> This was an honest expression of concern and confusion that is shared by > many. I suspect and hope that over time people will get used to the idea but > for > now it does not do the cause of gay union any good to sharply casitgate > someone > for honestly expressed feelings. >
If you don't confront people and call them on their prejudices, they will get the idea that it's okay to feel the way they do. In the long run, that does not lead to them abandoning their dislikes. It's easy to walk away when you hear someone express feelings of dislike and even hatred based not on knowing a particular person but just on the group that person belongs to. How many of us, when we hear someone say something negative about "the Jews" or "the blacks" or "the Muslims," simply decide to take the easy way out and not cause a scene? But how does that advance the cause of increasing rights for all of us? I'm not saying jump all over people who express these thoughts, but we also don't have to let them think there's nothing wrong with being biased. Because there is something very much wrong with it. If we don't object, we are complicit; they may even feel we agree with them. It doesn't have to be vicious or rancorous, but I think we need to let them know. Tom Beck www.mercerjewishsingles.org "I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last." - Dr Jerry Pournelle _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
