On Thu, Jun 05, 1997 at 12:14:20AM -0400, frissell@panix.com wrote:

...

Yes, some pathetic strange little boys swaggering around in never-never land. Lonely individuals with shriveled hearts, stunted morals, and feverish imaginations, who brag contemptuously of their superiority over "sheeple", and boast of their heroic roles in the coming revolution.

I hope you're not referring to Lucky, or Time May, or me. Lucky has a successful career in a computer-related field. Tim was exceedingly well- integrated into the work force at Intel and did a great deal of valuable and lucrative work for them. I am married with four children (who I never sent to a government school) and get along well with a host of friends and co-workers. I have achieved a modicum of success as a writer and speaker. I happen to be a neo-victorian myself.

Clinton has a *very* successful career as a politician, and has done a great deal for Intel, in that role. And he is a great family man who also gets along well with a host of people. I was characterizing the people Lucky described: Some on this list will even say that the kids' deaths fortunately reduced the negative impact their parents can have on the gene pool. If you, Lucky, or Tim hold such sentiments in your heart, then I am referring to you. Lucky's statement that people putting their children in daycare in a federal building are "criminally stupid" is simply contemptible.

Why is it that when someone like Al Gore expresses strong and extremist views as he did in "Earth in the Lurch" (or whatever that book was called) no one ever claims that he is " a pathetic strange little boy swaggering around in never-never land. A lonely individual with a shriveled heart, stunted morals, and a feverish imagination."

Of course, Gore has been called far worse things, many times over. Probably on this very list. You know that, I know that.

How do you know our hearts are shriveled? Can it be because we can do the math and figure out the Feds are *much* bigger killers than McVeigh?

No Duncan. It's because your first thought is to do that math. It is one thing to be aware of the many, many failings of human beings and their governments. It is another thing to savor rightous anger, keeping score, and thinking of suitable revenge. Besides, who the heck are "the Feds"? What set of human beings are you thinking about?

Why don't you bleed for *their* victims.

I do. Though I wouldn't use that metaphor.

Remember, government's crimes are worse than private crimes (even apart from the higher body count) because a serious breach of duty and trust is involved.

Keeping score again, eh? Government -5 billion, Duncan 10.

Look, people are bound to disagree over social policy and even right and wrong. But since everyone is much more powerful than they used to be, a force- based monopoly on policy and morality ("others" government) just can't be sustained anymore.

Why on earth would you think that?

Your side just simply doesn't have the artillery.

"My" side? You probably mean the "government". If so, you are deluded. If not, you are right -- I personally have only a small armory -- a few automatic weapons, two tactical nukes, some conventional explosives, and a big pocket knife -- just your average homeowner arsenal.

It would be better for everyone if you would recognize reality, step back, and allow self-government to replace others-government.

I'm not standing in anyone's way, and it wouldn't make any difference at all if I did, because I am an insignificant zero who comforts himself with the thought that being a clown is an honorable profession. That's reality. You should take a hit, sometime -- it's heavy stuff. But you know who really needs a heavy dose -- it's that Bob Hettinga fellow -- his head is shaped strangely like a big brick, and he gets it wedged in the strangest places.

It will happen anyway.

Yep. And the second coming is just around the corner, now that the comet has arrived with the mother ship. -- Kent Crispin "No reason to get excited", kent@songbird.com the thief he kindly spoke... PGP fingerprint: B1 8B 72 ED 55 21 5E 44 61 F4 58 0F 72 10 65 55 http://songbird.com/kent/pgp_key.html