Dear Beej, and Cousins on the List, I think we all have the right to self-expression. Far be it from me to say what anyone should write. The only thing that is forbidden on this list is inappropriate sexual commentary. And like the supreme Court Judge said about obscenity/pornography, "I know it when I see it!" One of the all-time funniest lines! I think how people behave or what they write, or how they perceive things is about them. I may not think something is very tasteful, or well written, but that's a just matter of individuality, of course. People's view of beauty, of art, or even of obscenity or pornography is probably totally different from mine. Mine, and Rootsweb's, are what rule here! Some months ago I showed some pictures of a most beautiful sculpture of an angel, done by a friend of mine, to another friend of mine who is Catholic, whom I hoped might purchase the sculpture. My Catholic friend denounced the work, declaring it was pornographic. I was simply stunned because it was so beautiful and had touched my soul. It was as if she had attacked me, and my values, and I can't feel the same about her anymore. I thought it so odd, because even Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel painting contains explicit depictions of human genitalia, and obviously the church hasn't seen anything wrong with that! On the other hand, we have the pitiful specter of our Attorney General whose behavior and writings I consider racist, and therefore obscene, covering the exposed breast of a statue of "Lady Justice," which stands in the Hall of Justice of the Justice Department in Washington. Now that's an obscenity. (If you would like to see my friend's sculpture, it is in my gallery:) http://www.backcountrycrossroads.com/Gallery/sherrie.html I don't care whether you like it or not, but merely offer it as an example of "one person's meat is another person's poison," and that beauty and even obscenity, like most every other idea and attitude is in the eye of the beholder. This commentary may be a little off the track of genealogy and history, but it is right on track about community, and tolerance, and individuality and how we all need to learn to be accepting of one another. We are a diverse nation, and world. As individuals we will never be everyone's cup of tea, we can only try to be what we feel is right for us, not inflict it on someone else and demand that they accept it. Love, Your Cousin, Carolyn

Without genitalia there would be no genealogy. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carolyn McDaniel" <cmacdee@centurytel.net> To: <AMXROADS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 2:04 PM Subject: Re: [AMXROADS] Re: "kicked off" the discussion list > Dear Beej, and Cousins on the List, > I think we all have the right to self-expression. Far be it from > me to say what anyone should write. The only thing that is forbidden on > this list is inappropriate sexual commentary. And like the supreme Court > Judge said about obscenity/pornography, "I know it when I see it!" One of > the all-time funniest lines! > I think how people behave or what they write, or how they perceive > things is about them. I may not think something is very tasteful, or well > written, but that's a just matter of individuality, of course. People's > view of beauty, of art, or even of obscenity or pornography is probably > totally different from mine. Mine, and Rootsweb's, are what rule here! > Some months ago I showed some pictures of a most beautiful > sculpture of an angel, done by a friend of mine, to another friend of mine > who is Catholic, whom I hoped might purchase the sculpture. My Catholic > friend denounced the work, declaring it was pornographic. I was simply > stunned because it was so beautiful and had touched my soul. It was as if > she had attacked me, and my values, and I can't feel the same about her > anymore. I thought it so odd, because even Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel > painting contains explicit depictions of human genitalia, and obviously the > church hasn't seen anything wrong with that! On the other hand, we have > the pitiful specter of our Attorney General whose behavior and writings I > consider racist, and therefore obscene, covering the exposed breast of a > statue of "Lady Justice," which stands in the Hall of Justice of the > Justice Department in Washington. Now that's an obscenity. > (If you would like to see my friend's sculpture, it is in my gallery:) > http://www.backcountrycrossroads.com/Gallery/sherrie.html > I don't care whether you like it or not, but merely offer it as an > example of "one person's meat is another person's poison," and that beauty > and even obscenity, like most every other idea and attitude is in the eye > of the beholder. > This commentary may be a little off the track of genealogy and > history, but it is right on track about community, and tolerance, and > individuality and how we all need to learn to be accepting of one > another. We are a diverse nation, and world. As individuals we will > never be everyone's cup of tea, we can only try to be what we feel is right > for us, not inflict it on someone else and demand that they accept it. > > Love, Your Cousin, Carolyn > > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >