From: bivalve (bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com)
Date: Thu Oct 17 2002 - 15:56:04 EDT
>I would add the claim that if one is a fundamentalist leader...that
>the probability of holding each of these positions is more likely
>90% or more.<
I am rather doubtful of the assessment of several of these
individuals as likely to agree with the whole list, especially with
regard to the political issues. E.g., I do not think Franklin
Graham's Samaritain's Purse promotes the view that the needy do not
deserve help. This excessively broad brush does more to stereotype
than to characterize.
Part of the overall problem here comes from the fact that the extreme
fringes are the noisiest and most popular for media coverage. Thus,
while Burgy doubtless does know many people from a liberal
perspective who are sincerely committed to free speech, not
suppressing free speech is not a very visible activity. On the other
hand, those who claim to support free speech while actively opposing
freedom of religious expression in public places, disrupting
conservative speakers, suppressing antiabortion information, or
otherwise rejecting the right of someone to disagree with their views
are not only hypocrites but very publicly so. Likewise, many
organizations seek to care for women who might consider abortion,
encouraging them to think about alternatives while caring for the
individuals whatever they do. However, the tasteless
confrontationalists and the terrorists are the abortion opponents who
make the news.
The same problem applies to many of the challenges in science and
religion. Shouting gets more publicity than thinking.
Dr. David Campbell
Old Seashells
University of Alabama
Biodiversity & Systematics
Dept. Biological Sciences
Box 870345
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 USA
bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com
That is Uncle Joe, taken in the masonic regalia of a Grand Exalted
Periwinkle of the Mystic Order of Whelks-P.G. Wodehouse, Romance at
Droitgate Spa
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sun Oct 20 2002 - 01:39:17 EDT