I don't understand why you're playing this game.
Let's get some facts out that we can look at. Why are you insisting on going through all this hypothetical crapola? It does no good to anybody, that I can see.
And let's differentiate admiration from hero worship. Have I ever said she was a hero of mine? I don't think so. But from what I know of her life, yes, I do admire her. She did something neither you nor I have the courage to do -- she dedicated her life to helping others in the best way she knew how. I had something vaguely approaching that sort of courage when I was younger and active in the civil rights and peace movements. But would I be as willing to put my life on the line today for those same principles? Would I be willing to be arrested, beaten, gassed, risk death, for the principle of racial equality, or the principle of peace in a far off country? Frankly, no.
I spent one summer working as a full-time residential volunteer counselor for a camp for the mentally ill. It was very rewarding, but also very draining. Exhausting both physically and mentally. Am I glad I did it? Definitely. I learned a tremendous amount, and think I contributed to some lives that needed to know there were people in the world who cared about them. Would I do that for all my life? Not a chance. But MT didn't just serve for a few years and then move on to a life of relative ease and comfort. She stuck with it for all her life. Yes, I do admire that. Having in a very small way been there, done that, moved on, I can admire her for continuing in her life of service year after year after year. It takes a very special kind of love to do that, IMO.
Would I cease to admire her if she were less than perfect? Well, how about you -- does a flaw in a person mean you won't admire them no matter what good they have done? If so, you have very few people you can admire. If any at all. If her flaws are of great magnitude, if overall her life were a negative and not a positive to those she sought to serve, yes, I would have concerns. So far I've seen no credible evidence of that, nor have you produced any. In fact, you've produced nothing except unsubstantiated accusations. Not worthy of the E I admire on this board.
Do I object to her opposing birth control for Indians? Not at all. Those are her beliefs. They aren't yours. Fine. You fight for yours, she fought for hers. I can admire both of you for having deep convictions and fighting for them. I admire lots of people who do things I wouldn't do, who believe things I don't believe.
As to the other things you talk about, I can't say how I will react if you ever provide me with substantiated evidence of them. I'll let you know, if you ever do. But it's seeming less and less likely that you can, or will. |
