Monday - September 08, 2008

Let’s Have An Argument

Potato? Potatoe? Who can really say? (Well, I can. Dan Quayle can’t). But if you’re looking for a discussion ... or an argument ... there is a new web site. They’ve sent me a few emails already, asking for a mention. So, Ok, here’s a mention:

I think there might be some need for a web site like this. Not everyone has the time or the inclination to learn about everything. Most people have a gut feeling about most issues, but I’m certain many of them would like some facts and some more information to back that up. After all, you won’t last long in a big discussion if your only input is “I don’t like it”. It’s possible that OpposingViews.com could give you some reinforcement.

They contacted me because The Gun Thing comes up here at BMEWS quite often. It seems that all of us, so far anyway, have the same views on this one. But that doesn’t mean that some of our readers share them. Well, fear not, “some other readers”, you can voice your viewpoints here ... but I hope you have more information than just your gut feelings to go on, because people will give you an argument. And that is how it should be. So maybe OpposingViews.com can help.

In their email, they mention that

The unique thing about OpposingViews.com is that we have well known experts debating about issues of the day. You can find an argument anywhere, but it’s not everywhere that the debaters are actually vetted experts.

I would point out that almost everyone that I know who is involved even slightly in the Second Amendment “issue” (placed in scare quotes because it isn’t an issue: it’s part of being an American, and until just one or two generations ago was accepted as such. Common knowledge. But common knowledge isn’t very common anymore) has become an expert to a very large extent. We seem to know about a whole slew of court cases, judicial viewpoints, law, firearms knowledge, idiocy at the BATFE, history, etc., and also have a very high awareness of the disinformation campaigns out there, who is behind them, and why. That’s about as expert as you can get without actually working for CSI (and even those guys were weak in the Jayson Williams case).

But what if the question is not guns, but “do mercury preservatives in infant inoculations cause brain damage/ADD/AIDS/Alzheimer’s/Autism (pick one)?” then I’m not really sure. Do they? Don’t they? What kind of research has been done/is being done? How big a sample population are we talking about? What about other countries? How do local pollution levels factor in? Is it worth the risk to have my kids get the shots? What if all the other kids get inoculated, wouldn’t my kid then be safe without the shots? Many public schools require them before letting a child attend, but what if I homeschool? Maybe OpposingViews.com can help me learn the answers to those questions. (although I already know that plenty of BMEWS folks know. I’m pretty sure this one came up a year or two back).

Sure, you can Google all of it up if you have the time. And it can take a lot of time. And you have no way of knowing if what you find is right, wrong, real, or pure BS done up with a lovely green bow. Because Any Fool Can Publish On The Internet. This is what OpposingViews.com is all about. Both sides, right now, from reliable sources. Read, learn, decide. Pretty cool? Or pretty silly? Your call. But look first, then decide.

Posted by Drew458     on 09/08/2008 at 10:21 PM   
Filed Under: • Daily Life •  
• Comments (3) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

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