From: futplex@pseudonym.com (Futplex)
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 1996 06:04:42 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com (Cypherpunks Mailing List)
Subject: Re: When they came for the Jews...
In-Reply-To: <199601101826.NAA04543@homeport.org>
Message-ID: <199601102152.QAA24188@thor.cs.umass.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


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Adam Shostack writes:
> There is also a difference between stopping skinheads
> and stopping blacks, in that the skinheads decided to wear clothing
> and tattoos that identify them as skinheads, and thus may more fairly
> be asked to bear the consequences.

Sorry, but from where I stand there's nothing "wrong" with wearing clothing,
bearing tattoos, etc., any more than there's anything "wrong" with having a
particular level of skin pigmentation. When you decide that only clothing,
tattoos, etc. that display particular colors, emblems, words, etc. are
"wrong", then you are stifling free expression. 

This is very similar to the absurd flag burning "issue". (I would laugh, but 
both houses of the U.S. Congress came damn close to passing the proposed 
Constitutional amendment just a few weeks ago, although I thought the matter
was long dead.) When they decide that burning a piece of cloth _with a
particular emblem on it_ is "wrong", they rip up the First Amendment all over
again. I happen to think that going around burning pieces of cloth is a bad
idea from an environmental standpoint, but it's not clear that even that
should be illegal, let alone unconstitutional.

Futplex <futplex@pseudonym.com>
"Freedom...oh freedom...that's just some people talking" -Eagles

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