[Vision2020] Liberalism and Diversity on the Palouse

Fri, 2 Jan 2004 17:50:51 -0800

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Dear Visionaries:

A few points, and then I'm outta here.

First, thanks to all of you who so cogently proved me wrong on the point of
my original post. You have obviously been keeping up with what is going on,
digesting it thoughtfully, and responding with level-headed rational
argument. No witch hunts here. I guess you showed me.

Second, (and from here on out, I'm serious - I promise) I want to thank
Steve Wells for posting links to my Credenda articles. If I am going to be
tried and convicted based on what I said, I want to have really said it. I
don't want to be misrepresented, as I was by Rose Huskey's inaccurate
recollection of what I said during the Proposition 1 forum, or by Joan
Opyr's always witty yet misleading and overly simplistic summary of what she
thinks I believe.

Third, I am more than willing to reconsider and revise anything I have
written. It is the Word of God that is infallible, not Greg Dickison. If you
think I have misinterpreted it, you are free to let me know and I will be
happy to discuss it. I am always up for learning more and deepening my
understanding. But if the only response you have is, "I can't believe you
said that and you are evil because you did," then we are not going to get
very far. Keely Mix vehemently disagrees with me, but she at least
understands the world-view I operate in. I sincerely thank her for the
invitation to talk.

Fourth, Steve Wells wants to investigate my views of the legal system, since
I am a public defender, and Rose Huskey has kindly published a copy of her
letter to the Latah County commissioners. The very legitimate questions
asked have been asked explicitly and publicly before: how can I believe what
I do and be a criminal defense lawyer? For one thing, it is not necessary to
believe that robbery, theft, murder, rape, battery, driving under the
influence, speeding or any other crime are "legitimate alternative
lifestyles" in order to zealously represent someone accused of such. The
same goes for sexual preference. When it comes to the job I do for people,
it just doesn't matter. If anything, I am more careful with a homosexual
client, because I don't want to give any occasion for people to make silly
accusations. I also understand the difference between reformation and
revolution. The gospel works like leaven in a loaf of bread, not like the
101st Airborne. While there is much about our legal system I think is
misguided, it is the system I am currently stuck with. I try to do the best
that I can for my clients with the tools that I have to work with. I think I
do a pretty good job (there are judges who will not hesitate to tell me if I
don't). I love the work, I sincerely like and enjoy my clients, and I get
great pleasure out of doing my part to keep an overreaching and
all-too-powerful State at bay.

Finally, my purpose in posting my last missive was not to start another
shrill discussion. It was simply to make a point, and I am satisfied I have
made it. This post is as far as I intend to carry it. To the extent there is
any conspiracy or I have an agenda, it is this: Christ died for sinners, of
whom I am chief. He died to free me from my sins; he rose from the dead that
I might live with him forever. He calls me to live according to his word,
and I want to figure out what that means. That's it. I am happy to explore
that with anyone at all, and go wherever it might lead.

Blessings.really.

Gregory C. Dickison

Lawyer & Counselor at Law

208 S. Main #2 / PO Box 8846

Moscow, Idaho 83843

Tel: (208) 882-4009

Fax: (208) 882-1001

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<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Dear Visionaries:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>A few points, and then I&#8217;m outta =
here.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

First, thanks to all of you who so cogently proved me =
wrong
on the point of my original post. You have obviously been keeping up =
with what
is going on, digesting it thoughtfully, and responding with level-headed
rational argument. No witch hunts here. I guess you showed =
me.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

Second, (and from here on out, I&#8217;m serious =
&#8211; I
promise) I want to thank Steve Wells for posting links to my Credenda =
articles.
If I am going to be tried and convicted based on what I said, I want to =
have
really said it. I don&#8217;t want to be misrepresented, as I was by =
Rose
Huskey&#8217;s inaccurate recollection of what I said during the =
Proposition 1
forum, or by Joan Opyr&#8217;s always witty yet misleading and overly
simplistic summary of what she thinks I =
believe.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

Third, I am more than willing to reconsider and =
revise
anything I have written. It is the Word of God that is infallible, not =
Greg
Dickison. If you think I have misinterpreted it, you are free to let me =
know
and I will be happy to discuss it. I am always up for learning more and
deepening my understanding. But if the only response you have is, =
&#8220;I
can&#8217;t believe you said that and you are evil because you =
did,&#8221; then
we are not going to get very far. Keely Mix vehemently disagrees with =
me, but
she at least understands the world-view I operate in. I sincerely thank =
her for
the invitation to talk.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

Fourth, Steve Wells wants to investigate my views of =
the
legal system, since I am a public defender, and Rose Huskey has kindly
published a copy of her letter to the <st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName
 w:st=3D"on">Latah</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
commissioners. The very legitimate questions asked have been asked =
explicitly
and publicly before: how can I believe what I do and be a criminal =
defense
lawyer? For one thing, it is not necessary to believe that robbery, =
theft,
murder, rape, battery, driving under the influence, speeding or any =
other crime
are &#8220;legitimate alternative lifestyles&#8221; in order to =
zealously
represent someone accused of such. The same goes for sexual preference. =
When it
comes to the job I do for people, it just doesn&#8217;t matter. If =
anything, I
am more careful with a homosexual client, because I don&#8217;t want to =
give
any occasion for people to make silly accusations. I also understand the
difference between reformation and revolution. The gospel works like =
leaven in
a loaf of bread, not like the 101st Airborne. While there is =
much
about our legal system I think is misguided, it is the system I am =
currently
stuck with. I try to do the best that I can for my clients with the =
tools that
I have to work with. I think I do a pretty good job (there are judges =
who will
not hesitate to tell me if I don&#8217;t). I love the work, I sincerely =
like
and enjoy my clients, and I get great pleasure out of doing my part to =
keep an
overreaching and all-too-powerful State at =
bay.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

Finally, my purpose in posting my last missive was =
not to
start another shrill discussion. It was simply to make a point, and I am
satisfied I have made it. This post is as far as I intend to carry it. =
To the
extent there is any conspiracy or I have an agenda, it is this: Christ =
died for
sinners, of whom I am chief. He died to free me from my sins; he rose =
from the
dead that I might live with him forever. He calls me to live according =
to his
word, and I want to figure out what that means. That&#8217;s it. I am =
happy to
explore that with anyone at all, and go wherever it might =
lead.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Blessings&#8230;really.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Gregory C. Dickison</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Lawyer &amp; Counselor at =
Law</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>208 S. Main #2 / <st1:address w:st=3D"on"><st1:Street =
w:st=3D"on">PO
  Box</st1:Street> 8846</st1:address></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City w:st=3D"on"><font =
size=3D2
  face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Moscow</span></font></st1:Ci=
ty><font
 size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>, <st1:State
 w:st=3D"on">Idaho</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode =
w:st=3D"on">83843</st1:PostalCode></span></font></st1:place><o:p></o:p></=
p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Tel: (208) 882-4009</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Fax: (208) 882-1001</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

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