Comments on: Are We Too Tolerant? http://greyswan.net/2007/06/are-we-too-tolerant/ A mostly unpredictable weblog Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:22:12 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Speeker http://greyswan.net/2007/06/are-we-too-tolerant/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Speeker Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:12:43 +0000 http://www.greyswan.net/2007/06/01/are-we-too-tolerant/#comment-27 The liberal position is not that inner city crime is the fault of white people. The liberal position is that policies and attitudes create the conditions in which individuals are more likely to turn to crime to express outrage, frustration, greed, etc. An individual of whatever personal circumstances is responsible for every act he or she commits, including those defined by our laws as criminal, and liberals are likely to agree with this as anybody else. But society, the built environment, culture, upbringing and a thousand other influences external to a person's will do restrict and shape the choices available to a person. The liberal position is not that inner city crime is the fault of white people. The liberal position is that policies and attitudes create the conditions in which individuals are more likely to turn to crime to express outrage, frustration, greed, etc.

An individual of whatever personal circumstances is responsible for every act he or she commits, including those defined by our laws as criminal, and liberals are likely to agree with this as anybody else. But society, the built environment, culture, upbringing and a thousand other influences external to a person’s will do restrict and shape the choices available to a person.

]]> By: barry brumberg http://greyswan.net/2007/06/are-we-too-tolerant/comment-page-1/#comment-26 barry brumberg Sat, 02 Jun 2007 03:53:45 +0000 http://www.greyswan.net/2007/06/01/are-we-too-tolerant/#comment-26 The shrines mentioned, are similar to the burned out cars and graffiti that used to litter and desecrate the streets of NYC in the 80's. Along with squeegee men and panhandlers, the city was a challenging place to visit. The authorities decided at some point that it was to noone's advantage to permit this to continue and put a stop to it. And the city was transformed. Shrines in no way add to a sense of community, but they must be removed by the civil authorities, and this should be a consistent policy for all neighborhoods. It can not be done by people in the neighborhood; this would be risky and dangerous. This is the point of government; to do what is in the best interest for all, and not to be cowered by the most vocal and violent. Where is Richard Nixon and his silent majority? BB The shrines mentioned, are similar to the burned out cars and graffiti that used to litter and desecrate the streets of NYC in the 80’s. Along with squeegee men and panhandlers, the city was a challenging place to visit. The authorities decided at some point that it was to noone’s advantage to permit this to continue and put a stop to it. And the city was transformed. Shrines in no way add to a sense of community, but they must be removed by the civil authorities, and this should be a consistent policy for all neighborhoods. It can not be done by people in the neighborhood; this would be risky and dangerous. This is the point of government; to do what is in the best interest for all, and not to be cowered by the most vocal and violent. Where is Richard Nixon and his silent majority? BB

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