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From: jc@cdx39.UUCP (John Chambers)
Newsgroups: soc.singles,soc.women
Subject: Re: Talking about others (was Re: Non-sexist erotica)
Message-ID: <320@cdx39.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 22-Sep-86 16:03:36 EDT
Article-I.D.: cdx39.320
Posted: Mon Sep 22 16:03:36 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 24-Sep-86 00:27:12 EDT
References: <1156@jade.BERKELEY.EDU> <6562@sun.uucp>
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Xref: linus soc.singles:104 soc.women:40

> Mine always said that
> one can never be upset by anyone speaking the truth about you.

C'mon, is anyone really that naive?  There was the case a couple
years back, reported in much of the scientific press, of a fellow
who finally found out why all his grant applications to any
federal agency had been turned down.  It seems that the FBI
had found out that back in the 30's, long before he had met
his future wife, his future father-in-law had subscribed to
a "communist" publication for about 6 months, then dropped
the subscription.  This sufficed to get his future son-in-law
reported as a potential subversive 40 years later.

OK, it's stupid.  But it had a drastic impact on this fellow's
whole career.  And he never claimed it was false.

There used to be a common-law rule that you were forgiven minor
"offenses" after 7 years.  This isn't true in our society.  Facts
about you can follow you the rest of your life, and can be visited
on your descendants (or even on casual acquaintances).

Some years ago, my phone was tapped by someone.  Upstairs from
me lived a fellow who was very active in all sorts of radical
politics, and I occasionally deigned to talk to him.  I expect
that it could hurt my chances for credit and/or employment if
the true fact were known that my phone has been tapped "for
cause".  Although it's true, I'm not so sanguine about it being
noised about to any witch-hunters that may be in the vicinity.

I regularly attend a Unitarian "church"; in the Boston area this
is an accepted and "normal" thing to do (even if they do have a
harpsichord in the chapel :-).  If I were to move back to the
South, I'm not too sure I'd want it generally known that I have
attended this church, which as everyone knows is full of all
sorts of humanists, peaceniks, pinkos, and other subversive
types.  I'd have a justified fear of having a cross burnt in
my front yard, if not in my living room. 

On another front, I once lived in a strongly Mormon area (as
do many of my relatives).  I was good friends with the local
Baptist minister and his family.  After a few years, they
moved out of town.  They couldn't get insurance on their
home any more (after dozens of broken windows and petty
burglaries).  Also, their teen-age son was hospitalized
for most of a year as a result of a beating he received;
the culprits bragged about it openly, and weren't prosecuted.

So much for the truth being harmless.

Yes, we DO live in a country where people do things like that.
Don't be so naive!

-- 
	John M Chambers 
Phone: 617/364-2000x7304
Email: ...{cthulhu,inmet,harvax,mit-eddie,mot[bos],rclex}!cdx39!{jc,news,root,usenet,uucp}
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Telex: 922-443 CODEX A MNSF
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