Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site amdahl.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!amdahl!gam From: gam@amdahl.UUCP (Gordon A. Moffett) Newsgroups: net.motss Subject: Re: One Last Flame at Arndt Message-ID: <319@amdahl.UUCP> Date: Thu, 4-Oct-84 16:47:51 EDT Article-I.D.: amdahl.319 Posted: Thu Oct 4 16:47:51 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 6-Oct-84 01:42:55 EDT References: <14@mit-athena.ARPA> Organization: Amdahl Corp, Sunnyvale CA Lines: 55 Andrew, I think you and many other people are missing a lot that Ken has to say. (Yes, I'm serious!). His anecdote about kicking the guy in boot camp was an interesting point that no matter how wonderful and loving we think we are we like to follow the crowd ('we' is us people generally). (Ironically enough, that appears to be the attitude taken towards Ken by some readers of this newsgroup). One of Ken's points is that many homosexuals may be kidding themselves that things are just getting better and will continue to do so. I agree that things are better for Gay people -- in urban centers and tolerant communities; but what about in The Sticks, in Podunk, etc? Further, Ken points out that this air of liberal tolerance can disappear at any time -- Mr. Falwell reaches far more people than any Gay spokespeople. Ken is right on this point, too, and I think that is something to worry about. Not that Mr. Falwell does not have his right to speak but that there isn't really "equal time" (and no I don't suggest legal enforcement of equal time, either). Ken is an abbrasive annoying person, but he makes many points I think should be heeded. I am beginning to believe that he IS trying help Gay people, in his own irritating insulting way. It's just that by paying attention to the form and not the content, you're missing it. A while ago, in my last defense of Ken Arndt, someone said something like "oh, he quotes some shit from Masters and Johnson and you're impressed." It just so happens that I have read the same "shit" myself, and I was trying to point out that the information wasn't biased but everyone else thought it was because if Ken Arndt said it it can't be true. I don't see how people can delude themselves like this... Also quoting the Net Etiquette to Ken won't help. He's clearly beyond that now. Not that his behavior is something you want to encourage, of course, but Ken doesn't strike me as someone who'd fall on his knees begging forgiveness for transgressing against Rules of Etiquette. Finally, I am not entirely thrilled of speaking in support of Ken Arndt, but I've always enjoyed taking the (in this case) minority viewpoint, especially when it offers something of value. I do have some rebuttals for Ken to be posted later, but I didn't want to join the "Let's beat up Ken" crowd. Again, don't mistake the form for the content. -- Gordon A. Moffett ...!{ihnp4,hplabs,amd,nsc}!amdahl!gam [ The opinons expressed in this article are completely fictious. Any similarity between these opinions and the opinions of any persons living or dead is entirely coincidental. ]