Nat Ehrlich, Ph.D.
Research Specialist
Michigan State University
Institute for Public Policy and Survey Research
Office for Survey Research
321 Berkey Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-353-2639
-----Original Message-----
From: Ehrlich, Nathaniel
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 7:37 AM
To: 'Craig Gunn'; [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: Removal from list serve
Craig,
I concur with you; those who choose to opt out from the listserv are
choosing to remain blissfully ignorant of reality. A few years ago I might
have been tempted to do the same, but my experience has taught me the danger
of that. I won't go into specifics, but listening to BOTH SIDES of any
argument and making a conscious, considered choice is the strategy that
places the blame for the consequences where it belongs.
If one believes in an ideology, no matter its nature -- let's say one is a
diehard Republican or Democrat, unwilling to even consider pulling the lever
for the opposition, then whatever transpires after the election, one cannot
claim to have been misled or lied to, because a mind already made up is
impervious to persuasion.
I have friends on both ends of the political spectrum who send me email
agitprop, and I keep myself informed about what's currently being offered as
"political wisdom" on the Internet, the airwaves (I drive 75 minutes each
way to work), on television, and the occasional paper-based book or
newspaper. For what it's worth, I see the originators of the extreme
doctrines as akin to preachers attempting conversion by emphasizing the evil
of the opposition, preying on the natural human instinct to flee from
danger. They promise salvation: just vote MY WAY, and your AFTERvoteLIFE
will be in heaven, not hell. And sure enough, whatever the outcome, they're
right back the next day taking credit for everything positive and placing
blame for everything negative on those who did not become converts to their
ideology.
So, I will remain on the list-serve, and continue to read all of the
opinions, and at some point, if there is an election, I'll make a choice --
unless the two alternatives are both so unenticing that I'll just say, "no
thanks" to the opportunity to vote.
Nat Ehrlich, Ph.D.
Research Specialist
Michigan State University
Institute for Public Policy and Survey Research
Office for Survey Research
321 Berkey Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-353-2639
-----Original Message-----
From: MSU Academic Specialists [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Craig Gunn
Sent: Monday, March 02, 2009 9:27 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Removal from list serve
Michael,
Your words ring clear and and eloquent. When the listserve caved in to
nothingness last week, its silence spoke volumes. The fear of Academic
Specialist screamed from the computer, as people, terrified about
repercussions from their freedom of speech, slid back into the gloom of
a lack of information. We are at a turning point here and we must be
kept informed. I wonder if anyone thought of pre World War Germany when
so many feared the Nazi Party and its power over them, choose to close
their ears, and then went blind into the ignoring of horrors that they
could have prevented. Knowledge is power and we NEED to know what is
going on.
Craig
Michael Hudson wrote:
>
> Having now witnessed several requests to opt out of the specialists
> list serve, I encourage all to reconsider this bold move. Namely,
> leaving the list omits you from one of the few ways specialists
> communicate as one cohesive group. While dropping out is an option, it
> seems to me that a better choice is to build an e-mail filter that
> keeps these messages in a single folder that can be reviewed at your
> convenience without plugging up the in-box.
>
> That’s my 2 cents worth.
>
> Michael J. Hudson, Director
>
> Michigan State University, Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities
>
> http://www.rcpd.msu.edu
>
> *From:* MSU Academic Specialists [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On
> Behalf Of *Stella Cash
> *Sent:* Monday, March 02, 2009 4:07 PM
> *To:* [log in to unmask]
> *Subject:* Removal from list serve
>
> Please remove Stella Cash from the list serve.
>
--
Craig James Gunn
2443 Engineering Building
East Lansing, MI 48824-1226
517 355-5160
Director of the Communication Program
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Co-Chair MSU Community Charitable Campaign
Editor – CED Newsbriefs
Editor – MCCE Co-op Courier
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