🚀 go-pugleaf

>	AMENDMENT 2  (AMENDING THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION)  
>	   "Neither the State of Colorado, through any of its branches  
>	or departments, nor any of its agencies, political subdivisions,  
>	municipalities or school districts, shall enact, adopt or 
>	enforce any statute, regulation, ordinance or policy whereby 
>	homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual orientation, conduct, practices
>	or relationships shall constitute or otherwise be the basis of 
>	or entitle any person or class of persons to have or claim any  
>	minority status, quota preferences, protected status, or claim 
>	of discrimination."  

  You are on the mark concerning the last clause "or claim of discrimination".
It should not be part of the law.  I would not want someone discriminating 
against me for an arbitrary personal trait which others may dislike.

  However, it is a big stretch from that which I just mentioned to according
me special status in the eyes of the law as a function of said trait.  I have
problems with *any* quota scheme, implicit or explicit.  And to shun any
dealings with the state of Colorado based on your (or the Cog Sci Society's,
or anyone elses') views on how they should run their state is simply
childish.  We live in a Federal Republic, in which states' rights are 
supposed to have primacy over those of the federal government and over
the whims of coastally-based elites which promote an agenda of political
correctness, enforced by a sympathetic media.

  I lived in Arizona for several years and have first hand knowledge of
what it's like to have the agenda of the "enlightened" elites in New York,
Washington, and Los Angeles shoved down my throat.  Witness the Super Bowl
which will not be held in Phoenix this year.  No one bothered to ask why
the voters of Arizona did not want another paid holiday, and no one 
bothered to mention that the original holiday imposed by executive order
by then governor Bruce Babbitt was illegal.  In Arizona a vote of the
state legislature is required to institute an official holiday.  Arizona
now (rightly in my opinion) celebrates Dr. King's birthday, but as an
unpaid holiday - and still no superbowl.

  The people of Colorado voted this bill in legally.  This peaceful
determination of what laws our people will live under is one of the things
which make America a pretty cool place to live.  If you doubt this ask
anyone who's been to South Africa, or the former Soviet Union - places
where "enlightened" elites are allowed to impose their will by fiat
over the people.  This sort of political bullying subverts the democratic 
process.  The intent may be good, but the process is everything...

  BTW: I *plan* to attend the conference.

  ...bill

-- 
   / Bill Andersen (waander@cs.umd.edu) /
  / University of Maryland             /
 / Department of Computer Science     /
/ College Park, Maryland  20742      /