Today's quiz

[Patrick Foley]

James Kruse wrote:

> Patrick and later John use a particular debate tactic designed to
> marginalize the ideas of the "other side" to the point which their own
> position naturally seems to be the most measured, intelligent, and
> reasonable. Never are there black and white answers to all the philosophical
> and sociological questions you are posing. And to what purpose? Further
> division of our ranks along additional fractures?
>
> > You may grade your own quiz answers in any way you like, because here in
> > America, we can say anything we want no matter how dumb.
>
> Absolutely. And you can keep posting divisive and derisive quizzes because
> many, many Americans have died for your right to do so and so many others
> are ready to.
>
> Jim Kruse
>

James,

    Many of those many, many Americans had their own plans, and were not even
thinking about you and me at the time. My three years with the Department of
Defense, and what I have gleaned from history and the military experiences of my
grandfather, my father my sister and my brother suggest that the appropriate
military strategy is not to die for your country, but to get the other side to
die for his.

I appreciate your kind evaluation of my opinions as 'the most measured,
intelligent, and reasonable', and I hope to be able to say the same about yours
soon.

I do however wonder that you think I am responsible in any way for the fractures
in the Lepidopterists' community. If anything, I am a poster child for a middle
road. I collect insects, I carry a net in my backpack at all times (except these
days on a plane). I use my insects for scientific and pedagogical purposes. I do
not collect listed species. I introduce children (my own and those at local
schools) and undergraduates to the joys of studying insects. I think that most
scientific Lepidoptery goes beyond pinning specimens, though all ecological and
evolutionary science rests on a foundation of properly labeled and named
specimens. I present scientific reasons for my disagreements on this list and
back them up with citations from the literature. What would you have me do?
Ignore the posts I disagree with? I do ... most of the time. Carefully and
tediously refute their contents? I do ... sometimes. Join the paranoid fun for a
little relaxing brainlessness? God forbid!

Yours in stuggle,
Patrick
patfoley at csus.edu


 
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