Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 2:00 am
"But its still---to use your term--"provoked".....just like in my example, if I scripted a event, hired actors, set up a situation for the specific intention of "provoking" you into violence....would you accept the rational that you were violently unstable already--I just crafted and opportunity to show it?
And would you further accept your reaction to be a valid extention to all gay men in Boston..or the nation for that matter?"
Really? Didn't you read my post? I clearly explained the difference between a bust and entrapment. Here's another example: I saw on Cops a snare where they left a truck unattended and hoodlums began to rob it and were nailed. Or where an undercover agent appeared to act drunk and alone in an alley. The behaviors these lures "provoked" weren't artificially generated. They merely allowed intrinsic propensities for thievery and robbery an expression. And all these people were prosecuted and convicted, not freed because of entrapment!
Similarly, no one cajoled these people into being prejudiced. They let loose with their own venom. I also clearly covered the issue of gay men in Boston. Maybe you missed that? I never heard Quinones damn the entire nation based on the small sample. Could you direct me to when he asks us to "prejudge" mainstream americans on the basis of this sample?
"As such its not so much an example of "intolerence" as it is tolerence."
It's an example of both. As was explained earlier, if 1/3 of lawns in the USA were found to have mines, well, THAT is the news, not the fact that 2/3 are ok!
"Nope, not really, the narrtive in this case is that essentially that the USA is bad, racist nation---a conclusion that John Q little street play did not support--quite the opposite in fact..since it did not fit the narrative we have to argue about it."
IMHO, you were predisposed to overreact to Q's statements and the piece. He didn't say the whole USA was bad and racist. He said there was a lot of venom out there, and he qualified this by pointing out that more people spoke up for the muslim woman. That doesn't negate the venom! I understand that you don't experience a lot of prejudice nor see much and perhaps this is why the piece offends you so much. I HAVE been assaulted in a hate crime, denied access to housing, marriage, eligibility for military service, security at employment, and so on. *I* can tell you occasional prejudice IS a big problem. Maybe this is the message of the piece you could benefit from absorbing!
As for the extension of the car analogy, you lost me. Variation, change, and exception is "news"--so are other things. But finding venom where one would hope there is none is "news." Reporting the car accident is "news." Reporting that on the 5 between la jolla and clairemont last night there was no car accident is "olds." Sure, it may be news if there is unexpected quiet on the streets for a period of time, and Quinones would do well to report that when its newsworthy. However, quiet stretches on the highway from time to time do not condemn him for reporting on accidents nor is he obligated to report on nonevents or what you consider appropriate for him.
And would you further accept your reaction to be a valid extention to all gay men in Boston..or the nation for that matter?"
Really? Didn't you read my post? I clearly explained the difference between a bust and entrapment. Here's another example: I saw on Cops a snare where they left a truck unattended and hoodlums began to rob it and were nailed. Or where an undercover agent appeared to act drunk and alone in an alley. The behaviors these lures "provoked" weren't artificially generated. They merely allowed intrinsic propensities for thievery and robbery an expression. And all these people were prosecuted and convicted, not freed because of entrapment!
Similarly, no one cajoled these people into being prejudiced. They let loose with their own venom. I also clearly covered the issue of gay men in Boston. Maybe you missed that? I never heard Quinones damn the entire nation based on the small sample. Could you direct me to when he asks us to "prejudge" mainstream americans on the basis of this sample?
"As such its not so much an example of "intolerence" as it is tolerence."
It's an example of both. As was explained earlier, if 1/3 of lawns in the USA were found to have mines, well, THAT is the news, not the fact that 2/3 are ok!
"Nope, not really, the narrtive in this case is that essentially that the USA is bad, racist nation---a conclusion that John Q little street play did not support--quite the opposite in fact..since it did not fit the narrative we have to argue about it."
IMHO, you were predisposed to overreact to Q's statements and the piece. He didn't say the whole USA was bad and racist. He said there was a lot of venom out there, and he qualified this by pointing out that more people spoke up for the muslim woman. That doesn't negate the venom! I understand that you don't experience a lot of prejudice nor see much and perhaps this is why the piece offends you so much. I HAVE been assaulted in a hate crime, denied access to housing, marriage, eligibility for military service, security at employment, and so on. *I* can tell you occasional prejudice IS a big problem. Maybe this is the message of the piece you could benefit from absorbing!
As for the extension of the car analogy, you lost me. Variation, change, and exception is "news"--so are other things. But finding venom where one would hope there is none is "news." Reporting the car accident is "news." Reporting that on the 5 between la jolla and clairemont last night there was no car accident is "olds." Sure, it may be news if there is unexpected quiet on the streets for a period of time, and Quinones would do well to report that when its newsworthy. However, quiet stretches on the highway from time to time do not condemn him for reporting on accidents nor is he obligated to report on nonevents or what you consider appropriate for him.