I agree Barney Frank responded appropriately. But I don't think we're dealing with that level of determined misinformedness yet, although I've wondered occasionally. Brad believes something to be so and is impervious to all argument and evidence to the contrary. Susan and I aren't the only ones who have tried engaging him off-line. He will continue to post and most of us will continue to ignore. Now, if he started claiming that GB, PP, Minimalism, and their offshoots are the way to do grammar I might change my behavior.
Herb
-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Robert Yates
Sent: 2009-08-21 12:20
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Signal to noise ratio ATEG Digest - 19 Aug 2009 to 20 Aug 2009 (#2009-179)
Colleagues,
I wish it were true that being silent would lead to less incivility, but I don't think so.
I don't think Barney Frank should have been silent when he was asked by someone holding a picture of Obama looking like Hitler why he was supporting a Nazi-type health care plan. There is no "civil answer," especially for Fox News to that question. I think Barney Frank was perfectly civil to ask that person what planet she spends most of her time on.
You cannot remain silent when people claim the House bill has Death Panels (like the ones in the UK that would have meant Stephen Hawking would not have lived to adulthood).
Although you don't want to get into a shouting match with people who are carrying guns at a demonstration (and you probably shouldn't), you don't have to be silent and let them think this is proper behavior in a democracy.
Bob Yates, University of Central Missouri
>>> "STAHLKE, HERBERT F" <[log in to unmask]> 8/21/2009 10:17 AM >>>
As we're seeing currently in the health care debate, free speech sometimes brings with it a high signal to noise rate. It's a price we pay. Fortunately, as a group of English teachers, we've practiced a strong support for free speech. As Paul suggests, the best way to reduce noise is to ignore it.
Herb
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul E. Doniger
Sent: 2009-08-21 10:39
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Signal to noise ratio ATEG Digest - 19 Aug 2009 to 20 Aug 2009 (#2009-179)
Scott, et al,
I have suggested this before, but here it goes again: If we all decided not to respond to incivility, to empty arguments, or to undesired commentaries, the level of noise would be greatly reduced. Silence can be a powerful persuader to make others be silent!
Paul D.
P.S. To the gentleman who asked to be removed from the list: Since no list member has the power to remove you, you need to follow the instructions at the bottom of every posting: "To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select 'Join or leave the list'."
"If this were play'd upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction" (_Twelfth Night_ 3.4.127-128).
________________________________
From: Scott <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Friday, August 21, 2009 3:32:38 AM
Subject: Re: Signal to noise ratio ATEG Digest - 19 Aug 2009 to 20 Aug 2009 (#2009-179)
I most agree with Rick Henry that the signal to noise ratio is becoming
somewhat unbearable. Those who like argument for argument's sake should
consider a list such as Grammar Police: they love arguing for the sake of
arguing.
N. Scott Catledge, PhD/STD
Professor Emeritus
history & languages
-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>] On Behalf Of ATEG automatic digest system
Sent: Friday, August 21, 2009 12:00 AM
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: ATEG Digest - 19 Aug 2009 to 20 Aug 2009 (#2009-179)
There are 7 messages totalling 3930 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Still Doing It Right (5)
2. Howdy, Y'all
3. Southern sounds ATEG Digest - 18 Aug 2009 to 19 Aug 2009 (#2009-178)
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