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BS: Intent vs. the written word

12 Apr 21 - 08:01 AM (#4101961)
Subject: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Donuel

Few people seem to read between the lines and tend to believe the litteral written word instead of the implied intent. Perhaps they know better but are unwilling to admit it because their motivation is ugly and foul when examined.

The Citizen United law clearly has an opposite written intent. Even the Constitution has an intent to make genocide and slavery a quasi legal entity!

Take the second ammendment, the unspoken intent is to arm people to kill Native Americans by citizens. The Army would be tasked with killing other foriegn armies. Seniors today have great great grandfathers who would make $5 to $200 for killing Indian men women or children. This tradition carries over to killing black slaves of course.

The sub culture of policemen still feel a pride in killing black people today. I have presonally known police who brag about killing black kids even when they hid. One even made fun of the noise they make when fatally shot.

Lieing often has an opposite intent of the litteral word.
"Its not you its me" "Its not the money..."


12 Apr 21 - 08:16 AM (#4101965)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Donuel

aside: Ever notice the US Army names their helicopters after vanquished Indian tribes they fought in the Indian War?


12 Apr 21 - 10:15 AM (#4101978)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Stilly River Sage

You've overlooked a third category: the small print.


12 Apr 21 - 10:38 AM (#4101980)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Charmion

It's easy to think you're "reading between the lines" for "implied intent" when you're actually reading your own prejudices into a text.

First, read the words as written. Then read the writer's other works and note how s/he uses words and what s/he says about his/her beliefs and intent. Then read the critics and commentators, if any. Read about the activities that take place in reaction to the writer's words.

Then think.

As for the US Army and its helicopters, note that the military culture of western Europe, including its colonial spin-offs, is highly romantic, so it is rife with "noble savage" symbolism.

I have always thought it remarkable how we like to praise our enemies when they are good and dead, from Geronimo to General Rommel.


12 Apr 21 - 12:17 PM (#4101990)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Joe Offer

There's a Citizens United Law? Who passed it?


12 Apr 21 - 12:30 PM (#4101993)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Charmion

If I recall correctly, Citizens United is a court decision. All it takes to get rid of that is another court decision.

Which, of course, takes takes time, effort, lawyers, luck, and lots of money.


12 Apr 21 - 01:08 PM (#4101996)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Mrrzy

Charmion, it is the "Then think." step that is so sadly lacking!


12 Apr 21 - 02:40 PM (#4101999)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Donuel

Funny I deleted the large print giveth and the small print taketh away. The voting rights Biden is working on will address the Citizens United unlimited secret corp $.

I know I am naieve that my education has warped certain facts of life although my heart is in the right place, on the left. An HBO miniseries opened my eyes to the true scope of ignorant hate. I think it is called Exterminate All the Brutes.


12 Apr 21 - 08:42 PM (#4102039)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Mrrzy

(In Strine:)
That's not a naïf! THIS is a naïf!

Sorry. Couldn't resist.


12 Apr 21 - 08:49 PM (#4102040)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Steve Shaw

"But let thy speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." [Matthew 5:37]

Are you listening, Mrrzy? ;-)


13 Apr 21 - 03:24 AM (#4102057)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Mr Red

It's easy to think you're "reading between the lines" for "implied intent" when you're actually reading your own prejudices into a text.

On the same spectrum as "People don't analyse that which they are glad to hear"

I am sure there are siblings like "confirmation bias" and "Dunning-Kruger" is in the family somewhere.

But, being more than devil's advocate - it comes from experience/exposure - and it made the human race so successful. As I always say - "Life ain't binary".

Geronimo to General Rommel - when we leap into the abyss we are as likely say: "Geronimo", how powerful is that? But where would we use the expression Desert Fox?


13 Apr 21 - 08:47 AM (#4102077)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Charmion

Mr Red, think for a minute about the fact that you even know that the Desert Fox was Rommel. Why was he the hero of that film, played by James Mason, no less?

By pumping Rommel’s reputation, those who defeated him pump their own. It’s a fine old propaganda trick, dating back to the Romans. Julius Caesar devoted large hunks of “The Gallic Wars” to the cleverness and courage of Vercingetorix, whose death by strangling was the climax of Caesar’s first triumph.


13 Apr 21 - 10:39 AM (#4102089)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: robomatic

Rommel was portrayed as an oaf in "Five Graves to Cairo."


"For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah. Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repealing it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron."


Happy Ramadan


13 Apr 21 - 10:52 AM (#4102090)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Donuel

Growing up in the PA NY bible belt I fought against both kinds of confirmation bias but I could not fight against not being taught the truth about native Indian genocide in the first place.
We did'nt have a Civil War either. We had the war between the States or the war of northern aggression.
Southern textbooks were dirt cheap.


14 Apr 21 - 11:11 AM (#4102198)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Donuel

Thomas Jfferson had the intent to pay back his mortgage and loan for the building of his Monticello mansion. As was customary the collateral he put up for his mortgage were human slaves.


15 Apr 21 - 03:52 PM (#4102306)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: robomatic

It is so interesting that our once hagiographic view of Jefferson has undergone this transformation as the reality of his world is hitting home in a new way, two hundred years down the road. In the midst of his slave-owning life he realized the inherent wrong of his world and spoke about it, wrote about it. In this case possibly his intent was in line with his writing.

How many of us realize the inherent inequities which we live in and propagate; which our posterity will wonder at?


15 Apr 21 - 08:40 PM (#4102328)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Donuel

Dogs have a propensity to bark, and many people have a propensity for getting annoyed by it. But even old dogs like me are learning new things. I think I am able to see the ocean I am currrently swimming in along side Tom. Not the entire ocean but the sea in front of me.


15 Apr 21 - 10:23 PM (#4102338)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: robomatic

I knew THOMAS Jefferson. I swam with Thomas Jefferson. You, sir, are no swimmer!

Perhaps you were a urinator* with Thomas Jefferson?









*diver


16 Apr 21 - 07:29 PM (#4102463)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Donuel

He did a damn good job of writting the Declaration. He too faced the challenge of writting the way things could or should be and not as they are.

He would be shocked at the state of science today as well as the ignorance of our home grown domestic insurrectionists who stormed the capitol building for the Defecation of Indepeedance.


19 Apr 21 - 05:03 PM (#4102735)
Subject: RE: BS: Intent vs. the written word
From: Donuel

The closing arguements of the Chauvin trial was a good demonstration of proving intent despict the anemic defense.