Interesting blog concept
You may remember this post of mine that pointed to a site called Winning An Argument. I challenged their argument on the assault weapons ban and never heard from them. Today, I get this email from a contributor to the site:
In a recent post on the popular liberal blog Daily Kos, the site’s primary author attributed some of the success of his site to his decision to “immediately shut the door on…Republican commentors.” His idea was “to create a ‘safe zone’ for liberal political junkies.” No matter how successful the Kos site has been I don’t think it was the right decision. I don’t think anyone – including bloggers – should try to insulate themselves from people who disagree with them. Unfortunately, this is increasingly the trend among blogs of all stripes.
In my mind, the only way to move forward is to constantly test our ideas against our harshest critics. We should be willing to learn from those criticisms and, if necessary, change our positions.
That is why I am inviting you and your readers to come to our liberal blog – Winning Argument – and prove us wrong. I welcome any opinion expressed in any way you want. There will be no censorship. Check it out:
Winning Argument is a little different than a lot of liberal blogs instead of just providing commentary we explicitly try to prove positions. I plan on promoting especially thoughtful comments – even conservative ones – to the main section of the site.
Thanks for your consideration.
First, Kos is a partisan hack. Second, I applaud the site for getting away from that whole bush lied, selected not elected, or whatever cool little hippie saying the moonbats are using these days. However, to win an argument, they may want to address when their arguments are challenged. And they may want to brush up on how to argue. Getting your talking points from issue driven hacks is usually not the way to go.
August 11th, 2004 at 11:32 pm
I would love to see some prominent blog have the capability to host an online debate between two bloggers regarding some specific issue.
For instance, have we found WMD’s in Iraq?
Each side could present its case, one by one, back and forth with the host as moderator. Since we have so much access to facts and figures (to support or refute both sides) yet most poliblogs sort of keep them to themselves on their own site, with their own followings, it would be great to see them put to the test.
If someone presents Fact A, that’s supported by 3 different news sites, and the opponent can refute it by citing other references, then a case can be made for where the real truth lies.
August 11th, 2004 at 11:33 pm
Sorry, ran out of space…
Is that possible? Do-able?
I’d love to see, say, South Knox Bubba and Bill Hobbs debate a point in a reasonable, mature, educated and informed manner where both had access to information and facts and could present them TO EACH OTHER in a controlled environment, instead of the usual potshots from the balistrades that’s normal….
Can someone do that?
August 12th, 2004 at 12:23 am
Barry:
That would require Hobbs to behave in a reasonable, mature, educated, and informed manner. 😉
I know, I know, flag on the play. I’ll take the five yards. It was worth it.
August 12th, 2004 at 8:18 am
Kevn Baker has done something like that with a couple of different anti-gun people, IIRC.
August 12th, 2004 at 8:27 am
I thought that’s what the entire RTB was for! 🙂
August 12th, 2004 at 9:06 am
And there’s also the iron blog.
http://theironblog.blogspot.com/
August 12th, 2004 at 9:39 am
also their is this
http://www.opinionduel.com/
good luck in your search for an good agrument, and remember you are always right.
August 12th, 2004 at 10:58 am
Also, out of curiosity:
Why the vehemence in his direction? He’s partisan, sure, and rabidly dedicated to working within the political system to further his ideals, but “hack”? Why?
August 12th, 2004 at 11:04 am
I think he fits the mold of being essentially a hireling who promotes a purely partisan agenda, as is evident by the email comment on shutting the door to the opposition. Granted, he may be implying shutting the door on the other hacks. Hacks v. hacks, no one wins and no one changes anybody’s mind.
August 12th, 2004 at 2:55 pm
The problem with the individual blogs is we’re all holed up in our little silos, and we’re free to present an argument and back it up with facts.
But a lot of times, someone on a different blog – of a different political stripe – will argue the opposite, and back it up with their facts.
All that does is create areas where more of the remoras hang on and nod yes all the time to the host’s opinions – without proper debate.
Bringing two of them together in a controlled environment would remove the safety of hiding behind your own website.