What started as a curse laden initial message unsurprisingly ended in a racist petty tirade with subtle threats and devoid of facts—BUT with a critical lesson learned
You have my complete admiration for understanding what he was saying admidst the run-on sentences with no punctuation or conjunctions.
I'm not sure I could debate someone like Matthew. I've tried a couple times in Huffpost comments, and it's a losing battle. A guy who may have been a paid troll in Serbia was claiming that "woke" California had the worst death rate from Covid. I tried to explain several times in several different ways that, per capita, their death rate was actually pretty low compared to some state like Alabama (or something), with a smaller population. No, he said, California had 100,000 deaths and Alabama had only 10,000, so California did much worse. (This was several years ago and I don't remember specific numbers anymore.) I tried to explain that California had 2 deaths per 10 people, while Alabama had 5 per 10 people. Nope, California had 100,000 deaths, so they were much worse. I tried to explain what "per capita" meant and how death RATES needed to be considered, not total numbers. I couldn't shake his belief, so I quit. Several other commenters told me that it was a losing battle, trying to convince people like him. I've stopped taking their bait. Either they're getting paid to say stupid stuff, or they're MAGAts who aren't going to change their minds.
Perhaps other people read the back-and-forth and got some education from it. I hadn't considered that before. But it's tiring and frustrating to try to explain math or the Constitution to people who are convinced they're right and I am wrong, and I have so many better things to do. But I'm really glad you have the patience and tolerance to do what you do. Somebody needs to do it.
Hi Qasim, just listened to your “dialogue” with Matthew. Firstly, you did a great job not reacting to his insults. Secondly, you methodically laid out a thorough explanation of the applicable Constitutional law. I applaud your patience and desire to educate and challenge Matthew on the facts. Sometimes people are just too hardened to listen. For me, that is the real danger of our times… being so radicalized that the truth no longer matters. I wish you success in all your endeavors and peace! Martin
While your credentials are front and center, I must wonder if Matthew has any credentials at all or is just a high school dropout with a computer in his parent's basement. (O.K, that's a stereotype, but is seems to fit. :)
Qasim, thank you for sharing this debate. As a person who’s never had an education in debate nor in law, what advice or sources can you cite for folks like me to get my facts straight? Bias is tough, if not impossible, to dismantle but approaching it as you do was valuable information for me. Thanks again Qasim. Keep up the good fight and I’ll do the same. 😊
Modeling how to have a constructive argument with people who have been brainwashed by propaganda is valuable. Educating others is the only way we get out of this. People do come out of it and we have to welcome them when they realize they were duped. MAGA was a scam. Most will get there eventually.
So very hard to deal with ignorant people who argue without any factual basis for their arguments. I am impressed with how you maintained your sanity when dealing with this racist fool. Truth always is hated by the racist and fascist fools in our world!
Well done. Thanks. I also take away from your experience that we opposed to Trump do have to do a better job of establishing our bona fides by being for the citizens hurt by Trump. We have to be actively opposed to bad policies and bad implementation by everyone, not letting our favorite politicians get away with them just because someone we oppose was/might be worse. We missed those opportunities on Obama, which is much of the reason, I think, why Trump won in 2016. We better not miss them after November and after 1928.
It’s frustrating that Matthew had not backed down by the end of your conversation and continued to spew racist and nonsensical arguments. But it is possible that you planted some seeds of doubt in his mind that might germinate later. Not certain, but possible.
It is said to be actually PAINFUL for people who have bought in to a worldview to be presented with evidence that they are wrong. That is why they can't accept it.
"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”
You have my complete admiration for understanding what he was saying admidst the run-on sentences with no punctuation or conjunctions.
I'm not sure I could debate someone like Matthew. I've tried a couple times in Huffpost comments, and it's a losing battle. A guy who may have been a paid troll in Serbia was claiming that "woke" California had the worst death rate from Covid. I tried to explain several times in several different ways that, per capita, their death rate was actually pretty low compared to some state like Alabama (or something), with a smaller population. No, he said, California had 100,000 deaths and Alabama had only 10,000, so California did much worse. (This was several years ago and I don't remember specific numbers anymore.) I tried to explain that California had 2 deaths per 10 people, while Alabama had 5 per 10 people. Nope, California had 100,000 deaths, so they were much worse. I tried to explain what "per capita" meant and how death RATES needed to be considered, not total numbers. I couldn't shake his belief, so I quit. Several other commenters told me that it was a losing battle, trying to convince people like him. I've stopped taking their bait. Either they're getting paid to say stupid stuff, or they're MAGAts who aren't going to change their minds.
Perhaps other people read the back-and-forth and got some education from it. I hadn't considered that before. But it's tiring and frustrating to try to explain math or the Constitution to people who are convinced they're right and I am wrong, and I have so many better things to do. But I'm really glad you have the patience and tolerance to do what you do. Somebody needs to do it.
#lawyered 👏
Hi Qasim, just listened to your “dialogue” with Matthew. Firstly, you did a great job not reacting to his insults. Secondly, you methodically laid out a thorough explanation of the applicable Constitutional law. I applaud your patience and desire to educate and challenge Matthew on the facts. Sometimes people are just too hardened to listen. For me, that is the real danger of our times… being so radicalized that the truth no longer matters. I wish you success in all your endeavors and peace! Martin
While your credentials are front and center, I must wonder if Matthew has any credentials at all or is just a high school dropout with a computer in his parent's basement. (O.K, that's a stereotype, but is seems to fit. :)
I appreciate your ability to debate & provide receipts. This was an interesting & educational post! Your patience is remarkable, btw.!
All I can say to Matthew is, " I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but I see you are unarmed."
Good job trying to get through to him! I appreciate your patience as a human, and as a teacher. This was a very enlightening read:-)
Qasim, thank you for sharing this debate. As a person who’s never had an education in debate nor in law, what advice or sources can you cite for folks like me to get my facts straight? Bias is tough, if not impossible, to dismantle but approaching it as you do was valuable information for me. Thanks again Qasim. Keep up the good fight and I’ll do the same. 😊
I’m surprised you were not banging you head on your desk during all that! I would have been!
Intro section. Based on grammar and semantic I would guess 8th grade education?. Not his fault really then. 🤨
Modeling how to have a constructive argument with people who have been brainwashed by propaganda is valuable. Educating others is the only way we get out of this. People do come out of it and we have to welcome them when they realize they were duped. MAGA was a scam. Most will get there eventually.
So very hard to deal with ignorant people who argue without any factual basis for their arguments. I am impressed with how you maintained your sanity when dealing with this racist fool. Truth always is hated by the racist and fascist fools in our world!
Well done. Thanks. I also take away from your experience that we opposed to Trump do have to do a better job of establishing our bona fides by being for the citizens hurt by Trump. We have to be actively opposed to bad policies and bad implementation by everyone, not letting our favorite politicians get away with them just because someone we oppose was/might be worse. We missed those opportunities on Obama, which is much of the reason, I think, why Trump won in 2016. We better not miss them after November and after 1928.
After seeing this conversation, I must wonder if "Matthew" is even a real person. There are so many trolls who are paid to push these points.
And as for "Collateral Education"- the one thing I have learned from this conversation is that "don't feed the trolls" is good advice.
It’s frustrating that Matthew had not backed down by the end of your conversation and continued to spew racist and nonsensical arguments. But it is possible that you planted some seeds of doubt in his mind that might germinate later. Not certain, but possible.
You can't force propagandists to think. To them it is a foreign process that registers only as confrontation.
It is said to be actually PAINFUL for people who have bought in to a worldview to be presented with evidence that they are wrong. That is why they can't accept it.
Don't confuse me with facts. My mind is made up.
"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”
—Issac Asimov
Especially when it concerns writers of color.