Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site allegra.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!alan From: alan@allegra.UUCP (Alan S. Driscoll) Newsgroups: net.motss,net.religion Subject: Re: Gay Rights Message-ID: <2802@allegra.UUCP> Date: Mon, 24-Sep-84 09:52:54 EDT Article-I.D.: allegra.2802 Posted: Mon Sep 24 09:52:54 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 26-Sep-84 08:08:55 EDT References: <174@usfbobo.UUCP>, <1136@pyuxn.UUCP>, <180@usfbobo.UUCP>, <2796@allegra.UUCP>, <183@usfbobo.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill Lines: 47 In a previous article, I criticized Dave Brunson for his narrow and bigoted views on homosexuality. There is another point I'd like to make: Even if Dave convinced me that homosexuality was wrong, I would still consider his position reprehensible. Deciding what is right and what is wrong is terribly difficult. However, once a society, or an individual, decides what it will consider wrong, I believe it's easy enough to divide those acts considered wrong into two categories: Type 0 wrongness: an act which is wrong because it hurts another person. Type 1 wrongness: an act which is wrong because it hurts oneself, or [for the religious] because it is unpleasing to God. I believe it is the responsibility of a society to protect its members from type 0 wrongness. At the same time, I believe it is the right of the individual to do what he damn well pleases (even if he hurts himself), as long as he doesn't wrongly hurt others. In fact, I would go as far as to say: It is a type 0 wrongness to prevent someone from engaging in a type 1 wrongness, or to persecute or harass them for engaging in a type 1 wrongness. This is a cornerstone of my personal ethics, and I think it is a fundamental principle of our political system. This doesn't mean that the principle hasn't been violated -- there are laws agaist victimless crimes, such as prostitution, in many states -- but I still believe the principle underlies our government, as it should. So, Dave, even if you did convince me that homosexuality was a "sin", it would still be a type 1 wrongness, and thus, none of your God damn business. I would still consider it wrong (type 0 wrongness, the serious stuff) for you to persecute or harass gays, to refuse to employ or sell your house to one, etc. You would still be dead wrong in my book (and, by my understanding of it, in that Book you keep talking about). -- Alan S. Driscoll AT&T Bell Laboratories