virus: "Live and let live" - heresy!

Ken Pantheists (kenpan@axionet.com)
Thu, 16 May 1996 13:19:23 +0000


Richard Brodie wrote:
>
> I've been hoping a few others would comment about why "live and let
> live" might be a heresy in the Church of Virus. Anyone?
>

Live and let live is a statement that is riddled with complexity.

Like most catch phrases it can mean something, butmost often, means
nothing at all.

The reason I think it is complex is that it is a statement that suggests
we be tolerant. Which is a good thing.

But to say "live and let live" also censors the other "living" person
and insulate the person saying it.

It is a converation stopper.

eg. "Hi. I'm a black lesbian." response: "Oh well, live and let live."

It says, subtextually, "Be what ever you want to be but don't tell me
about it. Don't challenge me, don't make me have a meaningful discourse
with you. While you're at it, would you politely fuck off?"

I equate tolerance with open mindedness, when I guess, they are really
not exactly the same.

Open mindedness is a virtue. Curiousity and respect for other people are
virtues. When one truly believes these and says Live! and Let! Live!
then is is a virtuous statement.

If you are saying it because you simply tolerate, to prevent the other
person from truly living- in your mind as an equal, comrade, fellow
human creature. Then you are a virian heretic.

Queer Nation has a slogan

Tolerance does not equal acceptance.

-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We are all here on earth to help each other, 
but what the others are here for, God only knows."

- W.H. Auden ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ken Pantheists http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/2446 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~