Some bizarre questions for your consideration:

[Boojatta]

When you look at the story at this link, what do you surmise motivated opposition to attendance by Vivian Malone Jones at the University of Alabama?

Were those who opposed her attendance concerned that she was pursuing a quixotic goal like Einstein's search for a Unified Field Theory?

Were they concerned that she would inevitably fail and then become depressed or over-react to her failure and pursue achievements far below her capabilities?

When she graduated, did they completely change their attitudes, their underlying factual error having been corrected?

***

I think that I was justified in writing the above in the context of the discussion that prompted me to write it. However, I'm wondering whether it provokes any comments or questions when presented as I have presented it here. Of course, I'll reveal the context if anybody is interested.

[yardwork]

1. Obviously, the people opposed to her entrance had only her best interests at heart!

They cared about Vivian Jones - that's why they didn't want to see her get hurt. Their only motivation was concern for her wellbeing.

They had to keep this a secret, of course, in order to maintain objectivity. That's why they couldn't smile back at her when she smiled at them. Inside, of course, they were filled with concern and kindness toward her. That's why they screamed at her and shook their fists.

[noamnety]

10. I still love this response. (nt)

[Boojatta]

11. I am also very fond of that answer.

[MadMaddie]

2. Hmmm...those that were opposed to her attendance back then

in the 60's are just as pathetic then as the racist are today....they had and have a deep down fear that a black woman was smarter then they were...isn't that what it's always about....White Racist feel threatened whether real or perceived.....and in order to NOT find out the truth they tried to prevent her and others that didn't look like them or sound like them to achieve higher education goals.


<snip>
When she graduated, did they completely change their attitudes, their underlying factual error having been corrected?
<snip>
Answer: No they just learned to be more subtle about their racism until Reagan came into office.

That was the 60's we are now in 2007? We now have an increasing number of Racial Intimidation "Nooses" hung at Southern high-schools, on the back of trucks and on the door of a Black individual who is a University Professor.

There is a segment of the population that will never change because just as in the 60's as in 2007.....if you take away their hate...they really don't have anything else do they?

Anyhoo....

[jkshaw]

3. I think the basic reason the students

acted toward her the way they did is that they were steeped in the belief that she was stepping out of her "place in life." She was entering a world in which she "didn't belong" and where she wasn't wanted. I can't imagine myself in her position, or having the courage to do what she did, to enter such a hostile environment, to study alone, to smile and get no answering smile. It had to have been the loneliest years of her life.

[iverglas]

4. bizarre indeed

Gee, maybe "in the context of the discussion that prompted (you) to write (them)", they aren't bizarre.

Maybe that context involved you, once again, attempting to assist a bunch of dolts to see some as yet unrevealed truth. (I keep waiting for you to show us the light and the way. Lucky I'm not holding my breath.)

I think, from doing a search, that I have an idea of this context of yours.

Would the paraphrase I saw -- "Maybe people are violent and threatening against women who demand equal rights because they are concerned the women want those rights for the wrong reasons" -- be relevant here?

Whatever. I think I'll just go with your original characterization. Bizarre.

[Boojatta]

5. The answer to your question is...

Would the paraphrase I saw -- "Maybe people are violent and threatening against women who demand equal rights because they are concerned the women want those rights for the wrong reasons" -- be relevant here?

No, I don't think it would be relevant here.

I don't even have a clear idea of what you mean when you refer to some text as being "the paraphrase." I am reminded of the idea that all animals are equal, but that some are more equal than others.

Are you referring to a concept of "paraphrase" such that a single block of text fulfills the minimum requirements for itself being an absolute paraphrase without reference to any other block of text?

Also, did you mean to use the words "the paraphrase I saw" rather than something like "the alleged paraphrase that I saw"?

[Boojatta]

7. I hope this is simpler and clearer. It's too late for me to edit the original.

No, I don't think it would be relevant here.

Of course, I might be wrong and it's possible for reasonable people to disagree about various things. However, as a precaution to prevent any piling on of error upon error, it might be helpful for you to say what that block of text is a paraphrase of.

Also, do you say that it is in fact a paraphrase or do you merely wish to say that someone else said that it's a paraphrase?

[Boojatta]

6. Some comments on one small part of your post:

you, once again, attempting to assist a bunch of dolts to see some as yet unrevealed truth.

It sounds as though you think that I think something unflattering about some unspecified group of people.

I wonder how central the cognitive faculty is to the personal identity of an individual human being. When I try to understand something or solve some problem, I am consciously aware of only a bit. I suspect that the total mental process is like an iceberg in the sense that most of the processes are hidden from my introspective sight. I'm not sure that I can take any more credit for them than for good digestion.

I can choose nutritious foods, eat moderate meal sizes, chew thoroughly, and so on, but I would not be so bold as to try to micromanage the chemical processes of digestion. Do others suffer from bad digestion? Really, you should ask them -- whoever they are -- not me.

[noamnety]

8. Hi Iverglas!

Your post made laugh. Yep, I think that might be relevant here. ;)

How've you been? :hi:

[Boojatta]

9. Of course, I'll reveal the context if anybody is interested.

[Boojatta]

12. Kick