Dear Cody,

The ultimate authority must always rest
with the individual's own reason and
critical analysis.

We all have a continuing obligation to work
on our attitudes. Every day we hear of
grievances in connection with which ethnic
background, or some similarly irrelevant
difference, is blamed. It is of course, the
height of arrogance to believe that we are
superior to others, yet this attitude is hard
to eradicate.

Sometimes our suspicious approach to those
who seem different appears to be heightened
by media presentations that distort and
aggravate incidents. At times this almost
appears malicious. I recently heard of an
infuriated theatre attendant who became
irritable by a migrant who was unsure where
to line up, "Why don't you learn how we do
things here?" she shouted in exasperation at
the bewildered victim. Such absence of
courtesy and understanding is inexcusable
and should prick the conscience of all of us.
Incidents such as this can provoke defiance and even
a desire to retaliate. Our aim should always
be to behave with respect towards others, and to
encourage this in all people.

I've been abused in the most disgusting and personal
terms, but that just goes with the territory on a
public forum such as this one. Subsequently I make
a note of the poster and usually tend to ignore
their posts in the future because I know that the
chance of having a sensible discussion about issues
will be lost. I don't believe in mud-slinging.

What we need is a more positive, open and compassionate
approach to differences in opinion.

Sadly, your last post to me runs short of the mark.
You come across as an abusive, illogical and weak debater.
But do keep trying.

Dear Lexi

You are still maintaining that it is wrong to prejudge groups of people. But when I asked you what you thought of Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members, you dodged the question. When I asked you if you would invite Hells Angels to your next party, you responded with a red herring. Conclusion? You know it is OK to prejudge people you don't like, and if it is OK to prejudge people you don't like then- - - -?

And you are fully aware that you would be crazy to invite the Hells Angels. But you won't admit you are clearly wrong.

Lexi, I can tell more about my opponents real intentions from the questions they dodge and prevaricate on, than what they really say. From your artful responses and issue dodging, I know that you are fully aware that prejudging is valid, but you can never admit it. Because if you did, you know that it would undermine your entire humanitarian argument. So you will keep on performing mental gymnastics and claim that black is somehow white, because you don't know what else to do. Lexi, if you have to go to such lengths to defend your ideology, isn't it time to re-examine your ideology?

Next, you are still claiming that stereotyping is wrong. Even though you have claimed that it is wrong to think of groups of people in terms of generalities, and then planted your foot right in your mouth by saying that "some people think in generalities".

Lexi, you have just prejudged a generalised group of people that you have identified with the label of "some people."
You have just validated my premise that stereotyping is essential to the act of thinking.

I can see it. Antiseptic can see it. Cody can see it. Hasbeen can see it. Even poor old Poirot is probably wincing, looking askance at you, and giving you the hairy eyeball, if you say that you can't see it.

I am glad that Lexi is on your side, Poirot.

<<I can see it. Antiseptic can see it. Cody can see it. Hasbeen can see it. Even poor old Poirot is probably wincing, looking askance at you>>

Yeah I see it too.
(not real sure about Poirot though, she only has one, jaundiced eye--she doesn't pick-up much these days)

Gentlemen,

Thank You for this robust discussion.

It has been a real eye-opener (no pun intended).

.....and SPQR can see it too, Lexi.

I suppose you are letting us know that you are heading for the hills with what remains of your dignity. OK. Well at least you have learned a few things, Lexi.

1. Those racists whom your side stereotypes as cretins can out think you.
2. The concept that stereotyping and prejudging is PC wrong, is just a stupid slogan that you have accepted without ever thinking about it.
3. If you claim that stereotyping and prejudging is wrong again, we are going to recognise it as a weak link in your argument, and you can bet that we are going to saw away at it again for all it is worth.

As your psychologist, may I congratulate you on being an interesting case? I will forgo my fee this time, but if I have to keep pointing out the contradictions in your logic, I may have to charge you next time.

Lego,

You will never have an intelligent or reasoned argument with Lexi. I think she’s a Pollyanna like eccentric

Her responses on controversial topics are always the same and are not her forte. She also said once that on a particularly heavy topic that it was making her feel sick. But why does she pursue? She has nothing of substance in her responses, she will say she has been insulted, accuse you of having no intelligence or debating skills, plus she always FEELS (no thinking) she is being insulted, yet she also accuses people of being emotional. It’s a broken record in the style of text-book preamble. I think she does a lot of copy and pasteing. Plus she usually ends off under the delusion that she has won the debate.

I’ve noticed since I put it to her quite a while back that she doesn’t debate, and ever since she has inordinately accused people of not having debating skills. Heck she even used the word “shiite” at least once which I have used. This is totally out of her character. But then she also comes back with “you don’t know me”. I think she has a complex.

She responded only to the positive half of Hasbeens’s post. He also mentioned that she is likely to be a danger to society.

My take is if you cannot judge, you can’t analyse. What are we without judgement? Lexi’s off with the pixies.

This does not make me a not nice person just for using my critical faculties. But too nice is too much for me. (I have a distrustful instinct for extremely nice people.) I find I just can’t respond to her inane posts anymore. She creeps me out.

Some people will always be in denial because they just like to live on their own planet.