12 Oct 95 10:08:22 -5 Date: Thu, 12 Oct 95 10:04:42 EDT From: coatesrd@casmail.muohio.edu (Rodney Coates) Reply-To: coatesrd@casmail.muohio.edu (Rodney Coates) To: Racial-Religious-EthnoNationalist Violence Studies Subject: comments on violence and the state of REVS On Tue, 10 Oct 95 16:29:51 EDT you wrote: >Freedom of speech has a long tradition within the American context. >Yet the ideal has never been reached. This speech has always been >circumscribed to suit the will of the majority. Unfortunately, the >history of this majority until quite recently has been racist, sexist, >anti-semetic, ethnocentrist, homophobic and nationalistic. Now, that >many have become sensitized to these flaws in our "little democracy" >disgruntled voices are crying fowl and lableling any effort to curtail >offensive verbal violence as politically correct. Nothing could be >futher from the truth. > We as a group concerned with studying and hopefully eliminating >violence of any and all forms, should demonstrate our commitment by >policing ourselves. We should set the standard. This standard should >understand the reality that no freedom and/or right is absolute. We >should also refrain from becoming either a tyrany of the majority or >minority. What is offensive to some might not be offensive to others. > Or what the majority might not see as offensive the minority might do >so. Consequently, a simple majority will not always guarentee that >the right decision has been made. We have to have informed decisions, >and policies. >And even then, there is a likelihood, as our knowledge/sensitivity >increases that we might find that we have again erred. But the bottom >line is that we should be concerned, cautous, and serious regarding >what it is that we are about. Violence elimination, regardless of >form, must be goal. > well that's my two cents worth anyway...later and peace >UMOJA, >Still in the struggle > >Rodney D. Coates >Director of Black World Studies >Associate Professor of Sociology >Miami University >Oxford, Ohio - 45056 > >PH: 513-5291235 > UMOJA, Still in the struggle Rodney D. Coates Director of Black World Studies Associate Professor of Sociology Miami University Oxford, Ohio - 45056 PH: 513-5291235