A (fallacious) appeal to authority argument has the basic form:A is the mods. p id the proposition that "Beese ought to be banned".
1. Source A says that p is true.
2. Source A is authoritative.
3. Therefore, p is true.
I'll second that dunkadunc, and take it up one further. I also like having her around, because she's an earnest human who means well and is trying to get by in this world, just like the rest of us. She takes a lot of shit and sifts through it all and learns what she can. She sticks by this community and reads the threads and participates, despite however many times people call her out, bring up the past, or focus on the negative. She's an inspiration to me, because I know that when I do or say something contrarian, or am dragged through the mud by fucking strangers, I can remind myself that I don't need to flame out, quit, or retaliate in kind. I can keep trying. And if one person recognizes that, even if it is just me for my own transgressions, then it's worth sticking it out. Because there's always tomorrow, which may be more accepting than today. I'm glad St. Alia is here and I hope she never decides to leave us.
posted by iamkimiam at 12:44 AM on April 14, 2010 [113 favorites −] [!]
I had hoped that the white moderate would see this need. Perhaps I was too optimistic; perhaps I expected too much. I suppose I should have realized that few members of the oppressor race can understand the deep groans and passionate yearnings of the oppressed race, and still fewer have the vision to see that injustice must be rooted out by strong, persistent and determined action. I am thankful, however, that some of our white brothers in the South have grasped the meaning of this social revolution and committed themselves to it. They are still too few in quantity, but they are big in quality. Some---such as Ralph McGill, Lillian Smith, Harry Golden, James McBride Dabbs, Ann Braden and Sarah Patton Boyle---have written about our struggle in eloquent and prophetic terms. Others have marched with us down nameless streets of the South. They have languished in filthy, roach-infested jails, suffering the abuse and brutality of policemen who view them as "dirty nigger lovers." Unlike so many of their moderate brothers and sisters, they have recognized the urgency of the moment and sensed the need for powerful "action" antidotes to combat the disease of segregation.These statements were radical and outrageous in '63, and they've continued to be such up to the Jerimiah Wright scandal. I sincerely doubt that you can write a post here that argues that most white mefis are apathetic toward or complicit with urban redlining without drawing a flamewar. But that's exactly what King tells his audience.
Let me take note of my other major disappointment. I have been so greatly disappointed with the white church and its leadership. Of course, there are some notable exceptions. I am not unmindful of the fact that each of you has taken some significant stands on this issue. I commend you, Reverend Stallings, for your Christian stand on this past Sunday, in welcoming Negroes to your worship service on a non segregated basis. I commend the Catholic leaders of this state for integrating Spring Hill College several years ago.
But despite these notable exceptions, I must honestly reiterate that I have been disappointed with the church....
As I understand it, the discussion in the thread as a whole is about [Q] Some, like Rory, are advancing the argument that [Y].....Whereas others are arguing that [Y]. You submit "Letter from Birmingham Jail" as an example of [Y].And I then went on to spend the bulk of my comment going on and on about why I thought it the Letter was in fact more X-ish than Y-ish. You responed to that by accusing me of arguing in bad faith, of trolling you. I responded by asserting that I wasn't and trying to explain what my intent was. You still seemed to think that even that was arguing in bad faith, that having disingenuously attacked you, if I now desired to be reasonable I should start with trying to come to clear understanding of your position.
posted by Ironmouth at 2:38 PM on June 20, 2011