Having worked backwards through the messages, I came upon Liddel's.  That thoughtful ideas, barbs, admonitions and challenges follow does not diminish the power of his and Robert Prentice's conciliatory and wise words.  Two people with remarkably different views of the world elevate discourse over rancor and conciliation over conflict.  
 
So Marianne has once again ruffled our feathers, publicly chastising our organization before another group.  Her bad!  Well, that's Marianne.  Let's remind ourselves that she is a top-flight JLSE editor, incredibly warm and engaging person, who's fire - if exhibited by someone who's views were more in line with many of our's - might be praised. Like Liddel, I'd HATE to lose her and believe her recent public statements are grounds for disagreement and no more.  Nim Razook  

________________________________

From: Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Talk on behalf of Pearson Liddell, Jr.
Sent: Fri 9/3/2004 1:22 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Oh my goodness.


Thank you, Robert.  I, too, respect Marianne's right to disagree to the point of walking out, even on the organization.  But I hope she doesn't walk out on the organization because we need her ideas and her spunk.  I didn't stay to hear the speech and if I had I may have walked out with her but I probably would have stayed.  We need to hear opposing views or we will become victims of intellectual incest which leads to sterile minds.  I think most people who know me know that I am a conservative Christian and I don't back down from my views.  But you don't have to be a conservative Christian to associate with me and, in fact, I enjoy discussions with liberals, libertarians, atheists, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, etc.  Jim Bryant and I, here at Mississippi State, disagree on a lot of things but the one thing we always agree on is that we need to hear out the position of the other person.  He makes me think and rethink my positions which either makes my original position stronger or forces me to jettison the old faulty position.  Either way, I win.  So I would implore Marianne to stay and continue to enrich and enliven the discussion so we may all learn and grow.
 
Pearson

        ----- Original Message ----- 
        From: [log in to unmask] 
        To: [log in to unmask] 
        Sent: Friday, September 03, 2004 10:51 AM
        Subject: Re: Oh my goodness.


         
	
         
	
                    Regarding Marianne Jennings' column, it was my impression that our plenary speaker in Canada was not brought in to give a liberal/Democrat party point of view.  In a conference where international relations were emphasized, he was brought in to give a Canadian point of view.  He did a sensitive job, I thought, of expressing what I understand to be a widespread opinion from north of our borders.  I think Marianne's criticism of our speaker is overreaction.
	
                    That said, Canada is a free country and Marianne had every right to choose not to listen to it and chose to walk out.   More power to her.  I certainly had the temptation to take a hike many times when Henry Butler used to give his papers on economic analysis of law.
	
                    Her criticism of our boycott policy is more understandable to me.  I certainly know that I would not be pleased if the ALSB decided to boycott cities that recognized gay unions, for example, so I understand Marianne's point of view from the opposite end of the political spectrum.  Im not moving for repeal of our current policy, but all in all Id prefer we work for our various political causes mostly on our own time.
	
        Having noticed her walk out of our plenary session and guessing the reason why, I remember hoping to myself that Marianne doesn't walk out of the ALSB altogether.  My political views never seem to carry the day in my state and seldom do in my nation, so I understand her frustration at holding what appears to be a minority political view in our group.  But the ALSB should be a big tent.  We have room for all points of view and all of us have the right to express that point of view.  I've written a few "whiney diatribes" [Dan's phrase, not mine] myself over the years.
	
        The way the current polls are leaning, I'm going to want the right to criticize my government over the next four years.  I certainly want Marianne to have the right to criticize the ALSB.
	
         
	
        Robert Prentice,
        Univ. of Texas
	
	
	
	
        At 10:32 AM 9/3/2004 -0400, [log in to unmask] wrote:
	

                I could not believe my eyes.  Sorry, I just don't like public bashing.  I wish we could have discussed this here.
                 
                http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/jennings.html