Comments on: Bill Buckley and Gore Vidal http://dougist.com/2008/08/bill-buckley-and-gore-vidal/ Douglas Barone Wed, 14 Mar 2012 22:39:22 +0000 hourly 1 By: Doug http://dougist.com/2008/08/bill-buckley-and-gore-vidal/comment-page-1/#comment-39 Doug Mon, 01 Sep 2008 23:07:15 +0000 http://dougist.com/?p=29#comment-39 <p>OK Bill, that's too small a world!</p> <p>For those of you wondering what we are talking about, I took the side of office refrigerators everywhere in the debate of the Tragedy of the Commons:</p> <p>http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/angus250808.html</p> <p>Click through to the comments to see the outrage...</p> OK Bill, that’s too small a world!

For those of you wondering what we are talking about, I took the side of office refrigerators everywhere in the debate of the Tragedy of the Commons:

http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/angus250808.html

Click through to the comments to see the outrage…

]]> By: Bill Peschel http://dougist.com/2008/08/bill-buckley-and-gore-vidal/comment-page-1/#comment-38 Bill Peschel Mon, 01 Sep 2008 21:59:49 +0000 http://dougist.com/?p=29#comment-38 <p>Since I already answered your comment on my blog I won't repeat it here. It amused me that, following a link from Arts & Letters Daily, I came across "The Myth of the Tragedy of the Commons," intended to argue against the point raised, and found you've taken care of that chore already. Thanks!</p> Since I already answered your comment on my blog I won’t repeat it here. It amused me that, following a link from Arts & Letters Daily, I came across “The Myth of the Tragedy of the Commons,” intended to argue against the point raised, and found you’ve taken care of that chore already. Thanks!

]]> By: Doug http://dougist.com/2008/08/bill-buckley-and-gore-vidal/comment-page-1/#comment-37 Doug Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:37:09 +0000 http://dougist.com/?p=29#comment-37 <p>Thanks for the comment Jenn. I'll have to get a post up about Jane Fonda and we can have some fun with that...</p> <p>I think that Buckley deeply believed in the right of free speech and in its power. The underlying mission of Firing Line was to engage and change the liberal point of view, not from preaching right wing sound bites but from debate. The leisurely hour long format gave plenty of time for that conversation to ensue. Buckley's belief was that given time, the logic of his positions would prevail.</p> <p>And often it did, not just from the strength of his persona, so wonderfully satirized by Robin Williams in Disney's movie Aladdin, but by an an endless chain of logic.</p> <p>A number of times Buckley had the head of the ACLU on Firing Line as "examiner" to provide comments and counter point to the contents of his show. On many issues such as the rights of arrested Americans (Miranda was a new ruling back then) they disagreed, but on others, such as the right to privacy, it tended to be a love fest.</p> <p>I wonder how those exchanges would play out today?</p> Thanks for the comment Jenn. I’ll have to get a post up about Jane Fonda and we can have some fun with that…

I think that Buckley deeply believed in the right of free speech and in its power. The underlying mission of Firing Line was to engage and change the liberal point of view, not from preaching right wing sound bites but from debate. The leisurely hour long format gave plenty of time for that conversation to ensue. Buckley’s belief was that given time, the logic of his positions would prevail.

And often it did, not just from the strength of his persona, so wonderfully satirized by Robin Williams in Disney’s movie Aladdin, but by an an endless chain of logic.

A number of times Buckley had the head of the ACLU on Firing Line as “examiner” to provide comments and counter point to the contents of his show. On many issues such as the rights of arrested Americans (Miranda was a new ruling back then) they disagreed, but on others, such as the right to privacy, it tended to be a love fest.

I wonder how those exchanges would play out today?

]]> By: Jennifer McKenzie http://dougist.com/2008/08/bill-buckley-and-gore-vidal/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Jennifer McKenzie Mon, 01 Sep 2008 05:15:41 +0000 http://dougist.com/?p=29#comment-36 <p>Interesting. I had not heard of these debates and I'm fascinated. As one who WOULD equate the raising of the Vietcong flag equivalent to the raising of the Nazi flag during WWII, I find that kind of protest only drives me to the opposite direction. However, I believe in their right to protest. It's amazing to me how the debate continues and every generation has its sticking point. Great post, Doug. Thanks.</p> Interesting. I had not heard of these debates and I’m fascinated. As one who WOULD equate the raising of the Vietcong flag equivalent to the raising of the Nazi flag during WWII, I find that kind of protest only drives me to the opposite direction. However, I believe in their right to protest. It’s amazing to me how the debate continues and every generation has its sticking point. Great post, Doug. Thanks.

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