Comments on: Those dastardly speechwriters… http://rhetorica.net/archives/1362.html Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:01:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Alexander http://rhetorica.net/archives/1362.html/comment-page-1#comment-973 Alexander Tue, 15 Jul 2003 15:55:49 +0000 http://localhost/wpp3/?p=1362#comment-973 The Bush administration manipulated the content of environmental reports producing a lie, the stance of the administration on Social Security amounts to either an intellectual inability to understand the distortion of accounting reports or a bald faced lie. This is all irrelevant. People who support Bush will ignore any injustice or lie without critique or analysis. Did he lie about WMD? It doesn't matter Americans believe they existed and proof isn't necessary for an American to draw a conclusion. The only thing that will cause this to blow up, is if more people die in Iraq or it costs us money. But even then that will be blamed on a non-existent liberal. The Bush administration manipulated the content of environmental reports producing a lie, the stance of the administration on Social Security amounts to either an intellectual inability to understand the distortion of accounting reports or a bald faced lie. This is all irrelevant. People who support Bush will ignore any injustice or lie without critique or analysis. Did he lie about WMD? It doesn’t matter Americans believe they existed and proof isn’t necessary for an American to draw a conclusion. The only thing that will cause this to blow up, is if more people die in Iraq or it costs us money. But even then that will be blamed on a non-existent liberal.

]]> By: acline http://rhetorica.net/archives/1362.html/comment-page-1#comment-972 acline Tue, 15 Jul 2003 13:35:16 +0000 http://localhost/wpp3/?p=1362#comment-972 Rebecca...which only goes to show how little she understands about grammar. She should review my section on language assumptions on my media bias page. The grammar we learned in the 8th grade is the grammar of little old English teachers who trivilize an important subject with stupid exercises like diagramming sentences. It's not until one has a chance to encounter the true power in language structure that the political uses of language become apparent. It's a great toss-off line (score a rhetorical point for her) because so many people think grammar is either itsy-bitsy rules for itsy-bitsy people or something that has absolutely nothing to do with anything outside of school. Further, while it may be true as she charges that some people will do anything to hurt the president, that does not invalidate the importance of structure to meaning in the critique of a president's statements. Megan McArdle has no clue what she's talking about if she thinks grammar isn't political. Rebecca…which only goes to show how little she understands about grammar. She should review my section on language assumptions on my media bias page.

The grammar we learned in the 8th grade is the grammar of little old English teachers who trivilize an important subject with stupid exercises like diagramming sentences. It’s not until one has a chance to encounter the true power in language structure that the political uses of language become apparent.

It’s a great toss-off line (score a rhetorical point for her) because so many people think grammar is either itsy-bitsy rules for itsy-bitsy people or something that has absolutely nothing to do with anything outside of school.

Further, while it may be true as she charges that some people will do anything to hurt the president, that does not invalidate the importance of structure to meaning in the critique of a president’s statements.

Megan McArdle has no clue what she’s talking about if she thinks grammar isn’t political.

]]> By: Rebecca http://rhetorica.net/archives/1362.html/comment-page-1#comment-971 Rebecca Tue, 15 Jul 2003 13:16:18 +0000 http://localhost/wpp3/?p=1362#comment-971 Megan McArdle has a good point on the Kinsley piece when she says: "When the president's critics are reduced to quibbling over grammar, the battle is lost." http://www.janegalt.net/ Megan McArdle has a good point on the Kinsley piece when she says: “When the president’s critics are reduced to quibbling over grammar, the battle is lost.” http://www.janegalt.net/

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