Tolerance

2004-7-9 05:49:00



John Crane writes:
Using this standard, I would say both sides in this country are in illusion to some extent. Answer the following questions:

Which side wants creationism taught in school to the exclusion of the teaching of evolution?

Which side wants evolution taught in school to the exclusion of the teaching of creationism?

Which side wants sexual abstinence taught in school to the exclusion of the teaching of about condom use?

Which side wants condom use taught in school to the exclusion of the teaching of about sexual abstinence?

I recommend the book "Free Speech for Me, but Not for Thee", by Nat Henthoff. He details how the American Left and Right relentlessly censor each other.

Until each side stops simply fighting the other, and begins to work for positive change, I see nothing ahead for this country but increased polarization and worse.


JJ:
Each side wants things but wanting something is a totally different animal than attempting to force those wants upon others.

The orthodox right wing seems to get all the accusations of attempting to impose their beliefs on the other side, but I would say that over 90% of the real imposing comes from the orthodox liberal side.

The hate legislation is another good example which gives greater punishment to the criminal if he hates the person or speaks the wrong words as be beats up his victim compared to abusing someone he loves or just thinks he deserves a good working over for his own good.

This legislates according to what's in the person's mind or a group of people's definition of hate.

The only example I can think of where the Right seeks to impose is concerning abortion. They are usually fine on allowing free speech but some extremists do harass abortion doctors and clinics who actually do the deed. On the Right, many prominent Republicans such as Colin Powell, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rudy Giuliani and others are for choice, but no prominent Democrat is pro life neither has one been allowed to speak at a Democrat convention for decades.

Unions such as the AFL-CIO, Teachers and others force money from the hands of Republican members and then spend that money to defeat Republican candidates. To force a person to help defeat a candidate he loves is obscene and nothing like this type of abuse is seen on the Republican side.

Perhaps the greatest stifling of free speech comes from our education system, often starting with the very young and reaching a crescendo in college.

Here are some statistics.

According to the column 'One-party campuses', by Ellen Sorokin of The Washington Times,

? At the University of Maryland, of the 69 professors whose political affiliations were located, 59 were registered as Democrats and 10 as Republicans. Out of a sample of 37 sociology professors, 34 were Democrats. Of 20 political science professors, 17 were Democrats. Of 12 economics professors, eight were Democrats.

? At the University of Colorado at Boulder, 116 of the professors whose party registrations could be established were Democrats and five were Republicans. Out of a sample of 37 professors who teach English, none were Republicans. Out of a sample of 29 history professors, one was Republican. Out of 19 political science professors, two were Republican.

? At Brown University, 54 professors whose political affiliations showed up in primary registrations last year were Democrats, compared with three Republicans. Out of 10 English professors, none was Republican. Of 17 history professors, none was Republican. Out of seven political science professors, none was Republican. Of eight sociology professors, none was Republican. Out of six economics professors, one was Republican. Of nine engineering professors, two were Republican.

? At Harvard University, of the 52 professors whose affiliations were found, 50 were registered Democrats and two were Republicans. Of 15 sociology professors, none was Republicans. Out of 16 economics professors, one was Republican. Of 21 political science professors, one was Republican.

? At Penn State University, 59 professors from the arts and sciences department were registered Democrats and 10 were Republicans. Out of 37 sociology professors, 34 were Democrats. Of 20 political science professors, 17 were Democrats. Out of 12 economics professors, eight were Democrats.

? At the University of California at Santa Barbara, a sample of 72 arts and sciences professors were registered Democrats and one was Republican. Out of 29 history professors, one was Republican. Of 21 English professors, none was Republican. Out of 29 history professors, one was Republican. Of 13 political science professors, none was Republican, and out of eight journalism professors, none was Republican.

? At the University of Texas at Austin, of the 109 professors whose political affiliations were found, 94 were Democrats and 15 were Republicans. Out of six philosophy professors, one was Republican. Of 19 political science professors, 15 were Democrats. Out of 14 history professors, two were Republicans. Out of 42 English professors, 35 were Democrats. End Quote

Consequently, those who are open Republicans on campus often have a problem and if they do not agree with their professor or answer contrary to their thought form they may get a failing grade.

These colleges who take so much pride in free speech will often possess crazed students who protest to faculty, march in protest, destroy literature, disrupt meetings, heckle speakers etc when a prominent Republican comes to speak.

And speaking of the peaceful Canadians, it is outright dangerous for a conservative to speak at a campus there.

It is dangerous to our society to have our educational system so dominated by one side of the equation no matter which side that may be.

When Buchanan and Ross Perot were seen as a third party threat to the Republican they complained about it, but did nothing to restrict their speech or the campaign process, but not so with the Democrats of today concerning Ralph Nader. He has no lost love toward Republicans, but has made the comment that they have been tolerant and the current Democrats are not.

Nader Said this, "They're (Democrats) hiring lawyers to go up to technicalities in places like Arizona, they infiltrated our political convention, I spoke to John Kerry and said 'you'd better look into it because it could be a mini-Watergate, possibly."

"This is pretty serious, when you try to lock the civil liberties of American just to get on the ballot so people can vote for the candidate of their choice," Nader continued.

Nader was denied a spot on the Arizona ballot and last Friday again accused the Democrats and Kerry of engaging in political "dirty tricks."

Just hours before the developments in Arizona, Nader complained that the Democratic Party has "stepped up its obstruction tendencies" in challenging his ballot access.

In Arizona, supporters of Nader abandoned their effort to get the independent candidate on the presidential ballot after Democrats challenged the validity of thousands of signatures.

Nader's campaign had submitted more than 22,000 signatures to Arizona election officials June 9 -- far more than the 14,694 valid signatures required by state law to compete against President Bush and Kerry.

"They really erect all kinds of barriers blocking voices and choices," Nader told FOX News of such alleged Democratic acts. End Quote

Even though the Right is accused of attempting to restrict free speech I see nothing on their part to stop it outside of voicing disagreement. But it is surfacing with viciousness on the left, similar to the conflict between the Democrats and Republicans before the civil war.

I realize there are many good Democrats out there and probably a majority of those interested in metaphysics are members, but we are in a time where those who are fair-minded must seek to work within both parties for fairness, justice, tolerance and honesty.

Interesting fact: Jerry Falwell and Billy Graham are Democrats.

I know you're out there. I can feel you now. I know that you're afraid. You're afraid of us. You're afraid of change. I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it's going to begin. Neo - The Matrix