[MD] Emergent Consciousness

[Arlo J. Bensinger]

[Case to Ham]
You post suggests that he is so committed to his vision of a better community
that he is willing to sacrifice the reputation and fiscal health of his
business over it. Clearly the man has a strong sense of his duty to others.

[Arlo]
Interesting. I did not read it like this at all. Maybe, when you put it like
this, it is an example of "honor", putting oneself in possible risk (losing
customers) to perform a duty to "others" (strengthen the community). Hmmm...
Okay, I buy it (although I wouldn't put ol' Geno's actions up there on the
honor-meter with a Marine risking his life to help an injured brother, but
there are always gradations, aren't there?).

But, if you ask me, this is merely pandering to bigotry and xenophobia. Like how
many Philadelphia's speak Italian? How strong is the Italian community there?
Well, I grew up near there too (spent my formidable years roaming South
Street). And never before has "speaking another language" been mentioned as
"destroying our civilization". Suddenly, following the wave of "Run for the
hills! The immigrants are coming!" rhetoric aimed at solidifying a xenophobic
voting block (fear, fear, fear), now "people who don't speak English" are going
to "destroy our society". Uh huh. Right. Just more boogeymen. Nothing more.