http://www.ambitgambit.com/2004/07/21/minoritarianism/ Ambit Gambit Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:01:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.ambitgambit.com/2004/07/21/minoritarianism/comment-page-1/#comment-402 Graham Young Thu, 29 Jul 2004 13:36:28 +0000 http://localhost/ambit/?p=348#comment-402 Amir, I think we have already seen the backlash - Pauline Hanson. The fact that she has vanished doesn't mean that the sentiment doesn't remain. She was one of the reasons for setting up On Line Opinion as a site which welcomed a wide diversity of views and encouraged people to engage, no matter what they think. We're only part of the way there as of yet. Amir,
I think we have already seen the backlash – Pauline Hanson. The fact that she has vanished doesn’t mean that the sentiment doesn’t remain.
She was one of the reasons for setting up On Line Opinion as a site which welcomed a wide diversity of views and encouraged people to engage, no matter what they think. We’re only part of the way there as of yet.

]]> http://www.ambitgambit.com/2004/07/21/minoritarianism/comment-page-1/#comment-403 Amir Thu, 29 Jul 2004 11:19:12 +0000 http://localhost/ambit/?p=348#comment-403 I think that part of the problem is that whereas once the objective of all minority groups was to achieve equality of opportunity and, to varying degrees, that has been accomplished, many now see the fight as being one of acceptance. In other words, the legislative push has gone from anti-discrimination to anti-vilification; from the right not to be denied opportunities or the provision of services due to race, religion or sexual preference to the right not to be offended because of decisions that you have made or ideas that you have adopted. It is this type of thinking that, in my view, underpins both the push by religious minorities for laws to outlaw criticism or vilification of their religious beliefs as well as the push of sexual minorities for ‘rights’ that go far beyond the simple tolerance of their lifestyle choice that was once the principle objective of the homosexual rights movement. The danger is, of course, that the pendulum is swinging too far in one direction and the majority may feel – rightly or wrongly – that their right to hold opposing views or take opposing moral positions has been undermined or usurped in the name of other people’s ‘right’ not to be offended or their ‘right’ not to be vilified. When that happens, and I am not sure it will happen here, then one should expect a pretty significant backlash directed both at the minorities themselves and those who have traded away what is a fairly fundamental right in itself: the right to challenge or criticize what are ultimately ideas and decisions. Amir I think that part of the problem is that whereas once the objective of all minority groups was to achieve equality of opportunity and, to varying degrees, that has been accomplished, many now see the fight as being one of acceptance. In other words, the legislative push has gone from anti-discrimination to anti-vilification; from the right not to be denied opportunities or the provision of services due to race, religion or sexual preference to the right not to be offended because of decisions that you have made or ideas that you have adopted. It is this type of thinking that, in my view, underpins both the push by religious minorities for laws to outlaw criticism or vilification of their religious beliefs as well as the push of sexual minorities for ‘rights’ that go far beyond the simple tolerance of their lifestyle choice that was once the principle objective of the homosexual rights movement. The danger is, of course, that the pendulum is swinging too far in one direction and the majority may feel – rightly or wrongly – that their right to hold opposing views or take opposing moral positions has been undermined or usurped in the name of other people’s ‘right’ not to be offended or their ‘right’ not to be vilified. When that happens, and I am not sure it will happen here, then one should expect a pretty significant backlash directed both at the minorities themselves and those who have traded away what is a fairly fundamental right in itself: the right to challenge or criticize what are ultimately ideas and decisions.
Amir

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