Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!pyramid!ut-sally!seismo!brl-tgr!brl-smoke!ron From: ron@brl-smoke.ARPA (Ron Natalie ) Newsgroups: net.religion,net.legal,net.misc Subject: Re: Autodialing Falwell - a different perspective Message-ID: <633@brl-smoke.ARPA> Date: Mon, 20-Jan-86 14:32:42 EST Article-I.D.: brl-smok.633 Posted: Mon Jan 20 14:32:42 1986 Date-Received: Thu, 23-Jan-86 21:32:47 EST References: <1225@mtuxo.UUCP> <11434@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> Organization: Ballistic Research Lab Lines: 31 Xref: watmath net.religion:8995 net.legal:2768 net.misc:9184 > Have you ever heard of "civil disobedience" Ken? This is where > an individual or group of concerned citizens acts illegally, > but non-violently and without hurting anyone, to obstruct > the activities of an oppressive and harmful institution or > authority. > Civil disobedience is an important part of democracy. Not quite. The important part of democracy in civil disobedience is to refuse to obey laws or acts to influence government, not to harm the "opressive and harmful institution". There is a fine line here. You claim that this is "non-violent and does not hurt anyone" but that claim is far from true. You are hurting Falwell. Causing him not only not to receive money but incurring him cost for answering the calls. One of the essential points of democracy (and a point repeatedly made by the ACLU) is that individuals be protected against other individuals deciding that they are in the wrong in such an ad hoc fashion. Martin Luther King would roll in his grave about your idea of non-violence here. > The whole point of civil disobedience is that society > allows enough personal freedom that people can break the > law, and will do it if they have a good enough reason. Great, I think that the Negro race is an abomination. I have a whole bunch of good ol' boys in white sheets and I feel we should that good ol' civil disobedience to kill all them there niggers. -Ron