From: amirza@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (Anmar Caves)
Subject: Re: interesting [and scary] blurb...
Organization: Indiana University
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 15:54:11 GMT

In article <1992Dec30.233245.12869@mksol.dseg.ti.com> noonan@mksol.dseg.ti.com (Michael P Noonan) writes:
>
>Using this logic, why don't you just go out and kill them today?  Why
>trust the less certain method of hoping they have a tragedy and so
>that you can refuse them life?  Why wait until they do more damage to
>your values and dreams?

Until they've damaged my values and dreams, no action will be taken.
Once they've tried, however, no quarter will be given.

>
>Well, I guess my values are that everyone has a right to life first
>and foremost, regardless of *their* values.

My values are that while everyone has a right to life, their rights
end at specific points, like when they try to take my right to life.
And just because someone has a right to life, doesn't mean I have to
help them live it.  Using your line of reasoning, you should take any
"extra" income, or anything you don't "need" and give them to all
those who do need them.  People who live in glass houses and all.
Should you choose to do so, well, the recipients should consider it a
noble act, but they shouldn't *expect* it from you.  Similar arguments
to "well, society *owes* me a living."

>
>Disfiguration?  After death?

And who are you to question someone elses beliefs, especially when
they do you no harm?  Someone who refuses to help you has not harmed
you, other agents exist for your harm, but not someone who refuses to
help you.  I help people because I want to, not because someone tells
me to.  Indeed, the surest way to get me to stop helping someone is to
have them demand it from me.  I sure as hell don't expect any thanks,
and I've worked in professions that you'd think people would be
grateful to you.  One does not become an EMT for the warm fuzzy
feeling you get when people thank you for helping them, because they
just don't do that.

>
>Let me apologize for flying off the handle, but the value that I feel
>most strongly about is that everyone deserves a chance at life, no
>matter what kind of scoundrel they are.  Perhaps I am too idealistic.
>
>It was just so shocking to me that you all were talking about refusing
>life to other people in such a cavalier manner!
>I was stunned, frankly.  That is, however, no excuse.

As far as I know,  no one here has advocated refusing life to another
person, merely refused to assist anothers life.  There is a
difference.
You're talking about human beings here, you know, the same species
that has ritual killing, genocide, hatred, bigotry, and selfishness
prevalent in it's background.  Higher expectations for us is nice, but
hardly realistic.  About the best you can hope for is to be suprised
when something good happens.  If you wish to devote your life to
helping others, I wish you luck, but until you do, don't come
preaching to us about how we're scum for not helping others, because
you're guilty of the same things, to a lesser degree.




-- 
Anmar Mirza   # Chief of Tranquility  #My Opinions! NotIU's!#Purveyor of
EMT-D         # Base, Lawrence Co. IN # Legalize Explosives!#nontraditional
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