| There is often much talk of the right to be | | | | insult this man. Nor would I harass him in any way |
| treated equally, despite one's religion or one's | | | | that would cause discomfort or antagonism. I |
| ethnicity or one's gender. Over the past century, | | | | would only offer my opinion, as he offered to me. |
| our society has shifted this debate from such | | | | I would not rise in an uproar to upset his creed. I |
| older-discussed traits as skin color and gender to | | | | would raise the lantern of Reason, and soundly |
| things such as sexual orientation. Though there | | | | offer logic in opposition to his creed. There can be |
| are still Civil Rights battles going on today for | | | | nothing so irrational as resorting to unkindly |
| equal treatment of individuals regardless of | | | | sentiments to those who hold different opinions, |
| ethnicity or gender, Civil Rights today also | | | | or to denying opportunity to those who with |
| encompasses other traits of individuals which | | | | different ethics. It is not my right to say that a |
| before were discriminated against without so | | | | man cannot believe one thing or another. |
| much as a thought.The reason why it is irrational | | | | Everyone is their own individual, capable of |
| to discriminate against someone on their race is | | | | believing as they wish for themselves. Anyone |
| because one's race does not (normally) interfere | | | | who states differently, that claims we have no |
| with their line of work. Now, there are definitely | | | | obligation of kindness or sincerity to those who |
| circumstances where such preference is | | | | believe otherwise, is an obstacle in the race for |
| absolutely justified. If a company was advertising | | | | knowledge, a blockade to the doorway of |
| and their statistics department had told them that | | | | opportunity, a stone on the path for life.When I |
| few African humans buy their products, they | | | | say that discrimination should not occur to man |
| may decide to advertise with more African | | | | because of his beliefs, I do not mean to govern |
| models. Would it be rational, in any reasonable | | | | the lives of those who may sometimes judge on |
| man's mind, that the company should be forced | | | | beliefs, and I certainly do not mean to fill their |
| to hire as many Caucasion models as African | | | | lives with guilt. There is a number of great |
| models? I would doubt that with great sincerity. | | | | individuals who refuse to have a relationship with |
| If, however, an insurance company was looking | | | | someone outside of their race. And this will not be |
| for a secretary, then the race of the secretary | | | | out of scorn, or of hate, or of some other |
| would be completely irrelevant. Being a good | | | | unbecoming trait. It is because of uncomfortability, |
| secretary is not about one's appearance, but | | | | or even an inability to relate to someone. A man |
| wholly about one's intellectual capabilities, perhaps | | | | cannot be blamed for being uncomfortable around |
| typing skills and diligance. It is not a question of | | | | other races any more than a man can be blamed |
| looks, but a question of intellect. To say that the | | | | for the race he is. If an individual with this |
| modeling company was discriminating by choosing | | | | uncomfortable sentiment concerning members of |
| an African human over a Caucasion human is | | | | other races were to see a member of another |
| equally true as saying the insurance company was | | | | race afflicted with some ailment, and if this |
| discriminating by choosing a smart secretary over | | | | "race-phobic" person were to offer aid -- not out |
| an unintelligent secretary.The battles for Civil | | | | of any sort of fear or reward, but out of the |
| Rights of the people, regardless of race, gender, | | | | sake of pure compassion -- can we honestly call |
| or sexual orientation, will continue on for perhaps | | | | this person full of hate or anger? To make such a |
| an inestimable number of years. The advocates | | | | claim would be to advance ignorance and to put a |
| of Civil Rights will exist as long as there is Reason | | | | scar on the face of humaneness. Though |
| and active compassion, and the opponents of Civil | | | | individuals who feel out of place when among |
| Rights will exist as long as there is some | | | | other races may stereotypically have one image |
| ignorance and selective cruelty. A White | | | | of being pristine, this stereotype -- like every |
| Supremacist may say that he will deny himself | | | | other -- does not hold true for all of these |
| friendship or comradery with every non-White, | | | | individuals. In this group of individuals, there are |
| based on that non-Whites are incapable of making | | | | good, warm-hearted, kind people, and to make an |
| good friends. As every good person of non-White | | | | opposition against them is to become an enemy |
| ethnicity passes by this Supremacist, as every | | | | of every Humanitarian who contends that duty |
| human being possesing the traits of kindness and | | | | and justice are our first priorities.Just as it is an |
| reverance, beauty and vitality, intelligence and | | | | atrosity to try to make someone act the same |
| understanding, as every good person with any | | | | to other races when they themselves are |
| skin color passes by this supremacist, the man will | | | | uncomfortable with other races, it is also cruel and |
| find himself a little more alone, a little less | | | | inhumane to insult someone for not being |
| knowledgeable, and gravely disadvantaged. So the | | | | comfortable with others of different beliefs. A |
| battle of equal rights will continue, as long as there | | | | person may find it displeasurable to be among |
| is a group being persecuted, and as long as there | | | | other races. So a person may find it displeasurable |
| are heroes of our species to defend them. Every | | | | to be among believers of Nazism, Fascism, |
| man or woman denied an opportunity because of | | | | Democracy, the electoral process, Socialism, |
| traits which he cannot control is a badge of | | | | Communism, Pacifism, or any other creed which |
| dishonor upon the ever-weakening chest of | | | | has been wrought from humanity. If a man |
| humanity, a boulder upon the back of truth, and a | | | | honestly tells me, "I will not be among those |
| slash across the face of beauty. As long as there | | | | people, because the things they say and the way |
| is discrimination in the heart of any man, there will | | | | they act bothers me," then I can hold no |
| always be fallacies in his mind and intolerance in his | | | | animosity whatsoever to him, but if a man tells |
| actions.There is one battlefield that has almost | | | | me, "I will not be among those people, because |
| been entirely unsuccesful in the case for Civil | | | | they are innately cruel, beyond recompense, |
| Rights. This is the battlefield for the Right to | | | | passed the point of worth," then I will only be |
| Opinion. Think not that I am speaking of the right | | | | deep within disappointment. There are few creeds |
| to belong to any political party, or believe in any | | | | that a man can believe that will put him beyond |
| religion. These rights, however, are still under siege | | | | the point of opportunity. Though a man has a |
| by those without a rational framework of thought | | | | right to association, to be with those he likes and |
| -- this right to political theory is still a source of | | | | avoids those he dislikes, I can only hope that the |
| hate for those who do not weild Reason or | | | | star of fairness will shine, and all of our hearts will |
| humaneness, and it will probably always exist, as | | | | be open to others. But beyond this matter of |
| long as there is a ruling class. The Right to Opinion | | | | association, it is important that a man can receive |
| that I speak of is the right to believe all that you | | | | a job, a place to live, a place to buy food and |
| wish, without being discriminated against. Though | | | | other necessities, without harassment for his |
| the right to belong to any political party or any | | | | creeds. Let a man believe as he wish, and you |
| religion may be counted as part of this, the Right | | | | can only hope that Reason will govern his |
| to Opinion still does not prevail. What man can | | | | judgment. Harassment will accomplish nothing, but |
| openly, publicly, and brazenly say that he finds | | | | will work away at the man's tolerance for others. |
| Nazism to be a sound ideology, and then easily | | | | I cannot govern society or its members, but as |
| find employment? Would a black shop owner hire | | | | far as the economy goes, no man should be |
| this man, even if the Nazi was willing? If a man | | | | behind bars because of their beliefs. This is a |
| were to announce his membership in | | | | testament to freedom as much as it is a |
| North-American Man-Boy Love Assocation | | | | confession of humaneness and a declaration for |
| (NAMBLA, working for the rights of adults for | | | | beauty in tolerance.Though observation will allow |
| consensual sexual relationships with minors), would | | | | us to easily see that our society is not always |
| announcing one's membership of such an | | | | accepting of another man's Right to Opinion, a |
| organization boost their chances of employment | | | | person cannot go far in their intellectual journey |
| or relationships? It is unpopular today to even | | | | without hearing someone say, "That person has |
| assert that Nazism is right, or that Pedophilia may | | | | their to their own opinion!" Though this is certainly |
| be right. But if someone were to cling to such | | | | true, it is unlikely for someone to say this about a |
| ideologies, based on the juries of their mind, they | | | | man who believes Pedophilia is justifiable. It would |
| will be harmed in all ways: employment will be | | | | be of most difficulty to hear a man say "You |
| difficult, friendships and family may be curtailed, | | | | have your right to your opinion" when another |
| and other social or economic conditions may | | | | attempts to justify Pedophilia. It would be gravely |
| worsen, simply by holding an opinion.If an | | | | difficult to hear the same when a person makes |
| employer refused to hire someone on the | | | | a heretical remark, mocking a god or the unseen |
| grounds that they held a certain opinion, how | | | | spirits of the worlds' religions. I only feel the need |
| could they respond? There are probably a | | | | to comment on this, that though everyone has |
| thousand laws inhibiting employers from such | | | | their right to their opinion, we always have the |
| actions, or completely disallowing public institutions | | | | right to comment on their opinion, or hold an |
| from denying citizens their right to equal | | | | opinion of an opinion. The point of existence for |
| treatment. But there are amazingly few laws | | | | intellectual debate is not to find some conclusion, |
| upholding a man's right to belief in whatever he | | | | or to meet some compromise about some |
| wishes. If a man professed belief in Nazism, the | | | | philosophical triffle. It is, utmostly, so that we can |
| business across this nation may very well refuse | | | | understand each other and -- with the serene |
| to employ him or to serve him. And, if he were | | | | hope that only sleeping children can dream of -- |
| to seek aid in his right to belief, I doubt there | | | | that we will clear the way a little. That will we |
| would be a single politician who would stand beside | | | | remove any fog that pollutes our thinking, |
| him. The ruling class are not concerned with | | | | destroy stereotypes, burn all aspirations that are |
| justice so much as they are concerned with | | | | made from imitation, and bury every vice. |
| looking good in the eyes of the public. Being | | | | Intellectual debate is the foundation for anything |
| associated with a Nazi is not something that would | | | | that was individually great and |
| help reelection of any public official. But do not | | | | accomplishing.Before closing, there are some facts |
| only think of Nazism as a creed a man may hold | | | | which ought to be put into light for those who still |
| that would harm him. If a man were to shout out | | | | disagree with me. Before anyone lights a torch in |
| in public, "It is okay to have sex with children!" he | | | | effort to burn out their enemy for some |
| would be outcast. Employment would be | | | | ideology, first think of Giordano Bruno. Remember |
| impossible, people would sneer, and the whole of | | | | the monk who travelled throughout Europe, |
| society would be his enemy, as much as they are | | | | dodging the hounds of the Vatican as much as he |
| enemies to the Right to Opinion.Do humans have | | | | could, only so that he could write out what he |
| the Right to Opinion beyond political parties and | | | | believed, only so he could try to prove that |
| religious belief? It is undeniable. So much as a man | | | | compassion would conquer the world. Remember |
| cannot choose his skin color, in many ways a man | | | | the physician Servetes, burned at the stake by a |
| cannot choose his belief. If we see a crime being | | | | tyrant. Remember his exodus from the church, |
| committed, we cannot help but believe that it | | | | breathless for life as he searched the land for |
| took place. If we are presented with the evidence | | | | some refuge, and denied any sentiment of |
| of a crime, we cannot help but believe that there | | | | compassion, as John Calvin mercilessly ordered |
| is a high probability that it took place. But these | | | | death. Think of Thomas Paine. He wrote a book, |
| are the thoughts of a rational man. If, being | | | | and they unleashed the hounds of iniquity with the |
| presented with the evidence, a man comes to | | | | orders of destruction and cruelty. He spoke his |
| believe that Caucasions are superior to Africans, | | | | mind, and they gave him the death sentence. He |
| or Africans are superior to Jews, or Jews are | | | | was put behind the bars of a French prison as |
| superior to Hispanics, -- if a human being, with his | | | | much as he was put behind the bars of intellectual |
| own mind and his own will, gathers evidence for | | | | prison. Think of Francisco Ferrer. He taught the |
| himself and discovers reasons to believe as he | | | | children of Spain a secular education, gave them |
| does -- if a man does this, then what do we | | | | the gift of literacy and thought, instilled in them an |
| accomplish by punishing him for speaking? Every | | | | insatiasable appetite for knowledge and truth. His |
| man certainly must have the right to judge facts | | | | only gift to humanity was teaching and kindness, |
| for himself, regardless of what any court in the | | | | and his only sacrifice was his own life. Remember |
| world says. It is not about supressing Nazism, | | | | all who have given their lives only because they |
| Fascism, Sexism, Racism, Capitalism, Speciesism, | | | | believed as they did, only because they felt that |
| and every other ill-doctrine by any means possible. | | | | they were compelled towards truth, and |
| It is not about silencing those who oppose me | | | | remember the animosity we gave their offenders |
| ideologically. It is about holding up the individual as | | | | -- remember the unbridled scorn and contempt |
| the supreme leader of society; it is about | | | | held for those who executed heretics and |
| understanding the right of every person to believe | | | | heathens. Before anyone raises their fist in |
| as they wish, allowing the pathway to the temple | | | | indignance towards someone with another creed, |
| of any theory, opening the door to a kingdom of | | | | remember our heroes, how they were killed for |
| ideas and concepts, releasing the chains around | | | | their beliefs, and why we will always cherish their |
| the legs of every slave and holding the torch up | | | | memories in our hearts. Life,Punkerslut (or Andy |
| at night so they know where to go to get to | | | | Carloff) has been writing essays and poetry on |
| freedom. The Right to Opinion is the same as the | | | | social issues which have caught his attention for |
| right to belief, and upholding it is the same as the | | | | several years. His website provides a complete list |
| responsibility to decency, and the duty to | | | | of all of these writings. His life experience includes |
| civilization.If a man comes to me and tells me that | | | | homelessness, squating in New Orleans and LA, |
| all other races are inferior, that Free Enterprise | | | | dropping out of high school, getting expelled from |
| benefits the worker, that animals have no right | | | | college for "subversive activities," and a myriad of |
| other than to be eaten, or that real religion | | | | other revolutionary actions. |
| consists of a god in a far-away Universe, I will not | | | | |