B.Schuss wrote:
but don't you find it ironic, lowing, that your definition of a special interest groups seems to involve either race/ color of skin or religion, more specifically non-white, non-christian people ?
Do special interest groups always equal minorities ?
If a group of female WASP's had made the same request, would they be a special interest group ?
I think the underlying cultural issue is that we have two conflicting schools of thought here.
One, stemming from our democratic principles, is that the will of the majority overrides the will of the minority. We do as is deemed best for the majority of the people. We elect into office whoever gets the majority of votes. In our contect this would mean that our gyms are co-ed, because that is what the majority of students consider to be the norm. This is the standard, so-to-speak.
But we have also learned that minorities also have rights and that it is important to reckognize those rights, and not to discriminate against said minorities because of their religion, color of skin, or sexual orientation. We have learned that it is a trademark of tolerant, free societies that minorities are treated fairly, and that their special requirements are being adressed whenever this is feasible. And we want to be live in tolerant, free societies, don't we ? We want to respect the beliefs and traditions of other people, don't we ?
Because, who knows, one day, one of us might belong to a minority, and then, what do you do ?
I don't think there is a perfect solution that adresses every possible situation, just as I think that there is no fixed, forever-valid definition of what a special interest group is. Each issue must be adressed individually, and the end result may very well be a compromise, as in our case.
Good post, and you are correct. But make no mistake on my position, yes, white people have their special interest groups as well, and I am against them.
Minorites have rights, you are correct, they have the same rights as white people, without a doubt. They do not deserve SPECIAL rights, to accomadate them or their religion or culture or anything else. The same goes for white people, NO special rights are granted white people, as it should be.
There is a perfect solution to address these problems. That solution is to hold EVERYONE to the same standard. Period. No special favors no special rights no special previdges. Now, people on this forum refuse to see the difference in what I am saying, and want to take that to the extreme as to not put in handicap ramps and shit just to prove a point. I am sorry, there is nothing I can do about there overdramatizing the discussion.