[PLUG-TALK] Racism

[glen e. p. ropella]

Thus spake Jeme A Brelin circa 01/06/2009 04:50 AM:
> "Homophobia" does not mean "an irrational fear of homosexuality" any
> more than "hydrophobia" means "an irrational fear of water".  This is a
> misapplication of linguistic etymology when cultural or usage-based
> etymology is more appropriate.

Actually, both the American Heritage and Merriam Webster cite: "fear of"
and "irrational fear of", respectively.  So, although there is a more
sophisticated psychological definition, it is reasonable to use the word
according to those two dictionaries.

> "Homophobia", as we all know as speakers of modern American English, is
> any attitude or position that rejects, denigrades, or discredits
> homosexual relationships or the people who engage in them.

But the prevailing opinions are that the rejection, denigration, and
discreditation are mostly due to an underlying fear of some sort.

The flaw in Michael Robinson's rhetoric doesn't lie in the definition of
the word, the flaw lies in his assertion that his "disagreement" is in
any way principled.  His lack of principle shows through in his
discussion of endorphins.  His claim is that gay people have so
fundamentally a different physiology that they cannot develop
endorphin-based psychological bonds whereas heterosexual people can.

If his objections were _principled_, he'd either admit that they _may_
develop such bonds but that they shouldn't by some moral code or another
_or_ cite biological evidence that homosexuals do not exhibit such a
hormonal response.  If he chose the former, he'd have to resolve all the
myriad contradictions in his moral code, pointed out by others on the
list.  If he chose the latter, he'd have to do some significant research
(that he is probably unqualified and incapable of doing) to demonstrate
his point biologically.

Since he will take neither principled path, his disagreement with
homosexuality is unprincipled prejudice, probably based on fear, thereby
making him a homophobe.

-- 
glen e. p. ropella, 971-222-9095, http://tempusdictum.com