An op-ed page article in today's WSJ (Nev.27,1998) by Malcolm Rifkind entitled: Britian Blundeers by Arresting Pinochet, uses arguments that are similar to those employed by anti "anti-hate crimes" legislations proponents on Louis's list (This is getting as confusing as congressional bills whenre a yes vote mean no.) The main argument: arresting Pinochet may be a good thing in itself, but its a bad principle. I remind all on this list the Rifkind was the last British Foreign Minister when Chris Patten was the last British Colonial Governor in Hong Kong up to its return to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997. The argument Rfkin/Patten used for HK was, in various degrees of variation, that British colonialism should not end, or even if it must end administratively, operationally it should be allowed to continue in Hong Kong because under British colonial rule, Hong Kong was more "domocratic" and capitalistic than China. So for the sake of "freedom", let colonialism or colonial influence continue. Patten was a hero in America although the 5 years of his governorship and still is today. Sorry, LP, for violating your ban on further mention of hate crimes on your list even through a back door. But its just that hate crimes themselves refuse to go away in this world, and one stumbles on them evrywhere. Its not my fault.
Henry C.K. Liu