Pointless internet conversation of the day

[conuly]

"The Black Panthers were scum, name one good thing they ever did!"
"Free breakfasts."
"Your source doesn't provide enough information! You're full of shit!"
"My source is National Geographic. They're a reputable source. You don't like it, go google it."
"Anyway, the FBI calls them an extremist organization!"
"The FBI called Martin Luther King an extremist. On this issue, they are not a reputable source."

I'm debating whether or not I care to go another round. On the one hand, it passes the time while the girls take their break. On the other... meh.

Comments

[stardreamer]

Any attempt to make serious social change requires both extremists and moderates. The extremists do two things: (1) call attention to the problem in a way that's very difficult to ignore or brush off; (2) open up space for the moderates to push for less-extreme solutions which will sound more "reasonable" by contrast with the extremists' demands.

To use a less-fraught example, PETA is a bunch of assholes. But a lot of people have stopped wearing fur, and some have stopped eating meat, and there are a lot more regulations now about the treatment of animals used for medical research, and there's a LOT of pushback against (frex) cosmetic companies using animals for testing. And the progress we've made would probably have been significantly slower without PETA out there screaming and making jerks of themselves. People say, "Well, they're loons, but y'know, they've sort of got a point about this particular thing."

[smile_n_cuddle]

I never thought about it before, but you are so right! I guess extremists underscore the issues.

And I should probably think a crazy PETA person for the fact that I am an extremely ethical eater!

[zesty_pinto]

Yes, thank you! It's been a point of contention with current politics in general these days as it seems the two party system is rife with both (although I can't complain too much re: the left).