Of me Paul Gilmartin wrote:

<begin extract>
In some cases when someone has espoused a practice or point of view
that you judge to be anomalous, you characterize him as an
"intelligent Martian".
</end extract>

This is true; but it misses the point, at least in part.  I (and
others) have used this epithet to characterize an ahistorical point of
view, one that reflects or appears to reflect radical ignorance of
what has been.  Even the disagreeable past is prologue.

Moreover, there is a substantive difference between characterizing an
opinion as that of an intelligent Martian and attempting to interdict
the expression of that opinion.

John Gilmore, Ashland, MA 01721 - USA

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