Keeping Score

“This is soooo cool. Thanks for the forum. I’m endlessly beholden to you. I’m making selective cuts (without too much identifying info about me) from this and handing it out without our names for discussions with select youth and peers. So far it’s about 35% you. The killer seems to be my pointing out constantly that you overstate and twist what my actual thoughts/feelings are and your willingness to be pulled into wild accusations and name calling. One youth in particular wants to start a debate club ala “The Great Debaters” because of the exchanges. If I have time that might just be a great boon. But then again he’s 19, maybe I can convince him to do it on his own but with my moral support.” – Carlton

I think we’re helping each other. If you’re making selective cuts from this blog and handing them out and then reinforcing your position by constantly pointing out that I overstate and twist your actual thoughts and feelings and I make wild name calling statements, then I must say you have the advantage. You might see your advantage as killer. However, I must point out the fact that while you are actively controlling your teaching environment, actively steering the conversation to your agenda, and I’m passively getting about a third of your students to agree with my points, I believe I am doing very well indeed. If I may use one of your quotes,

“[If] I only save twenty starfish on the beach when there are thousands drying out in the sun, those twenty will be thankful and will maybe help twenty more apiece when they can.”

If I’m getting to one third of the people you are actively trying to reach, that third will be thankful and will help make a difference in others. There is hope for the black community yet.

Peace

The Murder Of Dr. George Tiller