Newsgroups: bit.listserv.politics
Date:         Wed, 26 Aug 1992 20:27:00 EDT
From:         rf35 <Richard_A_FYFE@UMAIL.UMD.EDU>
Comments: To: Forum for the Discussion of Politics <POLITICS@ucf1vm.cc.ucf.edu>

Greetings:

        Just a note, to let people know that I ain't dead yet.
I've been reading along, for the most part.  Noticed some people
talking about tolerance and intolerance--mostly towards Chris-
tians.  Seems some people think Christians should be given the
same level of tolerance as blacks and the like.  I kind of like
tolerance, but there are some measures of tolerance which are
better than another.  I can't tolerate racists, for example, and
don't mind at all if the local school system sets up a program
to teach people not to hate others simply because of the color
of their skin.  Isn't it just as good to teach kids not to hate
others because of the color of their beliefs?  Seems to me to be
a horse of a different color.

        "But," shouts the student from the back of every phil-
osophy class, "everybody has a right to their opinion."

        Answers the professor, "In my opinion, anybody who says
anything as stupid as that in my class should be shot.  And, since
I've got a right to my opinion . . ." (sound of the bolt being
pulled back on a UZI, modified for automatic fire).

        "But," shouts the student, "having a right to an opinion
doesn't give you a right to act on that opinion?"

        "In my opinion I have a right to act on my previous opinion."
says the professor as he takes aim.

        The student looks for the nearest exit as sees none.  The
professor, seeing that he has the student covered, pauses for a
while to continue.  "Besides, don't Christians ACT on their opinion?
Do their Christian views not influence their voting?  Are they not
appealing to their Christian beliefs in defense of particular political
programs and policies--programs and policies which, themselves, are
to guide the actions of law makers and those subject to the law?"

        The student hesitates and answers back, "You don't have a
right to hurt other people."

        "In my opinion, I'm not hurting you.  Consider it euthanasia.
You obviously have a sick mind."

        After a pause, the professor continues.  "Alright, I'm
hurting you.  But you deserve it."

        "You don't have a right to decide what hurts other people
and what doesn't.  You don't have a right to decide who deserves
to be hurt and who doesn't."

        The professor looks around the sights, seeing something
of merit in the intended target?  "Everybody has a right to their
opinion.  We should be tolerant of those who have a different opinion
than we do."

        "Not always," answers the student.

        The professor relaxes his grip on the gun, pointing the
barrel towards the roof.

        "Okay," says the professor.  "In this class, we are inter-
ested in the opinions which people do have a right to.  And not
just any old opinion, regardless of how long a tradition it has,
regardless of how strongly it is worshipped, has any claim to
automatic and unquestioned status as an opinion which you have a
right to.  Now, let us get back to our discussion."

                                        Richard A. Fyfe
                                        rf35@umail.umd.edu
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