Re: another tooth fairy dashed on the rocks

Oh, and I also want proof that Ashcroft is "a bigot as well" (please something more compelling than a failure to support expanded hate crimes legislation; spare us all the automatic response that tolerance might be consistent with philosophical opposition to singling out groups), a "hypocrite" (some evidence of contradictions, particularly since you argue in a religious
context... maybe how does he live an unChristian life?), "sleazy" (not his behavior; you say Ashcroft as A PERSON AS A HUMAN BEING is sleazy; how dare you judge, so prove it).

luke

-------Original Message-------
From: Luke Smith <jlsmith3@earthlink.net>
Sent: 08/05/03 11:35 AM
To: bananafish@roughdraft.org
Subject: another tooth fairy dashed on the rocks

>
> "And he's not just a Bible thumping hypocrite and zealot, he's a bigot as
well, and is using "defense against terrorism" as a sleazy cover for his
twisted evangelism. So now we have the true believers protecting us from
other true believers."

John O. -- do you have any further analysis on this point? How
specifically is defense against terrorism "a sleazy cover for his twisted evangelism?"
Wouldn't a more common criticism be that provisions in the Patriot Act,
and proposed extensions of those provisions, expand government power? Some
argue that this expansion is unconstitutional; to argue instead that it's a
cover for religious zeal seems more like a wild conspiracy theory, born out
of fanatic hatred for disagreement.

I can see how, in your world, the Constitution is not a compelling
standard for an argument; if everything is to serve political interests, then it's
a tool and any possibility that its values are objectively Good and
Truthful is rejected.
And once you've rejected an external vision of what is good, you can't
argue based on it; you're reduced to sniveling complaints that people are
religious extremists, for having faith in something, and that they're trying to
impose values on others, since isn't that what everyone else does in your
world? You shouldn't be so indignant or surprised, then, if Ashcroft really
is doing what you say.

Too bad, John, that after demanding that we live in your world, you can't
challenge Ashcroft by saying that the problem is power, not faith.

luke

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Received on Tue Aug 5 14:51:56 2003