Klarinet Archive - Posting 000245.txt from 2004/11

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] RE: elections)
Date: Sat, 6 Nov 2004 01:23:06 -0500

At 03:17 PM 11/6/2004 +1000, Mitch Riley wrote:
>By saying that you do not agree with homosexuality and abortion
>(anything goes in sex), you deny people rights that don't harm you or
>others. A democracy is not about the tyranny of the majority - it is
>about liberalism - the rights of the individual, provided they don't
>harm others.

a.) It is one thing to DISAGREE with homosexuality, another to want to
make it illegal, and still ANOTHER to oppose using the power and tax
revenue of the state to actively promote and subsidize it. I support only
the first and third of those positions. And even THEN I personally really
do not have a problem with civil unions (although some do). I only
absolutely draw the line at calling it "marriage." That word is already
taken and means something else. Appropriate some OTHER word (as was done
with "gay") or make up a new one. Stealing OUR word harms us.

b.) We believe that abortion is MURDER. That by definition makes it
denying LIFE to someone, and thus places it in direct violation of the
Constitution and the moral principles you cited above (cut in my
reply). We can argue all day about whether or not life begins at
conception, but for those who hold that belief, opposition to abortion
becomes a matter of principle, according to Mill, Locke, etc., without any
reference at all to any scriptural or religious teachings.

c.) The United States is NOT a democracy; it is a representative REPUBLIC.

>What i can't understand, is that in the most liberal democracy in the
>world, where the bill of rights is held as an almighty document, why
>you worship the right to bear arms (which most first-world nations do
>not agree with) and then deny people the privacy to do what they want
>in their own homes in regards to sexuality.

I do not own a gun, and have no interest in owning one. While I was in the
Air Force, I went to the firing range every few years, shot a pistol for a
couple of hours, qualified as "expert," and did not fire a gun again until
the next time. But while I do not want one myself, I will defend with all
my might YOUR right to own one. I will ALSO defend MY right to throw your
ass in jail for an indeterminate time if you USE that gun to commit a
crime. I do not wish to harm gun owners by taking away THEIR rights, but I
do wish to punish those who do not respect the rights of others to their
lives and property. I fail to see how my views here fall outside of the
parameters of your stated morality.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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