Klarinet Archive - Posting 000049.txt from 1995/01

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: A little more on tolerance of opinion
Date: Wed, 4 Jan 1995 09:48:58 -0500

I commented the other day about everyone having a right to give their
opinions on any subject they wished. Their arguments might not have
credibility, but the views of other people are invariably interesting
even when they contradict our own opinions.

But every once in a while, a posting so intolerant of any view other
than the poster's appears. We might be told that a particular discussion
is a lot of crap because the submitter thinks differently. It is
clear, therefore, that any view that deviates from the submittor's
is unworthy of articulation.

Such people have a Nazi mentality, if they have any mentality at all.
They presume their taste to be so refined that they can arbitrate
what the right and wrong views on a topic are to be.

The techniques used by such ignoramuses are a combination of
intimidation, insult, sarcasm, and bombast. So offensive are
their views, and so offensively presented are they, that people
who believe in the democratic process of toleration of the rights
of others simply get away from the list where such garbage
appears. They don't want to respond to such trash, not because
they are afraid, but because it is so stupid as to drive
intelligent people to the other end of the universe.

I like this list. I read a great deal that appears on it. I
contribute to it as well. I am not easily intimidated and I have
a reasonably articulate pen. So I am not going to the other side
of the universe. I will stay so long as it is possible to
have rational, intelligent discussion.

But anyone who voices an intolerant view on the right or wisdom to
discuss anything on this board should prepare themselves for
some flaming, though privately.

All views on this list are invited. Intolerance of the right to hold
a view is not.

Considering the fact that this list has been full of very polite,
responsive people for the last two years, it is sad to see even
so much as a single, narrow-minded, incompetent, intolerant,
schmuck on it.

====================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
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