Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Name-calling or Truth-telling?

Dear True,

One reason I like to read your blog is that opinions on all sides are tolerated that don't meet the "mainstream media" criteria. But, I like best for opinions to be backed up by facts.

I think people like to read your posts because they walk the borders among truth, facts, opinion and even invective. It is up to the reader to decide. For example, is it a fact or opinion that the East Bay is a Big Box?

Or, is calling big outside developers "Disney" or "Big Box" (aka Wal-Mart) fact or opinion? Personally, I think it is fact. Others may disagree.

At today's City Council meeting (two and one-half hours long!) nearly every issue facing the city and the county came up. The new council and mayor chose wondrously practical, even-handed and transparent decisions that allow for plentiful public input before any binding decisions get made.

Even the Gals got another chance, after the Attorney General ruled that their permanent easement from the city was illegal.... they have two weeks to work out a compromise.

Mayor Larsen is just so practical, but also her transparency shines like a Nova Star in the night.

Civil discourse, as our Vision Adviser Rudy Schoolderman reminded us today, can lead to c0nsensus-based solutions such as his CGI team have proposed this afternoon. But Rudy could not help but notice from his team's inclusive process that there is a big, big 50-50 split on some design standards.

Dear Truer than True,
Even in our opinion posts we like to hear some facts or at least some ethical justification for the opinions presented. Sticks and stones may break our bones but names can never hurt us. I didn't notice any facts or ethics in your post, but perhaps you might be willing to elaborate.

I hope, nonetheless, that all of our readers will be careful about name-calling.

Jane Marple
A regular True contributor and an old village tabby

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Dear Jane,

How I hate to write. No name calling! How un-Grand Marais can you get?

But, fair enough. We should try to raise the civility level of our public discourse. We will all take a collective pledge to no longer name call.

Folks like Jim Shinners, from now on, will not be treated with all the respect they deserve, no matter who they attack or insult or berate or threaten.

No, we need to turn the other cheek in each and every instance. If they lie, we will not call them liars, we will only point out their aversion to the truth. If they are greedy, we vow to say no more than they were short changed when the generousity gene was being parceled out. When they are mean spirited, we will say they suffered as children from a lack of kindness.

I think we can do this.

But as for you, Miss Marple, you are quite the goodie two shoes - oops, was that inconsiderate?