I cannot support this Pitting. Ramira is generally well-informed, more knowledgeable about economics than most Dopers who post on the topic, and has a better grasp of American or Israeli misbehavior than most Americans or Israelis. She offers a good counter-point to apologists for Israel, which SDMB is beset with from both the left and the right.
She often takes a one-sided view, exaggerating her side, while diminishing the valid points of her “opposition.” But don’t almost all of us do that? Anyway, that’s an appropriate stance in a forum like this, to make a strong case and let the reader use her arguments to fine-tune his own opinions.
The main charge in this Pitting is that she called Gaza “occupied” when in fact the Israeli Army, after bulldozing Gaza buildings and punishing it in other ways, retreat across their border wall rather than staying to “occupy” Gaza. To quibble at her only-slightly mistaken usage of “occupy” is to play the sophomoric game that degrades debate.
As for the charge that Ramira is “a belligerent or condescending asshole,” I’ll say only that if that is an offense, there are several Dopers more worthy of Pitting, especially myself! :eek:
If I were to condemn Ms. Ramira, it would only be for her English grammar. For example, I’m unwilling to invest the time to deduce what the following even means:
… But my prose would be much worse than this if I were posting in my 3rd- or 4th-best language.