[Vision2020] Daily News Cancellation Letter

[Joseph Campbell]

Kai Eiselein wrote:
> Donovan dribbles, looks, looks again....nobody open....he pulls
> up.....shoots the tre from wayyyyy back...........IT"S GOOOD! 3 points from
> DOOOOOOOOWN TOOOOOWN!!!!!!

Wait! On further review it turns out that Mr. Arnold missed the point after
all!

It is a sure sign of desperation if the only way that conservatives can
rebut the points of liberals is to question their sincerity.

I think that Rose and Wayne and I made it clear enough but in the event that
we didn't surely Saundra did by writing "And, no, my complaint doesn't
relate to [Iverson's] "positions" -- I always enjoy a *good* philosophical
debate -- but rather to the pathetic philosophical mistakes he makes.  In
short, he gives philosophy a bad name."

I am a professional philosopher. I regularly debate with theists, atheists,
skeptics, pantheists, materialists, idealists, solipsists, Marxists,
anarchists, and plain old everyday folk (since I am employed at a state
university). My whole life's work is based on discoursing with people with
whom I disagree. In general, I love it. We can only figure out what we truly
believe if we talk to all people, the ones that share our own opinions and
the ones that hold opinions that we (at least initially) regard as absurd.
It is impossible to get published in good philosophy journals unless one
fully understands one's opponents. Plus, as Saundra said, I always enjoy a
good philosophical debate!

The issue is not that I disagree with Iverson, which I do. It is that
Iverson does not deserve a weekly column. He "gives philosophy a bad name."
He is heartless, offensive, and unable to see beyond his own perspective.
That he is given a weekly column shows how slanted the Daily News has
become. 

(The careful reader will note a lack of any particular criticisms of
Iverson's latest column. That is because I sent a letter to the Daily News
about it on Saturday and I don't want to spoil things by revealing the
content of the letter here. Perhaps I should say just a little for those who
no longer get the Daily News: It turns out that Iverson's view on the nature
of morality is both naïve -- since he considers only two such views -- and
contradictory -- since the first view, which he accepts, entails the second
view, which he rejects. More to come in the surprising event that the Daily
News does not print my letter!)

> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 12:11:49 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [Vision2020] Daily News Cancellation Letter
> To: DonaldH675 at aol.com, vision2020 at moscow.com, alford at dnews.com
> Message-ID: <20050830191149.78759.qmail at web30802.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
> 
> Dear Nathan Alford,
> 
> After reading the Daily News Opinion page yesterday I
> am canceling my subscription.
> 
> I found an opinion by someone I disagree with being in
> the opinion section of the paper. This is absolutely
> unreasonable if the Daily News wishes to keep me as a
> reader.
> 
> The Daily News should only allow people that I approve
> of, or a committee of people appointed by me, any
> space to write an opinion. Furthermore, I should be
> permitted to read and edit it before print to ensure
> my version of the truth is the one published.
> 
> In addition, the DN has been accepting advertisements
> from companies that sell to people I do not like and
> advertising products I do not use.
> 
> Donovan J Arnold
> 
> PS. The DN reported sunny weather when we needed rain.
> This was also very inconsiderate to the people you are
> suppose to be serving.
> 

> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 12:22:08 -0700
> From: "Kai Eiselein, LatahEagle Editor" <editor at lataheagle.com>
> Subject: [Vision2020] Daily News Cancellation Letter
> To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> Message-ID: <IMECLGOGAHLEBIIJCDGECEECCGAA.editor at lataheagle.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;    charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> Donovan dribbles, looks, looks again....nobody open....he pulls
> up.....shoots the tre from wayyyyy back...........IT"S GOOOD! 3 points from
> DOOOOOOOOWN TOOOOOWN!!!!!!