tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408416634973721990.post8658995665795986973..comments2023-03-30T09:17:22.383-04:00Comments on Hard Candy: Hands Across a ShamAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03221488306843052373noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408416634973721990.post-66890399778835672042010-07-04T11:30:52.991-04:002010-07-04T11:30:52.991-04:00Hi Benjamin,
That was a great response. I don'...Hi Benjamin,<br /><br />That was a great response. I don't agree with you on much of it but I respect your opinion, largely because you seem to know *why* you believe what you believe.<br /><br />I will say, though, that there is one glaring difference between advocacy to stop oil exploration and anti-tobacco advocacy groups: no one has to consume tobacco to show up at a protest against it. My point in this week's column was simply that protests only do so much. Those people on the beach were not a threat to BP, Amoco, or any other oil company because they still use oil, and I witnessed needless consumption in conjunction with the protest. I saw many folks park their cars and get out of them alone to join the event, even though Gulfport has bus service, bike paths, and- this is kind of a big one to me- is only 2.5 square miles. I saw people choose bottled water over the cold water handed out in cups from a large cooler. So, in effect, what I saw was people telling the government to stop drilling... WHILE they were engaging in behaviors that necessitate drilling. THAT is the thrust of the column, not that advocacy is unnecessary. I am not taking a cheap shot at people who want to effect a change; I instead target people who do not choose to align their actions and their beliefs. Certainly not everyone at the protest drove there solo or drank bottled water, but I watched many who did. And many people just don't think about it. I hope to make them think. <br /><br />We could go on all day, so will stop here, but I enjoyed your rebuttal very much. It made me think. Thank you- for reading and responding, of course, but also for thinking.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03221488306843052373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408416634973721990.post-13299897926345061482010-07-02T22:58:01.145-04:002010-07-02T22:58:01.145-04:00Tough words for the Hands Across the Sand, folks, ...Tough words for the Hands Across the Sand, folks, Cathy. My rebuttal at my own blog:<br /><br />http://warnerkirby.blogs.com<br /><br />Good luck in the Netroots Awards!Benjamin J. Kirbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17948007254159623174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408416634973721990.post-72400435330105152762010-06-30T22:57:39.872-04:002010-06-30T22:57:39.872-04:00Thank you Cathy. I didnt attend the hands across t...Thank you Cathy. I didnt attend the hands across the sand because I would have had to drive to the beach. I agree with almost everything you said. People can make a huge difference with only a little bit of cutting back.RonReganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06444362436835663465noreply@blogger.com