keller@uicsl.UUCP (02/29/84)
#N:uicsl:16300053:000:1940
uicsl!keller Feb 28 10:43:00 1984
An open letter to Phil Polli
I am amazed by your vehement response to my comment on your note
"Using tax money to feed hungry people," and I am quite pleased by
the reaction it drew from the net.politics audience.
Your statement that "You are not being forced to pay taxes to the
U. S. government" provoked my response. Because the tax burden is
already huge and getting bigger (perhaps much bigger) and because
I am sympathetic to those who would reduce government "do good"
programs, both for industry and individuals, I made a simple
(I'd even call it "pure". You could call it...Well, we know what you
called it.) tax vs freedom argument.
You added, "You can leave any time you want. I don't know of anyone
who would even dream of keeping you here," which is a childish jab
that set the tone for my not too clever "I thank God that you weren't
around to help write the Declaration of Independence, Constitution,
and Bill of Rights." You must have sensitive skin if that prompts
you to escalate to impugning my intelligence, calling for censorship,
and slandering the entire population of the University of Illinois.
If you take umbrage at any further submissions of mine, feel free to
chose your response style number one. I'm sure that you can write a
short response referring, without direct quotes, to things that you
have read, such as the Constitution. I will have my Civics text
beside my terminal so as to keep you honest in your references.
Net.politics is best when it educates its readers, but as rabbit!jj
(who maintains a high quality in his many submissions) says
it takes restraint sometimes. Judging from your latest entry in which
you speak of the many "very dangerous" ideas on the net, and how you
will continue to make your "firm" rebuttals including letting us know
your opinion of the contributors intelligence, I think you will not
be able to contribute to our education.
-Shaun Keller