From: gfk39017@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (George F. Krumins)
Subject: Re: Vandalizing the sky.
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Lines: 59

nicho@vnet.IBM.COM (Greg Stewart-Nicholls) writes:

>In <C5y4t7.9w3@news.cso.uiuc.edu> George F. Krumins writes:
>>It is so typical that the rights of the minority are extinguished by the
>>wants of the majority, no matter how ridiculous those wants might be.
> Umm, perhaps you could explain what 'rights' we are talking about
>here ..
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>Greg Nicholls ...         : Vidi
>nicho@vnet.ibm.com or     : Vici
>nicho@olympus.demon.co.uk : Veni

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

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.

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.

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.

George
-- 
|  George Krumins                     /^\        The Serpent and the Rainbow  | 
|  gfk39017@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu       <^^. .^^>                                  |
|  Pufferish Observatory           <_ (o) _>                                  |
|                                     \_/                                     | 
