Re: Argonaut editorial

[ltrwritr@moscow.com (Mark Rounds)]

Mr. Steed

I find your logic in determining that the equal rights portion of MER's
response is false convoluted at best.  When the abolitionists prior to the
Civil War determined in their own hearts that all men were created equal,
they didn't say, "well, in order not to rock the boat, why don't we go down
south and become slaves so we will all be equal.".  Instead they struggled
to bring the rights of the slave population to a par with that of the free
white man.  

Similarly, when the Civil Rights movement of the 60's became a cause that
people paid attention to, Martin Luther King did not say that we should all
move to the back of the bus, instead he tried to say that we should all sit
or stand based on needs and courtesy, not the color of your skins.

In short, I am not in favor of giving up freedoms I now hold, just so we can
all be equal.  

I also find the suggestion that our concern over the city budget to be a red
herring a bit condescending.  MER is not one voice, its a group of people
from many polical stripes.  It includes those on the far left to folks like
myself, a moderate Republican and Libertarians who are even further to the
right than I am.  

The fact that you haven't seen my posts concerning the budget is because I
haven't chosen to share them with this forum.  Rest assured, the City
Council has seen them (if they read their e-mail) as well as those with whom
I wished to share that debate.

But setting that aside for a moment, its reassuring that you have found
something that you find objectional with this ordinance, namely the adopting
of a city wide dress code.  As I said above, the ordinance has caused people
of many different beliefs problems.  We can certainly use your debating
skills and your signature in this movement.  This is not a facetious
request.  In a little less than a week, we will be turning in our petitions
and every signature counts at this point.  If you don't speak up now, the
only way to voice an opinion will be at the polls and even then, the message
is imperfect at best.  We can arrange to have a petition brought to your
home or place of work so as to minimize the impact on your time.  Can I
count on your support?

Mark Rounds

At 06:30 PM 9/17/2002 EDT, WMSteed@aol.com wrote:
>
>In a message dated 9/17/02 2:39:35 PM, idahomer@hotmail.com writes:
>
><< In answer to Walter Steed regarding applying this law to men: No.  I 
>choose 
>not to limit other's freedoms in order to conform to your prudish views on 
>women. >>
>

>Not a prudish view, but you have confirmed my belief that the "equal rights" 
>position on this issue is not valid.  It has to do with either not wanting 
>restrictions on female clothing or a desire to go bare breasted.  As you 
>said, 

<<It is plain to see why this law was crafted the way it was:  To steer the 
>dress code of Moscow.  Some people are offended by current trends in fasion, 
>and now we have a law to restrict said fasion.

>I don't think it is the governments duty to dictate our dress code.  There 
>are plenty of community's that have a dress code.  Go join one if you can't 
>handle the current fasion in Moscow.>>  I've just wanted your position to be 
>an honest one.  
>
>Regarding the <<It is a money issue when 
>someone decides to challenge the law and our city decides to defend it in 
>court, wasting our tax dollars on a silly law that will more than likely be 
>overturned.>>  

I think this is a red herring as well; but, to take your 
>statement at face value, when no one questions or discusses city budget 
>increases and hardly asks about across-the-board utility rate increases, it's 
>good to see someone in the community care about what is costing to live here.
>
>Walter Steed
>
>