Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Senoufou Date: 11 Jan 18 - 11:51 AM It wasn't the royals themselves who suggested this clearance, but Simon Dudley, the Conservative Leader of Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council, without even consulting his fellow Council members!. (He owns two massive houses worth £5m and was skiing in the Rocky Mountains at the time this nastiness broke.) He copied his poison to Theresa May and the Police Chief of Thames Valley Police while he was on this expensive holiday. I would imagine that the royals are very annoyed and embarrassed by all this. If so, it would be wise of them to publicly say so, and detach themselves from this judgement of homeless people. |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: JMB Date: 11 Jan 18 - 11:31 AM I once stated on my opinion on a politics page in which I indicated that I think Canada should be a republic rather than a constitutional monarchy. There was someone who was a generation ahead of me who was an extremist for the monarchy. They totally disregarded everything I said and didn't reply appropriately, stating that it wasn't worth commenting on and that my opinion didn't matter. They said that I am against authority, law and order and that I was irrational and supported everything that was evil in the world. I thought that Canada was supposed to be a democracy and supported equality and social justice, as well as support for separation of church and state; and a monarchy even though it's a figurehead doesn't really represent these values to me. There is also the amount of money and publicity that goes into the royals when there are countless people who are homeless or in deep levels of poverty and there isn't enough money nor media coverage going towards them in my opinion. In fact, this upcoming royal wedding has them wanting to clear out the homeless people from the streets, because it is an eyesore and makes the royals look bad. |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Senoufou Date: 11 Jan 18 - 11:27 AM You weren't there in Edinburgh Jackaroodave when I most certainly DID burn my (tiny) bra, along with several other mad lassies. My superior younger sister has never, ever worn one! |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Greg F. Date: 11 Jan 18 - 11:17 AM In fairness, Barry wasn't a total nut case: I am frankly sick and tired of the political preachers telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in A, B, C, and D. Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of "conservatism.” - Barry Goldwater |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Greg F. Date: 11 Jan 18 - 11:06 AM Goldwater? As we said at the time: "In your guts, you know he's nuts." In addition, hat was hardly his most ridiculous statement. |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Jackaroodave Date: 11 Jan 18 - 11:02 AM Pretty funny :-) |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 11 Jan 18 - 10:51 AM rebutted the canard Is that anything to do with a ducks arse? :D tG |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Jackaroodave Date: 11 Jan 18 - 10:35 AM Not to dampen the hilarity, but bra-burning never happened. I was there when it was debunked in the late 60s, early 70s, and since then feminists have again and again rebutted the canard. I did not know, however, how the urban legend got started. Snopes has the story here: the origin of the bra-burning urban legend |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Bill D Date: 11 Jan 18 - 10:08 AM "I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue! Barry Goldwater-1964 The conversation then devolved into a debate over his views of 'liberty' and 'justice', which were not exactly mainstream. As to bra burning, I remember a quote from way back where a mother said, "I don't know what to think. My 11 year old wants me to buy her a bra, and my 16 year old wants to burn hers." |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Steve Shaw Date: 11 Jan 18 - 10:00 AM The people at the edges of a distribution curve are not extremists. They are the people at the extremes. Adults who are six foot six or more or four foot ten or under are at the extremes of a distribution curve of heights. They are not extremists. If I pass twelve GCSEs and five 'A' Levels all with A-star grades I am at one extreme of the range of achievement but I am not an extremist. So, Keith, try to not be so extremely silly. (I didn't do nearly as well as that, I hasten to add). |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Raggytash Date: 11 Jan 18 - 08:30 AM Exactly Jim ........................ all 8.5 million of them !! |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Keith A of Hertford Date: 11 Jan 18 - 08:19 AM "Extremists are the minority at the edges of a distribution." Like the German National Socialist Party, do you mean!!! Exactly Jim. |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Senoufou Date: 11 Jan 18 - 07:55 AM Hahaha! In those days, it wasn't much of a conflagration - I was very skinny and tiny. Nowadays, one would need to send for the Fire Brigade. I concur with Dave's point, that if one is very anti-extremism, one could perhaps be called extreme in turn. At the risk of being called wishy-washy by my late very reactionary pa, I personally believe that fiery and fixedly-held views are dodgy. They prevent reflection and assessment. They also engender hatred and condemnation of other groups, which may or may not be the best way forward. In Moral Philosophy, we were taught about 'self-evident truths'. I used to silently disagree. Almost any so-called 'truth' can be challenged. There are probably only a small number of ideas, statements and tenets with which most people (but not all!) would agree. One needs to review constantly ones ideas and to listen attentively even to the extremists in order to understand and adjust ones opinion. |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Steve Shaw Date: 11 Jan 18 - 06:51 AM "One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter." The terrorist is the man with the small bomb. |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Steve Shaw Date: 11 Jan 18 - 06:50 AM I meant extremist in my post, Raggytash, not reactionary. Sorry about that! |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Raggytash Date: 11 Jan 18 - 06:48 AM I particularly liked the Colonel Blimp reference !! |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Mr Red Date: 11 Jan 18 - 06:46 AM In Victorian times, 'decent' meant covering up the legs of pianos! I think that was for fashion, craze, decoration, dust, and to prevent scuffing. It may have been somewhat of a joke. The covering of ankles was a different issue that from the distance of time, we conflate the two. Urban Myth. But as has been mooted, life was a lot more nuanced. Take the Victorian practice of mistresses and wife selling. The latter was probably more a way of common law cheapo divorce and with the agreement of all parties. The public sale price being spent by all three celebrating in the local alehouse. Thomas Hardy was a novelist, after all, not a documentarian. |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Raggytash Date: 11 Jan 18 - 06:45 AM Merely using the dictionary definition Steve! reactionary r?'ak?(?)n(?)ri/Submit adjective 1. opposing political or social progress or reform. "reactionary attitudes toward women's rights" synonyms: right-wing, conservative, rightist, ultra-conservative; More noun 1. a reactionary person. "he was later to become an extreme reactionary" synonyms: right-winger, conservative, rightist, diehard, Colonel Blimp; More |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Steve Shaw Date: 11 Jan 18 - 06:43 AM I hope you took it off first... |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 11 Jan 18 - 06:41 AM I thought burning my bra was extremely extreme Surely that would depend on the size. I'll get my coat... DtG |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Senoufou Date: 11 Jan 18 - 06:31 AM My old father would have said that anyone trying to be rational, flexible and understanding of other views was 'wishy-washy' and 'lacking in moral fibre'. He would have exploded with rage at all the PC stuff flying about nowadays. Making him in a sense an extremist... I also remember the early days of modern feminism. We women were seen as extremists, challenging the very fibre of paternalistic society. Now (so my very feminist sister tells me) feminists are turning against each other and forming factions, especially with regard to the LGBT and transgender debates. I thought burning my bra was extremely extreme, but it seems not... |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Steve Shaw Date: 11 Jan 18 - 06:28 AM Unless you're talking about people who cut other people's heads off in public, or things like that, it isn't a very useful word to use unqualified. |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Raggytash Date: 11 Jan 18 - 06:19 AM You could be an extreme reactionary ............ .................. anyone recognise anyone?? |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 11 Jan 18 - 06:15 AM One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter. DtG |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Senoufou Date: 11 Jan 18 - 06:13 AM Who actually decides what constitutes 'decent' behaviour or views? In Victorian times, 'decent' meant covering up the legs of pianos! I can remember when gay folk were seen as disgusting and never-to-be-mentioned. 'Decent' people were heterosexual. I've noticed that over the decades, some so-called 'extremists' have often had a very valid axe to grind. I'm always wary of labelling a group or an individual. Things are usually much more complex than we think. |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Jim Carroll Date: 11 Jan 18 - 05:57 AM "Extremists are the minority at the edges of a distribution." Like the German National Socialist Party, do you mean!!! Jim Carroll |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Keith A of Hertford Date: 11 Jan 18 - 05:40 AM An extremist can be one who is extreme in action rather than ideology Yes but they need not be. Of course a person with extreme views is an extremist whether or not their behaviour is extreme. A moderate person who posts mainstream views on a forum would be seen by extremists as posting twaddle to the chagrin of the extremists on the forum. The anomaly here is that the extremists dominate certain threads to the chagrin of normal decent mainstream people who find their views marginalised. |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 11 Jan 18 - 05:10 AM An extremist can be one who is extreme in action rather than ideology. One who, for instance, posts the same twaddle over and over again on an internet forum much to the chagrin of the other members. DtG |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Keith A of Hertford Date: 11 Jan 18 - 05:03 AM No Dave. Extremists are the minority at the edges of a distribution. |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 11 Jan 18 - 04:58 AM If you are very anti-extremist can you be seen as an extreme moderate and therefore be anti-yourself? Just wondering DtG |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Doug Chadwick Date: 11 Jan 18 - 04:48 AM It's one of those special verb conjugations: I am right; You are wrong; He is an extremist. DC |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Senoufou Date: 11 Jan 18 - 04:25 AM The trouble with the word 'extremism' is that it begs the question 'in comparison to what?'. As Jim says, it all depends what the 'mainstream' are subscribing to at any one time. Jesus was an out-and-our rebel, both to the Romans and the official Jews. I think 'non-conformist' could cover it a little, meaning someone who doesn't go with the flow of the majority of a population. If one lived in Saudi Arabia (shudder!) and one kept banging on about being allowed to wear shorts in the street or having an extra-marital affair, one would be labelled an extremist. (and promptly executed) When my father was fighting in WW2, any conscientious objectors were persecuted and spat on. They were extremists because they were anti-war. I agree with Big Al - when one is old and has seen a lot, one has a different view of the world to that of younger, more ardent yet more inexperienced folk. |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Jim Carroll Date: 11 Jan 18 - 04:15 AM In today's world, the social ides of Christ would have been considered extremist - and probably jailed as a rabble-rousing agitator (didn't Woodie Guthrie already point that out?) All too often 'extremism' is used by extremists (like the neo-Nazi lady due to go on trial for racism) to quash common-decency based ideas - such as fairness and equality Jim Carroll |
Subject: RE: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Mr Red Date: 11 Jan 18 - 04:06 AM The problem is words morph. Especially when comics like the Sun & Star get hold of them. An extremist to me would be someone practicing violence. Anyone advocating violence would these days be dubbed so, but in reality would be a seditious. Even then I would think think it should be reserved for terrorism. But such is the nature of things anyone in favour of the death penalty might get the accolade. Words often mean what people want them to mean. Hence we have divided nations in the UK (& US and who knows where else). And there is a word factory (or did I mean fake tory?) in the White House. |
Subject: BS: how can you be other than an extremist? From: Big Al Whittle Date: 11 Jan 18 - 03:43 AM Recently someone was accused of being an extremist. something my Dad was accused of in his lifetime, and I sympathised. The fact is, when you've racked up a few years - the things you've seen are so at variance with the accepted facts that you are very isolated. I don't really know what the answer to this is. its just a rather sad observation. |