Re: [Fwd: Claremont Institute Precepts: Planet of the Abes]

From: Mike Lorrey (mlorrey@datamann.com)
Date: Wed Aug 08 2001 - 09:11:08 MDT


Harvey Newstrom wrote:
>
> Why is this stuff on the Extropians List?
>
> The Claremont Institute is not only a conservative organization, but it is
> specifically a religious conservative organization.

Why do you seem to always start off your denounciation of any post you
disagree with by claiming that the website that is hosting the
information is owned by some allegedly extreme right wing organization?
While I agree with many of your points, Harvey, this is not a proper
debating tactic, as you and others continually claim in response to some
of my posts....

> I don't see why this is posted to the Extropians List. Even for the
> purported goal of fostering new thinking, it seems to be off-topic. Why
> should we evaluate Lincoln and his "controversial" policies? Why should we
> expose liberals as espousing a false history while touting conservatism as
> the true historical basis of civilization? Why should we discuss natural
> rights and the source of true morality?
>
> Why does there seem to be an attempt to remake Extropians into a religious,
> racist, radical right-wing movement? What does any of this stuff have to do
> with Extropianism?

It seems to me that outside of a couple people asking the list for their
opinions on outside information of this sort, the only people who are
'remaking' anything are those of a more liberal stripe who whip out the
tar brush so rapidly any time someone says something they don't agree
with.

There is a significant degree of conversation here recently about
racism, trust, liberty, etc. where many people are genuinely interested
in getting down to brass tacks about things. Practicing ostracism
instead contributes nothing, and simply adds to the shrillness of the
debate.

I am not interested in any way in making Extropy into a relgion, a
racist group, or a radical right wing movement, contrary to what some
here claim. I am staunchly a libertarian, and natural law is very much a
libertarian concept. I agree that claims by the right that natural law
comes from God is NOT libertarian, and not extropian either, but I did
not see anything of this sort in the post that Harvey responded to
either.



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