Hulver's site || Comments || Insane

Wow! by ti dave (5.00 / 1) #45 Mon Jan 05, 2004 at 12:50:59 AM EST

Straight to the ad hominem?

You could have toyed with me a bit longer. The adrenaline would've marinated my flesh.

I don't care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do.
The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it. --W.S. Burroughs
[ Parent ]

That's not an ad hominem. by em (5.00 / 1) #46 Mon Jan 05, 2004 at 01:00:26 AM EST

You cite an anecdotal instance of a Haitian committing a gruesome act of violence for really small motive. If we're going to cite such things, your country's inhabitants are notorious for that sort of thing. (The US, land of serial killers, teenagers who shoot up a bunch of people in schools, stockbrokers going postal in a McDonalds, etc.) I don't see how Haitians are "special" in this regard.

And all of this is independent of any fact about you personally.

--em
[ Parent ]

: You mis-understand. by ti dave (5.00 / 1) #49 Mon Jan 05, 2004 at 01:06:37 AM EST

I'm an American who takes his citizenship seriously and quite personally.
That said, yes, I know that we're all capable of senseless violence.
I don't care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do.
The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it. --W.S. Burroughs
[ Parent ]

Just to make sure I don't misunderstand you. by em (5.00 / 1) #48 Mon Jan 05, 2004 at 01:05:49 AM EST

Are we talking of a context where a single cube of chicken bouillon would be a significant possession? (I have in mind Haitian communities in the US, not rural Haiti...)

--em
[ Parent ]

Neither, but quite significant. by ti dave (5.00 / 1) #50 Mon Jan 05, 2004 at 01:10:32 AM EST

It was in downtown Port-au-Prince.

I wouldn't proffer a single incident to *prove* my point, but I saw enough really incredulous acts of violence to convince me that the general populace needs some serious therapy.

I don't care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do.
The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it. --W.S. Burroughs
[ Parent ]

Ah. by em (5.00 / 2) #51 Mon Jan 05, 2004 at 01:16:43 AM EST

I took you as making the argument that Haitians are particularly violent, as exemplified by this gruesome act of presumably senseless, unmotivated violence. Yes, it is hard for us developed-worlders to imagine a single bouillon cube as a reasonable motive for murder, and I'm not exempt.

--em
[ Parent ]

: They wear their emotions on their sleeves. by ti dave (5.00 / 1) #56 Mon Jan 05, 2004 at 01:51:20 AM EST

It's hard to explain, but the entire place is like a high-school drama club.
I chalk it up to cultural differences.
I don't care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do.
The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it. --W.S. Burroughs
[ Parent ]