[MD] U.S. Values: the Jones

[Platt Holden]

> [Platt]
> Wouldn't it be nice if just once in awhile we would hear from Ant and
> Arlo a vigorous defense of individual freedom.
> 
> [Arlo]
> A quick perusal of the archives reveals that in every one of our recent
> conversations, it is I who have been championing "individual freedom",
> and you who have been championing "laws enforcing conformity". From
> veils to toplessness to refusing immoral orders, it is I who have been
> the voice of individual freedom. On free speech, I gave a recent
> personal example where I argued for freedom, even when the speech was
> personally repellent. Even when you felt your individual freedom was
> threatened by having the word "nigger" banned, I sided with your freedom
> to utter this word. So your accusation above is just more of the typical
> right-wing propagandic nonsense we've come to expect.

Who believes your "voice of individual freedom" to run around naked in 
public when you won't post a photo of your naked body on the internet? 
Let's see. I think that's called "hypocrisy." As for freedom to utter 
"nigger" I hope you've made clear your position that it's OK to your 
friends and associates on campus. Otherwise, hypocrisy fits the bill 
again.   
 
> Indeed, the _only_ individual freedom you seem to care about involves
> "earning money" or uttering ethnic slurs.

The individual freedom I care about is free speech and participation in 
a free market that, to quote Pirsig, " . . .makes everybody richer by 
preventing static economic patterns from setting in and stagnating 
economic growth." Obviously, becoming rich is anathema to your Marxist 
views.  

> And so you find legal restrictions on dumping toxic sludge into my
> rivers "anti-freedom", but then turn around and make the astonishingly
> immoral claim that "banning veils, by law, is a victory for Intellect".
> You find proposed restrictions on saying "nigger" an assault on freedom,
> but then turn around and support laws that force everyone to speak
> English (good thing for you "nigger" is an English word, eh?).

Banning anything forced on the unwilling by a barbaric religious dictum 
is a blow in favor of intellect. Of course, you cheerfully bow before 
the stifling dictums of the academy so I'm not surprised you don't get 
it. As for laws requiring English, what's the policy at your 
university?