From: grendel@camelot.bradley.edu (Alyosha Bourgea)
Subject: Re: Legislating niceness (Was Re: Gays in the Military)
Organization: Bradley University
Distribution: usa
Date: 12 Dec 92 20:55:33 GMT

In <1992Dec8.231220.24197@galileo.physics.arizona.edu> krueger@galileo.physics.arizona.edu (Ted Krueger) writes:

>In article <grendel.723792788@camelot> grendel@camelot.bradley.edu (Alyosha Bourgea) writes:
>>In <1992Dec6.014030.24705@galileo.physics.arizona.edu> krueger@galileo.physics.arizona.edu (Ted Krueger) writes:
>>
>>>In article <1992Dec4.124934.1005@calmasd.prime.com> jhb@calmasd.prime.com (Jim Bishop) writes:
>>>>In article <1992Dec1.153505.8905@galileo.physics.arizona.edu>, 
>>>>krueger@galileo.physics.arizona.edu (Ted Krueger) writes:
>>>>
>>>>> The difference between the two is that AIDS-
>>>>> activists are trying to make it illegal for us to decide what percentages 
>>>>> we want to worry about.
>>>>
>>>>Why do you feel that when someone tries to address your concerns and
>>>>you don't like what you hear that they are trying to control your
>>>>thought process?  The only one who can control your thought process is
>>>>you Ted.  Give it a try.  You might even form a logical conclusion.
>>>>
>>>Actually, I was responding to the AIDS-activists in general, not you in 
>>>specific.  The point I was trying to make is that individuals who carry 
>>>a deadly disease should not be in a special civil-rights-protected group 
>>>simply because they carry that disease.  This is what many AIDS activists 
>>>are demanding.
>>
>>I agree with you.  Cancer patients, for example, are not in a special
>>civil-rights-protected group.  AIDS, however, carries with it a social stigma
>>that cancer does not.  If everyone were educated about the realities of AIDS,
>>and AIDS victims were not socially discriminated against, there would be no
>>need for these groups.

>I bet your "realities of AIDS" are a lot different than mine.  Who decides?  
>This is a question for public (scientific) debate.

Perhaps your "realities of AIDS" are indeed different from mine, but mine are
generally accepted by the scientific community.  That is, I take my opinions
on the AIDS issue from what the scientific community has agreed is true.
This is generally an area where argument remains at a minimum, since
contentions can be proven.  The facts on AIDS really are not a matter of
debate.

>>>Believe it or not, I would not personally be adverse to participating 
>>>in casual contact with HIV-positive people.  I think that it is the nice 
>>>thing to do, and I choose to be nice about this.  You cannot, however, 
>>>legislate niceness.  You cannot force people to be nice.  
>>
>>No, and you shouldn't.  But you can and should force people to show respect,
>>i.e., not discriminate inappropriately.

>This is ridiculous.  Who the hell decides what is appropriate and 
>innappropriate discrimination?

If someone gives a gay man the raspberry and says "I don't like you,"
there's nothing anyone can do.  The gay man can ignore them or walk in a
different direction.  On the other hand, if someone whacks a gay man
over the head with a beer bottle, that person can be taken to jail.
Generally, the same rules of propriety should apply to gays and straight
people.

>Ted


--
Yosha Bourgea                   "Newspapers screamed for blood...
grendel@camelot.bradley.edu     it was the best of times."
Squid Power                              --Sting

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