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June 28, 2005 My sixtieth column here on Useless Knowledge was originally going to be about how I wound up writing sixty columns. That, in and of itself, is an interesting story—one which I can save for another milestone column. But I want to use this column to applaud two of the true champions of this website. Ken Hughes and Michael John McCrae have written over 600 columns between them, more than a few of which were either rebuttals to something I wrote or something that Michelle Malsbury wrote. That Ken and Michael stand on the opposite side of the political spectrum from Michelle and me isn’t a great surprise. Anyone who has visited here regularly knows where we all stand. What is great to see, though, is these two grizzled, conservative lions circling the wagons around a liberal counterpart. Ken and Michael aren’t doing this because they agree with where Michelle stands. They’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do. To read an article by Michelle not only means you get her take on what’s going on, you also get references that support her arguments. Whether you agree with her or not—and I do agree with her more often than not—you know that she’s going to bring her A-game to the table just about every time. And here’s something else. Ken and Michelle are the only two regular correspondents to Useless Knowledge who, in my time writing here, have collaborated on at least one column. In a country so divided about so many issues, that speaks volumes. Over the course of time, Michelle has become a friend of mine, too. We have quite a bit in common, particularly in our politics. Whereas Ken and Michael have put their faith in the current American leadership, Michelle and I feel the War on Terror has fallen off the track, particularly because the real perpetrators of the deadly attacks on America have not yet been punished. And with as much as is currently tied up in Iraq, it’s unlikely that the real enemy will be punished, during this administration or administrations to come. Ken and Michael rallied around a fellow columnist whose personality came under attack. I don’t agree with either of them politically, but I count them as friends, too, because they have shown mutual respect for me and my opinions, even if they don’t agree with them. I’d like to echo their sentiments by saying this: It’s possible to attack a person’s position, without attacking the person. Timothy Stelly, a regular here on Useless Knowledge, wrote a column entitled “A Black Irwin Allen? We Have Enough Disasters” (March 12, 2005), rebutting my column “Looking for a Black Irwin Allen” (March 11, 2005) in which I expressed a desire to see black filmmakers tackle the disaster-movie genre. He laid out his rebuttal logically, without attacking me personally, and without making me feel that my argument had no merit. He also got a nice email explaining why I’m not moving from that position, for him or anyone else. But I encourage anyone looking for how to lay down a tactful rebuttal to read Mr. Stelly’s piece. Thank you again, Ken and Michael, for stepping up with class and dignity to show respect for a fellow columnist. Thank you, Michelle, for staying the course and sharing your insights with all of us. And thanks to everyone at Useless Knowledge who have made writing those first sixty columns a true joy. ------------ About the author: Claxton Graham has written a number of articles for Useless Knowledge. He works as a business systems analyst. Email: scifiwriter8502@email.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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