Some thoughts on "discrimination".

Reasonable discussion on such topics is rendered impossible by demonising the concept, hallowed in human history, of discrimination. The truth is, of course, that discrimination is a primary art of humanity, and until the late twentieth century, this was recognised in the standard approval of anyone described as a discriminating individual. If our faculties of discrimination were lost, then we would be unable to discriminate between the good and the bad, the true and the false, or the elegant and the clumsy, for instance. Neither judgment nor education would be possible without discrimination, and the attempt to throw discrimination into the ethical dustbin is an assault upon our very humanity. One could talk about Aunjust discrimination@, Awrongful discrimination@ or even in certain unfortunate circumstances Aillegal discrimination@ if one wanted to retain the possibility of a reasonable discussion.  ADiscrimination@ itself, however, is one of the most glorious and commendable arts of being human, and the practice of demonising it must be expunged from our minds and our writings, and, indeed, from our law-books.

                                                                   

In light of this, it is not only right but essential for us to discriminate between conduct that has won universal approval down the centuries, such as faithful marriage and continent singleness, and conduct which brings ill upon those who practise it and upon the communities that approve it, such as adultery and aberrant sexual practices of all sorts. Any reasonable, sensible and (dare I say it) civilised society will seek to teach its children to imitate the former and avoid the latter. To aid us in this matter, what have been called Athe hard cold facts and figures@ are, in truth, wholly on our side. These are the facts and figures of long life, productive children that are of benefit to communities rather than the reverse, and the reverse of the those statistics that demonstrate the effect of what drains a community=s resources in law-courts and medical facilities.