
I'm currently trying to write a response to an opinion article published today in my campus newspaper. For those of you who don't know me I attend a state university in rural Illinois. I'm used to seeing rampant conservatism in the paper but today's article took me by complete surprise for it's inability to come up with a valid point, it fallaciousness, and rambling away from the point. I'm only allowed 350 words as a response so I'm trying to be eloquent, informative, insulting, and brief. I may just have to stick to being insulting and brief. Here's the link to the article:

http://www.westerncourier.com/story.php?id=3942

That article is very badly writen (imo) and compleatly off topic compared to the title but apart from that i dont see what you can complain about, it is this persons opinion and surly she is entitled to that. I would sejest if you want to reply to that article you do just that write the opposing argument and stick to your point not being insulting or i would expect it will not get published.

Nicole · 25 Mar 2003, 01:58

I'm pretty sure I could take issue with opinion that people who oppose the are okay with rape and genocide. Also her quasi-point that protest is useless and that people who protest against the war are an affront to Iraqis because they don't have the freedom to protest.

Those are things I could complain about. If she's going to publish something she is being held responsible for the facts or the complete twisting of them.

Starbucks · 25 Mar 2003, 02:17

im redesigning our newspapers website as i emailed them basically calling it "****"

they can make a paper which looks pretty, but the website looks poo

oh, and dont try and slag her off, it will bring you down a level, make any argument at least a little bit intelligent, and add a little satire

nickhall · 25 Mar 2003, 02:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Nicole
I'm pretty sure I could take issue with opinion that people who oppose the are okay with rape and genocide. Also her quasi-point that protest is useless and that people who protest against the war are an affront to Iraqis because they don't have the freedom to protest.

Those are things I could complain about. If she's going to publish something she is being held responsible for the facts or the complete twisting of them.

oh yes i agree with that (sorry sorta missed that bit first time round, very quickly read) but i think being offensive will just get you ignored, of course anyone with any sence knows that no-one agrees with rape and genocide and as already stated that article is awfull. It seems it was rushed and badly thought out. I totaly agree you shoul respond but arguee against the points in her article not her, altho this may have been your intention anyay

i dont actually see many facts in that article just a lot of opinion. Which you should arguee against if you believe the oposite jut try to ovoid personal insults or even genral insults towards ppl who do suport the war as they are also entitled to their oppinion.

Just remember you dont want you reply to be just as bad as the origanal, or it will turn out just like every thread in here. So my advice would be toavoid insults and stick to argueing with what she wrote, yes include that you think saying all ppl who protest suport rape,genoside etc is wrong just avoid insulting her or your article may end up just as bad.

Nicole · 25 Mar 2003, 02:35

No I agree just going off and calling her a stupid **** would not be in my best interests. I was being somewhat facetious earlier. I'll be civil but I will call her out on twisting things around they way she did.

queball · 25 Mar 2003, 02:46

Quote:

Originally posted by Nicole
No I agree just going off and calling her a stupid **** would not be in my best interests. I was being somewhat facetious earlier. I'll be civil but I will call her out on twisting things around they way she did.

She does twist words, but that could just be a rhetorical device. The main point she seems to miss is that Iraq is in no way an isolated case or even a particularly good example of the things she mentions. And the world won't be at peace, by her definition or by anyone's definitions, even if the Iraqi situation is ever resolved.

nickhall · 25 Mar 2003, 02:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Nicole
No I agree just going off and calling her a stupid **** would not be in my best interests. I was being somewhat facetious earlier. I'll be civil but I will call her out on twisting things around they way she did.

I wouldn't go on too much about the way its writen, just arguee the opposing point would be much better, altho i do agree you should say you believe what she says is wrong (i meen that how it is said is wrong not her point, keep two things appart, this is assuming that you are argueeing against the point of her article not just the way it is writen)

edit: oh yes sorry, good luck, and let us see it when its published.

25 Mar 2003, 04:02

Why doesn't anyone ****ing get it?

Peoples that turns peacefull protestations into chaos, riots are Anarchist, Communism, angry peoples or just kids wanting to have fun.

Some peoples does have DIFFERENT values and opinion then stealing everyone's resources, Capitalism, Democracy, Liberty and some of them see the 'radical way' as the best way to makes it changes, to create chaos through the country. They will profit of every injustice protests in the world to create riots or ****.

They aren't monsters, they have differnet values and opinions.

"No war betweens nations, No peace between social class"

just as the Anarchists would say.

It fit perfectly what is happening everytimes, idiots.

*Especially when the US gets involved, since anarchist and communist truly hates americans for their lies, doubtfull actions and since they have a very different view.

**To come back a little more on the topic, tell her that practically everything she's said has never been proven and just as she was saying about anti-war demo, it's all opinions and fictions.
Only WMD they ever had was sold to them by the United States, and the Bush administrations are acting like a bunch of hypocrites right now.

We can't prove they have terrorism links, and since Saddam isn't a strong believer I honestly don't see how he would fund Al-Qaeda. In fact it was proven that it was the Kurd in Northern Iraq harboring them, and they admitted it, yet, everyone ignores it.

We can't prove Saddam still has the WMD the USA sold him in the 80's.

and I believe there's far worse country then Iraq, before sanctions, Iraq had one of the best health and education system in the region. Shouldn't the United States be happy that the peoples that Saddam killed with gaz we're terrorism and peoples supporting and harboring terrorism?

25 Mar 2003, 04:40

Ok lets be a bit more realistic. Arms were sold/given to Iraq to fend off Iran. Read up on your history. There is no proof that America gave them WMD. You also stated that the US was being hypocritical. This turn against Iraq was caused when he poisoned thousands of his own people. After that he lost some funds, and decided to invade Kuwait for its oil. Now doesn’t this just sound like a man of peace? You have blown things way out of proportion with the WMD and left holes in to why America doesn’t support Iraq at this time, or should we say since the gassing of his own people. While I don’t agree 100% with everything that has when on I still don’t believing in looking at this subject one sided. -Zany

Anaximander · 25 Mar 2003, 11:28

Try to write your article as brilliant as you can, laced with irony and satire. Destroy her rant piont for point. By this you show her what "a whitebread hillbilly bum****" she really is. No open insult needed. She will get the meaning anyway.

I would like to to see your answering article.

Anaximander · 25 Mar 2003, 11:34

Quote:

Originally posted by queball
she's pretty

You must be really starved.

Radical Edward · 25 Mar 2003, 11:48

Quote:

Originally posted by [7]Gunn3r

<stuff>

I find it amusing that this whole thread is about criticising a badly constructed poorly thought out argument.

menth0l · 25 Mar 2003, 12:30

how the **** did this person get a column in the first place?

Anaximander · 25 Mar 2003, 12:44

Quote:

Originally posted by Radical Edward
I find it amusing that this whole thread is about criticising a badly constructed poorly thought out argument.

It is a small fight in the neverending epic battle against stupidity. It's results shape our world more than everything else.

acropolis · 25 Mar 2003, 14:03

First, it is of the opinion of the protesters that enough protest might get us out of the war.

Second, the protesters are actually protesting in support of our troops. It is the friends and family of protesters who are being sent to die for what appears to be the profit motives of Bush & Friends.

Third, being against the president in no way means being against the troops. Saying that calling the president a killer is an attack on our brave soldiers is a complete and utter manipulative lie.

If Saddam does use human shields, then it is only because he is being attacked. Nobody thinks keeping that monster in power is a good idea, the fact is that this just happens to be the worst possible solution.

fifth, he did not "fund al queda." That doesn't really try to be manipulative (too blatant), but it is still a complete and utter lie.

Lastly, if we were doing this to stop terrorism we would obviously do it somewhere where al queda had strong ties, like Somalia. And I think everyone knows why we've gone too Iraq instead of Somalia. And hence the protesting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's how I'd do it if I was against the war (which I assume you are), and it fits under 200 at 194 words.

If I was for the war and just wanted to point out how stupid that was, I'd weaken some parts and emphasize others.

Marilyn Manson · 25 Mar 2003, 14:18

Why is it that stupid people always get tons and tons of space in publications like that? Why is is that stupid people always get tons and tons of space on the forums?

Discuss.