08-04-2009, 02:36 PM
Peter Presland Wrote:The general tone of a post often conveys more information than the content. The smug superiority on display over there is very much a case in point. The authors of a properly and rigorously peer-review paper castigated as 'rogues and scoundrels' with not even the pretence of a reasoned rebuttal. It reminds me of the treatment routinely meted out to criticism of Zionism for example. In similar fashion, 'Anti-Semite' is the reflex response, with no attempt to engage with the facts.
On these sorts of contentious issues where an iron-clad official orthodoxy prevails, the most telling consideration for me is the extent of 'professional' risk (and often risks to personal safety) that dissenting views must accept if they are to be heard. There is no question of Steven Jones and his co-authors seeking personal gain or currying favour with TPTB - or anyone else for that matter. That much is crystal clear to anyone with half a brain. Rather, they are taking considerable risks with their careers. That alone demands that they be given a fair hearing by fair-mind people capable of thinking for themselves. The scurrilous abuse evident on that thread tells me pretty much all I need to know about those orchestrating it.
What you don't know Peter is that 'B' is also a moderator and one known to change other's posts or remove them or close a thread or ban someone who displeases him [or whomever he might be doing the bidding of - formally or informally]. He and the other will tag-team to make sure there is a negative post on the article [substance not important - negation is!] at the bottom of the tread at all times. Newbees and most others on the Forum won't dare post anything for fear of being slammed. Jack and I [while we still have the privilege] will. I fear for my own posting rights remaining so after my last two posts...but I just got very angry. These are exactly the lumpen troops who carry out the disinformation efforts. There is a long history behind all this, but won't bore you.
"Let me issue and control a nation's money and I care not who writes the laws. - Mayer Rothschild
"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience! People are obedient in the face of poverty, starvation, stupidity, war, and cruelty. Our problem is that grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem!" - Howard Zinn
"If there is no struggle there is no progress. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and never will" - Frederick Douglass
"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience! People are obedient in the face of poverty, starvation, stupidity, war, and cruelty. Our problem is that grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem!" - Howard Zinn
"If there is no struggle there is no progress. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and never will" - Frederick Douglass