This weekly roundup thread is intended for all culture war posts. 'Culture war' is vaguely defined, but it basically means controversial issues that fall along set tribal lines. Arguments over culture war issues generate a lot of heat and little light, and few deeply entrenched people ever change their minds. This thread is for voicing opinions and analyzing the state of the discussion while trying to optimize for light over heat.
Optimistically, we think that engaging with people you disagree with is worth your time, and so is being nice! Pessimistically, there are many dynamics that can lead discussions on Culture War topics to become unproductive. There's a human tendency to divide along tribal lines, praising your ingroup and vilifying your outgroup - and if you think you find it easy to criticize your ingroup, then it may be that your outgroup is not who you think it is. Extremists with opposing positions can feed off each other, highlighting each other's worst points to justify their own angry rhetoric, which becomes in turn a new example of bad behavior for the other side to highlight.
We would like to avoid these negative dynamics. Accordingly, we ask that you do not use this thread for waging the Culture War. Examples of waging the Culture War:
-
Shaming.
-
Attempting to 'build consensus' or enforce ideological conformity.
-
Making sweeping generalizations to vilify a group you dislike.
-
Recruiting for a cause.
-
Posting links that could be summarized as 'Boo outgroup!' Basically, if your content is 'Can you believe what Those People did this week?' then you should either refrain from posting, or do some very patient work to contextualize and/or steel-man the relevant viewpoint.
In general, you should argue to understand, not to win. This thread is not territory to be claimed by one group or another; indeed, the aim is to have many different viewpoints represented here. Thus, we also ask that you follow some guidelines:
-
Speak plainly. Avoid sarcasm and mockery. When disagreeing with someone, state your objections explicitly.
-
Be as precise and charitable as you can. Don't paraphrase unflatteringly.
-
Don't imply that someone said something they did not say, even if you think it follows from what they said.
-
Write like everyone is reading and you want them to be included in the discussion.
On an ad hoc basis, the mods will try to compile a list of the best posts/comments from the previous week, posted in Quality Contribution threads and archived at /r/TheThread. You may nominate a comment for this list by clicking on 'report' at the bottom of the post and typing 'Actually a quality contribution' as the report reason.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Notes -
The analogy fails. Foster was in a public space where he had every right to be. Texas is an open carry state, so he had every right to carry a rifle in public. The basis for Perry's self-defense argument is that Foster threatened him, but as far as I can tell the only evidence for that is Perry's claim (and which appears to be contradicted by other eyewitnesses).
There's a photo of Foster pointing an AK at Perry.
I've been looking around for this and unable to find anything. The jury apparently either didn't see this or didn't find it compelling. If you can link it to me, I'd appreciate it.
edit: the only picture I've been able to find, cited as "showing" Foster pointing a gun merely shows him holding a rifle in the vicinity of Perry's car. As I mentioned before, Texas is an open carry state. Foster was allowed to walk around carrying a rifle. Under such legal circumstances, simply approaching someone while carrying a gun can't reasonably considered a threat without creating insane outcomes (i.e. if we were to consider Perry justified in shooting Foster, we'd also have to consider Foster justified in shooting Perry if he had done so). Of course, this could have been avoided if they'd simply left their guns at home.
looking closer I think he's not actually pointing it in the photo, sorry it's quite dark and grainy.
https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/1644518046784995331/photo/1
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link