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WESTERN

((Revision of the Stanford Western Culture program into Cultures
Ideas and Values. )) 
                     
It took me awhile to wrap my head around the conservative
view point concerning "demonstrations"... Maybe it'll help
if I try to explain it (though I'm not so sure I agree with
it).  

Around the time of the Western Culture debates, there were a
lot of snide remarks from conservatives concerning the
"intimidation" tactics supposedly being practiced by the
other side.  They seemed to think that all groups of
demonstrators were violent mobs ready to string them up.

These remarks looked ridiculous to me, as I'm sure they did
to a lot of other people. 

But if you think about it, demonstrations are a really odd
custom.  I mean, why not, say write a letter to the editor,
or distribute a petition?  What exactly is the point of
getting a big bunch of people together to chant something?
Maybe there is some kind of implicit threat of violence
behind every demonstration: "If you don't listen to reason,
maybe next time we won't be so peaceful..."  After all,
there certainly are examples of demonstrations that get out
of control and turn violent.                       
                                                   
Anyway, I just wanted to point out that there's something of
a cultural difference here: what may look like a peaceful
demonstration to one person may look like an angry mob to
someone else.                                      
                                                   
                                                   
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