G'morning Bob, 

 BK>  In the last month I do believe I've had the opportunity to
 BK>  participate in two potentially decent debates on Fidonet. One
 BK>  involved an accusation that John Kerry outed a CIA operative,
 BK>  the other was with someone who actually presented a case to back
 BK>  up the accusation that Clinton committed perjury.

Err... did anybody in these debates have any actual experience of 
the CIA outing or of the matters which may have been perjured ?

Here in NZ we have a new battle between the PM and the top 
policeman, over an incident 6 years back.  The debate is fierce as 
an election looms, and every instant expert under the sun is 
fanning the flames ...  with no input so far from the 3 people 
actually present at the original incident sparking the affair.

The sound and the fury has settled along political party lines, 
and their artilleries are now sighting in their really big guns...

None of it actually assists the truth of the matter,  which seems 
driven deeper and deeper into the ruins like some hapless refugee 
orphan....

 BK>  Now, I have often challenged conservatives to support the latter
 BK>  accusation, but few have even tried.

 BK>  This was like the old days in Fido, when you could actually
 BK>  engage in an exchange of ideas. It was fun. Unfortunately both
 BK>  were also short lived. In both cases the conservative reverted
 BK>  to the typical "everybody knows it's true" type defense.

 BK>  Somehow, in Fido today, debate is equated with agreeing with the
 BK>  republican position. Any disagreement is flaming.

Reminds me of the old joke about the concerned citizen rushing up 
to a young cop with news of a street battle between gangs of 
prostitutes and TV/TG's - just around the corner,  only to hear 
the policeman simper "Oh .. I DO hope MY side wins...".

 BK>  A real exchange of ideas seems to be in short supply.
 BK>  Are you sure it isn't time for a colorful metaphor?

SNAFU times,  I think...  nothing changes with humans, across time 
or location.

:-))
 
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