What is so difficult to grasp about "equality?"

[Skidmore]

Seriously. What is so hard to understand about being accorded the rights and respect of being treated as an equal human being? That the person you share a home with, stand next to at the bus station, work with daily, or recreate with in the same environment is an equal. That you are not one whit better than that individual or any group of individuals? That regardless of your perceived "station" in life, that we all have the same essential physical and emotional needs for survival. That your gender, race, creed, handedness, job, national origin, or however you choose to slice and dice humanity does not make you exceptional in anyway other than the way to treat others? That you are not more deserving of respect or wealth or possessions than the next person? We all are born, live, and die. Some of us have different talents and abilities. The bottom line is that when someone refuses to acknowdge the humanity of others and to respect them at that most basic level, then I fully expect you not to stand and harangue others about equality and freedom because you understand neither.

[Nye Bevan]

1. According to some here, it is not quite as simple as that.

Oftentimes when someone here advocates "equality" someone accuses them of being "colorblind", which is, apparently, somehow racist.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

2. I think I disagree with quite a lot of that.

Especially these two lines:

> That you are not one whit better than that individual or any group of individuals?
>That you are not more deserving of respect or wealth or possessions than the next person?

Some people are superior to others in abilities. Some people are superior to others in the ethics of their behaviour. I believe that both categories of people are certainly more deserving of respect, and by some definitions of "deserving" more deserving of wealth, than the rest of us.

As you yourself say, we "all have different talents and abilities". And it's *not* the case that all those talents and abilities are of equal value.

We are *not* all created equal; only equal in the sight of the law. And the continuance of even that equality is wholly condititional on our subsequent behaviour - everyone has a right to a fair trial, but not everyone has the far more important right not to be found guilty at the end of one.

Yes, we are all human. But that's nothing to be proud of. People who are good at things, or who are good, deserve more respect than the stupid and immoral.

[Skidmore]

4. So if someone is impoverished, a person of greater means is more worthy to walk the earth

and breathe the air than the man without means?

[Donald Ian Rankin]

5. No.

[Egnever]

3. my answer

There is no such thing. Life is not equal ever.who me I support equal rights completely I also realize there will never be true equality there will always be advantages or "privilege" for some group be it a race or a gender or a matter of wealth. There is no such thing as equality.

Fighting to make the playing field as even as possible is something I will never stop supporting but the reality is there will never be true equality. It is against human nature. Human are always looking for an advantage and will take any opportunity to grasp any advantage they can.

Doesn't mean I don't think it is a good goal that we should strive for just means I recognize the reality.

[Laelth]

6. Out of curiosity, about whom are you speaking?

Who is it, exactly, that you think does not understand "equality?"

Or are we fighting straw-persons again?



-Laelth

[Skidmore]

8. No. There have been so many discussions here regarding

privilege and who has it. To me, there is not a single one of us that walks the face of the earth who is more worthy than anyone else. I don't see myself as more worthy than anyone else. What I ask to be treated with respect and a recognition of that humanity which we all possess.

[Laelth]

9. You'll get no argument from me on that.

Ultimately, that's because I share your egalitarian views. That said, it's equally obvious to me that some people are, in fact, privileged. To the extent said privilege is unfair and unjust, I think we should fight it and seek to equalize privilege between persons whom we feel should be "equal under the law," at least, if not "equal in power" (which is a vastly different issue).

-Laelth

[Puzzledtraveller]

7. Equality

is a fabrication of the human mind.