In thinking about the recent discussions on hierarchy, some ideas from another discussion came to me and it seemed this might be a good place to explore them.

Disclaimer: I am not, in any way, suggesting that racism or the rest is good or healthy. Please remember that.

The question is, however, what is the moral response to expressions of these things? Many times the response is violent or hateful in return, creating the politically correct nightmare.

If we have any "right" or claim to life, liberty and property, how can we not have equal claim to our own thoughts and actions?

So, if someone acts, speaks and writes racist or other hateful things, what is the legitimate response by those who disagree and find those things harmful? As long as there is no physical aggression against another person, it seems to me that no response is actually required.

Far too many people, it seems to me, are willing to carve out an exception here and suggest more coercive responses than they would for most or all other things. But I find that terribly hypocritical.

Once again, it would seem to me that freedom of association and the free market would be the only legitimate paths to respond to such things. I suggest we must vote with our feet and our wallet even in dealing with such distasteful things or we lose legitimacy in suggesting it for anything else.

Ball to your court!