Personally, I don't find convincing most people (who don't have a vested interest) that the whole institution of "crime", implying punishment, needs to be abolished very hard. The problem, IMO, is the PR hypochondria of leftists such as Bob who think we'll offend everybody if we act on principle and actually ask for what we want. These things always start with a minority of raving loonies and develop broader acceptance over time as more people become aware of the arguments (assuming they are convincing, of course). If one's objective is a NY Times article or a university promotion tomorrow then then the bet-hedging Bob recommends is a good move. But if one's aim is alleviating a social ill in the long term than taking the most extremist position today is the most pragmatic strategy because it will push even "moderates" further to the left (or reveal them as complete frauds) by putting their timid positions in perspective.
> Date: Fri, 22 May 2009 23:28:25 -0700
> From: bob.morris at gmail.com
> To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
> Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Close the Prisons Re: Irish priests beat, raped children
>
> > Hence the *principled* and *strategic* insistence on slogans that sound as
> off-putting as possible. It's the only way to separate the wheat from the
> chaff. The only people who would ever respond to a call to abolish all
> prisons immediately are those who already share the notion that the "final
> goal" of "taking power" is "everything."
>
> But at some point the group has to let in the moderates else the it will
> never expand beyond a tiny few, and thus be doomed to irrelevance and / or
> endless factional feuding and splits.
>
>
>
> Bob Morris
> http://www.google.com/profiles/bob.morris
> ___________________________________
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
_________________________________________________________________ Share your photos with Windows Live Photos – Free. http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/134665338/direct/01/