[Sca-cooks] J. Swift's proposal (OOP, Off topic, longish, ranting)

[Philippa Alderton]

--- Gorgeous Muiredach <muiredach at bmee.net> wrote:
> Someone made reference to Jonathan Swift's proposal.
>  I was going to let it
> lay, but I can hold myself no further.  Feel free
> not to read any further. <g>
>
> I know the reference was made in jest, yet it scares
> me tremendously to
> read such a jest.  The majority of you probably
> don't know this, but in
> this day and age, in this country, similar precepts
> are still being preached.

OK, I made the jest, and I apologize if it offends
your sensibilities, but I consider it a non-issue.

Yes, there are people out there who believe an awful
lot of things (and a lot of awful things), and they
certainly have a right to their beliefs, but SCA
Cook's List is not really the place to debate them,
and I for one, tend to take rather a cynical viewpoint
at any para- religious belief- see my recent posting
on vegetabletarians ;-)

There are people throughout the world who eat all
kindsa stuff- if the "How to Butcher the Human
Carcass" website is to be believed, aborted human
fetuses are one of them- never mind, cats and dogs,
and insects, and other species, and rather "odd" body
parts- we have had recipes for penises and testicles
on this List, and I was just watching something on TV,
where somebody was following around a cow in order to
acquire his personal gourmet delight, fresh cow
manure, still warm from the cow. Must admit, that one
certainly simplifies the Cook's job ;-)

But, we are Americans, for the most part, and one of
the very basic things which makes us what we are is
the right to have and discuss our beliefs. If,
however, our beliefs impinge on the rights of other
beings to THEIR right to "the pursuit of happiness",
and we take actions to impinge on their rights, our
laws, for all their flaws, are designed to, if not
prevent this, then at least punish the perpetrators.

So, we have "Human Rights" advocates bombing abortion
clinics, and terrorists crashing airplanes into
inhabited buildings, and environmentalists sitting in
trees or trashing hard-working fisherfolks nets, and
we argue and fight and carry on, trying to convince
other folks of the absolute correctness of our
particular points of view, and at best, if the system
is working right, we come to a consensus, and work
from there.

One of the basic problems facing us in our developing
humanity, is whether to prune the tree, or let it grow
wild. Do we abort/execute errant sprouts/members of
the human race, or do we let them grow wild, perhaps
choking it/ourselves to death?

Again, not really a subject for Cook's List.

OTOH, kneejerk antipathetical responses to a passing
intended-as-light comment do none of us any good. The
only way we all win is to allow any polite discussion
of these matters, so that we all freely come to a
consensus, based on logic and good sense, rather than
propagandistic raving.

Unless I'm very mistaken, I suspect the consensus of
members of the Cook's List is that "A Modest Proposal"
was intended by Mr Swift as satire, and is taken in
the same vein.

I certainly, under any circumstances whatsoever,would
not allow any child of any age, race, national origin,
mental/physical capacity, etc to come to any harm I
could prevent, even if it were to mean losing my life
or my health in their protection.

Phlip

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