Re: FAQ: SOCIETY AND POLITICS

Michael Lorrey (retroman@together.net)
Tue, 04 Aug 1998 12:38:39 -0400

Wesley R. Schwein wrote:

> Michael Lorrey <retroman@together.net> on 07/28/98 06:23:57 PM
>
> Please respond to extropians@extropy.com
>
> To: extropians@extropy.com
> cc: (bcc: Wesley R. Schwein/ISG/US/Unisys)
> Subject: Re: FAQ: SOCIETY AND POLITICS
>
> > Daniel Fabulich wrote:
>
> > Suppose we took a bunny rabbit and engineered it to be especially healthy
> > and horribly ugly. Animal rights activists would surely show pictures
> > saying "Extropians want to turn this <picture of a cute bunny rabbit>
> into
> > THIS <picture of an ugly, but healthy, bunny rabbit>" They'd be equally
> > appaled, if not more so.
>
> I'm sorry, can we have some concrete examples of these evil weak-hearted
> people ? Or is this just an exercise in name-calling?

While I did not say this, I will support the accuracy of this prediction. While vegans/animal rightists as individuals may not perform such shallow and obviosly manipulative and untrue attacks, I know from personal experience that activists and political action groups (on both sides of the spectrum) do not care how much they lie or distort the truth, so long as they can curry public sentiment in favor of the policies they are trying to shove down people's throats.

> Animal rights activists are as diverse a group as transhumanists and with
> concerns publically mocked without rational criticism, something we can all
> relate to here. Do you think every
>
> >:The point is that the 'Cute' factor is what sells animal rightism and
> >vegetarianism
> >(which is why many more women than men are one or the other).
>
> Lorrey, I've read a lot of arrogant sexist bullshit on this list

Unfortunately, your ad hominem attack is inaccurate in truth. The company I work for processes mailing lists for several of these activist organizations, and I can tell you that the female members outnumber male members by a ratio of at least 4 to 1. Those are the facts, not 'arrogant sexist bullshit' as you claim. Likewize, I can also make the claim that most Physical Therapists are female, by a factor of at least 9 to 1, based on my knowledge of the mailing lists of several Physical Therapy professional organizations.

You have not made any opposing statements with any facts to support your claim, so if you cannot, then please rescind the personal attack and apologize.

Mike Lorrey