Says the greatest regurgitator of terrribly worn cliches.

…coincedence?

-G. Tenet-

Your reply misses my point, as earlier replies of yours have done. Then, too, you discussed your experience as a criminal defense attorney and tried to use it to defend yourself against my criticisms of you. But it’s just not convincing. My criticisms of you cannot be evaded by your attempts to cite “likeability or empathy.” TP is not a literal courtroom; what matters here should be held to a higher, impersonal standard. Your social role as attorney has nothing to do with your social role as citizen and–presumably–as rational being. You persistently confuse them because it serves your ideological agenda to do so.

Your comments about other posters here are irrelevant. I have no illusions about them–but this is a progressive site, not a conservative one, so they may be forgiven when they occasionally fail by the highest intellectual standards, and they naturally object when someone like you visits this site with the sole purpose of amusing herself at their expense. The real question is whether you have any desire to do better than you contend they do. Clearly you don’t. This is the fallacy of common practice–since others here fail to maintain high standards (or so you contend), it’s acceptable for you to fail as well. In simpler terms, you’re trying to claim that two wrongs make a right. Can’t you do any better than such sophistry?

I have no illusions about you. I realize that you don’t wish to change minds. But what you do in posting here is even worse than just fail to change minds: you interfere with other people in ways that neither serve the truth or mutual understanding; these people serve only your own petty personal agenda, to have fun at their expense. You condescend about the people here; since when is condescension a moral virtue? You condemn the atmosphere here, yet seem blithely unaware that you yourself have played a large role in creating that atmosphere. Your ideas might well be received “like a skunk at a garden party”–but how would you know how they would be received unless you treat the people here in a respectful, courteous manner? Try being patient, try giving evidence, try a civil tone of voice. I’d have to wonder how successful you are as an attorney if your understanding of human nature is so deficient that you think people respond well to abuse, insult, invective, scorn, sarcasm, and the like.

If I were to post on conservative websites, I would do so with as much intellectual and moral integrity as I could muster, in order to try to contribute something to the debate.

As I’ve asked you before and on several occasions, try to be a more intellectually and morally civilized human being. If this task is too much for you, because you’re so trapped in your own narcissistic personality that fun is all that matters to you, please show just enough integrity to stop posting here. If you tried to behave as an attorney as you feel free behave here, you’d be disbarred, and properly so, for misconduct. What makes a progressive website fair game for you but not the courtroom? Only the fact that law is your livelihood? That would be particular self-serving, but this seems to be a personality trait of yours.

Thanks for your hope that my students do well on their finals. I hate to say it, but if they do, it’s because they’re following some of the standards and principles I’ve asked you repeatedly to follow. These standards and principles apply to attorneys, philosophers, students, plumbers, bus drivers, stenographers, and soldiers; they are incompatible with whatever standards and policies govern your conduct on this website.

Dear Prof. Colby – Thank you for your thoughtful and considerate suggestions. I have every expectation my ideas will be received like a skunk at a garden party – which does not bother me in the least. If you are under some romantic illusion that committed Progressives are more “tolerant” than ordinary humans – you might want to get out a bit more. YOU might be in the “courtroom of ideas” when you come to Think Progress. I do not consider this site to be more than a regurgitation of well-worn cliches. (A significant number of Progs feel the same about Conservative sites, so this “feeling” might not be unfamiliar.)

I am a criminal defense attorney who utilizes all my skills to protect and defend my clients’ Constitutional Rights. Preparation is key when tackling the evidence of a competent DA and the resources of the state or federal government . But believe it or not, the biggest losers in the courtroom are due to the “likeability or empathy factor”. People rarely convict if the DA is cocky and arrogant. Likewise if defense counsel is ill prepared and does not relate well to the jury, the defendant has a more difficult row to hoe. Since 1994, the number of cases of bona fide jury nullification is staggering.

I apologize if you think I wish to change minds or influence people. That goal – in this place – would be a head-banging exercise. “You People” give me food for thought (and lots of laughs) – period…..

I hope your students do well with their finals…..Enjoy your summer holiday….

http://OsiSpeaks.com or http://OsiSpeaks.org

Is that it? Sorry to be so slow.

I’m still confused. Is moral relativism where you call other people names but then get upset because other people are calling you names?

Toodles!

We must try to understand, Lily. I think that’s the first link our Haggie has ever provided. Poor dear….

Not everyone is into your kind of “curiousity”. Zoooette probably likes men.

You might want to have a rest. Bless your heart, you’re seriously decompensating.

Are you asking about my ass, dear?

I’m just not interested enough to ask MA. You go ahead though. :-)

I’m pretty sure it’s my fine Dutch ass. Heh.

Thanks, I’ll stop crying now. *sniff*

:-)