06-20-2003, 11:37 PM
I really don't know how to respond to that. Elitism? Ethnicity? What is your argument here? Majoritarianism? Anti-intellectualism? I don't get it. What does being a university graduate (or a Latin American) have to do with liberty and marriage?
You never asked me why, if I want to smoke dope (I don't), you should. I don't recall that exchange ever happening, especially since it doesn't apply. We're talking about rights, not desires. What I personally want to do, or you personally want to do, is irrelevant. (Equally, what Latin Americans want to do...) This is about what people legally should be allowed to do.
The US was founded on the idea that all people, regardless of ethnic origin, and including an enormous variety of origins, could live together under a common code of laws dictated by reason. Justice would be served not by racism or majoritarianism, but would be considered on its own terms. Is it your opinion that this has changed? Or should change? I certainly hope not. And I don't think Latin Americans (or Italians, or Chinese, or Iranians, or anyone else) makes a dent in that ideal.
Jester
You never asked me why, if I want to smoke dope (I don't), you should. I don't recall that exchange ever happening, especially since it doesn't apply. We're talking about rights, not desires. What I personally want to do, or you personally want to do, is irrelevant. (Equally, what Latin Americans want to do...) This is about what people legally should be allowed to do.
The US was founded on the idea that all people, regardless of ethnic origin, and including an enormous variety of origins, could live together under a common code of laws dictated by reason. Justice would be served not by racism or majoritarianism, but would be considered on its own terms. Is it your opinion that this has changed? Or should change? I certainly hope not. And I don't think Latin Americans (or Italians, or Chinese, or Iranians, or anyone else) makes a dent in that ideal.
Jester