[Assam] A Question for The 'Second Tier' Proponents

[Chan Mahanta]

>You are again arguing old issues.Your arguments also does not make any sense.

*** When one doesn't have anything to rebut a point with, pleading 
no-comprendo is one way to respond. But it is not very useful to 
anybody. Damages credibility.

>Debate and move, not argue

*** I am extremely curious about the difference.

In a formal DEBATE there are ground rules. When one makes a set of 
points, the opponents are expected to provide their viewpoints, if 
they don't agree. Or rebut what the proponents offer.  Yes, one can 
say she does not understand, and she will be excused or ask what 
SPECIFICALLY he does not comprehend. But in the process she loses the 
right to lecture or set down rules for others. In an informal debate, 
like this one, the opponents are not only not putting forth their own 
arguments stating their positions, they are being ARGUMENTATIVE -- 
only raising objections obsessively!

An ARGUMENT , according to Webster's dictionary, is a "reason put 
forward for or against something" OR it is "a discussion" OR " a 
debate" OR "a dispute" OR
"a summary of the contents of a book"

Am I missing something? Or is it an attempt to give new meanings to 
English words ? That would not be very persuasive for people who play 
no-comprendo to the arguments set forth.


>  >That will be a serious problem to think it as a problem you cannot 
>help. This means you are not serious about the issue.


*** Hmmm!








At 11:23 AM -0500 3/2/07, Barua, Rajen wrote:
>You are again arguing old issues.Your arguments also does not make any sense. 
>Debate and move, not argue even if you have proved that you just 
>like that without any end.
>
>If some missed it that is a problem I can't help.
>
>That will be a serious problem to think it as a problem you cannot 
>help. This means you are not serious about the issue.
>
>Rajen
>
>
>
>From: Chan Mahanta [mailto:cmahanta at charter.net]
>Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 9:55 AM
>To: Barua, Rajen; assam at assamnet.org
>Subject: RE: [Assam] A Question for The 'Second Tier' Proponents
>
>I gave very detailed answers on why sovereignty is an indispensable 
>means to achieving the ends I cited.
>
>If some missed it that is a problem I can't help.
>
>But those of us who are serious about finding answers and thus are 
>sincere about looking into the relevant issues, at least on paper, 
>ought to offer their rationale for what they propose, if they 
>propose something. Indulging in circular arguments lead nowhere, as 
>you so eloquently stated earlier.
>
>And if the proponents of the 'second-tier' are unable to articulate 
>a thought  as to why or what they think or believe could be 
>alternatives to sovereignty, then why do they DEMAND those form 
>others? So that they can sit in judgement and denounce to assert 
>their own superior intellects or their righteousness?
>
>To refuse to state what those second-tier ideas might be, or what 
>they may address, points to only one thing: An all too transparent 
>ploy to avoid acknowledging the obvious.
>
>I can't believe we have again regressed to this, even after all these years.
>
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>At 10:29 AM -0500 3/2/07, Barua, Rajen wrote:
>>Let me answer this with another question:
>>Why you need Sovereignty? What you cannot achieve with Autonomy 
>>that you wish will be achieved through Sovereignty? (I think I 
>>asked this question before with no answer, not that I prefer 
>>autonomy to soverignty though). That too is this for Assam alone or 
>>the entire NE?
>>Anyhow I have given my views of Sovereignty of the NE not Assam 
>>alone. In your response I see only the word Assam and not NE.
>>All these questions need to be addressed.
>>And note what was true in 2004 may no longer be true in 2007. The 
>>pendulum is ever swinging as you know. You need to address new 
>>ground realties of the day. Does ULFA in 2007 have any mileage 
>>left? May be it is running on credit.
>>And if in 2007, you are asking the same question that was asked in 
>>2004, it seems you are not moving anywhere.
>>Please hurry.
>>Rajen
>>
>>
>>
>>From: assam-bounces at assamnet.org 
>>[mailto:assam-bounces at assamnet.org] On Behalf Of Barua, Rajen
>>Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 8:51 AM
>>To: Chan Mahanta; assam at assamnet.org
>>Subject: Re: [Assam] A Question for The 'Second Tier' Proponents
>>
>>  >*** Why do you want autonomy Rajen?
>>
>>Did I say that? Please try to stick to your main point instead of 
>>opening new frontiers of argument with no goal. I have given my 
>>views Sovereignty issue  I have not seen you moving a single inch 
>>from there yet.
>>Rajen
>>
>>
>>From: assam-bounces at assamnet.org 
>>[mailto:assam-bounces at assamnet.org] On Behalf Of Chan Mahanta
>>Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 8:33 AM
>>To: assam at assamnet.org
>>Subject: [Assam] A Question for The 'Second Tier' Proponents
>>
>>I am re-posting a page from assamnet debates from Dec 13, 2004, 
>>where this 'second tier' thing was proposed by some of our esteemed 
>>and 'pragmatic' friends.
>>
>>So I asked the  highlighted question. But no answer ever came. It was like
>>a 24000 volt live-wire--not to be touched. WHY? Because that would 
>>lead to examining the issues that gave rise to the insurgency, 
>>something our ever-so-righteous friends are unwilling to get near 
>>of.
>>
>>But perhaps those like Chitta, Nayan etc. will. We will see.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  >Only hope is if we can, in the prsent process, make ULFA 
>>overground to work for an Autonomous >Assam with the support of the 
>>Assamese people.
>>
>>
>>
>>*** Why do you want autonomy Rajen?
>>
>>
>>What is the matter with what is operating?
>>
>>
>>What will you do with autonomy? What would your recommendations be 
>>to the people of Assam as to what they can or should do with 
>>autonomy? And how much autonomy? What should this autonomy give 
>>Assam that it does not have now?
>>
>>cm
>>
>>
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