Thank you David. I agree. I think we would all learn something if we were able
to get a little quieter in our discourse and listen a little more.
David Smith wrote:
> It's not Mr. Horowitz or any other individual it is the use of name calling
> and disparaging remarks that should be rejected.
> Thanks,
> davidel
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Jeffrey Apfel <japfel@risd.edu>
> To: <sixties-l@lists.village.virginia.edu>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2000 6:07 PM
> Subject: Re: [sixties-l] a plea
>
> >
> >
> > Ted Morgan wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > List folks should realize
> > > there's no real enlightenment to be gained by an "exchange" with David
> > > Horowitz on this one [snip] If necessary, perhaps the moderator could
> be
> > > a little
> > > more pro-active in screening ad hominem attacks, at an earlier point in
> > > the discussion.
> >
> > I don't understand what you mean that no real enlightenment is to be
> gained
> > by an exchange with Horowitz on this point. It seems tantamount to saying
> > that everyone's mind is made up and that is that. To my mind, the list is
> > valuable for precisely the reason that it creates a forum for different
> > takes, sometimes wildly different takes, on the era. No historical period
> > is so singular and unique--no matter how it "felt" at the time--that new
> > insights cannot be gained from sincere interchanges with those with whom
> you
> > have profound disagreements.
> >
> > David crossed the line with one of his comments using the word "dumb", but
> > later semi-apologized for it and agreed to abide by the moderator's rules.
> > I think on balance he has done so. Taking issue with "the left", which is
> > admittedly his stock in trade, is not an ad hominem attack and ought to be
> > debated as what it is: a considered opinion from someone who has had
> second
> > thoughts.
> >
> > If you read the postings over the last few days, you will find a lot more
> > heat emanating from Horowitz's critics than from Horowitz himself. It
> would
> > seem odd to blame him for this state of affairs. So while I think it
> would
> > be sad to lose members who feel frustrated by Horowitz's presence, the
> fact
> > that they may exit should have no bearing on the continued need for the
> free
> > exchange of ideas.
> >
> > I've read a lot of Horowitz from Ramparts to Radical Son. While there is
> no
> > doubt that he is a skilled polemicist, and can be brutal outside the
> > confines of this listserv, that has no bearing here. Plus, while I never
> > personally felt the need to ditch Marx for Hayek (never being a Marxist in
> > the first instance, I suppose), I find many of his criticisms on point. I
> > could be wrong about them being on point, of course, but that is why the
> > dialogue is so valuable and needs to continue. If people throttle the
> > dialogue, they'll only be underscoring David's point about the left, and
> > I'll be left to ponder what that means.
> >
> > Jeff Apfel
> >
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