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To: TimF who wrote (11639)	5/2/2002 9:44:59 PM
From: Solon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 21057

"Also they use it even where there is no hate or fear." It is used for discrimination--usually involving hate with an assumed anxiety or fear. Generally homopbes have a sense of being "threatened". This may result in reactive aggression. If there is no objective threat, then both the anxiety and the discrimiation are irrational. I covered this with you already. "I don't think the assumption that there is irrational fear behind all dislike, discrimination, agression, or even just different political opinions (like being against state sanctioned homosexual marriages) is a reasonable one." It is not necessary to embrace the assumption that homophobic aggression is caused by a sense of anxiety or threat. People who are being beaten or bullied or pushed to the edge of suicide do not need to perfectly understand the motives of the irrational hatred. The motive is less important to the victim than the immediate danger which confronts him or her. The root of irrational discrimination and hatred is important to medical and social practitioners. The root of the word itself is important to philologists. The consequences of irrational hatred, whether it be homophobia or misogyny, or something else...is important to all decent people--not only to the victims. "I do think that calling them homophobes without evidence of irrational fear is a good use of the language" This is not what you said before; but I think this issue has some overtones for you which create a confused perspective. So the only problem you now have with the word "homophobia" is if it is used concomitantly with the overt knowledge of an irrational fear. It seems to me that you are running around in circles, and I would surely like to know what it is that is chasing you. "I'm not sure a specific word for people who hate homosexuals is needed" Why not?? We have a specific word for people who hate everything else, right?? Let us take people who hate women. Statistics show that far less people have an irrational hatred of women than do of homosexuals. I have not heard you complaining about misogyny. Why should there not be a word for people who hate homosexuals? Do you see where you have walked??