Re: Hugo Shortlist 2008 (Sawyer)

Howard Brazee wrote:
>
> People of all genertions have "good reasons" why their bigotries
> aren't the same as last generations.    Whether it is "I object to
> Illegals, not Mexicans", or "it's for their own health", or "their
> kind attacked us on 9/11", we have excuses.   Just as our grandparents
> had.

The difference is that "it smells awful and it can damage my health" is 
true, unlike everything to which you're trying to compare it.

And again . . . I'm not a crazy anti-smoker. My grandfather died of lung 
cancer because he smoked, my father quit when I was very young (I don't 
remember him smoking), and my older sister smokes still. I've been exposed

to a range of perspectives on the issue and I've formed my own opinions.

I don't have a problem with my sister smoking. She doesn't smoke in my 
apartment when she visits, or in my parents' house, but I let her smoke in

my car, even though driving at over 100km/h with the window next to her
down 
does *nothing* to prevent her smoke from wafting forward and getting in my

nose.

There is a factual, scientific difference between "I don't like those lazy

Mexicans, though the good ones that came here legally and learned English 
are okay" and "I don't like being around smokers because of the stench and

health risks, though I don't hassle the smokers I know who do it
privately."

-- 
Christopher Adams
Sydney, Australia

I'm waiting for the rain to come
I'm waiting for the light to go
My hands are shaking
My eyes are dry
I'm waiting for the clouds to cover up the sky