Flame — HabitableZone

Flame » in reply to That has got to be the most well-written rationalization I have ever seen.

Nope. I refuse to let you set the terms.
Mary Anne — (archived)

I didn't even look for the blame-placing you value because that argument is illegitimate.

If you want to establish the value of dissent based on how many fingers are pointed at people who are not responsible to the dissenters, you sorely misunderstand the nature of dissent.

It's about holding ourselves and our representatives to the principles we voice, not about holding other people to those principles.

The first is consistent application of principle. The second is prosthletizing, and in this case, by the use of force.

Had the newborn US not had guiding principles like those of the Quakers present in its social and political fabric, the nature of my library would be very different as well: we would have no materials on minority religions, we would have no materials on minority political views, and we would probably have no free lending.

The Quaker colony of Pennsylvania was the very first experiment in true religious freedom and diversity in America. I would think that, in view of how well this has turned out, it might be worth listening to the Quakers once in a while, especially when dealing with conficts whose basis is religion. But noooo.... That would be too much of a threat. So much better to devalue their history and practices by pointing out that they only criticize groups which claim to share their principles.

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