Best Of The Fray

We’re Right and You’re Not

The “Jurisprudence” section was busy this week—maybe because the topics (diversity in law schools and eyewitnesses) were so popular, or maybe because so many Fray posters are lawyers. …

Subject: Getting It Right
Re: Politics: Fascist Family Feud
From: Tom Round
Date: Tue May 14  11:37 p.m. PT

It’s hardly surprising that, while left-wingers have their Socialist International (and call themselves some version of “Labo[u]r”, “Socialist,” or “Social Democrat” in virtually every democracy), right-wingers are unwilling and/or unable to link up across national boundaries (and note the much wider variety of names for conservative parties: they rarely if ever coincide). After all, part of being a conservative nationalist is believing that everyone outside the national family isn’t quite up to scratch.

[Find this post here.]

Subject: More Danger
Re: Politics: Exploding Myths
From: Joy Cassell
Date: Wed May 15  9:25 a.m. PT

So Israel is able to keep suicide bombers out of Tel Aviv: Wonderful. Let’s call that “success” for the sake of argument. What has history shown us? When terrorists cannot reach their Israeli targets they come after American targets. (Remember the 1980s—how many Israeli planes were hijacked?) I am glad that our Israeli friends are safe; for once I would like to see them return the compliment by getting into serious discussions about Palestinian independence.

[Find this post here.]

Subject: Equal Chances To Conform
Re: Jurisprudence: The Legal Fiction of Diversity
From: Deodand
Date: ThuMay 16  10:50 p.m. PT

Why in hell does a law school look for diversity in the incoming class anyway? The object of a law school is to make all its graduates act and sound alike—like professional lawyers. … As for university admission policies, exclusion is the problem. The answer is not to cobble up some silly ideological plan on how to sort out those who get in from those who don’t. The answer is to make room. … Diversity is really a means to keep education exclusive, while fooling ourselves that we offer opportunity for all. We don’t. We should. Education need not and should not exclude anybody who wants to learn and is willing to do what it takes to learn.

[Find this post here.]

Subject: Relying on Witnesses
Re: Jurisprudence: Your Lyin’ Eyes
From: History Guy
Date: Tue May 14  6:50 p.m. PT

The best evidence for the prosecution is when the witness stands up, looks at the defense table, points a finger at the defendant, and says, “That’s who did it.” But when the witness points at the wrong guy, it’s the best evidence for the defense. At any trial, there will be a few people at the defense table. … So the key to successful defense is to find a paralegal who is young, large, and menacing in appearance. Then make sure that his suit is kind of shabby, and he has a lousy haircut. Instruct him to glower at the witness. The defendant should always have a good haircut—as different as possible from when the crime occurred—should have a better suit, and if he’s educable, should be instructed to take notes while the witness is on the stand. Now, which is the witness more likely to point at?

[Find this post here.]

Fray Notes:
We found out something very surprising this week: One of the recent new stars already had a star under a different name. Make your guesses as to who it is, and we’ll reveal the truth in next week’s “Best of the Fray.” (There is another star of whom this is semi-true, but this new one managed to do it without the Fray team’s being aware; not true of the other.)

This week’s new stars go to Michael, in Kausfiles; the interestingly named REW-OEM; Deodand (see above); Zorro—try his hilariously helpful comeback for a “Dear Prudie” problem; and Ziggy, for making everyone laugh and defusing the tension in Ballot Box. Denny started a discussion on the star system, and Keith M. Ellis picked it up and restarted the thread here.

We had some fears about the Fray on men in public urinals, but it turned out to be interesting and (mostly) unobjectionable. Other nice Frays came on the “Sports Nut” on World Cup songs and the review of the TV program Alias (with special praise from Ender for not being too realistic).

Thanks to everyone who sent me good wishes, e-mails, poems, greeting cards, friendly Fray posts, and even flowers when I announced my impending departure last week. You made me feel very appreciated, and I will miss you all. Yes, even you, [name deleted].