tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146512.post4480207608201534190..comments2024-03-12T22:31:46.500-04:00Comments on What Would Phoebe Do?: Of youth and old agePhoebe Maltz Bovyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17996039330841139883noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146512.post-70720540178352270272010-03-24T03:04:02.901-04:002010-03-24T03:04:02.901-04:00First off, I really appreciate that you read Phi B...First off, I really appreciate that you read Phi Beta Cons (regularly it would seem) and are engaging some of the arguments there. That alone made my day. <br /><br />In this case, I don't think they're referring to Amanda Knox herself being brainwashed, but to the Italian justice system and the court of public opinion that seemed to be biased against Americans in general. It's a bit of a stretch, to be sure, but that's both part of the appeal and the major weakness of cultural arguments: they can say as much as you want them to say, but you really can't prove anything using them. It is a very common technique for many conservative (and quite a few liberal) pundits to use though in trying to explain why the other side is fundamentally wrong.CCnoreply@blogger.com