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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank

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To: Lane3 who wrote (72259)8/11/2003 5:51:01 PM
From: The Philosopher  Read Replies (1) of 82486
 
I don't deny there is a gate. Nor do I think it a trivial gate. I just can't find a good enough reason to make a stand at this particular gate as opposed to all the other gates that have already opened and closed.

One can always, at every gate, argue that this is not the right gate to stand at.

You know Bonhoffer's quote, I'm sure. It's applicable here. The slippery slope and domino theories are scorned politically, but they have validity.

New York City cleaned a lot of its crime up by their "broken windows" approach. Basically, they said "no open gate." They recognized that when you disregard violations of the moral code (and law is after all merely the imposition of a moral code) in some areas you make it easier to defend their disregard in other areas.

For me, this gate is one worth making a stand at because if we never make a stand anywhere, we might as well not have any principles of social order, and you yourself admit that this is not a trivial gate.

I'm just curious -- at what gate WILL you decide to stand?
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