From: Dale Thorn <dthorn@gte.net>
Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 19:42:25 -0800 (PST)
To: Jim Choate <ravage@einstein.ssz.com>
Subject: Re: Free & Open Society & toleration
Message-ID: <199702020342.TAA06926@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Jim Choate wrote:
> It has been asserted that I am claiming that a free and open society should
> not abide any and all actions in contrast to Jim Bell's assertion that a
> free and open society must tolerate any action.
> This is not my case at all. I hold that a DEMOCRATIC society with a HEALTHY
> ECONOMIC system must have some minimum standards on what is allowed. By no
> means do I hold that the ONLY means of a free and open society is a democracy.
> It is quite possible to have an anarchy which would also be a free and open
> society and by DEFINITION would tolerate any action by its members acting
> individualy or in concert.

[snip]

Nobody has a problem with your ideals, it's just that Jim Bell is
trying to say (correct me and forgive me if I'm wrong) that:

1. Society will never subscribe to your ideals.
2. Society is not static, i.e., instead of remaining at a constant
   level of corruption, the officials will keep demanding more,
   until there's a sudden, catastrophic break.
3. The AP solution has the potential to stabilize the level of
   corruption, which should make violent revolutions and genocide
   unnecessary.