From: Lee Corbin (lcorbin@tsoft.com)
Date: Thu Aug 09 2001 - 20:23:03 MDT
Greg Burch wrote
> Expressions of suspicion of affirmative action and defense of
> gun rights triggers a kind of emotional revulsion in some people,
> because those views are identified with knuckle-dragging cultural
> conservatives. Sensitivity to the injustice of past and current
> racism and a desire to seek social security likewise evokes a
> feeling of disgust in others, because those are causes espoused
> by the collectivist, "leveler" pole of the public discourse on
> policy and culture. Like it or not, those emotional reactions
> are real and affect our thinking.
Yes, very well said. Surely now, everyone on this list can see
the psychological issues here, and *try* to modify their behavior
accordingly.
> It helps to be as aware of them as we can be, because when we
> aren't, we tend to caricature the persons who may be speaking
> in terms that trigger those reactions.
This has happened *countless* times here, as you very well know.
Yet so strong is the momentary feeling of gratification or
satisfaction---the little hit people experience when calling
names or sketching caricatures---that the deeper fulfillment
that comes from getting just a little bit closer to the truth
usually pales in comparison.
> The bottom line is that just because someone is willing to
> question the wisdom or moral rightness of affirmative action
> doesn't mean that they subscribe to the entirety of the
> reactionary program of the culturally conservative "right",
> any more than that every one who might wonder whether SOME
> restrictions on the private ownership of weapons is a Stalinist.
Now who THE HELL reading this can *possibly* disagree?? Would
they PLEASE speak up?
Lee Corbin
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