2004-08-22
OTHER VOICES
"Equality in a moral sense is at heart a principle that asserts individuals as having equal dignity or personhood | Rising to the level of a right, equality is the authoritative claim that a person will not be held in lesser regard ~ as having less worth ~ unless that
lesser regard is warranted by the person has [or has not] done |
A person may be held in lesser regard, even contempt, becuase of some action he performs [say, lying, theiving, murdering] or becuase of his failure to perform some duty [say, neglecting to pay his taxes or feel his children | Such acts and omissions permit
and warrant censure and punishment |
But a person may not legitimately be held in lower regard becuase of some status he or
she has, some group-membership independent of any action that establishes the
person as a member of the group |"
lesser regard is warranted by the person has [or has not] done |
A person may be held in lesser regard, even contempt, becuase of some action he performs [say, lying, theiving, murdering] or becuase of his failure to perform some duty [say, neglecting to pay his taxes or feel his children | Such acts and omissions permit
and warrant censure and punishment |
But a person may not legitimately be held in lower regard becuase of some status he or
she has, some group-membership independent of any action that establishes the
person as a member of the group |"
Richard D. Mohr
From an essay: Equal Dignity Under the Law published in Gay + Lesbian Review, Sept/Oct 04 edition | © 2004
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