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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: The Philosopher who wrote (43065)	2/1/2002 4:47:48 AM
From: Solon	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 82486

Have you shown to J.C. the same respect in verbal combat that you praise Brown for showing? You miss the point. The point is not to see one's oponent as always worthy of respect (although at some level I can understand even the most wretched human as being human); but it is to be willing to subjugate group prejudice to the individual and the particular. I neither like nor dislike Dithers or you for your nationality, colour, language, or religion. Indeed, I do not know anything about you in these regards. But I do know your ideas, as you choose to share them here on these bulletin boards. On that basis, I have an obligation, a debt to my beliefs and values: to evaluate, assess, and judge. I have done so, and I have found some of your ideas and behaviours to be offensive and to require rebuttal...in such form as may be dictated by the actual events and circumstances. Anyway...you do not know that I will not be profoundly sorrowful when your plane has gone down? It makes me cry just to see you trying to fly the damn thing. Certainly, there are certain principles of egalitarianism and humanism that I seek to defend: and as much as I appreciate the pride and the loyalty of belonging to a particular group; still, I recognize and object to the exclusionism, fragmentation, and conflict which such self absorption causes. Roy Brown did not "spar" in such a way as to justify or promote any of his opponent's beliefs. He sparred to validate and honour his own. I do the same. When I agree or disagree with anything said by Mr. Dithers, with you, or with anyone else...I will say so. I don't believe my beliefs are too outlandish. I believe in individual rights, I belive in freedom; I belive that you don't have to be American to be fully human; and I don't believe that colour, language, race, nationality, gender, political persuasion, etc. ought to be used to define a person's worth, or to justify their entitlement to humane treatment. Do you think US citizens have different ancestors than Canadians, Australians, etc.? Of course they do not. They all come from every corner of the earth. The only flag I wish to wave is the one that designates thoughtful people of good will and sincerity: those believing in individual rights and freedoms. People who are intolerant of these rights, and those who despise variety of opinion, are certain to come into conflict with me and with others. So be it...