RE: The Truth!

["Shahab Mesbah" <meteor2@moscow.com>]

Dearest Travis and (other!) friends,

I think Travis meant this to go to the whole list so I am responding
publicly. Please read his post below.

Indeed we are passionate and this, to me, is a sign of sincerity. We do have
to be careful with the generalizations, which are based on prejudice. Most
think of prejudice as the racial variety but we also have political
prejudice (and many others)! You might be surprised how many decisions you
make based on prejudice each day. Most of us do not fit into clean
cubbyholes that society has to sort the population. I have many views, which
would qualify me as a liberal. But if you know me you know that I also have
many views that are very conservative. I hold views because they make sense
to me. I have researched them... I have thought about them. I could care
less about who has given me the information or who has convinced me. It is
irrelevant to me what party you support as it is irrelevant to me what you
had for lunch yesterday. I have a big problem with blaming certain things on
liberals or conservatives mainly because I am one of them and it seems like
I am getting blamed for things I do not support! This is why I have,
numerous times, vehemently spoken against partisan politics. The word
liberal and conservative have become synonymous with the republican and
democratic parties. Since I am both a liberal and a conservative and hate
both the republican and the democratic parties I do not fit the stereotype
and frankly neither do most of us. Most people have opinions that span the
extremes but never get to it. For example I was not crazy about Mr. Clintons
personal choices but as a president he did a better job than anyone in my
memory. I know that Mr. Bush would not be the president of US if it were not
for his father and brother. I am alarmed at the racial divide that has
occurred in Florida. I oppose legalized abortion unless the mother's life is
in danger or incase of rape or incest. I am opposed to gun control but am
adamantly for licensing its use (we license driving). I have worked hard for
the charter schools but am opposed to them now due to my understanding of
the corruption within it and the reasoning we have it (to fend off vouchers
not to improve our schools). While I am on the topic you should know that
both of my children are far happier and academically more advanced since
they left the charter school and entered Lena Whitmore School. I am
impressed with the teachers and the staff led by an excellent principal. I
am an environmentalist but understand that forests are a resource that can
be managed properly and farms can be environmentally friendly. The list goes
on... so what am I? Am I a liberal? Am I a conservative? Depending on your
opinions you will judge me one way or another but in fact I am both and I am
neither! Why is it liberal to "conserve" the environment? Have you really
thought about it? Is it not silly how we label things and then use the label
as if it really means something?! It is a different way to live... it is not
taking any decision or opinion for granted. It is living deliberately!

I will leave you with an example in my life of prejudice:

When I was a student at the UofI I took many business classes (even though
my major was physics!). I always avoided accounting though! I hated it! I
had met accountants and they were always concerned about money and it turned
me off. I was sure I would do poorly in it and I was sure I would hate it
and I was sure it could not teach me anything. This year I decided to take
accounting! Yes I teach at the U but I can learn too! So I took both 201 and
202 (I do not do anything small... have you seen my house!!). Guess what? I
am loving it! I have confronted my own prejudice and I have expanded my mind
and I am a better person for it. Coming to this realization has humbled me.
Yes... even I am prejudice! But I am working on it!! :)

Your brother in arms,

Shahab...



-----Original Message-----
From: Travis & Julie Tonn [mailto:vart@turbonet.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2001 11:36 PM
To: Shahab Mesbah
Subject: Re: The Truth!

Visionaries,
    Thank you for the thoughtful debate and restrain in answering my post.
I was moved by Shahab's posts and enjoyed his passionate argument.  His last
post was a little disconcerting as he alleges that I view the world in a
black and white, liberal and conservative view.  This is not entirely true.
My friends know that I am quite a compassionate and thoughtful person but
have strong opinions on certain matters, morality is one of them.  I
sincerely hope that Shahab did not infer in his post that I am prejudice
simply because I pointed out a distinct difference in philosophy between
conservative and liberal thought.
    I hold no ill feelings towards Shahab because I recognize that he is
just as passionate in his views and we hold some similarities in views.  I
believe I have actually met him before and he is a very likeable and
friendly person.
     Thank you again for your thoughtful responses.

Travis Tonn