To: Lane3 who wrote (77328 ) 10/10/2003 8:23:20 PM From: epicure Read Replies (2) | Respond to You can't force people to do things, but you can make the consequences for failing to do things pretty horrible. Because of my "conscience" (for example)I do not want to pay taxes- because they support things against my moral principles. Somehow I think the consequences for this stand are going to be fairly unpleasant. By "conscience" I do not feel able to serve Jews, and I run a small catering business. Jews killed Christ (or at least that's what I believe for teh sake of this hypothetical) and thus I cannot serve them. The consequences for my stand may be fairly severe. I could be sued. I might find my name all over the paper. Now I have every "right" to make my stand (no one can stop you from making your stand) but I don't have a "right" to constrain the consequences for my stand. I think this argument comes down to the fact that the minority viewpoint, and especially the extreme minority viewpoint, doesn't like to be constrained by the consequences that result from actions motivated by extreme beliefs. The folks with extreme beliefs may not believe they are extreme, but the fact that they have to go against prevailing attitudes and laws, makes it quite clear that they are a marginalized minority.
