[16708] in APO-L
Re: Summit - Fuel for Discussion (fwd)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (SCATMAN)
Sat Apr 26 13:42:01 1997
Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 13:40:21 -0400
Reply-To: pran@wam.umd.edu
From: SCATMAN <pran@wam.umd.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
In-Reply-To: <199704260207.WAA15685@po1.wam.umd.edu>
I'm not quite sure who decided to post this message, but it has to be one
of the most narrow-minded, selfish, extremist, ridiculous,
propoganda-laden pieces of you-know-what I have ever seen.
* For starters, to even compare a campaign to get America
(corporate and otherwise) to help 'at risk' youths nation to slavery is
ludicrous, not to mention insulting. Slavery is the forced involuntary
servitude of one in the service of another. In slavery, there is no
choice on what to do, how to do, or when to do it. When you serve your
nation, you have a choice as to how you do it.
* As far as those who are leading and supporting the Summit (Colin
Powell, President Clinton, 30 governors, and 90 mayors, etc.) being
Un-American, to even suggest this is may itself be Un-American. There are
no hidden motives behind this summit. The goal is to bring all of
America together is helping resolve the problems that affect this country.
The only people who would (or should) feel guilty about anything are those
who put selfish needs in front of helping their fellow man (such as
yourself).
* Finally, we do not live in a country (or even a world) that
subscribes to a the pure survival of the fittest doctrine of Darwin or a
Laissez-Faire(?) policy. When a fellow HUMAN is in need, we help them
out. It is human nature to do so. The social issues that plague this
nation get solved that way. To adopt an every man for himself way of
thinking would doom this country. We have an obligation to serve and
help others who are less fortunate, and, except for a select few (such as
yourself), no one has a problem doing that. They certainly don't feel as
though they have been forced into "Slavery".
I respect a person's right to express what ever they wish. However, one
should consider the content of what they express, lest they wish to offend
a great number of people or receive scathing retorts such as this and
those that have preceeded and will follow.
> C L I N T O N W A N T S Y O U R L I F E .
>
>
> HE WANTS TO OWN YOU. As demonstrated by his April 27-29 "Service Summit"
> in Philadelphia -- he wants you to accept the doctrine that living for
> yourself is evil while living in servitude to others is good. Clinton --
> and the other politicians and celebrities leading the summit -- have
> asserted your "duty" to "serve" others. They want you to feel GUILTY for
> living -- if you're not living for others.
>
> These people are profoundly anti-American. It is a moral disgrace for
> them to hold their summit at Independence Hall -- WHERE THIS COUNTRY WAS
> FOUNDED ON THE RIGHT OF THE INDIVIDUAL TO BE LEFT ALONE TO PURSUE HIS
> OWN HAPPINESS. It is a moral disgrace for them to call self-sacrifice
> "the American Way." Your life belongs to YOU ALONE, not to King George
> III, not to the needy, not to Bill Clinton. THIS is the American way.
>
> The duty and guilt they seek to invoke with their "volunteerism"
> campaign is bad enough. But even worse are their growing proposals to
> make service MANDATORY. Clinton has embraced Maryland's requirement that
> high school students must perform community service in order to
> graduate.
>
> We believe that living a rational, productive life in the achievement of
> YOUR values is a moral virtue. What we need is not "a new sense of
> duty," but a new understanding of THE VALUE OF INDEPENDENCE, which Ayn
> Rand so eloquently expressed in her novel THE FOUNTAINHEAD. Here are
> excerpts from the hero's climactic courtroom speech:
>
>
> "Men have been taught that their first concern is to relieve the
> suffering of others. But suffering is a disease. Should one come upon
> it, one tries to give relief and assistance. To make that the highest
> test of virtue is to make suffering the most important part of life.
> Then man must wish to see others suffer -- in order that he may be
> virtuous. Such is the nature of altruism."
>
> "The man who attempts to live for others is a dependent. He is a
> parasite in motive and makes parasites of those he serves. The
> relationship produces nothing but mutual corruption. It is impossible in
> concept. The nearest approach to is in reality -- the man who lives to
> serve others -- is the slave. If physical slavery is repulsive, how much
> more repulsive is the concept of servility of the spirit? The conquered
> slave has a vestige of honor. He has the merit of having resisted and of
> considering his condition evil. But the man who enslaves himself
> voluntarily in the name of love is the basest of creatures. He degrades
> the dignity of man and he degrades the conception of love. But this is
> the essence of altruism."
>
> "Men have been taught that the highest virtue is not to achieve, but to
> give. Yet one cannot give that which has not been created. Creation
> comes before distribution -- or there will be nothing to distribute. The
> need of the creator comes before the need of any possible beneficiary.
> Yet we are taught to admire the second-hander who dispenses gifts he has
> not produced above the man who made the gifts possible. We praise an act
> of charity. We shrug at an act of achievement."
>
> "The choice is not self-sacrifice or domination. The choice is
> independence or dependence."
>
> "The egoist in the absolute sense is not the man who sacrifices others.
> He is the man who stands above the need of using others in any manner.
> He does not function through them.... He does not exist for any other
> man -- and he asks no other man to exist for him. This is the only form
> of brotherhood and mutual respect possible between men."
>
> "Independence is the only gauge of human virtue and value. What a man is
> and makes of himself; not what he has or hasn't done for others. There
> is no substitute for personal dignity. There is no standard of personal
> dignity except independence."
>
> "Now observe the results of a society built on the principle of
> individualism. This, our country. The noblest country in the history of
> men. The country of greatest achievement, greatest prosperity, greatest
> freedom. This country was not based on selfless service, sacrifice,
> renunciation or any precept of altruism. It was based on a man's right
> to the pursuit of happiness. His own happiness. Not anyone else's. A
> private, personal, selfish motive. Look at the results. Look into your
> own conscience."
>
> "I came here to say that I do not recognize anyone's right to one minute
> of my life.... No matter who makes the claim, how large their number or
> how great their need."
>
>
> DON'T ALLOW this country's President and intellectuals to destroy it --
> and to turn you into a selfless servant. Don't accept the unearned guilt
> they want you to feel. Proclaim your moral right to life, liberty, and
> the pursuit of happiness. YOUR happiness.
>
> FIGHT THE SUMMIT. Picket with us in Philadelphia. Sign the Petition
> against Servitude we are co-sponsoring with the Ayn Rand Institute at
> the Web site given below. The petition will be presented to Clinton on
> OUR holiday: July 4.
>
>
> THE COALITION OF STUDENTS AGAINST SERVITUDE
> founded by Objectivist clubs at campuses nationwide, including Harvard
> U, Columbia U, Northwestern U, U of Michigan, George Washington U, U of
> Pittsburgh, Penn State U
>
> SIGN THE PETITION AGAINST SERVITUDE: http://www.aynrand.org/no_servitude
> --
> ####################################################################
> MIKE KERN
> Asst. Coord. Volunteer Services Southern Methodist University
> & SMU Service House Advisor PO Box 172
> mkern@mail.smu.edu Dallas, TX 75275-0172
> (214) 768-4418
> (214) 768-4600 (fax)
> ####################################################################
>
