Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!ittvax!swatt
From: swatt@ittvax.UUCP (Alan S. Watt)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Invitation (comments - LONG article)
Message-ID: <1129@ittvax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 22-Nov-83 09:55:08 EST
Article-I.D.: ittvax.1129
Posted: Tue Nov 22 09:55:08 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 23-Nov-83 11:20:43 EST
References: <796@cwruecmp.UUCP> ihuxb.444
Lines: 35

I second Allen England's comments.  You should see the letters  I
get  from  the ACLU ("...  greatest attacks on civil liberties in
our history ...").  Occasionally they substitute "unprecedented",
which is an odd slip for lawyers to make; they may be ignorant of
history, but they *should* know that you can find a precedent for
anything.

I find I am much happier about being an ACLU member as long as  I
don't  have  to read their newsletters about what they are doing,
or their funding drive letters.   Fortunately,  the  Post  Office
cooperates  in  this  wish by not delivering most of them (serves
them right for using the "not- for-profit" postage class).

It seems that scaring people  about  some  overwhelming  evil  or
another  is  the standard tactic for fundraising.  Even the local
public radio station falls into it a little bit ("...  we may not
be able to continue these wonderful programs unless ...").

My college always tells me how "private  education  is  in  great
danger  ..."  in  general,  and how they are in greater danger in
particular.  Funny that their admitted poverty doesn't lead  them
to a reappraisal of their fundraising strategies.

This brings up an interesting question about the attitudes of the
average present-day  citizen.   Would  he/she  rather  contribute
toward  the  prevention  of  some  terrible  evil,  or toward the
enactment of some positive good?  Or are  the  opportunities  for
the latter really so much rarer than those for the latter?  Or do
people really have a "bunker mentality"?

I don't really know, but I sure am tired of hearing about  how  I
have to prevent the end of the world by sending just ...

	Alan S. (sending me letters won't prevent anything) Watt
	{decvax, duke, purdue, allegra, dcdwest}!ittvax!swatt