tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641541.post7376373886751851637..comments2023-10-10T08:09:06.256-04:00Comments on Tea leaves: "Poetry is dangerous": the commentary of a radical idealist child of the sixtiesteabirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789062795176641187noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641541.post-18981280379086286112007-05-12T12:04:00.000-04:002007-05-12T12:04:00.000-04:00This post makes me think of title of the book I ju...This post makes me think of title of the book I just put on my wish list: "The Trouble With Poetry," by Billy Collins...Mavenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06159539883712835177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641541.post-92056256962413681322007-05-11T03:16:00.000-04:002007-05-11T03:16:00.000-04:00Although I can see and understand both sides of th...Although I can see and understand both sides of the story (the sociologist that is forever trapped inside me.) and therefore often take the middle road on hot topics.<BR/>I have to change my course on this topic and so I sure hope there is knitting in jail and we can all share the same cell because I agree with you too.<BR/>P.S. I bet they make us knit with sporks though.Paulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15149401855790439497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641541.post-55319951751522709642007-05-07T19:20:00.000-04:002007-05-07T19:20:00.000-04:00I can't recall the article exactly, but wasn't the...I can't recall the article exactly, but wasn't the man's office <I>near</I> the ROTC - and was it a ROTC person who called the police? Didn't the man go by it all the time?? Shouldn't he have been a relatively recognized figure in that area? Gah - I better go back to it. It just seems that it was obvious this man belonged on campus as an instructor, a student - whatever. <BR/>-adrienne:)gfhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12190034331637892086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641541.post-40940606110930809022007-05-07T12:35:00.000-04:002007-05-07T12:35:00.000-04:00(sigh)I have a problem with giving up liberties in...(sigh)<BR/>I have a problem with giving up liberties in a knee-jerk reaction to try to protect ourselves.<BR/><BR/>I dislike stereotyping, too.<BR/>I was appalled when I read the original account of this gentleman's experience.<BR/><BR/>And at the same time, I wasn't surprised.<BR/><BR/>No, I don't have easy answers. But I think we can't let ourselves profile. (And I admit to doing a touch of it myself...but I struggle against it)<BR/><BR/>Your argument is beautifully written.<BR/>(((hugs)))Nana Sadiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13337300042637714815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641541.post-8472648545358586752007-05-06T16:11:00.000-04:002007-05-06T16:11:00.000-04:00Bridget, I just hope they'll let us knit in jail!C...Bridget, I just hope they'll let us knit in jail!<BR/><BR/>Carrie, I guess I don't think we can be completely safe. We have to have some risk if we're to protect freedom.<BR/><BR/>Benjamin Franklin:<BR/>"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."teabirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01789062795176641187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641541.post-12893380360808238432007-05-06T15:39:00.000-04:002007-05-06T15:39:00.000-04:00I'm a wee bit on Stephanie's Devil Advocate's side...I'm a wee bit on Stephanie's Devil Advocate's side. It's true the security guard probably did act more strongly because of prejudice, but we all do, in one way or another. I cross the street if a gang of guys is coming towards me. I love the comment I read that guard should've opened the box and checked. He thought it was a bomb! Nice way to detonate it.<BR/><BR/>Better safe than sorry. <BR/><BR/>I just hope we don't end up safe AND sorry. <BR/><BR/>Huzzah! I finally got to comment again.Carrie Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15585975894624687972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641541.post-78653767086598304852007-05-05T21:11:00.000-04:002007-05-05T21:11:00.000-04:00Great post, Melanie!(When the feds come for us, do...Great post, Melanie!<BR/><BR/>(When the feds come for us, do you think they'll let us share a jail cell???)Bridgethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01641404632001445083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641541.post-64025555457954995532007-05-05T18:31:00.000-04:002007-05-05T18:31:00.000-04:00Very interesting post (Bridget's too) - I don't kn...Very interesting post (Bridget's too) - I don't know the answer/s either - but there are always at least two sides to every story and it seems to me that the most trouble arises when we don't stop to think what might be the "other side" of the story before we act, particularly where the action damages another person unnecessarily.<BR/>Perhaps the best we can hope for is that all people everywhere are motivated by doing what is right, not based on race, ethnicity, gender etc. But is that too much to hope for? (who is to decide what is "right" after all).Rose Redhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08510204661811765499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641541.post-41603388822841399152007-05-05T17:58:00.000-04:002007-05-05T17:58:00.000-04:00You know that I agree completely with what you sai...You know that I agree completely with what you said, but just to play the devil's advocate....<BR/><BR/>In the specific case of the guy dumping the papers - I don't know exactly what was in the mind of the - was it campus security guard? - who got the whole ball rolling, but if it were me and I was a campus security guard I know I would have been suspicous about <I>anyone</I> dumping a large box and driving away. I think it is their job to be suspicious and pro-active. Maybe in his mind he was thinking - "Hmmm...that doesn't look right." How many school shootings would have been averted if people listened to that inner voice and did something about it? 99.9999% of the time it will turn out to be nothing but there is always a chance that it actually could be something dangerous going on. Maybe that guy was thinking he was potentially saving lives by acting on his suspicion. <BR/><BR/>I admit I didn't read the whole story super carefully so I don't really know what was in that guy's mind. Maybe he is a racist. Maybe his suspicions <I>were</I> heightened when he saw that the box dumper was a Middle Eastern guy. <BR/><BR/>To me, the bottom line is - <I>no one</I> should be the target of suspicion solely on the basis of their perceived ethnicity. <B>However</B>, <I>anyone</I> who dumped a large box on campus and then tried to drive off should expect to be stopped and questioned if the security guards are doing their jobs. <BR/><BR/>What would we all be saying about the security guard if he hadn't done anything and something tragic had happened?Stephaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04549433838794370673noreply@blogger.com