Stigma
(Dee Speaking)

 
 

MAIN PATH: John
 
John
Fred
 
Malik
 

I have a rough idea of what you are calling social equality, but I have a problem with the direction you're taking. The problem is that I think you want to use the power of the state to achieve the equality you want. You speak of "social policies" but I think you mean "government policies."

The problem is that if our government acts thoroughly and logically to eliminate ideas of inferiority from our culture, the distinction between public and private spheres of action will be completely lost. You will have merged state and society. You will have created the liberal nightmare.

If we take this approach, there is no limit to how much of our lives could, and should, be regulated by the state. For example, it used to be said that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would not ordain black ministers. It is clearly true that the Catholic Church will not ordain women as priests. Many churches will not knowingly hire a homosexual minister. If we follow out the logic of your argument, the state would simply forbid these things. That would be an unprecedented interference with private liberty. As I said before, the distinction between public and private spheres would be eliminated.

To go back to our discussion of liberalism, I would also say that this kind of a project, if carried to its logical conclusions, would destroy liberal society.


I want to make one thing clear: I do not object to social equality as a goal or an ideal. I object to the method by which you want to achieve it.
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