Re: The real problem with hate crime legislation

[Dale Goble <gobled@uidaho.edu>]

On Mon, 26 Oct 1998, Briana LeClaire wrote:

> Professor Goble, the only instance I know of where Trent Lott has made
> any kind of widely-heard statement about homosexuality is when he said
> he thinks homosexual behavior is sinful.  Well, according to 2,000
> years of Christian tradition, it is.  Is that the heated rhetoric

The historical data indicates that it is not a 2,000 year old christian
tradition -- but rather a relatively recent change in perceptions.

Furthermore, it is an issue that has been seized upon to create fear --
watch out, the gays are coming to destroy your family.  It is *this* that
is the problem: the demonizing for political purposes.  Now that the Right
has lost the commies to instill fear, it needs something else.

> And speaking of demonizing a group and wishing to exclude them from
> the body politic, I hope your heated rhetoric doesn't cause anyone to
> go out and commit violence against Christians.  Or perhaps people who
> do that sort of thing have something wrong with them other than whom
> they can't stand.

Saying bad things about Pat Robertson is hardly saying bad things about
christians.  I do not accept his statements that he speaks for all
christians or that the christian faith has the unitary theology that he
claims to know with such unerring certainty.

Actually, I am only making fun of his meteorological ability.

dale