John Noble (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
jackofallgeeks) wrote2002-04-04 07:20 pm
jackofallgeeks) wrote2002-04-04 07:20 pm
Ranting Lunatic
Hmmm, yes, I fear this post.
You see, I have something to say. A point to make if you will. Most unfortunately, i'm afraid few here would agree with me. No, I seek not agreement. I fear many here would be offended. I don't mean to offend, it's not my intent, and as such it's aggrivating when someone takes personally what I mean generally.
This being my journal, I truely see no reason NOT to post what I want. I would like to hear input from all of you. But I would ask that if you're going to take this personally, if you're going to get mad at me for what I say, then please don't continue. I don't mean to anger or attack anyone, I simply wish to speak my mind.
The Ruling Minority
I don't have anything against minorities. Whatever makes them minorities - gender, race, sexual orientation, what have you - they're still people, just like everyone else. It's the 'just like anyone else', I think, that provokes this line of thought. As people, yes, they are entitled to the same rights as anyone else, and while I recognize that such laws and ordinences were established to secure the basic rights of minorities, I don't think that there should be special rules for Minority Rights.
Now then, before we go any further, I suppose one might wish to examine the Author. I mean, look at him - he's white, male, Catholic, Upper-middle class - you couldn't ask for a better example of the US Majority, could you? There's not a single minority he can claim sympathy for. I disagree, for you see, I'm a Lefty. You laugh, I'm sure, but have you ever taken time to think about it? The world is against us - can't use can openers, or scissors, or a number of different mechanisms which are specifically geared towards the Right Majority. Again, I'm sure you laugh, but we don't get any special consideration. That's not the point, though.
Minority Rights, I think, hold a double standard. Everyone's equal, but since these people are different in these specified ways, they get special privleges. And it is special privleges - Affirmative Action, for example, impedes healthy competition. Yes, it's wrong for a company to not hire minorities, and schools to not accept minorities, but it's wrong to MAKE them, under threat of legal punishment. This follows my belief that you can't control society through laws - you can't enforce a morality on people through legislation. You can't MAKE people do the right thing.
But, further than that, why should someone get something extra just because there are fewwer people like them? Really, where's the sense? Doe's Majority not mean anything anymore?
Minority Rights also have a disgusting potential for abuse. A poor store clerk is trying to keep up with the customers, misses one who just happens to be black, and all of a sudden some one screams racism. It's not as far fetched as you might think. Another point about Minority Rights is they don't encourage unity, but perpetuate the sepparation that already exists.
I fear I can't adequetly express myself. It's frustrating, because as I don't intend to offend someone, I fear that's exactly what I'm about to do by hitting 'post'. I feel I push people away enough as it is, without then believing that I intend to attack them.
I don't. Really. But what more can I say?
You see, I have something to say. A point to make if you will. Most unfortunately, i'm afraid few here would agree with me. No, I seek not agreement. I fear many here would be offended. I don't mean to offend, it's not my intent, and as such it's aggrivating when someone takes personally what I mean generally.
This being my journal, I truely see no reason NOT to post what I want. I would like to hear input from all of you. But I would ask that if you're going to take this personally, if you're going to get mad at me for what I say, then please don't continue. I don't mean to anger or attack anyone, I simply wish to speak my mind.
The Ruling Minority
I don't have anything against minorities. Whatever makes them minorities - gender, race, sexual orientation, what have you - they're still people, just like everyone else. It's the 'just like anyone else', I think, that provokes this line of thought. As people, yes, they are entitled to the same rights as anyone else, and while I recognize that such laws and ordinences were established to secure the basic rights of minorities, I don't think that there should be special rules for Minority Rights.
Now then, before we go any further, I suppose one might wish to examine the Author. I mean, look at him - he's white, male, Catholic, Upper-middle class - you couldn't ask for a better example of the US Majority, could you? There's not a single minority he can claim sympathy for. I disagree, for you see, I'm a Lefty. You laugh, I'm sure, but have you ever taken time to think about it? The world is against us - can't use can openers, or scissors, or a number of different mechanisms which are specifically geared towards the Right Majority. Again, I'm sure you laugh, but we don't get any special consideration. That's not the point, though.
Minority Rights, I think, hold a double standard. Everyone's equal, but since these people are different in these specified ways, they get special privleges. And it is special privleges - Affirmative Action, for example, impedes healthy competition. Yes, it's wrong for a company to not hire minorities, and schools to not accept minorities, but it's wrong to MAKE them, under threat of legal punishment. This follows my belief that you can't control society through laws - you can't enforce a morality on people through legislation. You can't MAKE people do the right thing.
But, further than that, why should someone get something extra just because there are fewwer people like them? Really, where's the sense? Doe's Majority not mean anything anymore?
Minority Rights also have a disgusting potential for abuse. A poor store clerk is trying to keep up with the customers, misses one who just happens to be black, and all of a sudden some one screams racism. It's not as far fetched as you might think. Another point about Minority Rights is they don't encourage unity, but perpetuate the sepparation that already exists.
I fear I can't adequetly express myself. It's frustrating, because as I don't intend to offend someone, I fear that's exactly what I'm about to do by hitting 'post'. I feel I push people away enough as it is, without then believing that I intend to attack them.
I don't. Really. But what more can I say?
One more to the tally...
"Because it's humiliating. A new amendment we vote on declaring that I am equal under the law to a man? I'm mortified to discover there's reason to believe I wasn't before. I'm a citizen of this country. I'm not a special subset in need of your protection. I do not have to have my rights handed down to me by a bunch of old white men. The same Article 14 that protects you protects me. And I went to law school just to make sure."
So... I thought I'd add a nice little side story to support what everyone has been saying. :-) We're all equal... why do we need special certificates that say "you're equal to this person, but you need special protection, because you're not quite as equal." It boggles my mind.
Re: One more to the tally...
One thing I don't get is why more people don't think like that Ainsley girl. She makes very good points in that it's true - such laws are ridiculous, and really only serve to drive people apart. Sometimes, people just don't make sense.