Thursday, August 5, 2010

Quote Of The Day

This one is from Juan Cole, at his blog Informed Comment:

[W]hat is at stake in both gay marriage and Muslim mosque building from the point of view of those who believe in the American tradition of civil liberties for individuals, in the default position that the government has no business regulating unharmful individual activity. It is nothing less than the assertion of inalienable rights over the whims and emotions of a very large mob.

Mosque Building and Gay Marriage vs. Mob Rule by the Right

People who whine about the "rights" of the majority not to be offended by actions of minority groups ignore this point entirely: There has to be a good reason to restrict someone's rights, or potentially none of us is free to offend someone. I am neither gay nor a Muslim, but the lack of freedom for them represents a potential lack of freedom for me.

That's another reason it's worth fighting for.


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