The Right to Opinion

There is often much talk of the right to be treated				Universe, I will not insult this man. Nor would I harass
equally, despite one's religion or one's ethnicity or				him in any way that would cause discomfort or
one's gender. Over the past century, our society has				antagonism. I would only offer my opinion, as he
shifted this debate from such older-discussed traits				offered to me. I would not rise in an uproar to upset
as skin color and gender to things such as sexual				his creed. I would raise the lantern of Reason, and
orientation. Though there are still Civil Rights battles				soundly offer logic in opposition to his creed. There
going on today for equal treatment of individuals				can be nothing so irrational as resorting to unkindly
regardless of ethnicity or gender, Civil Rights today				sentiments to those who hold different opinions, or
also encompasses other traits of individuals which				to denying opportunity to those who with different
before were discriminated against without so much				ethics. It is not my right to say that a man cannot
as a thought.The reason why it is irrational to				believe one thing or another. Everyone is their own
discriminate against someone on their race is because				individual, capable of believing as they wish for
one's race does not (normally) interfere with their line				themselves. Anyone who states differently, that
of work. Now, there are definitely circumstances				claims we have no obligation of kindness or sincerity
where such preference is absolutely justified. If a				to those who believe otherwise, is an obstacle in the
company was advertising and their statistics				race for knowledge, a blockade to the doorway of
department had told them that few African humans				opportunity, a stone on the path for life.When I say
buy their products, they may decide to advertise				that discrimination should not occur to man because
with more African models. Would it be rational, in any				of his beliefs, I do not mean to govern the lives of
reasonable man's mind, that the company should be				those who may sometimes judge on beliefs, and I
forced to hire as many Caucasion models as African				certainly do not mean to fill their lives with guilt.
models? I would doubt that with great sincerity. If,				There is a number of great individuals who refuse to
however, an insurance company was looking for a				have a relationship with someone outside of their
secretary, then the race of the secretary would be				race. And this will not be out of scorn, or of hate, or
completely irrelevant. Being a good secretary is not				of some other unbecoming trait. It is because of
about one's appearance, but wholly about one's				uncomfortability, or even an inability to relate to
intellectual capabilities, perhaps typing skills and				someone. A man cannot be blamed for being
diligance. It is not a question of looks, but a question				uncomfortable around other races any more than a
of intellect. To say that the modeling company was				man can be blamed for the race he is. If an individual
discriminating by choosing an African human over a				with this uncomfortable sentiment concerning
Caucasion human is equally true as saying the				members of other races were to see a member of
insurance company was discriminating by choosing a				another race afflicted with some ailment, and if this
smart secretary over an unintelligent secretary.The				"race-phobic" person were to offer aid -- not out of
battles for Civil Rights of the people, regardless of				any sort of fear or reward, but out of the sake of
race, gender, or sexual orientation, will continue on				pure compassion -- can we honestly call this person
for perhaps an inestimable number of years. The				full of hate or anger? To make such a claim would be
advocates of Civil Rights will exist as long as there is				to advance ignorance and to put a scar on the face
Reason and active compassion, and the opponents				of humaneness. Though individuals who feel out of
of Civil Rights will exist as long as there is some				place when among other races may stereotypically
ignorance and selective cruelty. A White Supremacist				have one image of being pristine, this stereotype --
may say that he will deny himself friendship or				like every other -- does not hold true for all of these
comradery with every non-White, based on that				individuals. In this group of individuals, there are good,
non-Whites are incapable of making good friends. As				warm-hearted, kind people, and to make an
every good person of non-White ethnicity passes by				opposition against them is to become an enemy of
this Supremacist, as every human being possesing				every Humanitarian who contends that duty and
the traits of kindness and reverance, beauty and				justice are our first priorities.Just as it is an atrosity to
vitality, intelligence and understanding, as every good				try to make someone act the same to other races
person with any skin color passes by this				when they themselves are uncomfortable with other
supremacist, the man will find himself a little more				races, it is also cruel and inhumane to insult someone
alone, a little less knowledgeable, and gravely				for not being comfortable with others of different
disadvantaged. So the battle of equal rights will				beliefs. A person may find it displeasurable to be
continue, as long as there is a group being				among other races. So a person may find it
persecuted, and as long as there are heroes of our				displeasurable to be among believers of Nazism,
species to defend them. Every man or woman				Fascism, Democracy, the electoral process, Socialism,
denied an opportunity because of traits which he				Communism, Pacifism, or any other creed which has
cannot control is a badge of dishonor upon the				been wrought from humanity. If a man honestly tells
ever-weakening chest of humanity, a boulder upon				me, "I will not be among those people, because the
the back of truth, and a slash across the face of				things they say and the way they act bothers me,"
beauty. As long as there is discrimination in the heart				then I can hold no animosity whatsoever to him, but
of any man, there will always be fallacies in his mind				if a man tells me, "I will not be among those people,
and intolerance in his actions.There is one battlefield				because they are innately cruel, beyond recompense,
that has almost been entirely unsuccesful in the case				passed the point of worth," then I will only be deep
for Civil Rights. This is the battlefield for the Right to				within disappointment. There are few creeds that a
Opinion. Think not that I am speaking of the right to				man can believe that will put him beyond the point of
belong to any political party, or believe in any religion.				opportunity. Though a man has a right to association,
These rights, however, are still under siege by those				to be with those he likes and avoids those he
without a rational framework of thought -- this right				dislikes, I can only hope that the star of fairness will
to political theory is still a source of hate for those				shine, and all of our hearts will be open to others. But
who do not weild Reason or humaneness, and it will				beyond this matter of association, it is important that
probably always exist, as long as there is a ruling				a man can receive a job, a place to live, a place to
class. The Right to Opinion that I speak of is the right				buy food and other necessities, without harassment
to believe all that you wish, without being				for his creeds. Let a man believe as he wish, and you
discriminated against. Though the right to belong to				can only hope that Reason will govern his judgment.
any political party or any religion may be counted as				Harassment will accomplish nothing, but will work
part of this, the Right to Opinion still does not prevail.				away at the man's tolerance for others. I cannot
What man can openly, publicly, and brazenly say that				govern society or its members, but as far as the
he finds Nazism to be a sound ideology, and then				economy goes, no man should be behind bars
easily find employment? Would a black shop owner				because of their beliefs. This is a testament to
hire this man, even if the Nazi was willing? If a man				freedom as much as it is a confession of
were to announce his membership in North-American				humaneness and a declaration for beauty in
Man-Boy Love Assocation (NAMBLA, working for the				tolerance.Though observation will allow us to easily
rights of adults for consensual sexual relationships				see that our society is not always accepting of
with minors), would announcing one's membership of				another man's Right to Opinion, a person cannot go
such an organization boost their chances of				far in their intellectual journey without hearing
employment or relationships? It is unpopular today to				someone say, "That person has their to their own
even assert that Nazism is right, or that Pedophilia				opinion!" Though this is certainly true, it is unlikely for
may be right. But if someone were to cling to such				someone to say this about a man who believes
ideologies, based on the juries of their mind, they will				Pedophilia is justifiable. It would be of most difficulty
be harmed in all ways: employment will be difficult,				to hear a man say "You have your right to your
friendships and family may be curtailed, and other				opinion" when another attempts to justify Pedophilia.
social or economic conditions may worsen, simply by				It would be gravely difficult to hear the same when a
holding an opinion.If an employer refused to hire				person makes a heretical remark, mocking a god or
someone on the grounds that they held a certain				the unseen spirits of the worlds' religions. I only feel
opinion, how could they respond? There are probably				the need to comment on this, that though everyone
a thousand laws inhibiting employers from such				has their right to their opinion, we always have the
actions, or completely disallowing public institutions				right to comment on their opinion, or hold an opinion
from denying citizens their right to equal treatment.				of an opinion. The point of existence for intellectual
But there are amazingly few laws upholding a man's				debate is not to find some conclusion, or to meet
right to belief in whatever he wishes. If a man				some compromise about some philosophical triffle. It
professed belief in Nazism, the business across this				is, utmostly, so that we can understand each other
nation may very well refuse to employ him or to				and -- with the serene hope that only sleeping
serve him. And, if he were to seek aid in his right to				children can dream of -- that we will clear the way a
belief, I doubt there would be a single politician who				little. That will we remove any fog that pollutes our
would stand beside him. The ruling class are not				thinking, destroy stereotypes, burn all aspirations that
concerned with justice so much as they are				are made from imitation, and bury every vice.
concerned with looking good in the eyes of the				Intellectual debate is the foundation for anything that
public. Being associated with a Nazi is not something				was individually great and accomplishing.Before closing,
that would help reelection of any public official. But do				there are some facts which ought to be put into light
not only think of Nazism as a creed a man may hold				for those who still disagree with me. Before anyone
that would harm him. If a man were to shout out in				lights a torch in effort to burn out their enemy for
public, "It is okay to have sex with children!" he would				some ideology, first think of Giordano Bruno.
be outcast. Employment would be impossible, people				Remember the monk who travelled throughout
would sneer, and the whole of society would be his				Europe, dodging the hounds of the Vatican as much
enemy, as much as they are enemies to the Right to				as he could, only so that he could write out what he
Opinion.Do humans have the Right to Opinion beyond				believed, only so he could try to prove that
political parties and religious belief? It is undeniable. So				compassion would conquer the world. Remember the
much as a man cannot choose his skin color, in many				physician Servetes, burned at the stake by a tyrant.
ways a man cannot choose his belief. If we see a				Remember his exodus from the church, breathless
crime being committed, we cannot help but believe				for life as he searched the land for some refuge, and
that it took place. If we are presented with the				denied any sentiment of compassion, as John Calvin
evidence of a crime, we cannot help but believe that				mercilessly ordered death. Think of Thomas Paine. He
there is a high probability that it took place. But these				wrote a book, and they unleashed the hounds of
are the thoughts of a rational man. If, being				iniquity with the orders of destruction and cruelty. He
presented with the evidence, a man comes to				spoke his mind, and they gave him the death
believe that Caucasions are superior to Africans, or				sentence. He was put behind the bars of a French
Africans are superior to Jews, or Jews are superior				prison as much as he was put behind the bars of
to Hispanics, -- if a human being, with his own mind				intellectual prison. Think of Francisco Ferrer. He taught
and his own will, gathers evidence for himself and				the children of Spain a secular education, gave them
discovers reasons to believe as he does -- if a man				the gift of literacy and thought, instilled in them an
does this, then what do we accomplish by punishing				insatiasable appetite for knowledge and truth. His only
him for speaking? Every man certainly must have the				gift to humanity was teaching and kindness, and his
right to judge facts for himself, regardless of what				only sacrifice was his own life. Remember all who
any court in the world says. It is not about				have given their lives only because they believed as
supressing Nazism, Fascism, Sexism, Racism,				they did, only because they felt that they were
Capitalism, Speciesism, and every other ill-doctrine by				compelled towards truth, and remember the
any means possible. It is not about silencing those				animosity we gave their offenders -- remember the
who oppose me ideologically. It is about holding up				unbridled scorn and contempt held for those who
the individual as the supreme leader of society; it is				executed heretics and heathens. Before anyone
about understanding the right of every person to				raises their fist in indignance towards someone with
believe as they wish, allowing the pathway to the				another creed, remember our heroes, how they
temple of any theory, opening the door to a				were killed for their beliefs, and why we will always
kingdom of ideas and concepts, releasing the chains				cherish their memories in our hearts. Life,Punkerslut
around the legs of every slave and holding the torch				(or Andy Carloff) has been writing essays and poetry
up at night so they know where to go to get to				on social issues which have caught his attention for
freedom. The Right to Opinion is the same as the				several years. His website provides a complete list of
right to belief, and upholding it is the same as the				all of these writings. His life experience includes
responsibility to decency, and the duty to civilization.If				homelessness, squating in New Orleans and LA,
a man comes to me and tells me that all other races				dropping out of high school, getting expelled from
are inferior, that Free Enterprise benefits the worker,				college for "subversive activities," and a myriad of
that animals have no right other than to be eaten, or				other revolutionary actions.
that real religion consists of a god in a far-away

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The Right to Opinion

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