🚀 go-pugleaf

On Sun, 2 May 2004 04:50:57 +0000 (UTC), Merlin Dorfman
<dorfman@rahul.net> wrote:

>vonroach (hadrainc@earthlink.net) wrote:
>: On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 22:53:13 +0000 (UTC), Merlin Dorfman
>: <dorfman@rahul.net> wrote:
>
>: >     My problem apparently is that I take a general statement
>: >as a generality.  A specific statement (e.g., "You, Roachie, are
>: >not too bright") is not a slur against any group.  It is the
>: >general statement ("tribal sophistry") that is indeed a slur
>: >against an entire group.
>
>: More tribal sophistry and xenophobia : insult all non tribal peoples.
>
>     Please explain how "You, Roachie, are not too bright" is an
>insult to all "non-tribal peoples."  

It is an insult directed at a person who is not a member of your tribe
- namely me.

>t is, in fact, as intended, a
>perfect example of a slur against one individual, not against any
>group or against everybody except one group.
>     "Tribal sophistry an xenophobia," however, is a perfect
>example of an insult to all "tribal" people.
>
Nope, it is statement of the reality that prevails. 

>: I iterate the term `tribal sophistry' was intended to apply to the
>: group in general, it does not rule out a few exceptions - but you do
>: not individually appear to be an exception. And I iterate sophistry
>: does imply plausible but faulty and misleading. And clannish, yes that
>: is a characteristic of tribes anywhere they occur.
>
>     Some of your best friends are tribal people who do not exhibit
>the typical tribal sophistry and xenophobia?

I did not make or infer that old saw.  I believe anyone who utters it
is suspect.

>     I would also like you to elaborate on who are "tribal peoples"
>and who are not.  It would seem that everybody is a member of some
>tribe or other.

Many clannish people are members of a `tribe'.  In the present
instance, it is my impression that we are discussing the jewish tribe,
since they were the subject of your remarks and `questions'. Not all
peoples are quite so clannish.  Certainly palestinians and arab
terrorists seem to be.