Full discourse is the only way to solve real problems

Image: This 1946 photograph of Third Avenue in New York City displays far more open expression about fat people than is “politically correct” in 2017.

The Woodlands, April 29 – I’m fat. But in our “politically correct” world, it’s okay me to say that, because I’m talking about myself. Last night I heard an African-American lady (notice the political correctness) refer to herself as “a person of color.” Even she wouldn’t dare refer to herself nowadays as a “colored person.” Political correctness has made speech more difficult. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t go too far in trying to lay the blame for the lack of communication in our world on political correctness.

At the same time, don’t you hear people bemoan “it’s a crazy world.” It is a crazy world.

Early this morning, The Golden Hammer published an Associated Press story about a horrible incident in California involving a public university where the students ganged up to prevent a conservative writer, Ann Coulter, from engaging in free speech on campus. In response to the article, a lady named Carrie Meador Starr, posted the following comment:

“Hm! I don’t think free speech works both ways on this page either! If someone disagrees they get attacked, demeaned and called names. Hunker down in that safe space!”

The Golden Hammer‘s response to Ms. Starr:

“Actually free speech does work. But what none of us should tolerate – ethically – is the attempt at anonymity, Ms. MEADOR Starr. People need to disclose their connections and their motives. Disagreement is healthy. Nonetheless, if I tell you “I believe in how great a road project is” but I fail to tell you that I’m the engineer who is getting paid to do the road project, then I deserve some criticism for failing to disclose who I am and what is the basis of my beliefs. So the fact that you are the DAUGHTER of Commissioner Mike Meador, someone whom The Golden Hammer, Montgomery County’s leading daily newspaper, www.thegoldenhammer.net, has criticized for his terrible spending decisions, is something you ought to disclose in all fairness. I look forward to further discussions with you.”

We should all appreciate Ms. Starr’s attempt at discourse, even though her comments appear to constitute propaganda more than actual discussion of issues. Part of the problem with the actions of Ms. Starr, Commissioner Mike Meador’s daughter, and other people who communicate anonymously – or without disclosing their connection to an issue – is that the discussion never enjoys the degree of robustness that it might otherwise have when people hold the truth behind walls. That’s why you observe the nastiest comments in online newspapers or blogs are those under pseudonyms. Those people feel that they don’t have to engage in discussion. They’re there merely to attempt to drop bombs on people whom they perceive as their enemies.

What’s so sad is that we just don’t have the discussion we used to enjoy as a society. People rarely sit around their living rooms or their front porches and engage in substantive discussions about politics, culture, books, or even movies. Millenials never even observed such happenings, so when people attempt to engage them, they believe the attempter is a “strange person” and they leave the scene.

Our County Commissioners Court, under the guidance of Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal, Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador, and Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley, doesn’t communicate with the public at all. Meeting rules and meeting agendas fall within designs to minimize and prevent interaction with the public. Citizens may only speak to the Court for 3 minutes each and, by putting citizen comments at the front and back ends of the meeting – rather than along with each agenda item – the Court members ensure that they don’t have to interact with the public.

The lack of real communication in our world is precisely the reason we now live “in a crazy world.” When we don’t interact, we’re all living on lone islands. It’s easy to get lonely in those circumstances. It’s easy to yearn for the days when people would just walk right up to someone and say, “Eric, you’re fat.”

County Spending, Discussion, Ethics, First Amendment

Full discourse is the only way to solve real problems added by admin on April 29, 2017
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