Well said David. I think your analogy with ordinary language is the best example showing how the concept of 'choice' is unworkable when it comes to measurement.
Phil Hall > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Behalf Of David King > Sent: 10 March 2005 10:49 > To: U.S. Metric Association > Subject: [USMA:32429] Re: USMA announcement > > > I too am all for an anti-fascist society. Sometimes enthusiasm for > something can be mistaken for something less acceptable, and if you feel > that my comments are not in line with what you want society to be then I > feel that you have misunderstood my comments, or I am > misunderstanding you. > > I would like society to be open and free, I don't want to lose freedoms, > etc., but all my life I have not had the choice of using metric > exclusively in life, which is my preference. I have been forced to use > imperial so many times that I am sick of imperial and want to choose > metric, but society won't let me use metric all the way. > > We need to have metric available in all areas to all, and those who > choose not to use metric have had their day of non-metric being dominant > in the UK and USA, now it is the turn of metric being dominant. You > cannot have it both ways, a free society is good but when it has to > regulate things one way or the other, for example, in the UK all road > signs like speed limits on public roads, by law, have to be in miles per > hour, even though I would prefer them to be in km/h like in most > countries of the world, but the law forbids such a thing at present. > That is regulation and control and a lack of freedom of choice. To have > everything using just one system is what I would like to see, not > because I oppose freedom or choice, because I believe in freedoms for > all and where appropriate people should have choice, but choice must be > limited within certain parameters otherwise we have chaos. For example, > a hypothetical situation: if I choose to kill you, would you allow that, > as you are pro-choice? Or would you want to say that is not acceptable, > as some choices are not valid? Surely you would choose the latter, that > there must be restrictions on society for the good of all. > > As I see it, metrication is for the good of all and although it means > non-metric users have less choice, it does not mean we have to have a > fascist or totalitarian society. Most countries in the world went metric > without altering freedoms of choice for people. > > Another example, suppose I choose to speak in a language other than > English? I might demand that right, and that all forms and documents > that I have to use officially be in my chosen language, other than > English, but they cannot be because it is impractical. My only choice > then would be to do everything in English. > > Basically, you have to remember that choice is limited by restrictions, > and that metrication is not against choice, it is about harmony. Harmony > means we all use the same measurement system so that we all understand > each other, to promote the betterment of society. > > I hope you reconsider your position on metrication and realise that it > does not mean trying to control people nor telling them what to think, > but is rather a means to harmony within the world as a whole. There are > many political issues in the world as it is which divide people, > metrication should not be one of them. > > David King > > > > ewc wrote: > > >Hi Jim (Elwell) > > > >Thanks for the voice of sanity - but I fear you are in a minority. > > > >When I joined this group I was (mildly) pro-metric. But recent > >comments by many - including Pat, David and Phil - have been the last > >straw for me. > > > >I will hence forward actively oppose metrification in a wide variety > >of contexts because I feel it is my duty in connection with the > >preservation of basic liberal values, and an open, anti-fascist, > >society. > > > >That fool Orwell is dead so this fool will carry his protest on. > > > >most sincerely > > > >Robert Tye > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
