🚀 go-pugleaf

Gary Strand <gary@titanic.cgd.ucar.edu> wrote:
>bw> Bryce Wilcox
>gs> Gary Strand
>
>gs> [I]f Colorado Springs is allegedly gay-hateful, and is thus intolerant,
>    how can Boulder claim the mantle of tolerance when it hates the PKers?
>    Aren't both merely prejudicial attitudes?""
>
>bw> It is entirely appropriate to be "prejudicial" against someone who be-
>    lieves and advocates an evil, life-destructive philosophy.
>
>  How am I to judge your claims about the PKers versus their claims about
>  gays and (say) pro-abortion-rights folks?

Well, if I were you I would start by examining the substance of the 
argument.

  If I saw two people arguing, each accusing the other of 
murder and deceit, I *could* stand aside and say that since they each 
repudiate each other that they are equivalent, but it would be a lot
smarter of me to investigate the evidence before one or the other
stabbed me in the back.

Some helpful questions might be:
"Do you believe that your opponents should be allowed to express
their opinions, publicly, privately, and in groups, without
restriction?"

"Do you believe that your opponents have the right to pursue their
own interests and behaviors as long as those behaviors do no harm
to their fellow citizens?"

"Does your argument against your opponents depend for its legitimacy
upon the facts of reality and the social contract among equals, or
does it depend for its legitimacy upon the arbitrary laws of a higher
power?"

You could probably think of more relevant questions if you tried, Gary.

Bryce
wilcoxb@cs.colorado.edu