From: mccall@mksol.dseg.ti.com (fred j mccall 575-3539)
Subject: Re: Vandalizing the sky.
Organization: Texas Instruments Inc
Lines: 65

In <C63nA8.4C1@news.cso.uiuc.edu> gfk39017@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (George F. Krumins) writes:

>I was suggesting that the minority of professional and amateur astronomers
>have the right to a dark, uncluttered night sky.

And from whence does this right stem, that it overrides the 'rights'
of the rest of us?

>Let me give you an example.  When you watch TV, they have commercials to pay
>for the programming.  You accept that as part of watching.  If you don't like
>it, you can turn it off.  If you want to view the night sky, and there is a
>floating billboard out there, you can't turn it off.  It's the same 
>reasoning that limits billboards in scenic areas.

And if you want to view that television station, you have to watch the
commercials.  You can't turn them off and still be viewing the
television station.  In other words, if you don't like what you see,
don't look.  There is no 'right' I can think of that you have to force
other people to conform to your idea of aesthetic behaviour.  What's
next, laws regulating how people must dress and look so as to appeal
to your fashion sense, since you have this 'right' of an aesthetic
view? 

> Pat writes:
>George.

>	It's called a democracy.  The majority rules.  sorry.
>If ytou don't like it, I suggest you modify the constitution to include
>a constitutional right to Dark Skies.   The theory of government
>here is that the majority rules,  except in the nature of fundamental
>civil rights.

>I say: 
>	Any reasonably in-depth perusal of American history will show
>	you that many WASPs have continued the practices of prejudice,
>	discrimination, and violence against others of different
>	races, religions, and beliefs, despite the law.

Which has what to do with the topic of discussion?

>Pat says:
>If you really are annoyed,   get some legislation
>to create a dark sky zone,  where in all light emissions are protected
>in the zone.  Kind of like the national radio quiet zone.  Did you
>know about that?  near teh Radio telescope  observatory in West virginia,
>they have a 90?????? mile EMCON zone.  Theoretically they can prevent
>you from running light AC motors, like air conditioners and Vacuums.
>In practice, they use it mostly to  control  large radio users.

>I say:
>What I'm objecting to here is a floating billboard that, presumably,
>would move around in the sky.  I, for one, am against legislating
>at all.  I just wish that people had a bit of common courtesy, and
>would consider how their greed for money impacts the more ethereal and
>aesthetic values that make us human.  This includes the need for wild
>and unspoiled things, including the night sky.

Oh, I see.  You don't want any legislation that might impinge on you;
you just want everyone else on the planet to do what you want.

-- 
"Insisting on perfect safety is for people who don't have the balls to live
 in the real world."   -- Mary Shafer, NASA Ames Dryden
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Fred.McCall@dseg.ti.com - I don't speak for others and they don't speak for me.
