--On Sunday, November 08, 1998, 12:44 PM +1000 "Steve Clancy" <stevie-c@technologist.com> wrote:
> What do we do?
>
> In light of discussion relating to the Taliban and Islam, I would
> like to pose a question on this subject and related subjects. What can we
> extropians do to overcome the political movements which hinder extropian
> and libertarians ideals, and what can we do to help and encourage those
> movements which help us?
> Does anyone think the answer lies in political activism or does it
> lie in ignoring unjust laws and powering on ahead? What kind of
> malicia-like strategies could be employed, or is the answer in non-violent
> means?
>
> Thanks, Steve.
>
>
I think both political activism and ignoring unjust laws is good. People who
I admire politically are Larry Flynt, Dr. Kervorkian, and Dr. Richard Seed
(Seed only if he accomplishes what he is trying to do).. they respond to
unjust laws by breaking them, very flagrantly. That is the best thing to do
- break a law as soon as it is enacted, do it very publicly, do it day after
day, do it with a lot of press coverage, and do it in a way that costs them
as much money as possible.
I do not think violent militia solutions will do much. Especially since
we're in the minority.. most people are actually pretty stupid, and if it
becomes a test of force between stupidity and intelligence, stupidity will
win simply because there are more of them to apply the force.
The best solution to the Taliban problem in particular would be to 1) help
individual people get out and 2) try to get subversive information in.
Feminist literature, atheist literature, as well as just really shocking
offensive pornographic type stuff to desensitize them a bit. One way to do
this might be to tie little books to baloons and let them float into
Afghanistan. Does the Taliban have a figure-head who is to them what
Khomeini was to Iran? Someone to ridicule?
Incidentally I found the Taliban has their own web page, www.taliban.com