Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!umich!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!rhg2
From: rhg2@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Rich  Graham)
Newsgroups: alt.individualism
Subject: Re: Kennedy wasn't the first.
Message-ID: <21696@unix.cis.pitt.edu>
Date: 18 Jan 90 14:41:55 GMT
References: <89348.161937BROWN@NCSUVM.BITNET. <1372@becker.UUCP. <461@smcnet.UUCP. <51@zds-ux.UUCP. <467@smcnet.UUCP. <67@zds-ux.UU <2540@odin.SGI.COM. <90008.000413HERSCH@AUVM.BITNET. <1856@osc.COM> <21642@unix.cis.pitt.edu> <2903@odin.SGI.COM>
Reply-To: rhg2@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Rich  Graham)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh, Comp & Info Services
Lines: 44

In article <2903@odin.SGI.COM> pkr@maddog.sgi.com (Phil Ronzone) writes:
>So what if someone is pleased or not pleased?

It makes me wonder WHY they're not pleased.  It's called "trying to 
understand another's point of view."

>
>Maybe I hate Lima beans. So much so I organize a Lime beans
>haters society. How many Lima bean farmer's live do I ruin?
>Does it matter?

Of course it matters.  First of all, please don't try to sidestep the
issues by changing them.  The subject had to do with political and
social freedom, not marketplace economics.

It matters because it demonstrates just how much you and the HUAC and
others really believe in the concept of "political freedom".  You'll
follow the law to the letter SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE IT ALLOWS YOU TO
VIOLATE IT IN SPIRIT.  If you persuade people to use their economic
freedoms to enact EFFECTIVE censorship or persection, it shows that you
DON'T believe in political toleration and the free exchange of ideas
(talk about un-american activities).

>In a free society, free association will help some, hurt some, and
>at times be neutral.
>So what and too bad -- freedom does not generate nirvana, just
>freedom.

MY point exactly.  The Constitution isn't worth the paper it's written
on if the participants follow it only to the letter while actually
opposing it idealistically.   It makes no difference if I have a right
to free speech when the general public is dedicated to supressing ideas
they don't like.

You were gleefully recounting how the HUAC was completely within their
rights in doing what they did.  As you pointed out, this fact doesn't make 
a bit of difference.  They were determined to do something that was in
direct opposition to the ideals this country was (supposedly) founded
on, and they did a marvelous job of accomplishing it in spite of the
Bill of Rights.
-- 
Richard H. Graham
University of Pittsburgh - CIS
rhg2@unix.cis.pitt.edu