Re: Herbiciding a Pond

[Billinet at aol_com]

Bill said: >BTW, Cavan, does membership in a group like the ADA
> or the Cato Institute or 
> the NAACP or the Democratic party render a posting
> less useful or believable?"
> 
And Cavan replied:  > I'll put it another way.  Do you think that an
> organization that receives money from industrial
> enitities with a monetary interest in what that guy
> has to say has the same credibility as the Democratic
> party and an organization dedicated to the advancement
> of minority interests?  I don't.  I didn't look to me
> like the guy was very forthcoming about his ties. 
> 
> Cavan   

And Bill responds:   Does the fact that an individual is a member of one of those groups automatically invalidate his or her ideas in areas in which the group in interested?  The Democrat party is heavily financed by the trial lawyers associations; two of them were the top contributors to the national Democrat organization in the last election.  Does that render the opinions of individual Democrats on issues of law less believable?  The NAACP is active, with other groups, in lobbying for defense contract set-asides for minority-owned businesses.  Does that mean that the opinions of individual members of those groups or of those associated with the businesses are suspect when they involve defense issues?  And if a member of PETA speaks out against whipping dogs, should we just think, "Well, you know how THEY are" and move on?

I think we should condider ideas as they are expressed and not try to delve into the motives of those who are expressing them.

Bill