Won't somebody please think of Dave Blaska?

Pity poor Dave Blaska. He needs help. Last month Isthmus asked the two of us to post on crime in Madison.

Yesterday Blaska wrote: Blaska's Blog: That's Paul Soglin on crime...

I CAUGHT A BIT OF FLAK IN MY LAST PRINT PIECE FOR ISTHMUS...

So, sure enough, Paul Soglin, who was the other half of this point-counterpoint, used his blog to brand me as a racial profiler. Paul, I am opposed to racial profiling.

There is nothing in my post about racial profiling. Nothing. Nada. Zero. Zilch. Zip. Goose eggs. There is a good deal in the post about how Blaska, and other conservative commentators, keep harping back to crime suppression in New York City without knowing of what they write or speak.

Did anyone read this book? Anyone? It is like the children's game telephone where you whisper into someone's ear and it comes out garbled as the statement is passed around.

All of which raises concern for Blaska's wellbeing. It seems rather silly to have lost an argument and then resurrect it, when he was crushed by a sounder, more thoughtful argument, and lost on the basis on sound documented evidence.

Won't somebody please think of these right-wing doctrinaire commentators? They need help. Badly. Should we take up a collection?

While we are on the topic, I just love this from one of Rick Esenberg's fans:

Soglin is a socialist. All money belongs to socialists. You get to keep your money according to your need. Soglin will make sure you have enough to get by.
Nothing can stand in the way of diversity, progressivity or taxivity. Rick just shut up and hand over your wallet you corporate toadie.
I admire your attempts are reasoning with Soglin, but he is a lunatic.

Comments

[Jon]

Wow, Rick Esenberg made the canonical example of an ad hominem attack. It's fascinating how the right-wing make arguments from emotion, not intellect. Because they have no facts, they can't make intellectual arguments, and in fact denigrate intellectuals. Rick's argument could have been straight from Stephen Colbert it's so funny.

[Jon]

Out of fairness to Rick, the comment was from one of his readers

[Hermes]

Crime suppression is easy; just watch Judge Dredd, or the Punisher, and do that. Am I right?

[Emily]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks Blaska is a little...off point.

(http://thelostalbatross.blogspot.com/2007/10/dave-blaska-pot-meet-kettle.html - shill shill shill)

[Julia Kerr]

Paul: Love your blog, but am deeply troubled by the fact that 41% of your readers taking your poll favor the Rockies over the Red Sox...what is up with that!?!?!

Julia Kerr, 13th District Alder and Die-Hard Red Sox Fan