Thursday, August 20, 2009

World's Worst Yobs #123
Radley Balko

12 comments:

Rob Robertson said...

God bless Radley Balko. That's what you'd be saying, too, if you were in Cory Maye's shoes.

http://www.TheAgitator.com

Thanks for your tireless efforts, Radley. You're one of the few good guys left.

Rhayader said...

Not sure how you could possibly lump Radley in with some of the other people you've put in this list. Obviously you aren't too familiar with all of the outstanding work Radley does exposing the atrocities in our criminal justice systems.

People on both the right and the left need to be mindful of excessive government power and interference, and Radley is a great watchdog.

Guido said...

What does yob mean?

Fearguth said...

Radley deserves praise for his writing on behalf of civil liberties, but his views on health care reform stink.

Fearguth said...

n. Chiefly British Slang.

A rowdy, aggressive, or violent young man.

[Alteration of BOY (spelled backward).]

Rhayader said...

but his views on health care reform stink.


So mere disagreement with you merits inclusion on this list? I think there should be a place for civil disagreement and debate, without the need to cast aspersions upon those speaking for opposing viewpoints. To qualify as a "yob", I would hope one had to demonstrate invective, intolerance, and a general inability to intelligently consider a topic. People like Rush and Michael Savage fit this bill. Radley certainly does not.

Fearguth said...

Not disagreement with me--I often disagree with myself--but holding and espousing ideas that stink: that's sufficient to make one a yob. Using invective, being intolerant, or lacking the ability to intelligently discuss a topic--these are accidental aspects of the meaning of yob which may, or may not, apply to the individual case.

dhex said...

"Using invective, being intolerant, or lacking the ability to intelligently discuss a topic"

like a yob list?

Rhayader said...

holding and espousing ideas that stink: that's sufficient to make one a yob.

Ahhh, ok; luckily for us we have a self-appointed arbiter of what stinks. Heaven forbid you actually tell us what Radley says that stinks so much, or why it stinks.

Fearguth said...

Being "a self-appointed arbiter of what stinks" is, I admit, a dirty job. But somebody has to do it.

By the way, Rhayader, you are the first to mount a sustained and spirited defense of one of my World's Worst Yobs. Radley should be congratulated for inspiring such loyalty.

Rhayader said...

Hah, that just might have something to do with the fact that Radley has significantly more intellectual integrity than most people on the list.

Of course I didn't see this list until Radley linked to it. I might have stuck up for Napolitano too -- also good on civil liberties. And probably another handful of people on the list.

But like I said, people like Rush, Savage, Malkin, Palin, etc will not receive a defense from me.

Fearguth said...

Not only have you steadfastly defended Radley, but you have, by contrast, indicated that most of the other yobs on my list belong there. Even if it turned out that I was mistaken on a couple, my batting average would still be better than Ted Williams'.

Thanks, Rhayader!