One reporter reacts to JKR's revelations

[susanmcgee48176]

> If, for example, someone on this list were to argue that women should
> not be allowed to stay home and be housewives because housework is
> degrading, I would probably consider that person an idiot, but I
> wouldn't use the word on this list. He or she has the right to be
> wrong (assuming that I'm right in this instance). Or if I want to say
> that illegal immigrants should be sent back over the border (just as
> an example of an opinion some people might consider "intolerant"), I
> have the right not only to write those words but to defend them
> without being attacked. Perhaps we should respond to the ideas
> themselves rather than to the speaker. ("I disagree because . . ." not
> "You're a bigot and you're hurting my feelings.")
> 


Well, it would be nice if someone would address me directly, but I 
guess that people who are abnormal and who have chosen a sinful 
lifestyle don't deserve simple courtesy.

I said that my feelings were hurt, that this kind of commentary is 
upsetting in order to humanize the discussion.

If I were an undocumented worker, and someone said I should be sent 
back over the border, I would be understandably upset as well.

I'm trying to make the point that we are dealing with real peoples' 
lives here, and to say "well, you're just getting upset, we're having 
an intellectual discussion, everyone's entitled to their opinion."

Everyone IS entitled to their opinion. My opinion is that the type of 
nonsense that is being spouted by people about lesbians and gay men is 
based in bigotry and ignorance. Someone might want to take a look at 
the scientific research about "changing" someone's sexual orientation.
Or at the research that is finding that children of lesbians and gay 
men do just as well emotionally as the children of heterosexuals.

Otherwise, a poor young kid who is gay or who is a lesbian is going to 
read this stuff, and say (gosh, I don't want to live a life where 
everyone thinks I'm abnormal and immoral, maybe I can change?) or worse 
yet, thinks about killing themselves because they can't imagine leading 
a happy or normal life.

It really seems as if people would like me to be silent. 
It seems to me that it's okay for YOU to have YOUR opinions about the 
abnormality and immorality of "homosexuality" but it's not okay for me 
to have MY opinions about injustice and intolerance.

Susan