Comments on: A reprimand: Whitties fail to consider both sides

By: Harrison

Harrison — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:03:51 +0000

Thank you, Pioneer Staff, for your timely warning. Some years ago, Ben Stein visited Whitman College and was subject to the same brand of disrespect as Friedman and Palin. By not allowing voices from “the other side” of the issue into discourse, we do little to discourage partisanship. I’m tickled pink that this editorial has garnered online comments––it’s a good one, and it deserves them–, but I see that among The Pioneer’s readership, there are those who would injudiciously second-guess Sen. McCain’s motives for choosing Sarah Palin as a running mate, as well as categorically discredit her as the mouthpiece of the “republican machine.” As America seems to be in the midst of troubled times, it’s important for us as citizens to be receptive to political discourse. In plain English, we need to be respectful of the people in the audience at debate screenings, and of the candidates and their running-mates. Kudos to the Pioneer, but no kudos to those who didn’t have the courtesy or patience to wade through Palin’s murky language to find a real reason to agree or disagree with her.

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:22:29 +0000

Thank you for a well-crafted call for civil discourse during the last month of the campaign. Unfortunately it appears to have had no effect on those who most need to heed it as evidenced by the two prior responses.

By: anna

anna — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:45:37 +0000

you’re kidding, right? you think that palin’s presence in the arena isn’t masturbatory mockery of the entire voter base of the united states? yay to the Whitman students for spitting back in the face of the republican machine, which seems to be falling apart at the seams.

By: David

David — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:43:20 +0000

I think a failure to consider both sides is a strong argument. To sit and listen to some completely unqualified statesperson and pretend what they’re saying is coherent (or even makes logical sense) is more desultory to one’s self. You would rather that the students “play nice” and pretend they’re not being asked to overlook a cardinal flaw in the proceedings? This is not our grandparents’ political discourse, this is a token figure being subjected to public scrutiny which she can’t help but fall apart under. You, as her unknowing lackey, are proposing that we gather in acceptance of this debacle and honor the “equality” which is used as a call-out to maintain what balance has been undone by Palin’s own foolish commentaries.