tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post7955346257537444889..comments2024-03-22T13:06:27.366-05:00Comments on WataugaWatch: Questions for the Tea Party FolksJ.W. Williamsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17694324792688711136noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-73528599320084917932010-05-07T10:06:25.185-05:002010-05-07T10:06:25.185-05:00Mike D (Dicker) is trying hard to revive his old t...Mike D (Dicker) is trying hard to revive his old tricks and continue his hypocrisy. As co-founder of High Country Peace and Justice, a local organization with broad community membership that operated between 2001-2005, I can attest to Mike's tactics. While blindly extolling his love of freedom of expression and diverse viewpoints, he instigated the following incidents against HCPJ: (1) he used Nazi-style Brown Shirt tactics to try to disrupt public presentations at the Watauga Co. Library and the Jones House, where HCPJ had permits/permission to use such facilities; (2) he, indeed, took photos of me (and others), yelling in my face that he was "sending your photo out on the internet to places where you will not be able to defend yourself;" (3) he and a friend came to a peaceful, silent protest on a street corner in Boone and screamed at members of HCPJ and his friend assaulted a female; (4) he stood outside Sanford Hall where my office is located, telling students that they should beware of "the communist" on the fourth floor; (5) in violation of ASU's computer use policy, he threatned the president of the High Country Students for Peace and Justice and we had to call the ASU police who spoke with him about possible suspension (and worse) from the university. The list goes on and on. Like so many others, he hides his fascist inclinations behind burkhas of empty rhetoric about freedom, diversity, liberty, etc.Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06767539564878327745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-36028961964179584852010-05-06T07:23:57.489-05:002010-05-06T07:23:57.489-05:00Why would Mr. Robinson use numbers from the prelim...Why would Mr. Robinson use numbers from the preliminary CBO report instead of the actual revised numbers?Honest Debatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17149552440337966375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-44331295285471240572010-05-05T13:27:33.150-05:002010-05-05T13:27:33.150-05:00Mike,
Again, since I was not involved, it is not ...Mike,<br /><br />Again, since I was not involved, it is not my place to initiate anything. But I am sure that if you called one of them, he or she would gladly meet with you so you guys can settle this.<br /><br />You can then even apologize for what you did, too!<br /><br />It's called restorative justice. And everyone wins. <br /><br />Peace!<br /><br />Matt RobinsonMatt Robinsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-56209789233836920062010-05-05T09:29:05.654-05:002010-05-05T09:29:05.654-05:00Matt,
I am happy to forgive someone who has wrong...Matt,<br /><br />I am happy to forgive someone who has wronged me, should that person accept responsibility and seek forgiveness.<br /><br />You have the connections and the position to bring justice, even after seven years. You could turn to your friends and colleagues and say "Listen, you did this guy wrong. You ought to go apologize to him." They could choose to follow your advice or not, but you would have helped to bring justice.<br /><br />If you would consider doing such a thing, I would be most humbly grateful.<br /><br />Is it your responsibility? Absolutely not.<br /><br />Do you have the influence to make it happen? Very likely.Mike D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-43861740094612738932010-05-04T21:19:08.500-05:002010-05-04T21:19:08.500-05:00Matt - you have no humble opinions - they are all ...Matt - you have no humble opinions - they are all based on arrogance and your misguided sense of superiority. I'm glad you studied the war more than most - good for you. Since you have done that, then obviously you know that hundreds of thousands died at the hands of the former government and we had nothing to do with deaths. To blame the US for ALL those deaths since, is, in my humble opinion, pure ignorance. And you need to know a lot more about someone before you call that person morally bankrupt, which you certainly do not.wnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-63560485517597850682010-05-04T19:59:56.355-05:002010-05-04T19:59:56.355-05:00I think it's time to let this thread die. Some...I think it's time to let this thread die. Some people will just never see the light.<br /><br />All I can say is that I assure you that I have studied the issue of the Iraq war closer than most, I've read the studies about the death toll, etc., and we cover it thoroughly in my 9/11 class. Anyone who is unaware that at least 100,000 and possibly 700,000 people have "prematurely died" due to our invasion is simply not informed of the facts. And anyone who stands behind the decision to invade after all the damage it has done (in spite of the good), is, in my humble opinion, morally bankrupt.<br /><br />Thanks for your thoughts all, and I wish you well.Matt Robinsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-40594546574620680782010-05-04T13:40:41.266-05:002010-05-04T13:40:41.266-05:00Mike,
Listen, I did not see it, I did not hear it...Mike,<br /><br />Listen, I did not see it, I did not hear it, I was not witness to it in any way.<br /><br />I owe you nothing.<br /><br />And you holding on to it after all this time says what? If you want some friendly advice, forgive. I know those who hurt you are not holding on to it, so the only one still being hurt by it is you. Forgive, and move on, finally.<br /><br />And what about the wrongs you did? Did you ever apologize to those you hurt by your actions out on the street? Have you ever apologized for defending a policy that killed more than 4,000 Americans, injured 300,000 more (including psychological injuries), hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, and cost us about $1 trillion so far (remember that war -- the one in which we were supposed to be greeted as liberators, and the one that was supposed to pay for itself?? -- you defended those in power who made these claims). Wanna' apologize for being part of one of the worst foreign policy decisions in US history?<br /><br />Funny how this all came up in response to an editorial about the Tea Party folks. And the main point of the editorial still stands, which I guess you still want to defend?!?!?! Weird.Matt Robinsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-6480352195365408542010-05-04T13:31:09.843-05:002010-05-04T13:31:09.843-05:00You are going to site one study done in less than ...You are going to site one study done in less than a 2-month span of time that is supported by the ultra leftist Human Rights Watch? And also, we don't cite crime statistics by interviewing families over a short time frame such as 50 days and call the statistics legitimate enough to cover 7 years. I know you know that. I guess the study just basically ignored the previous ones done by the UN (and even by UN standards this one is excessive). How convenient it is to say that if we had not removed the oppressive government that harbored terrorism then these 655,000 people would have lived? Really? You believe that? Now you are the one who seems sad and misguided. What you say is "truth" is not always so just because you say it is. But then again, that is the mantra of the left - keep repeating it until people think it is true. <br /><br />I sure hope the faculty handbook does not say that you should teach the truth as you see it. Since I don't have one in front of me at the moment, I cannot say it doesn't. Again, despite your arrogance, the truth as you see it is not always the truth. If you only read from the left, then that is all you understand. There is a whole different world out there with lots of truth - and you not believing it doesn't change that. I think you should be the one ashamed of your ignorance. Your arrogance has a way of blinding you.wnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-74716450768298521462010-05-04T12:46:01.572-05:002010-05-04T12:46:01.572-05:00MikeD, Have you ever noticed that the more one ins...MikeD, Have you ever noticed that the more one insists on his title being used to show respect, the less that person deserves respect? <br /><br />Examples: Matt Robinson, Barbara BoxerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-19422742523229176092010-05-04T11:05:00.645-05:002010-05-04T11:05:00.645-05:00"that was NOT a violation of your constitutio..."that was NOT a violation of your constitutional rights. The Constitution protects your speech from GOVERNMENT restiction, not the actions of a private citizen. I'm sorry you don't understand that." - "Dr." Matt Robinson<br /><br />"(7) Rights of others. The educator shall not willfully or maliciously violate the constitutional or civil rights of a student" - CODE OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AND CONDUCT FOR NORTH CAROLINA EDUCATORS<br /><br /><br />Matt,<br /><br />You can split hairs all you want, but the basic truth remains that what was done to me was morally and ethically wrong, and you are defending it. Where is your 'Social Justice' when it pertains to someone you consider a political foe?<br /><br />What you saw at the Jones House was my carefully researched and planned <b>response</b> to what had been done to me at the previous action sponsored by your colleagues.<br /><br />If I ever receive a simple apology from the perpetrators and an admission that what was done to me was wrong, I'll let it go forever, and you can hold me to my promise. Yet here you are, seven years later, still justifying the unjust while claiming to stand for justice. It boggles the mind.Mike D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-11461273164912937822010-05-04T08:44:06.582-05:002010-05-04T08:44:06.582-05:00Mike
Wait, are you talking about the time you had...Mike<br /><br />Wait, are you talking about the time you had the bull horn and were counter-protesting by the Jones House? So you were being louder than the people who were speaking?<br /><br />If what you said happened did happen to you, then that was NOT a violation of your constitutional rights. The Constitution protects your speech from GOVERNMENT restiction, not the actions of a private citizen. I'm sorry you don't understand that.<br /><br />But again, if what you said happened actually happened, then you should have called the police, because that is assault when someone touches you or rips a sign away from you. Remember when your buddy pushed a female protestor? We called the police. Know why? Because that is assault!<br /><br />Either way, I never did anything to you, and I never resticted your rights. In fact you came to one of our meetings and no one even asked you to leave. Free country, right?<br /><br />Finally, the bottom line is this all started with your reaction to my editorial about the Tea Party movement. And you have not refuted one single fact I wrote about, not one. And if you come to the defense of those people on the streets who believe some pretty crazy stuff, I'll just have to assume you share their crazy beliefs (Obama is a freedom hating, totalitarian loving, socialist born in another country).Matt Robinsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-11853829049239265712010-05-04T08:37:51.596-05:002010-05-04T08:37:51.596-05:00To W:
See how easy it is to prove you wrong:
htt...To W:<br /><br />See how easy it is to prove you wrong:<br /><br />http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/10/AR2006101001442.html<br /><br />The methodology in that study is the same as we use in the US to establish the number of crimes in the US.<br /><br />Or if you really want to know the truth, watch this: <br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ8-tYEcRCI<br /><br />That film is informed by the facts that you just don't know.<br /><br />As for my teaching, I follow the Faculty Handbook which says my primary job is to tell the truth as I see it. And I did have a tea party guys in one of my classes this term. He added a ton to the class because he always challenged me. I listened to him, he listened to me, and I countered him when I thought he was wrong. He was graded based on how well he understood the point of the class, not on whether he agreed with me. And after his final exam, he came up and shook my hand and said, "Thanks for the class. It was by far the best one I had this semester."<br /><br />You can have your opinion, sir, but not your own facts. And that is the problem with the Tea Party folks, they have so few facts and carry around so many falsehoods. <br /><br />You should be ashamed of your ignorance. The price of your ignorance is we get to be ruled by evil men.Matt Robinsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-39883383325117215792010-05-04T05:55:29.197-05:002010-05-04T05:55:29.197-05:00W - A moderate estimation of excess mortality in ...W - A <a href="http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/358/5/445" rel="nofollow"> moderate estimation of excess mortality</a> in Iraq provides convincing evidence of over 150,000 violent deaths as a result of the American invasion. <br />This doesn't take into account the terrible toll of injuries, and disease and disruption of society. <br />Can you please explain why you believe attacking Saddam Hussein's regime was worth the devastation of that country, destroying our economy, inflaming all the Muslim nations against us, and weakening our national defenses? The neighboring regime of Saudi Arabia is much worse in terms of human rights abuses, as are many many other countries across the planet.bridlenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-59532630469629112042010-05-03T23:35:36.825-05:002010-05-03T23:35:36.825-05:00BikerBard,
Some other people with Doctoral degree...BikerBard,<br /><br />Some other people with Doctoral degrees whose ideas you may wish to treat with a great deal of respect:<br /><br />Virginia Foxx<br />John Bolton<br />Henry Kissinger<br />Condoleezza Rice<br />Newt Gingrich<br />Michael Savage<br />Mitt Romney<br /><br />and just for kicks:<br /><br />Josef Mengele, the Angel of Death, had a PhD in Anthropology ;)Mike D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-30129239445994860292010-05-03T22:36:36.649-05:002010-05-03T22:36:36.649-05:00"So the ex-girlfriend of one of my colleagues..."So the ex-girlfriend of one of my colleagues (and fellow protesters) upset you." - "Dr." Matt Robinson<br /><br />Matt,<br /><br />Have you no shame? You make it all sound so benign, but you know so much better than you lead on. How about a little honesty? I was a student!!! You were a professor!!! You had an ethical responsibility to protect me, yet here you sit, defending your cronies who used students to fight their political battles, and infringed on the Constitutional rights of a student who dared dissent during their protest (with full advisement of my rights and permission from the Dean of Students). You ought to be embarrassed and ashamed, not smug and condescending.<br /><br />My civil rights were aggressively and physically violated by one of the adult leaders of the organization which sponsored that protest. She ripped up my sign in front of my face while screaming obscenities at me! Is your concept of the student/teacher relationship and the ethical responsibilities of a teacher so warped that you would describe that as "the ex-girlfriend of one of my colleagues... upset you."???<br /><br />You know I never received an apology? Not from her, not from him for her behavior, not from anyone.<br /><br />And you expect me to show you some great respect for your PhD? I'll tell you what. Arrange a sincere apology from either one of them, convince them that what they did was unethical and wrong, and ask them to convey their understanding to the young man they victimized, and I will call you "Dr. Robinson" with respect and without a hint of sarcasm from now on.Mike D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-32074091310203940182010-05-03T21:09:03.894-05:002010-05-03T21:09:03.894-05:00BikerBard, you're a bully--plain and simple. ...BikerBard, you're a bully--plain and simple. Lay off of Mike--it doesn't matter where his degree is from, or if he even has a degree. He wasn't going after those who pursue higher education, he was going after Matt Robinson's self-projected air of superiority.<br /><br />Biker, where is YOUR Ivy degree from? Are you a Yalie? A Son of Harvard? A Princeton man? Do you pledge your love to Brunonia? (Haha.) Or, better yet--are you a Penn man? Can I put my arms around you as we join in a chorus of "The Red and the Blue?"<br /><br />Or are you just a blowhard like Matt Robinson with a degree from a second rate public university and an unearned sense of superiority?Jeremynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-78423237280790378832010-05-03T20:52:23.280-05:002010-05-03T20:52:23.280-05:00Again, Matt, you believe that if you write it it i...Again, Matt, you believe that if you write it it is true. Hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis on our hands - that's pure bull*$&# and you know it. Of course the former Iraqi government had nothing to do with deaths - a UN report at the time in the late 90's put the death of Iraqi children at 5,000 per month at the hands of the oppressive government. You forget about that because it's convenient to say that the US is to blame for all the deaths in Iraq. Just because you say it was a bad idea does not make it so. The shame is that press your leftist views on students. What would you do if you had a bright class full of tea party followers? I am sure you would give them endless grief because they did not agree with you and make the class unreasonably difficult because what you think is always the correct way to think. Of course, that is no different than most of the people who post here. I rarely come to the site anymore, but you have to be called on your extreme bias. Yes, I know, it's called an editorial for a reason. In your arrogance it is doubtful that you can see other sides to the same issues, but maybe when you grow up and gain some wisdom and experience other than what comes from a book you will. And you keep repeating that you stand on principle - well, guess what, so do I.wnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-64768505585761447672010-05-03T19:13:53.452-05:002010-05-03T19:13:53.452-05:00OK Mike. Your silence on the issue of your college...OK Mike. Your silence on the issue of your college degree speaks volumes. After 5 of your posts, all avoiding the questions I posed to you, we get it. I'll stop pressing you for information. <br /><br />Now, don't criticize others who persue a degree of higher learning.<br /><br />Or do so on the other site where it will be welcomed.BikerBardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-35097074667501828762010-05-03T17:11:17.598-05:002010-05-03T17:11:17.598-05:00LPOV - Thank you. I can only take so much of the o...LPOV - Thank you. I can only take so much of the other site - have to view it sparingly to keep from getting very depressed.bridlenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-47675965379971109612010-05-03T14:16:10.298-05:002010-05-03T14:16:10.298-05:00Mike, thanks for proving that I really do know you...Mike, thanks for proving that I really do know you. So the ex-girlfriend of one of my colleagues (and fellow protesters) upset you. This justifies you threatening us? Being friends with another young man who assaulted us? And in defense of the Iraq war, one of the greatest mistakes in US history? And I am to take you seriously? Really?<br /><br />The funny thing is I agree that spending is out of control. But my priorities, based on my sense of justice, are different. We just disagree about what to cut. Let's cut the Pentagon budget. Half of it is unnecessary anyway. We could do a lot with that money! Let's not start stupid wars. The $3 trillion we will spend on Iraq before it is all said and done could have doubled the salary of every cop and teachers in the US, or provided health care for everyone, or gotten all states out of debt, etc.<br /><br />To "W" I only say this:<br /><br />Your signature, "W" should go right in the middle of George Bush's name. Oh wait ... It does!<br /><br />You said: "I also criticized President Bush over many things - the Iraq war not being one of them."<br /><br />So you still think that was a good idea? Wow! Hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis and approaching $1 trillion spent already, and you did not criticize him for that? Sad, truly sad.Matt Robinsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-14205309072357504932010-05-03T09:15:22.394-05:002010-05-03T09:15:22.394-05:00"I have a Ph.D and you don't-you can'..."I have a Ph.D and you don't-you can't even know what goes into achieving a doctorate. You are simple a blathering blowhard." - EAbbey<br /><br />PricelessMike D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-14221205770183373042010-05-03T08:13:02.207-05:002010-05-03T08:13:02.207-05:00Hey Mike:
I'm still waiting for you to post y...Hey Mike:<br /><br />I'm still waiting for you to post your highest degree earned.<br /><br />Or is your silence the obvious answer?BikerBardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-9945651355939083432010-05-03T06:47:08.816-05:002010-05-03T06:47:08.816-05:00Bridle
Well, said! How about posting that over on...Bridle<br /><br />Well, said! How about posting that over on Watauga Conservative where the Tea Party Mob hang out?Liberal POVnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-12641233710301360082010-05-03T00:18:15.696-05:002010-05-03T00:18:15.696-05:00Matt,
My posts have been on subject, whether you ...Matt,<br /><br />My posts have been on subject, whether you recognize it or not; however, I must digress to defend your school. I am a Hurricanes fan, but my little sister graduated from FSU, my father got his undergraduate and Masters degrees from FSU, and my deceased grandmother went there when it was an all women's college. It looks a bit like a big fire station, and I can't pull for the 'Noles on Saturdays, but otherwise it is a fine school.<br /><br />And you may think you know me, but you don't. You know a person whose fundamental Constitutional right to free expression was aggressively violated by the life partner of one of your colleagues. You know a person who stood up to that oppressive authority, and coincidentally interfered with your political crusade in the process.<br /><br />Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot. I will tell you, in no uncertain terms, that I'm not going to treat you like you are worth any more than any other human being. To me, the opinion of the farmer holds no more or less value than that of the lawyer, professor, auto mechanic, bartender, musician, etc... we have all been learning, along our own paths, from the day we were born until this moment. BikerBard can lick your boots and play Eric Berne's "Gee, You're Wonderful Professor" game, but I value people based on what they demonstrate of themselves to me. I like BikerBard and Bridle very much. We don't agree on everything, but really, who does?<br /><br />I meet very, very few people who really rub me the wrong way. Your colleague's ex was a truly awful human being. <br /><br />Beyond that? Good people are good people, regardless of their political beliefs. I can separate political disagreement from personal dislike. Can you?Mike D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194583.post-30485588335208998092010-05-02T23:55:38.566-05:002010-05-02T23:55:38.566-05:00Mike D.
Basically all you do with your posts is d...Mike D.<br /><br />Basically all you do with your posts is defend ignorance and criminality. Do you have any solutions to the problems the intelligent people discuss on this blog? You keep saying that we should consider the proposals of the opposition to solve these problems. Do you realize that the oppositions "solutions" are exactly what got us into this national mess to begin with? The Republicans of our Congress are totally owned by the top 5% and, sadly, are too many of our Democratic members of the Congress. If you have the ability-go back to the beginnings of Reaganism and see what's happened to the real USA-that would be the dwindling middle class. (If you're not rich and vote for a Republican, you're an IDIOT!!!!) <br /><br />Your comments regarding Matt Robinson (Dr.) are totally asinine and reflect your semi-literate ignorance. I have a Ph.D and you don't-you can't even know what goes into achieving a doctorate. You are simple a blathering blowhard. In the USMC we had a term for people like you-PUKE!!!EAbbeynoreply@blogger.com