Re: Freedom Forum report on the State of the First Amendment

[Colin Rafferty <craffert@ml.com>]

David Honig writes:
> At 02:37 PM 12/23/97 -0500, Colin Rafferty wrote:

>> You are not being coerced into anything.  If you don't want to serve
>> food to Blacks, don't open a restaurant.  It's your choice.

> Where do you get the right to tell others how they can make a living?

I don't have that right.  However, the Supreme Court has said that the
Congress has that right.

>> By the way, you are also not allowed to dump toxic waste in your own
>> backyard.  Are you being oppressed?

> I am not allowed to place toxic waste, or noise, where it can affect
> others; I can 
> ingest toxins privately and listen to whatever music I like so long as you
> don't detect it in your backyard.

Well, racism is hiring decisions is something that is detected in other
people's backyards.  That's why its illegal.

>>> An employer-employee relationship is like a marriage or any other
>>> arrangement between adults -mutually consensual.
>> 
>> In a fantasy world, it is mutually consensual.  It the real world, it is 
>> seldom mutual.

> You prefer a shotgun or otherwise arranged marriage?

I prefer a level playing field.

>>> Colin, do you consider
>>> yourself oppressed when someone choses not to date you?  What about
>>> a rejection by someone who takes out a public advertisement in the paper?
>> 
>> Nope.  Of course, this has nothing to do with anything.

> Private behavior is private behavior, and trade is a private behavior.

Not in this country.  If you don't believe me, check out Article I,
Section 8 for one explicit example.

>>> Freedom is only tested when it hurts.
>> 
>> With freedom comes responsibility.  Decency is one of them.

> But obligate decency at gunpoint is not worth it.

It's called civilization.  You should try it some time.

-- 
Colin