Posted by Matiz on April 17, 2001 at 19:26:11:
In Reply to: Morality Police posted by Aardvark on April 17, 2001 at 18:41:20:
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Aardvark, Although I tend to avoid injecting myself into squabbles like the recent Ritmo-Westfargo spat, I understand where both sides are coming from: some guys read about conduct (sexual risk-taking, perceived racism, treatment of women, or whatever) and it's so repugnant to them that they feel compelled to respond and condemn that activity. I also understand your perspective: judge not lest you be judged. There is certainly a lot to be said for being tolerant of the views of others. I don't agree, though, with the "people in glass houses" analogy. Certainly our hobby is not something for which we'll ever win a Good Citizenship award. But regardless of its current political and moral incorrectness, prostitution is not illegal in the ZN, and having paid sex with a consenting adult isn't in any way comparable in my book to knowingly fooling around with a minor, just to take one example, which is illegal in both the U.S. and Mexico and should be roundly condemned by all reasonable adult males. Nor is it comparable to, e.g., trying to deceive a prostitute about your SDT status or verbally or physically abusing her or trying to coerce her into an act she doesn't want to perform. There are probably other examples I'm forgetting, but you get the idea. I agree that given the nature of our hobby we, of all people, should be a tad more tolerant than the average person about the peculiarities and preferences of others. But even so, I wouldn't ever want to be part of any group that is so completely and totally amoral that anybody who voices their honest opinion when they feel something is really wrong is derided and chastised as the "Morality Police". I think having cerain principles and trying to uphold them is laudable, and the debate that ensues can be valuable to everybody. Listening to both viewpoints and airing differences is one way to grow and learn. It's painful and abrasive and divisive, but eventually a better understanding emerges. As long as there are differing views, there will be squabbles. To me that's a sign that we're alive and thinking and paying attention, not that we've regressed to fascism.
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