Date:         Thu, 5 Mar 1998 06:19:02 -0800
Reply-To:     Sam Scholten <vwvanagon@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Sam Scholten <vwvanagon@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY
Comments: To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hi, volks;

Finally looks like the field is clear. The responses to my posting
were interesting, and at times, amusing! Of course, I was hoping to
present both sides of the smog issue, in an attempt for everybody to
make peace and move on. Of course, that wasn't the case...

I'm really not hurt or uptight about those who blasted my posting-
more like I was entertained. Who knew that of anybody to attack
anyone's punk credibility, it would be a VW van listee, who is
apparently bourgeois enough to own several new European cars? My
harshest critic, Ric Golen, was totally off the subject in his reply-
after which he tells me to do some further research before making
"attacks" on everyone. My aim, of course, was to give both sides equal
time. Perhaps Ric could do some further research into my posting
before posting his reply.

I would like to publicly apologize for the mess I've caused. Perhaps
I've failed to articulate my position clearly enough. Mea culpa.

By the way, any "real" punks on this list who run a band, label, or
zine, give me an email and perhaps we can all hook up (off the list,
of course). I'm sure this includes Scott McDonnell!

Off to start my day.

Best regards to one and all,
Sam




---Sam Scholten <vwvanagon@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
>
> Hey all you smog polemicists out there!
>
> I don't think this smog thing is going to be easily resolved. The
> reason is this: people arguing for either side are not arguing about
> the same agenda. The environmentalists on the list support compliance
> of the emissions laws, that I'm sure they supported, out of a
> utilitarian drive to clean up the air around them for the benefit of
> everyone. The anti-emissions law crowd is sick of those damn clogged
> catalytic converters, myriads of vacuum hoses (which one slipped off
> this time?) and the need for ECUs that do nothing but screw up all the
> time. In addition, they don't like another law on their backs.
>
> While I admit to taking a position- the utilitarian one- I'll have to
> admit reading that thread is like listening to a debate between
> evolutionary biologists and religious fundamentalists. The Darwinians'
> arguments come from the discipline of science; the creationists'
> arguments come from the discipline of the humanities. You will simply
> NOT reconcile the two on a concrete level.
>
> Same here- the debate here is utilitarianism vs.
> disestablishmentarianism (I knew I would pull that one out sometime!)
>
> Therefore, seeing that arguing this point is utterly futile, the best
> we can do is make lemonade from the lemons and use the criticism as
> constructively as possible- as an opportunity for education. What can
> we learn?
>
> For one, emission control equipment suffers from reliability problems.
> Otherwise, few if any people would be bitching. Not to unfairly pick
> on Scot Douglas, but even though I wouldn't be caught dead in a Dodge
> Caravan, I encourage Mr. Douglas to make reliability in emissions
> equipment a design goal. :) I understand this may be difficult, and
> wish him the best.
>
> For another, we need to approach emissions control laws intelligently.
> The EPA ought to research its emissions requirements more thoroughly
> before requiring them. I'm not a chemistry major, but I know that some
> of their bright ideas could have been thought out a little better.
>
> To close, in general, we all need to quit bitching and look for
> constructive solutions to things. Debate and open communication is
> healthy, but one-sided ranting and ad hominem arguments are not.
>
> Best regards to one and all,
> Sam
> =
> "Punk's not dead (it just sucks right now)"
> _________________________________________________________
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>
=
"Punk's not dead (it just sucks right now)"
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