To prejudge other men's notions...

[Hunt 11]

"A bigot is a prejudiced person who is intolerant of any opinions differing from their own."

 

This is an interesting definition, but it's still not clear enough, because I'm not sure what it means to be "intolerant" of somebody else's opinions. Does that mean we can't say we think somebody else is wrong? Or just that we can't suppress their right to express their opinions? Or that we shouldn't mock or denigrate them for having differing opinions? Personally, I have many opinions that I think are correct, and that opposing opinions are wrong. I hold these in varying degrees of certainty.

 

To me, labelling somebody else's opinion as "bigotry" is simply a way to avoid engaging on the merits--you simply assume from the start that your opinion is the correct one, and that anybody who has a different view is "prejudiced." Of course, you came to your position by a careful consideration of all the facts, etc.--as opposed to your opponent, who is just a slavish follower of dogma.

[packsaddle 753]

I would not have had to delete this duplicate if I could have previewed it first to spot the formatting problems...hello, hello, anyone listening?(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[packsaddle 753]

A friend just emailed me this link:

http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070930/OPINION/709300309/1008/OPINION&GID=pg7jpOwATwcyQFoXN9I6LOJ3FTjGo0Up2N0ct4XbMRw%3D

Although I agree with the idea of the author, the last paragraph has a problem.

"Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens deserve the full and equal rights and protections guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. No religious teaching should deny them that. Religion-based bigotry must end now and forever."

The problem is that its meaning depends on the reader''s understanding of what "bigotry" is. And that is highly variable.

When I was much younger I was what would have been considered by many here as conservative. I voted for Richard Nixon. I shared the values that were articulated by Barry Goldwater. As time has passed, as I have mentioned to my students, I have been wrong about so many things that I am now automatically suspicious of things that seem to make sense.

Therefore I am automatically suspicious when labels are used instead of ideas. As with the conservative or liberal labels, the bigot label should be applied carefully or not at all. The ideas themselves are the best option. But while I tend to agree with the author of this article, I''m even more delighted with his courage to say it publicly in the South. Wow! (This message has been edited by packsaddle)