RE: DISCUSSION/Iraq and domestic protest

["Dale Courtney" <dmcourtn@moscow.com>]

Melynda Huskey wrote:
> > I, too, have a personal request:  let more people speak, rather than
> > fewer--about the impending war, about our community, about 
> what we value, 
> > about ourselves and our experiences.
> > 
> > This list exists precisely because we agree that other people *do* 
> > have
> > ideas and points of view worth listening to, no matter how 
> distant they are 
> > from our own.
> > 
> > Or am I making an unwarranted assumption?  Do we have that common
> > understanding?

Tom Hansen wrote: 
> I agree with Ms. Huskey 100%.
> 
> Depriving people of their right to speak, merely shows your 
> fear of what they 
> have to say.

I'm assuming that you both have college degrees (I know Tom does). Yet I
think you didn't actually *read* what Douglas posted: 

> But in the meantime, I would like to come to my personal 
> request, addressed 
> to all ethical relativists who have posted to this list in the past, 
> whether opposed to the war or supportive of it. For the 
> duration of the 
> fighting, would you please withdraw from the public 
> discussion of the war. 
> I am not saying this to be rude -- it is just that the 
> relativist (on his 
> own terms) has nothing to contribute. I am reminded of the 
> joke about what 
> happens when you cross a JW with a Unitarian -- you get 
> someone who knocks 
> on your door for no particular reason. What do you get when you cross 
> ethical relativism with peace activism? Candle smoke.

His point -- ethical relativists have *nothing* to add to the
conversation. Since the warmonger's opinions are as equally valid as
your own, it's just more white noise to filter.

Unless you would be willing to provide an answer to the question: by
what standard is *your* opinion better than the other side's opinion? 

Dale Courtney
Moscow, Idaho