The bona-fide Nazi that showed up during all of this really changed how I think about the way we talk to each other and how we should be more fearless in our disagreement. Because that guy showed we all agree on much much more than we think.
The bona-fide Nazi that showed up during all of this really changed how I think about the way we talk to each other and how we should be more fearless in our disagreement. Because that guy showed we all agree on much much more than we think.
I agree. That was truly a wild moment. Those people flew from Walnut Creek, CA to Evanston specifically to yell slurs.
Unfortunately I don't know what to do or say; if anyone and everyone that has a certain type of opinion is called a Nazi (in various forms - "take off the hood", "KKK", "whyte supremecists"), then how can we, as a community, actually have any sort of fact-based discourse? Seriously??
I feel like the discourse has been "on the one hand, there are people that want to build Foster School; on the other hand, there are Nazis." How does a community forge a path forward if that is the starting point for any discussion? As you have said, Tom, you think moving forward with the school is a good idea (I believe that's where you stand based on what I have read). That is an OK and acceptable point of view. It is informed by facts and figures - not emotion. Other people think that the school should not be built, due to the reasons discussed (finances, enrollment). These are also fact-based points of view. And, unfortunately, there is no splitting the baby here: the school either gets built, or it doesn't.
But if we just run around calling each other Nazis and writing anonymous slanderous newsletters, then what chance do we even have of figuring out a path forward?
The bona-fide Nazi that showed up during all of this really changed how I think about the way we talk to each other and how we should be more fearless in our disagreement. Because that guy showed we all agree on much much more than we think.
I agree. That was truly a wild moment. Those people flew from Walnut Creek, CA to Evanston specifically to yell slurs.
Unfortunately I don't know what to do or say; if anyone and everyone that has a certain type of opinion is called a Nazi (in various forms - "take off the hood", "KKK", "whyte supremecists"), then how can we, as a community, actually have any sort of fact-based discourse? Seriously??
I feel like the discourse has been "on the one hand, there are people that want to build Foster School; on the other hand, there are Nazis." How does a community forge a path forward if that is the starting point for any discussion? As you have said, Tom, you think moving forward with the school is a good idea (I believe that's where you stand based on what I have read). That is an OK and acceptable point of view. It is informed by facts and figures - not emotion. Other people think that the school should not be built, due to the reasons discussed (finances, enrollment). These are also fact-based points of view. And, unfortunately, there is no splitting the baby here: the school either gets built, or it doesn't.
But if we just run around calling each other Nazis and writing anonymous slanderous newsletters, then what chance do we even have of figuring out a path forward?
That was well articulated... For a Nazi.
I kid, I kid.