[Vision2020] Constitutional Ban on Gay Marriage

[Douglas]

Visionaries,

Sunil says:
Clearly you don't understand that when the other party goes nuclear and 
unleashes a WMD like 'Says who?' the only thing one can do is slowly back 
away and be grateful that you weren't completely destroyed by the strength 
of the opposing argument.


This can only be understood as a facile playground response, and not an 
argument, if in fact the authority behind the initial claims is well known 
to all. In that case, the best response would be to answer the question.

"Don't touch that electric fence, Billy!"
"Says who?"

Lots of good answers could go in here.

"All the best electricians." "Mom" "Rancher Smith." et al. In this universe 
of discourse, such an appeal to limited authorities is quite legitimate and 
proper.

Now, when people on this forum issue sweeping and *universally* obligatory 
imperatives (denouncing racism, say, or whooping up human rights, and 
insisting that all are morally obligated to agree, conform, and burn 
candles on their altar), what is the common authority, binding on us all, 
that obligates us to obey?

Let's keep it simple. Check one of the following.

____ All are morally obligated to acknowledge the inviolability of human 
rights.

____ All are not morally obligated to acknowledge the inviolability of 
human rights.

Check one of the sentences above. And if someone else wants to check the 
other one, and you challenge him, and he says, "Says who?" a decent respect 
for those who know how to follow an argument should require that you answer 
the question. Imagine there's no heaven. Its easy if you try. It sure is -- 
above the killing fields of Cambodia, above German concentration camps, 
above the abortion clinics, above the Stalinist famine in Georgia, above 
the Aztec pyramids covered in human blood, above the bedroom of a 
nine-year-old girl being molested by her mother's boy friend -- only sky.

Cordially,


Douglas Wilson